Nutritional value, phytochemical composition and antioxidant potential of the seed flour of Cycas sphaerica, endemic to India

Abstract

Cycads are used mainly as source of food starch and in traditional medicine in Asia, Americas, Australia, Sub-Saharan Africa and some Pacific islands by the local communities. Of the 118 known species of the Cycas (Cycadaceae), Cycas sphaerica Roxb. is an endemic species of the Eastern Ghats of India having considerable ethno-botanical, nutritional and medicinal importance. The present paper reports for the first time the nutritional and anti-nutritional properties, physical and functional attributes and chemical constituents of C. sphaerica seed flour. Results of the present study revealed that the flour is rich source of carbohydrate (66.48 g/100 g), protein (16.8 g/100 g), fat (3.61 g/100 g), fibre (2.79 g/100 g), ash (2.32 g/100 g), essential amino acids (methionine: 0.37 g/100 g; threonine: 0.50 g/100 g; leucine: 0.92 g/100 g), non-essential amino acids (cystine: 1.39 g/100 g; serine:0.73 g/100 g; alanine: 0.77 g/100 g) and vitamin C (32.6 mg/100 g). Besides, it is a rich in potassium (10310 mg/100 g), magnesium (1260 mg/100 g), iron (15.67 mg/100 g) and manganese (3.61 mg/100 g). Antinutrients such as phytate, oxalate and tannin were detected within the safe dietary limits. The seed flour had good water and oil absorption capacities. The metabolite profiling of seed flour by GCQ-MS identified a total of 20 phytochemicals, out of which 3-O-methyl-D-glucose, ethyl α-D-glucopyranoside and cis-vaccenic acid were the most dominant components. The seed flour extract exhibited moderate antioxidant potential due to the presence of certain phenolics and flavonoids. Based on the present findings, it can be concluded that C. sphaerica seed flour has high nutritional value and may be used as a food supplement and nutraceutical. The identified phytoconstituents may serve as source compounds for pharmaceutical applications. • Cycas sphaerica is an endemic cycad of Eastern Ghats region of India having multipurpose use. • Its seed flour is widely used by tribals of the region as a food supplement and nutraceutical. • This is the first report on the nutritional and phytochemical properties of this tribal food plant. • Seed flour was rich in carbohydrate, protein, fibre, amino acids, vitamin C and useful elements. • 3-O-methyl-D-glucose, ethylα-D-glucopyranoside & cis-vaccenic acid were the dominant phytoconstituents.