Phytochemical Composition and Nutritional Value of Pot-Grown Turnip-Rooted and Plain and Curly-Leafed Parsley Cultivars

Abstract

In the present study plant growth, nutritional value and chemical composition of leaves from twenty-five plain-leafed, curly-leafed and turnip-rooted parsley cultivars were evaluated. Total fresh yield was higher for the plain-leafed cv. Rialto Bejo: 192 ± 11 g/pot, while significant differences were observed between the three types in the nutritional parameters, except for the carbohydrates content. The most abundant organic acid was malic acid (5.22–6.88 g/100 g dw), while the total sugars content did not differ significantly among the tested cultivar types. α-tocopherol was the major tocopherol detected in amount that ranged between 14.76–30.32 mg/100 g dw. The main fatty acids were α-linolenic and linoleic followed by palmitic acid, while only linoleic acid content being different among the cultivar types. In conclusion, the existing diversity in the parsley genotypes could be valorised to increase the agrobiodiversity in the broader Mediterranean region through the introduction of less cultivated curly-leafed and turnip-rooted types.

A review of botanical characteristics, chemical composition, pharmacological activity and use of parsley

“…Sucrose, glucose, rhamnose, mannose, arabinose and mannitol were identified in parsley leaf aqueous extract (15). Carotenoids, β-carotene, lutein, violaxanthin and neoxanthin are also found (9,13). Falcarinol, falcarindiol, falcarinone and falcarinolone are identified among polyacetylenes (12).…”

“…Parsley contains several important nutrients such as vitamin C, A and B vitamin complex, vitamin K, tocopherols, ergosterol (precursor of vitamin D). It is also rich in minerals (Fe, Zn, Ca, Mg, Na, K, P), fatty acids (linolenic and palmitic acid), carotenoids and furanocoumarins (13,14,15,16). Major furanocoumarins and flavonoids are presented in Table II.…”

“…Flavonoids are the predominant compounds of parsley leaf. Besides apiin, which is also found in roots and fruit, other flavonoid compounds found only in parsley leaf are glycosides such as luteolin 7-apiosylglucoside, apigenin 7-glucoside, isorhamnetin 3,7diglucoside and 6''-acetylapiin and aglycones quercetin and kaempferol (1,9,13,15). In parsley aqueous extract naringin, naringenin, hesperidin, rutin and also glycosides of luteolin and apigenin with arabinose, rhamnose and glucose are identified, along with glycosides of isorhamnetin, kaempferol and chrysoeriol (9,15,17).…”

“…Parsley leaves also contain 0.2% of furanocoumarins (oxypeucetanin, bergaptene, psoralen and others) (1,13).…”

“…The content of γ-tocopherol and total tocopherols is the highest in flat leaf parsley form. Variations in α-tocopherol (main form of vitamin E) content can be significant in relation to antioxidative activity of this plant (13). Parsley leaf also contains carbohydrates such as apiose, which are mostly part of flavonoids glycosides (9).…”