Determination of Bioactives and Antioxidant Activity in Eryngium foetidum L.: A Traditional Culinary and Medicinal Herb

Some of the plant derived bioactives are called as 'natural antioxidants' for their role in protecting the cells from injurious effect of reactive oxygen species. The study investigated the concentration of natural bioactives and antioxidant capacity in Eryngium foetidum L. leaves. The antioxidant activity was determined in leaf extracts prepared in five solvents (methanol, acetone, petroleum ether, chloroform and water). The concentration of bioactive compounds (polyphenol, tannin, anthocyanin, flavonoids, carotenoids and ascorbic acid) varied in the extracts prepared with different solvents. The highest recovery of these bioactive compounds was observed with acetone and methanol. The contents of anti-nutritional factors, namely saponin, nitrate, phytate and oxalate content were also estimated in the leaf extracts. HPLC analysis of methanol leaf extract led to detection of several carotenoids (lutein, zeaxanthin, beta-cryptoxanthin, beta-carotene, chlorophyll-a, chlorophyll-b and pheophytin-b), phenolics (gallic acid, protocatechuic acid, syringic acid, p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid and sinapic acid) and anthroquinones (norlichexanthone, telochistin, secalonic acid D, citreorosein, emodin and parietin). Present study has revealed antioxidant potential of E. foetidum for possible use by food and pharmaceutical industry.