Ratchadawan Puangpradab
Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden, Thailand
Title: Antioxidants and nutritional properties of selected edible plants for functional food
Biography
Biography: Ratchadawan Puangpradab
Abstract
Enrichment of diet with edible plants as sources of antioxidants may have beneficial effect on human health. Therefore, the determination of bioactive compounds content in their comsumable parts presents important tasks for their evaluation as natural source of antioxidants for human diet. In this study, the antioxidant properties of six edible plants in northern Thailand that have been used as food and medicinal plants including Acmella oleracea (L.) R.K.Jansen (Asteraceae), Raphanus sativus Linn. var. caudatus (Brassicaceae), Dipterocarpus obtusifolius Teijsm. ex Miq. (Dipterocarpaceae), Caesalpinia mimosoides (Leguminosae-Caesalpinioideae), Embelia sessiliflora Kurz (Myrsinaceae) and Ficus lacor Buch.-Ham. (Moraceae) were examined in both water and alcohol by DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging assays as well as total phenolics content and total flavonoids content. The samples of plants being investigated were selected from parts used which were whole plants, fruits, flowers, infloresences, fruits and syconium respectively. The nutritive values were evaluated for crude fiber, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium and iron. These samples tested could be a valuable source of antioxidants for addition to dishes or fresh consumption. These findings showed that the tested samples could be considered as new sources of natural antioxidants for nutritional supplements or pharmaceutical industries.