Customized heating treatments variably affect the biological activities and chemical compositions of three indigenous culinary herbs

Abstract

The current study aimed to investigate the antioxidant, antibacterial, antidiabetic and antihemolytic potentials of heat-treated Petroselinum crispum, Trigonella-foenum graecum and Cymbopogon citratus. Ten min roasted and thirty min boiled fresh T. foenum-graecum and processed P. crispum revealed the highest DPPH scavenging activity (50% to 75% inhibition). All P. crispum samples displayed the highest antibacterial activity against K. pneumoniae and B. subtilis at 10, 20 and 30 min boiling and 20 min roasting and baking. The antidiabetic potency of herbs was increased upon 10 min roasting, while P. crispum was ineffective in reducing haemolysis. Pearson correlation analysis (PCA) displayed a positive relationship (r > 0.3) between phytochemicals and antioxidant activity and weak correlation (r < 0.3) with antidiabetic potentials. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GCMS) indicated that some compounds disappeared on heating the herbs, while some compounds showed an increase in concentration. All-inclusive, this study endorses the application of roasted P. crispum and T. foenum-graecum against various diseases.

Keywords

• culinary herbs
• heat treatments
• antioxidant activity
• antidiabetic activity
• gcms