Extraction of nutrients from Rumex vesicarius, a wild indigenous edible plant from United Arab Emirates

Abstract

In the present study, an attempt has been done to explore the phytochemicals and proximate compositions from an edible plant Rumex vesicarius, which is found in the wild habitats in United Arab Emirates. Extracts were prepared from the dried powder of the areal parts of the plant using methanol as solvent in Soxhlet. The extract was tested for phytochemicals and also studied for the proximate composition. The antioxidant power of the extract was determined by using four different assays (ABTS, DPPH, superoxide anion and hydroxyl radical scavenging activity). The results revealed that the extracts contain phytochemicals, which can be used as effective radical scavengers. The antioxidant activities were highly significant in the extract, which shows that this plant has high potential to be used in traditional and alternative medical systems. The present information would be of helpful for the future isolation and pharmacologically active compound identification from this plant.

Keywords

• antioxidants
• edible wild plant
• phytochemical analysis
• proximate composition