Chemical Characterization and Anti-Radical Activity of Fruits and Vegetables Commonly Consumed in Brazzaville

The objective of this study was to analyze ten (10) species of edible vegetables and nine (9) fruit commonly found in Congo (Brazzaville) in order to determine their total polyphenol content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC), and their antiradical activity by the method of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). The results obtained showed that the highest TPC and TFC were found, on the one hand, in the extracts of four species of vegetables, i.e. Ipomoea batatas L. (536.02 ± 0.01 mg of GAE/100 g DW;486.46 ± 0.10 mg of QtE/100 g DW), Cucurbita pepo (533.60 ± 0.05 mg of GAE/100 g DW;303.72 ± 0 mg of QtE/100 g DW), Hibiscus sabdariffa (421.02 ± 0.015 mg of GAE/100 g DW;243.49 ± 0.10 mg of QtE/100 g DW), Solanum negrum 1 (412.10 ± 0.05 mg of GAE/100 g DW;292.10 ± 0.14 mg of QtE/100 g of DW) and, on the other hand, in the extracts of two species of fruit, i.e. Chrysophyllum lacourtianum (532.79 ± 0.19 mg of GAE/100 g of DW;380.55 ± 0.10 mg of QtE/100 g of DW) and seeds of Aframomum alboviolaceum (469.38 ± 0.28 mg of GAE/100 g DW;107.27 ± 0.10 mg of QtE/100 g DW). The lowest TPC and TFC were obtained with the extracts of Brassica campestris and of Spinacia oleracea, respectively 97.78 ± 0.17 GAE mg/100 g DW and 27.52 ± 0.10 QtE mg/100 g DW. The extract of the Saba senegalensis pulp had the lowest TPC and TFC. In addition, the highest antiradical activity was observed with extracts from vegetables and fruit with high TPC and TFC. The results indicate that these vegetables and fruit could be potential sources of the phenolic compounds and the biomolecules having several biological activities. Thus, their consumption might be an alternative in the prevention of chronic diseases.