TOTAL PHENOLIC AND FLAVONOIDS CONTENTS, ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITIES, PHYTOCHEMICAL AND NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS OF CASTANOPSIS INDICA (INDIAN CHESTNUT)

Abstract

Castanopsis indica has been used as a medicinal plant for long period of time but rigorous phytochemical and biological studies has not been performed to assess its nutritional and medicinal importance. The objective of the present study was to explore the phytochemical constituents, antioxidant properties, total phenolic and flavonoid content of Castanopsis indica (C. indica) and proximate analysis of C. indica nuts. Free radical scavenging activities was evaluated by using2,2- diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay, total phenolic content was determined by using Folin-Ciocalteu method, Total flavonoid content was calculated by using Aluminum chloride (AlCl3) colorimetry assay and proximate analysis by Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) method. The IC 50 value of methanol extract of bark and leaf was found to be 74.98 μg/mL and 64.95μg/mL respectively and that of hexane extract of bark and leaf was found to be 124.41 μg/mL and 114.62 μg/mL respectively. Total phenolic content of methanol extract of bark and leaf was found to be 139.47 ± 0.17 mg GAE/g (gallic acid equivalents per gram) and 153.58 ± 0.21 mg GAE/g respectivelyand that of hexane extract of bark and leaf was found to be 30.14 ± 0.17 mg GAE/g and 35.7 ± 0.52 mg GAE/g respectively. The total flavonoids content of methanol extract of bark and leaf was evaluated to be 124.18 ± 3.18 QE/g (quercetinequivalents per gram) and 138.46 ± 1.78 mg QE/g respectively and that of hexane extract of bark and leaf was found to be 24.59 ± 1.55 QE/g and 34.66 ± 3.18 QE/g respectively. The percentage composition of different nutrition parameters (moisture, total ash, crude fat, protein, crude fiber, carbohydrate) was found to be 18.90 ± 0.02, 1.26 ± 0, 0.30 ± 0.04, 10.83 ± 0.76, 3.72 ± 0, 64.99 ± 0.71 % in nuts sample, respectively.The result suggest that C. indica contain rich sources of antioxidants and phenolic compounds which are probably considered in pharmaceutical use and nuts of this plant are good sources nutrient and considering their low cost and availability, need to be popularized.

Keywords

• castanopsis indica
• free radical scavenging
• hexane extract
• medicinal plant
• methnol extract
• nutritional value