Comparative Phytochemical Composition and Antioxidant Activities of Mangifera indica and Mucuna urens Seeds

Abstract

ABSTRACT
This study was carried out to evaluate and compare the phytochemical composition and antioxidant activities of Mangifera indica and Mucuna urens seeds, with a view to elucidating the phytochemical basis for their medicinal uses, and their nutraceutical potentials as soup thickeners. Of the two seeds, M. indica had significantly higher (ρ < 0.05) total phenol, tannin, total flavonoid and total saponin contents than M. urens on dry weight basis. Conversely, M. urens had significantly higher (ρ < 0.05) vitamin C and total carotenoid levels than M. indica. However, there was no significant difference (ρ > 0.05) in their total alkaloid content. The methanolic extracts of the two seeds showed appreciable 1,1-diphenyl-2- picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free-radical-scavenging ability in a concentration-dependent manner, with the IC50 of M. indica (0.043 mg/mL) being higher than that of M. urens (0.088 mg/mL). Similarly, M. indica had significantly higher (ρ < 0.05) trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) (6.00 ± 0.11 mM TE/g) and ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) (81.69 ± 0.41 mg GAE/g) than M. urens [TEAC (3.40 ± 0.25 mM TE/g); FRAP (76.23 ± 0.54 mg GAE/g). It is therefore concluded that while M. indica and M. urens seeds contain appreciable levels of phytochemicals, that are beneficial to health, the higher antioxidant activities of M. indica over M. urens could be attributed to its higher total phenol, tannin, total flavonoid and total saponin contents.

Keywords: Mangifera indica, Mucuna urens, phytochemicals, Antioxidant activity, Polyphenol, Saponin