Variation of Phenolics (Bound and Free), Minerals, and Antioxidant Activity of Twenty-Eight Wild Edible Fruits of Twenty-Three Species from Far North Region of Cameroon.

B B Koubala,M C Kolla,H Wangso,Mohamed Makni,J P Bayang,A Laya

doi:10.1155/2021/4154381

Abstract

The present study is aimed at investigating the variation of phenolics (bound and free), minerals, and antioxidant potentials of the wild edible fruits (fresh and dry) native from Far North Region of Cameroon. The results showed significant (p < 0.01) differences among fruits and species for all parameters. Bound phenolic content (mgGAE/100 g) of dry fruits (DF) ranged from 95.58 to 407.72; however, the contents were varied from 28.97 to 306.04 in fresh fruits (FF). Free phenolic content varied from 46.43 to 344.73 in DF and fold from 119.54 to 315.79 for those FF. Flavonoids (4.27-256.87 mg QE/100 g), tannins (3.24-63.42 mg CE/100 g), and anthocyanin content (8.65-168.10 mg C3GE/100 g) in fruits varied also significantly in respect with DF and FF. The mineral content analysis indicates that the wild fruits are rich in valuable macro- and trace elements. For antioxidant activities, except high 2.2-diphenyl-1-picyhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activity obtained with free phenolics, the bound phenolics of FF and DF had significantly high ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and 2,2-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzylthiozoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) scavenging activity. Furthermore, free and bound phenolic content was highly and positively correlated with ABTS, DPPH, and FRAP activities confirmed by the principal component analysis (F1×F2: 60.17%). The present study revealed that the wild edible fruits of twenty-three species investigated are important sources of bioactive compounds, natural antioxidants, and nutraceutical potential to prevent/to treat chronic diseases which could be benefits for the consumers.

Highlights

Many countries in the world are paying a lot of price to the well-being of their populations because of chronic noncommunicable disease threats
Fruits eaten only in the fresh form were Vitex diversifolia, Vitellaria paradoxa, Haematostaphis barteri, Annona senegalensis, Ximenia americana, Ziziphus mauritiana, Cordia sinensis, Hyphaene thebaica, Carissa edulis, Ziziphus sipna-christi, Ficus dicranostyla, Afrostyrax lepidophyllus, Hexabolus monopetalus, Borassus aethiopium, Diospyrus mespiliformis, and Phoenix reclinatum; those eaten in the dry form were Detarium microcarpum, Parkia biglobosa, Ziziphus mauritiana, Balanites aegyptiaca, Diospyrus mespiliformis, Tamarindus indica, Adansonia digitata, Ziziphus spina-christi, Phoenix reclinatum, and Hyphaene thebaica, while,fruits from Z. mauritiana, H. thebaica, Z. sipna-christi, D. mespiliformis, and P. reclinatum species were consumed both in dry and fresh forms
The aims of the present study is to investigate for the first time the polyphenol compound content and their antioxidant activities of the most consumed wild edible fruits native of the Far North Region of Cameroon

Summary

Introduction

Many countries in the world are paying a lot of price to the well-being of their populations because of chronic noncommunicable disease threats. 40 million children under five in the world were overweight, and 44% of overweight children aged 5-9 were obese [1]. It is urgent to know how traditional plant foods can be used to manage these diseases. To better manage this burden, human beings have forgotten that the environment in which they are living provides functional food and medicines such as nonconventional edible fruits. Numerous researches demonstrated that nonconventional edible fruits are good sources of important components with potential biological activities promoting health benefits especially polyphenolic compounds such as flavonoids, anthocyanins, and tannins [4, 5] as well as minerals.

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