Evaluation of In-vitro functional potential of developed synergistic Fe-Vit C rich powder for anemic adolescent girls

Abstract

Nutritional anemia is a major public health issue in India affecting more than 60% of adolescent girls. The present study was conducted for phytochemical screening, estimation of total phenolic content, antioxidant and antimicrobial potential of methanolic extracts of iron and vitamin C rich powder mix (Fe-Vit C powder mix) developed from cauliflower and turnip leaves, garden cress seeds, rice flakes and Aonla, to combat iron deficiency anemia among adolescent girls. The total phenolic content was 180.02 mg GAE/g of powder. At the concentration of 500µg/ml, the extracts showed 91.8 ± 0.370 and 91.4 ± 0.312% scavenging activity by DPPH and Hydrogen peroxide method, respectively. The methanolic extracts of powder were found to have significant antimicrobial activity against all the three test microorganisms i.e. Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeroginosa and Candida albicans. Qualitative phytochemical analysis of extracts showed the presence of almost all phytochemicals only, Anthocyanins and sterols were found to be absent. Fe-Vit C powder mix appeared to be successful alternative for nutrition intervention and supplementary feeding programme to reduce the prevalence of iron deficiency anemia among adolescent girls.