Phytochemical analysis antioxidant profiling and antibacterial activity of few underutilized leafy vegetables of west bengal

Abstract

Leafy vegetables are a rich source of nutrition and have been used by humans from the early days of civilization as food and other well-being. Among such leafy species, a large number of plants are underutilized due to their restricted dietary usage in a particular area, lack of global recognition and limited exploitation in health benefits. A vast majority of underutilized leafy species are grown naturally as weeds in fallow lands and are cheaper in market value compared to commercially grown vegetables. Due to the higher nutritional values of many such leafy vegetables, the underprivileged ethnic groups in rural areas have traditionally used these plants especially during scarcity of food. Apart from their higher nutrient and micronutrient contents, these plants also possess a substantial amount of natural antioxidants like vitamins, polyphenols, etc. that are implicated in minimizing oxidative damage. A good number of studies also highlighted the health benefits of these leafy species in nutritional deficiency, digestive disorders, microbial infections, diabetic complications, hepatoprotection, cardiovascular diseases among others. Antioxidant molecules scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS) during oxidative stress of an organism, maintaining the balance between oxidation and anti-oxidation. The natural antioxidants are primarily derived from different plant parts and leaves contribute a major share of it. The natural antioxidants of plant origin are mainly polyphenols (phenolic acids, flavonoids, tannins, anthocyanins, lignans and stilbenes), carotenoids and vitamins. Plant-derived antioxidants manifest a wide range of biological effects including antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, anti-analgesic, anticancer, antiaging among others. newline