Phenolic Content and Antioxidant Capacities of Parinari Curatelifolia, Strychnos Spinosa and Adansonia Digitata

Abstract

The phenolic content and antioxidant capacities of Parinari curatelifolia, Strychnos spinosa and Adansonia digitata were determined and compared to orange juice and baobab nectar, a commercial beverage. Methanolic extracts were investigated for their ability to scavenge free radicals by the 1, 1‐diphenyl‐2 picrylhydrazyl radical and superoxide radical scavenging assays whilst the β‐Carotene Linoleic Acid Model System and inhibition of phosholipid peroxidation were used as model systems. The reducing power assay was used to determine the reducing potential of the extracts. Results showed that the beverages in this investigation were capable of acting as antioxidant sources as they displayed significant radical scavenging properties. Adansonia digitata had the highest and comparable antioxidant activities to Citrus sinensis (orange). The total phenolic, ascorbic acid, proantocyanidin and flavonoid contents ranged between 12 and 58 mg GAE/100 mL, 0.00 to 51.26 mg/100 mL, 0.35–1.071% and 18.3–124 mg/100 mL, respectively. There was a positive correlation between antioxidant activities and phenolic compounds content but there was no clear relationship between proanthocyanidin content and antioxidant activity. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Fruits contribute significantly to the diets of many rural families in times of famine and they also provide some essential micronutrients. The results obtained in this study showed that fruits are valuable sources of antioxidants and if their consumption is promoted they will go a long way in addressing some problems of malnutrition bedeviling rural communities in Africa.

Effect of thermal treatment and storage on bioactive compounds, organic acids and antioxidant activity of baobab fruit (Adansonia digitata) pulp from Malawi

“…Ndabikunze and co-workers (Ndabikunze et al, 2010) reported chemical composition of Vitex mombassae (smelly-berry), Adansonia digitata (baobab), Uapaca kirkiana (wild loquat) and Sclerocarya birrea (marula plum) indigenous fruits from various Miombo woodlands of Tanzania. Similar chemical composition were analaysed in Parinari curatelifolia, Strychnos spinosa and Adansonia digitata fruits from Buhera district of Zimbabwe (Nhukarume et al, 2010). These studies show wide variation in chemical composition including bioactive compounds within and among fruit species.…”

Local processing and nutritional composition of indigenous fruits: The case of monkey orange (Strychnos spp.) from Southern Africa

“…(40) Protective effects of phytochemicals are because of their properties as free radical scavengers, hydrogen-donating compounds, singlet oxygen quenchers and or metal chelators. (41) Nhukarume et al (42) found S. spinosa had phenolic content radical quenching ability trends and flavonoids, expressed as catechin equivalence comparatively similar to baobab nectar. Proanthocyanidins, expressed as % leucocyanidin equivalence, were comparatively similar to mobola plum (Parinari curatellifolia).…”

Improvement of traditional processing of local monkey orange (Strychnos spp.) fruits to enhance nutrition security in Zimbabwe

“…Indigenous fruit trees in Africa supplement the diet of many rural families by providing essential nutrients (Bille et al 2013;Nhukarume et al 2010) and serve as a livelihood source, especially in times of famine (Legwaila et al 2011;Mithöfer and Waibel 2003;Packham 1993). Hundreds of indigenous fruit species exist in Africa that are locally significant, although they might be unknown in global markets (Jamnadass et al 2011).…”