STUDY OF ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY LEAVES OF CORCHORUS OLITORIUS AND SOLANUM MACROCARPON

Souleymane Meite*, Adouko Edith Agbo, Ahou Honorine Koffi, Allico Joseph Djaman and Jean David N’Guessan

ABSTRACT

The promotion and consumption of leafy vegetables could help not only to reduce food insecurity but also to prevent metabolic diseases associated with oxidative stress. This study was therefore conducted to value some leafy vegetables such as the Corchorus olitorius (cp) and the Solanum macrocarpon (Fa) leaves consumed by Ivorians. The analysis of the biochemical composition allowed on the one hand to determine the levels of total phenols and flavonoids and on the other hand to evaluate the antioxidant power. The evaluation of the antioxidant activity was carried out by measuring the antiradical power, the inhibition of lipid peroxidation and the reducing power. The results showed that leaves extracts contain high levels of total phenols and total flavonoids. However, there is a significant difference between the total phenol and flavonoid contents of these leaves extracts. Thus, Corchorus olitorius has the highest total phenol content (866.6 ± 15.3 mgEAG / g leaves) and total flavonoids (72.0 ± 10.5 mgEQ / g leaves) and leaves of Solanum macrocarpon (Fa) the lowest total phenol content (423.3 ± 10.0 mgEAG / g leaves) and total flavonoids (28.0 ± 2.0 mgEQ / g leaves). Also, the evaluation of antioxidant activity revealed that these leafy vegetables have a good inhibitory activity of lipid peroxidation, a good anti-radical and reducing power. It appears that all these vegetables have antioxidant activities that increase with their polyphenol content. Thus, these leafy vegetables could therefore represent a source of natural antioxidant substances to contribute to the well-being of the body.

Keywords: antioxidant activities, oxidative stress, polyphenols, total flavonoids, Solanum macrocarpon and Corchorus olitorius.