Some locally consumed fruits, sugarcane and wines sold in Ile-Ife, Nigeria, were investigated for their phenol content and antioxidant potential of the methanolic extracts with a view of exploring the healthpromoting effect of the fruits and wines. The total phenolic content in each fruit and wines was determined spectrophotometrically according to Folin-Ciocalteu method and calculated as Gallic Acid Equivalent (GAE) while the antioxidant properties of some of the fruits were estimated by the 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picryhydrazyl method (DPPH). The results obtained showed the highest phenolic content in red grape (1.129 ± 0.073 mgGAE/ml) and the lowest in sugar cane (0.160 ± 0.003 mg/GAE/ml). The wines also varied in their phenolic contents with Baron D' Romeo Red wine (0.306 ± 0.014 mgGAE/ml) having the highest phenolic content for the alcoholic wines class and Eva of Spain (0.132 ± 0.002 mgGAE/ml) had the highest phenolic content in the non-alcoholic group. The results also showed that the phenolic content of the alcoholic was greater than that found in the non-alcoholic wines. On the other hand, the antioxidant properties determined in red grape, banana, sweet orange, apple and watermelons showed a change in colour from purple to light yellow instantly in all the fruits except water melon. The study concluded that the fruits are valuable sources of natural phenolic antioxidants which are known to have health promoting properties. Also, that non-alcoholic wines should be improved upon by inclusion of fruits known to contain antioxidant potentials.
Arginase, rhodanese and thiaminase are enzymes often encountered and that play crucial roles in different metabolic pathways. These enzymes were found to be present in different fruits: avocado pear (Persea americana), water melon (Citrullu slanatus), green exotic apple (Malus domestica), red exotic apple (Malus pumila), red local apple (Syzygium malaccense); pink local apple (Syzygium samarangense); sweet orange (Citrus sinensis), tangerine (Citrus tangerina), lime (Citrus aurantifolia), pawpaw (Carica papaya), banana (Musa acuminata), pineapple (Ananas comosus) and grape (Citrus paradisi). It was found that avocado pear has highest activity of arginase, rhodanese and thiaminase than the rest of the fruits investigated. The specific activity of rhodanese was however highest in water melon while that of arginase was more or less the same in red local apple and avocado pear. Arginase was also seen to vary significantly in the different plant samples with orange having the highest mean value of activity while sweet potato showed no activity. The study provides information on the presence of thiaminase, arginase and rhodanese in the different plants for nutritional purpose.
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