Antioxidant Potential of Some Plant Foods Commonly Consumed in Cameroon

Abstract

<jats:p>Plant foods contain antioxidants and their efficiency in the management of non-communicable diseases like cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and neurodegenerative diseases has long been proven. Nonetheless, the antioxidant potential of plant foods is continuously being studied with the aim of valorizing those foods that are still not well known. As such, the aqueous filtrates of forty-eight (48) plant foods currently consumed in Cameroon were screened for antioxidant potential. Their polyphenol content, ability to scavenge the 2,2’azinobis (3ethylbenzo-tiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS) free radicals as well as their Ferric reducing antioxidant potential (FRAP) were assessed. Seven of these plant foods which exhibited very high antioxidant capacity in their filtrates were selected and their aqueous and hydroethanolic extracts prepared for antioxidant evaluation using six methods notably, FRAP, polyphenol, scavenging of ABTS, 1, 1-Diphenyl-2-Picrilhydrazyl (DPPH) and Nitric oxide (NO) free radicals as well as metal chelating capacity. It was found that; Raphia farinifera (Raffia fruit), Spondias cytherea Sonner (Casmango) fruit, Manihot utilissima (Cassava leaf), Solanum scabrum (small leaf Garden huckle berry), Cola verticillata (Bamiléké Kola) and Colocasia esculenta (Taro leaf) portayed very high antioxidant potential. The evaluation of their antioxidant capacity showed that all seven selected foods could be considered for studies related to the management of age-related diseases, especially R. farinifera, Cola verticillata and S. scabrum.</jats:p>