Sandeep Rawat

Assessment of Antioxidant Properties in Fruits of Myrica esculenta: A Popular Wild Edible Species in Indian Himalayan Region

Crude extract of Myrica esculenta fruits, a wild edible species of Indian Himalayan Region, was evaluated for phenolic compounds and antioxidant properties. Results revealed significant variation in total phenolic and flavonoid contents across populations. Among populations, total phenolic content varied between 1.78 and 2.51 mg gallic acid equivalent/g fresh weight (fw) of fruits and total flavonoids ranged between 1.31 and 1.59 mg quercetin equivalent/g fw. Antioxidant activity determined by 2,2′-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) radical scavenging, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) exhibited considerable antioxidant potential and showed significant positive correlation with total phenolic and total flavonoids content. High performance liquid chromatography analysis revealed significant variation (P <  .01) in phenolic compounds (i.e., gallic acid, catechin, hydroxybenzioc acid and ρ-coumaric acid) across populations. This study provides evidences to establish that consumption of M. esculenta fruits while providing relished taste would also help in reduction of free radicals. Therefore, this wild edible species deserves promotion in the region through horticulture and forestry interventions.

Assessment of Nutritional and Antioxidant Potential of Selected Vitality Strengthening Himalayan Medicinal Plants

Three Himalayan medicinal plants (Habenaria intermedia, H. edgeworthii, and Roscoea procera), widely used in vitality strengthening Ayurvedic formulations in India, were assessed for nutritional phytochemical constituents, and antioxidant activity. These target species emerged as a good source of minerals and possessed important micro elements. Individually, H. intermedia contained a high content of total phenols, thiamins, tannins, and calcium; R. procera was rich in potassium and iron content; and H. edgeworthii emerged as a good source of sodium. While various antioxidant assays provided evidences on the antioxidant potential of target species, greater antioxidant potential of H. intermedia as compared to the other two species was revealing. This study, therefore, highlighted the possibilities of harnessing nutritional and antioxidant potential of these species.

Nutraceutical potential of selected wild edible fruits of the Indian Himalayan region.

Wild edible fruits contribute significantly to the nutritional security of mankind across the globe. However, detailed analyses of health promoting bioactive compounds and antioxidants are lacking, especially in Himalayan wild edible fruits. Bioactive compounds and antioxidant potential of 10 wild edible fruits reveal that Terminalia chebula, Phyllanthus emblica and Myrica esculenta are the richest source of total phenolics; Pyaracantha crenulata, Terminalia chebula and Berberis asiatica for flavonoids; Phyllanthus emblica, Morus alba and Ficus palmata for ascorbic acid, anthocyanins, and Morus alba for β-carotene. Phenolic compounds, i.e. Gallic acid, catechin, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid and p-coumaric acid varied among species and found the maximum in Terminalia chebula and Phyllanthus emblica. Antioxidant activity showed the significant relation with total phenolics, flavonoids and phenolic compounds. Results indicated that these species should be promoted as a natural source of antioxidant/nutraceuticals so that these antioxidants can be used for supplementing dietary foods of mountain people.

Effect of developmental stage on total phenolics composition and anti-oxidant activities in Hedychium spicatum Buch.-Ham. ex. D. Don.

Summary Hedychium spicatum is an important medicinal plant, the rhizomes of which are traditionally used for treating several conditions such as fever, diarrhoea, inflammation, pain, asthma, and bronchitis. The medicinal properties of rhizome extracts might be due to the presence of secondary metabolites such as terpenoids, phenolics, flavonoids, and anti-oxidants. The composition and concentrations of phenolics, and anti-oxidant activities were therefore analysed in H. spicatum every 15 d over 7 months, from shoot bud initiation to the start of senescence. Total phenolics concentrations ranged from 6.07 – 9.69 mg gallic acid equivalents g 1 dry weight (DW), with the highest concentrations observed from the second-half of October to the end of December. Similarly, total flavonoid concentrations ranged from 4.36 – 5.65 mg querectin equivalents g 1 DW. The concentrations of selected phenolic compounds such as gallic acid, catechin, hydroxybenzoic acid, and coumaric acid were quantified by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and varied significantly over the different sampling dates. Anti-oxidant activities were determined using three in vitro assays [the 2, 2’-azino-bis-benzyl ethylthiazole 6-sulphonic acid (ABTS assay), the 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH assay), and the ferric reducing anti-oxidant power (FRAP) assay]. All assays showed significantly higher values in rhizome preparations from the start of the senescence stage (November). Phenolics concentrations and anti-oxidant activities increased slightly, up to the stage of vegetative growth (June), showed a sharp decline at the vegetative growth and flowering stages (July and August), then started to increase gradually until the end of December.A significant (P ≤ 0.001) negative correlation was observed between ambient temperature and anti-oxidant activity using all three in vitro assays. Phenolics concentration showed a significant (P ≤ 0.05) positive correlation with anti-oxidant activity using all three in vitro assays. To obtain higher total phenolics concentrations and anti-oxidant activities, harvesting of rhizomes is recommended in the second-half of October. This is also important for the conservation of this species as it completes its seed setting at this time.

Antioxidants in Medicinal Plants

Over the years, research on antioxidants and medicinal plants has gained enormous popularity and emerged as a potential therapeutic to prevent free radical generated damage in the human body. Free radicals are well known for the pathogenesis of various degenerative diseases,. i.e., cancer, cardiovascular diseases, immunomodulator, neurological disorder, diabetes, aging, etc. Medicinal plants are being viewed as easily available and potent source of antioxidants as they contain a mixture of different chemical compounds that may act individually or in synergy to cure the disease and improve health. A single plant may have diversity of phytochemicals, which represents a number of pharmacological properties. However, many herbal medicine used today have not gone under careful scientific assessment and some have the potential to cause serious toxic effects. Therefore, careful scientific and clinical studies of the herbal medicine for the safety and toxicity are required. With high prevalence of medicinal plants in India and their potential as a source of antioxidants need to be judiciously investigated. The present chapter focuses on the role of antioxidants in disease prevention and their potential in Indian medicinal plants.

Hedychium spicatum: a systematic review on traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology and future prospectus

Hedychium spicatum Buch. Ham. ex D.Don. (Family Zingiberaceae) is a rhizomatous herb, used in medicines, food, cosmetics and perfumery industries. Traditionally, it is widely used in treating inflammation, pain, asthma, foul breath, vomiting, diarrhoea, bronchitis, hiccough and blood diseases. This study systematically reviewed traditional and folk uses, pharmacological properties, bioactive compounds and market potential of H. spicatum. Research gaps and potential of future research have also been discussed.

Diversity of bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity in Delicious group of apple in Western Himalaya

Apple contributes significantly to the livelihood and health of the people living in Himalayan regions. Among others, the Delicious group of apple is known for their health promoting and income generating attributes. However, the systematic investigation on morphological and phytochemical attributes of the apple growing in Indian Himalayan region is poorly known. An altitude-dependent variation in the fruit quality traits and phytochemical diversity was observed. The Royal Delicious was found rich in total tannin, flavonoids, flavonols, antioxidant activity [2,2-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid), 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picryhydrazyl, Ferric reducing antioxidant power], procyanidin B2, phloridzin and gallic acid; Red Delicious for total phenol and epicatechin and Golden Delicious for chlorogenic acid. The cultivar and altitude-dependent variation of phenolic profile in peel and pulp portion emphasizes genotype-specific biosynthesis of phenolic compounds in regulatory mechanisms. It is suggested that selection of suitable altitude and cultivars is required for harnessing the maximum phytochemical and antioxidant activity for benefits to human consumption.

Corrigendum to “Nutraceutical potential of selected wild edible fruits of the Indian Himalayan region” [Food Chem. 215 (2017) 84–91]

Wild fruit species Gallic acid Catechin Chlorogenic acid Caffeic acid Coumaric Berberis asiatica 18.40 ± 3.19 7.99 ± 0.01 11.90 ± 1.97 137.28 ± 3.08 0.38 ± 0.0 Celtis australis 9.69 ± 1.16 8.23 ± 0.10 nd 5.55 ± 0.02 nd Ficus palmata 5.88 ± 0.05 13.87 ± 0.86 nd nd nd Fragaria indica 7.26 ± 2.30 8.27 ± 0.87 nd nd nd Morus alba 7.81 ± 0.48 nd nd nd nd Myrica esculenta 52.16 ± 1.95 6.36 ± 0.21 11.24 ± 0.29 nd nd Phyllanthus emblica 79.30 ± 1.35 59.37 ± 1.51 nd 17.62 ± 0.32 nd Prunus armeniaca 6.59 ± 0.02 nd nd nd nd Pyracantha crenulata nd 10.15 ± 1.79 nd nd nd Terminalia chebula 281.98 ± 10.71 76.54 ± 4.07 196.64 ± 3.81 4.13 ± 0.10 57.75 ± 6.