Genetic and seasonal variability of bioactive polyphenolic compounds and antioxidant‐based phytonutrient promise of diverse vegetable amaranths of Indo‐Gangetic plains of West Bengal

Abstract

Background Though vegetable amaranths harbor good pool of phenolic compounds, but till date, there is no systematic database on seasonal and genetic diversity based antioxidant‐dependent phytonutrient promise of amaranths of Gangetic plains of West Bengal particularly those derived from chalcone and cinnamic acids of phenyl propanoid metabolism and hence is the subject of present investigation. Results A comparative evaluation based on RP‐HPLC (Reverse Phase‐High Performance Liquid Chromatography) coupled photodiode assay of twenty one pharmacologically important bioactive polyphenolic compounds (flavonoids and phenolic acids) along with sensitive biomarkers of antioxidant properties (reducing property, metal chelating property, superoxide radical scavenging property, hydroxyl radical scavenging property, antilipid peroxidation, anti‐inflammatory property, and antidiabetic property) has been done for the assessment of genotype‐based seasonal variation of antioxidant‐based phytonutrient promise of vegetable amaranths of Indo‐Gangetic plains of West Bengal. The work exhibited genotype‐specific accumulation of bioactive polyphenolic compounds and associated antioxidant properties, with A. hypochondriacus L. exhibiting significantly greater abundance of majority of polyphenolic compounds tested, followed by A. viridis L. and A. hybridus L. The work also recorded the genotype‐specific seasonal elicitation of the synthesis of bioactive polyphenolic compounds. Conclusion Taken as a whole, the work suggests genotype‐specific seasonal variations in the accumulation of bioactive polyphenolic compounds and antioxidant‐based phytonutrient promise in diverse amaranth germplasms of Gangetic plain of West Bengal and identified lead germplasms as low‐cost antioxidant supplement for utilization in crop diversification program.