Evaluation and comparison of bioactive substances in selected species of the genus Allium

Abstract

Allium is a genus of some 650 species belonging to the family Liliaceae. However only a few of these are important as food plants, notably garlic (Allium sativum L.), onion (Allium cepa L.), leek (Allium porrum L.) and wild garlic (Allium ursinum L.). They contain many health beneficial substances, such as sulphur compounds, vitamins (vitamin C), mineral substances (Fe, Mg, Ca, P), polyphenols (especielly quercetin) and substances antioxidant activity and fiber. In this work we evaluated the content of bioactive substances, especially the content of total polyphenols and antioxidant activity in several species (red onion, yellow onion, white onion, garlic, leek, wild garlic) of the genus Allium. Samples of plant material were collected at full maturity stages from Zohor (Slovak Republic). Zohor is an area without negative influences and emission sources. Samples of fresh species of the genus Allium were homogenized and prepared as an extract: 25 g cut plants material (red onion, yellow onion, white onion, garlic, leek, wild garlic) extracted with 50 mL of 80% ethanol for sixteen hours. These extracts were used for analyzes. The content of total polyphenols was determined using the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent (FCR). The absorbance was measured at 765 nm of wavelength versus blank. Antioxidant activity was measured using DPPH˙ (2,2-difenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) at 515.6 nm in the spectrophotometer. In the present experiment it was found that total polyphenols content in samples ranged from 83.59 mg.kg -1 to 758.63 mg.kg -1 and values of antioxidant activity were in the range from 7.19% to 53.55%.

Chemical Composition and Genome Pattern as a Means of Identifying the Origin of Preserved Wild Garlic (Allium ursinum L.) in Poland

“…Similarly, Lachowicz et al [52] found higher antioxidant activity against ABTS and DPPH but lower using the FRAP method in leaves obtained in June than in March. Kovarovič et al [59] found that the antioxidant activity of wild garlic leaves against the DPPH radical is higher than that of white and yellow onion, leeks, and common garlic but half that of red onion. Krivokapič et al [56] demonstrated that the antioxidant activity (IC50) of wild garlic leaves against DPPH was in the range of 111-391 µg/mL of the extract, depending on the solvent used for extraction.…”

Vegetable Soups and Creams: Raw Materials, Processing, Health Benefits, and Innovation Trends

“…Leek is a bulbous herb of the genus Allium. Leek is cultivated in Asia, America and Europe, especially in the Mediterranean region [ 92 ]. On the nutritional aspect, leeks are rich in vitamin C with a quantity of 18 mg/100 g fw, vitamin B6 (0.3 mg/100 g fw), 0.4 mg/100 g niacin, 96 µg/100 g of folate, and vitamin A and E with 83 and 0.73 µg/100 g, respectively.…”

“…Leeks contain a wide array of bioactive compounds like as organo-sulphur compounds which provide flavor, phenolic compounds, amino acids, and organic acids that may have promoting antimicrobial properties [ 94 ]. Among the phenolic compounds, leek is source of flavonoids like kaempferol derivates, quercetin derivates, phenolic, saponins, steroidal saponin, and essential oils [ 92 ]. The total phenolic acids compounds present in leaves and stem extracts of leeks ranged between 0.71 ± 0.12 for leaves and 2.44± 0.11 mg/g dw for stem, total flavonols between 2.44 ± 0.09 and 3.22± 0.12 mg/g dw, respectively, and total polyphenol content between 3.14± 0.11 mg/g dw and 5.66± 0.12 mg/g dw for leaves and stem, respectively [ 94 ].…”