Antioxidant Activity and Mineral Content of Rocket (Eruca Sativa) Plant From Italian and Bulgarian Origins

Abstract

Rocket plant (Eruca sativa) is a green leafy vegetable with significant levels of bioactive active components. Although, this plant is known in Bulgaria, scanty data concerning chemical composition of representatives with Bulgarian origin is available. The aim of this study was to evaluate and to compare the biological potential of Italian and Bulgarian rockets in terms of their antioxidant activity, total phenolic content and total hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives. The micro- and macro elements were evaluated as well. The highest content of total phenolic content was detected in Bulgarian rocket – 4.45 mg gallic acid equivalent per g dry weight, while in Italian samples dominated the total hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives – 1.52 mg chlorogenic acid equivalent per g dry weight. The antioxidant activity was not significantly different in both samples. The presence Co and Al was reported for the first time, as in our study their values were higher in a rocket from Italian origin (75.6 and 595 mg/kg). Italian rocket contained arsenic (0.07 mg/g) in comparison with Bulgarian samples where it was not found. The results revealed the sample with Italian origin as a significant better source of antioxidants with potential beneficial effects. Bulgarian rocket was evaluated with smaller amount of some metals as nickel, arsenic, chromium, manganese, aluminum and sodium, but the concentrations of Pb (0.58 mg/kg) and Cd (0.27 mg/kg) were higher than accepted levels by EU.

Succinylated Starch Nanocapsules Loaded with the Polyphenolic Extract from Arugula (Eruca sativa) Leaves: Colloidal, Chemical, and Structural Properties

“…[ 12 ] Matev et al. [ 13 ] revealed that E. sativa leaves have potential as a source of natural antioxidants; Corleto et al. [ 14 ] mentioned that E. sativa may be considered as a functional food, since it is a good source of flavonoids (with quercetin, kaempferol, and isorhamnetin being predominant).…”

Medicinal Plants and Zinc: Impact on COVID-19 Pandemic

“…Similarly, 2.84 ± 0.005 mg/100 g of zinc was found in Ficus capensis from Nigeria [ 93 ]. The range of zinc in Romanian plants was between 20.83 ± 1.11 μ g/kg in Lavandula angustifolia and 64.76 ± 0.53 μ g/kg in Althaea officinalis [ 94 ], while the leaves of Eruca sativa from Italia and Bulgaria revealed a zinc content of 15.07 ± 0.60 mg/kg and 91.05 ± 0.65 mg/kg, respectively [ 95 ] ( Table 2 ).…”

Establishing Gerger (<i>Eruca sativa</i>) Leaves as Functional Food by GC-MS and <i>In-vitro</i> Anti-lipid Peroxidation Assays

“…A report on the quantitative estimation of quercetin by reverse-phase HPLC in the methanol extract of gerger leaves from Saudi Arabia was also available [41]. Bulgarian and Italian gerger studied for the total phenolic content, and the antioxidant potential of ethanol extract suggested a higher antioxidant capacity in Bulgarian gerger than the Italian variety [24]. The method of extraction of food antioxidants affects the nature of compounds isolated, and the quality of the total antioxidant activity [42].…”

“…Flavanol glycosides of gerger leaf improved the well-being of the cardiovascular system [19], possess anticancer activity [20], and the fatty acids of gerger leaves were able to induce adipogenic activity, thereby implicated in diabetes [21]. The methanol extract of gerger leaves was able to exhibit in-vivo antioxidant activity in rats [22], and the ethanolic extract improved the reproduction in male rats [23], also show in-vitro free radical scavenging activity [24]. The essential oil extracted from gerger leaves contain erucin, an isothiocyanate derivative shown to exhibit anticancer, antibacterial, and free radical scavenging activities [25,26].…”