Author(s):
Costa, Anabela S.G. ; Barreira, João C.M. ; Ruas, Adilson ; Ferreira da Vinha, Ana ; Pimentel, Filipa B. ; Alves, Rita C. ; Ferreira, Isabel C.F.R. ; Oliveira, M. Beatriz P.P.
Date: 2016
Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10284/9732
Origin: Repositório Institucional - Universidade Fernando Pessoa
Subject(s): Elephant foot yam extracts; Bioactive compounds; Phenolics; Antioxidant activity; Elephant foot yam extracts; Elephant foot yam extracts; Bioactive compounds; Bioactive compounds; Phenolics; Phenolics; Antioxidant activity; Antioxidant activity
Description
Elephant foot yam (Amorphophallus paeoniifolius (Dennst.) Nicolson) is an underground, unbranched deciduous plant that produces a large tubercle (rhizome) with recognized health effects. In this study, the influence of solvent nature (water, water/etanol (1:1) and absolute ethanol) and processing type (fresh, lyophilized and boiled) on the antioxidant activity and bioactive compounds extractability of elephant foot yam was evaluated. Extracts were compared for their contents in total phenolics, flavonoids and tannins. Moreover, their antioxidant capacity was assessed by the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH•) scavenging capacity assays. Phenolics (154 mg GAE/L) and tannins (109 mg GAE/L) were maximized in lyophilized samples extracted with the hydroalcoholic solvent, which attained also the highest FRAP value (711 mg FSE/L). In turn, flavonoids reached the highest yields in lyophilized samples (95 mg ECE/L) extracted with pure ethanol, as well as the highest DPPH• scavenging activity. These findings might have practical applications to define the best processing methodology regarding the enhancement of elephant foot yam, either for prompt consumption, as well as to develop food supplements or pharmaceutical related products.
