Evaluation of bioactive compounds in leaves of Moringa concanensis accessions

Abstract

Moringa concanensis Nimmo is a medicinal tree belonging to the family Moringaceae. Leaves, flowers and seeds is used for curing various ailments in humans. Leaves are used to reduce cholesterol and body weight, to increase fertility in women, to reduce fatigue, for constipation and to treat jaundice. Even though its medicinal properties has been known, but there is not much work has been done on the quantitative determination of bioactive compounds in this species. In this present study bioactive compounds in different accessions of M. concanensis was analysed. Results revealed that ascorbic acid, total carotenoids, total polyphenol, chlorophyll a, b and total chlorophyll content was highest in accession MC-16 (442.30mg/100g), MC-19 (70.64mg/100g), MC-10 (35.80mg/g), MC-25 (1.812mg/g), MC-19 (0.273mg/g), MC-25 (2.409mg/g) respectively. This study shows that M. concanensis is very good source of bioactive compounds which are beneficial to human health. So M. concanensis leaf can be used as functional ingredients in therapeutic food and for the development of nutraceuticals.