Relationship between antioxidant properties and nutritional composition of some galactopoietics herbs used in indonesia: A comparative study

Abstract

Objective: The objectives of this research were to evaluate and compare the antioxidant activity; phenolics and flavonoids contents; and chemical composition of some galactopoietic herbs used in Indonesia and to find a possible relationship between antioxidant activity; phenolics, flavonoids and chemical composition of these plants. Methods: A wide range of analytical parameters was studied, including yield; pH; water activity (aw); total color difference; phenolics and flavonoids content; moisture; ash; protein; fat; carbohydrate; fiber; calcium; zinc; magnesium; potassium; iron content; and the data were analyzed by partial least squares (PLS) regression analysis and principal component analysis (PCA) to evaluate the correlation between the parameters and classification of the plants. Folin–cioceltaeu assay, aluminum chloride assay and DPPH scavenging assay were used to evaluate of total phenolics content and free radical scavenging activity of the ethanolic extract of galactopoietic herbs. Results: All of the galactagogue herbs, viz. Plectranthus amboinicus (Lour.) (PA), Sauropus androgynus (SA), Moringa oleifera (MO), and Carica papaya leaves (CP) exhibited good results of TPC, TFC and antioxidant activity. MO contained the highest average of total phenolics content (53.89 mg GAE/g). SA with a ratio of total flavonoids to total phenolics (TF/TP) which is 1.59 contained the highest average of total flavonoids and antioxidant activity (IC50), 43.63 mg QE/g and 126.13 μg/ml, respectively, followed by MO>CA>PA. Based on PLS and PCA analysis, antioxidant activity correlated with fat, protein, phenolics content, flavonoids content and pH, but only the total flavonoids content correlated strongly with antioxidant activity. Conclusion: This provides useful data about the studied relationships and chemical patterns in some galactopoietic herbs used and provides a helpful tool for understanding much more about the interpretation of results from the experiments and the mechanism of biosynthesis in plants.