Studies on the Phytochemical properties of Fig Var. Afghan, Deanna and Brown Turkey
Abstract
The study entitled ‘Studies on the phytochemical properties in Fig var. Afghan,Dienna and Brown turkey’ was conducted in the analytical laboratory of HC & RI, TNAU, Coimbatore 2021-2022 using the fig fruits grown in the arid zone block of the college orchard. The main objective of this study was to determine the phytochemicals present in the fig fruits of three fig varieties namely Afghan, Dienna, Brown Turkey. Fig fruits were analysed for the determination of secondary metabolites that is phenols, flavonoids, tannins, anthocyanins and antioxidants and The Physio-chemical analysis like TSS, vitamin C, carotenoids and acidity.The content of phenols, flavonoids, and tannins was determined using the standards quercetin for flavonoids, pyrocatechol for phenols and tannic acid for tannins estimation. Determination of antioxidant activity was done by DPPH scavenging method. For that, scavenging capacity of DPPH radicals and reducing power were determined. IC50 value was calculated to determine the concentration of sample required to inhibit 50% of radical. The experimental results showed that the major phytochemicals like phenolics, flavonoids, anthocyanins, and antioxidants were found to be the highest in the variety brown turkey when compared to the other two varietiesi.e. Afghan and Deanna.
Keywords
Download Options
Introduction
Phytochemicals, including phenolics, flavonoids, ascorbic acid, lignin, xanthones, stilbenes, etc., are plant-based secondary metabolites, which are associated with the protection of human health against chronic diseases. The relative importance of medicinal and food plant species more traditional uses exhibit high use value compared to those which have fewer ones. Nowadays, medicinal plants considered as an important source of drugs as about 25% of the drugs prescribed worldwide derive from plants. Fig tree Ficus carica Linn. originated in the Middle East areas such as Syria, Asia Minor, and Iran, then it was spread to the Mediterranean basin countries by old humans. It belongs to the family of Moraceae F. carica Linn. is of the unique widely spread Ficus species that has edible fruits with high commercial value. The production of commercial fig is situated in regions that possess a Mediterranean climate. F.carica L. has three figs yields, Early fig stays on the tree; Oxidative stress is an inequality between prooxidants and antioxidants in favor of the first contributing to the appearance of several pathologies. The uncontrolled oxygen species resulted will have serious and severe consequences for the human organism. Several studies focus on natural antioxidant sources to find new effective, safe and cheap antioxidants as there is a strong relationship between the decrease of certain chronic diseases and plants-produced antioxidants. Fruits are essential functional foods that maintain the human vital functions as they providing a well-balanced diet. Viewing the biological properties of F.carica fruits, our study focuses on the correlation between phytochemicals contents and antioxidant capacity of fig fruit varieties Afghan, Deanna and Brown Turkey.
Conclusion
: The study was conducted to determine the secondary metabolite compounds like phenols, flavonoids, tannins, antioxidants, anthocyanins and nutrient compounds like Vitamin C, Ascorbic acid, carotenoids, TSS present in the three fig varieties. The fig variety Brown turkey was found to have more phytochemical components. It contains appreciable amounts of bioactive compounds namely anthocyanins, antioxidants, phenolic compounds and flavonoids and is a mineral rich fruit containing many macro and micro minerals namely Calcium, Phosphorous, Magnesium, Iron, Copper and Manganese etc. inappreciable amount. Hence, by the experimental results the brown and dark coloured varieties found to have highest phytochemical properties.
