Nutritional and bioactive constituents and scavenging capacity of radicals in *Amaranthus hypochondriacus*

A. hypochondriacus leaves contained ample phytopigments including betalain, anthocyanin, β-xanthin, β-cyanin, and bioactive phytochemicals of interest in the industry of food. We have been evaluating the possibility of utilizing phytopigments of amaranth and bioactive constituents for making drinks. Therefore, we evaluated bioactive phytopigments and compounds including the potentiality of antioxidants in A. hypochondriacus leaves. A. hypochondriacus leaves have abundant protein, carbohydrates, and dietary fiber. We found considerable levels of inorganic minerals including magnesium, calcium, potassium (3.88, 3.01, 8.56 mg g⁻¹), zinc, manganese, copper, iron (16.23, 15.51, 2.26, 20.57 µg g⁻¹), chlorophyll b, chlorophyll ab chlorophyll a (271.08, 905.21, 636.87 µg g⁻¹), scavenging capacity of radicals (DPPH, ABTS*) (33.46, 62.92 TEAC µg g⁻¹ DW), total polyphenols (29.34 GAE µg g⁻¹ FW), β-xanthin, betalain, β-cyanin (584.71, 1,121.93, 537.21 ng g⁻¹), total flavonoids (170.97 RE µg g⁻¹ DW), vitamin C, β-carotene, carotenoids (184.77, 82.34, 105.08 mg 100 g⁻¹) in A. hypochondriacus leaves. The genotypes AHC6, AHC4, AHC11, AHC5, and AHC10 had a good scavenging capacity of radicals. Polyphenols, phytopigments, flavonoids, and β-carotene of A. hypochondriacus had potential antioxidant activity. Extracted juice of A. hypochondriacus can be an ample source of phytopigments and compounds for detoxification of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and attaining nutritional and antioxidant sufficiency.

Umakanta Sarker, Shinya Oba