Antioxidant Activity of Selected Organic Green Leafy Vegetables

Abstract

The present study was conducted with the objectives such as ascertaining the presence of phytochemicals in the selected green leafy vegetables, determining the total antioxidant activity by using DPPH radical scavenging assay and determining the total phenol. The experimental procedures were used to find out the antioxidant activity. Standard procedures were used to assess the alkaloids and tannin content, total antioxidant activity and total phenol content. Twelve different leafy vegetables collected from Payyanad Village, Malappuram District, Kerala were used for the analysis. Alkaloid and tannin content assessed in the selected green leafy vegetables revealed that drumstick leaves, curry leaves, chekkurmanis, green amaranth and amara leaves showed a positive result to alkaloids test. The presence of tannins was found only three selected green leafy vegetables which are pumpkin leaves, chekkurmanis and curry leaves. Pumpkin leaves, sambar cheera and bottle gourd leaves shows the total antioxidant activity. With regard the total phenol content curry leaves, drumstick leaves, chekkurmanis, red amaranth, green amaranth and amara leaves have high content of phenol. Hence, it is summarised that green leafy vegetables have antioxidant activity and this will help to reduce several chronic and degenerative diseases including atherosclerosis, heart diseases, diabetes mellitus and cancer, etc