Evaluation of nutritional value and antioxidant activity of Leea macrophylla Roxb. ex Hornem. root and leaf.

Background: Hanshia dabar or hathkan is one of the folklore plant of Odisha, the botanical source of which is Leea macrophylla Roxb. ex Hornem., family Vitaceae. Its root and leaves are eaten as vegetables, and used for Rasayana purpose (tonic and alterative properties).

Aim: The aim is to assess the nutritive value and antioxidant potential of the root and leaves of L. macrophylla with compound leaf.

Materials and methods: Nutritional parameters such as energy value, carbohydrate, protein, true protein, fat, mineral contents, and Vitamin A, Vitamin C of the root and leaves of the plant were evaluated with standard procedures. The in vitro antioxidant properties of the root and leaf of L. macrophylla were screened through 1,1diphenyl2picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay, the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay, and phosphomolybdenum assay.

Results: Root is having higher energy value (391.87 Kcal/100 g) as compared to leaf (353.62 Kcal/100 g). L. macrophylla root and leaf showed the presence of carbohydrates (30.65% and 21.72%), protein (8.78% and 9.37%), true protein (6.85% and 7.23%), fat (0.77% and 1.89%), iron (723.80 ppm and 285.07 ppm), zinc (26.51 ppm and 13.75 ppm), manganese (44.88 ppm and 35.00 ppm), phosphorous (0.07 ppm and 0.03 ppm), calcium (7806.90 ppm and 3862.80 ppm), Vitamin A (3.63 mg/g and 2.47 mg/g), and Vitamin C (8.49 mg/g and 6.7 mg/g), respectively. Percentage scavenging of DPPH radical was found to rise with an increase in concentration. IC50 values of root and leaf, by DPPH assay, were 66.46 and 110.68 μg/ml, respectively. In the FRAP assay, the antioxidant activity of the methanolic extract of leaf (507.06 μmol/l) was found to be more than root (455.93 μmol/l). The total antioxidant capacity of root and leaf were 20.15 and 17.90 mg, equivalent to ascorbic acid on a dry weight basis, respectively.

Conclusion: Root and leaf of L. macrophylla has the highest energy value, contains carbohydrate, protein, fat, iron, zinc, manganese, phosphorous, calcium, Vitamin A, and Vitamin C, and possesses antioxidant capacity.