Pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima Lam.) is a well-known, extensively grown and consumed crop, world-wide. Pumpkins are natural and rich source of potential bioactive compounds. The presence of active phytochemicals makes these fruits a great matrix to be further exploited for therapeutic purposes, beyond biotechnological applications. Peel, flesh and seeds of this fruit are heavily loaded with phenolics, flavonoids and carotenoids, which are the main tributes of this functional and medicinal food. Present study was designed to utilize these parts of pumpkin in the form of powders, at 0, 5, 10 and 15% replacement levels with white flour, to develop biscuits and to obtain methanolic extracts of these biscuits to determine their phytochemical parameters. Among the different treatment biscuits, highest amount of total phenolics (101.79 mg GAE/100 g), flavonoids (60.74 mg CE/ 100 g) and DPPH free radical scavenging activity (38.00 mg AAE/100 g) was found in biscuits with 15% replacement of pumpkin seeds powder, while biscuits with 15% replacement of pumpkin flesh powder exhibited highest amount of total carotenoid contents (6.95 mg/ 100 g) and β carotene (2.86 mg/100 g). Functional biscuits developed from replacement of pumpkin parts powders with wheat flour may be offered to patients facing oxidative stress, degenerative diseases and diabetes. These biscuits can be offered to children for better growth and development. Consumers awareness through proper marketing at commercial level with proper labelling of nutritional facts, may lead to increased demand of this functional and medicinal food rich in bio actives.

Vegetables supply various minerals, vitamins, dietary fibers along with important phytochemicals that plays a major contribution in our balance diets and nutrition. Each vegetable contain a unique amount of various nutrients that are strongly linked with the protection of different health diseases. Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) is a nonwoody annual plant with purple to white flowers along with enlarged lobed leaves with bushy foliage that grows with maximum height of 120cm. Eggplant is mainly grown for vegetables and medicinal purposes. The phytochemical analysis of eggplant shows that it is the rich source of various essential compounds aspartic acid, tropane, flavonoids, lanosterol, gramisterol, steroid alkaloids, glycoalkaloids, histidine, nasunin, oxalic acid, solasodine, ascorbic acid and tryptophan that are present in fruits and leaves. It also contains low calories and high moisture contents. These compounds were found helpful in the cure of various diseases like cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-asthmatic, anti-platelet hypo-lipidemic, and hypotensive etc. Today most modern scientific techniques are available to cure different various health problems but still majority of population across the globe depends upon the traditional herbal medicines and practices. This review mainly explains nutritional content, medicinal and health benefits of S. melongena

Dracocephalum moldavica L. has been used as both treatment of coronary heart disorders and food supplements. In the present study, determination of total phenolic and flavonoid content in methanol, ethanol and methanol/ethanol extracts of leaf was studied in Iranian Moldavian balm for the first time. Antioxidant activity of the studied plant was also measured. The methanol extract had the highest phenolic and flavonoid content, anthocyanin, DPPH and H2O2 radical scavenging activity. The ethanol extract showed the least amount of all. The methanol/ethanol extract showed the highest amount in two oxides including nitric and superoxide radical scavenging activities; it also showed the highest Ferric Reducing Ability Power. The obtained chromatograms of the plant using High Performance Liquid Chromatography showed that the highest and the lowest found phenolic compounds were caffeic acid and vanilic acid, respectively. The results show that this plant is a suitable natural antioxidant to reduce the oxidative stress in human being.

A two-year field study (2013−2014) was performed to evaluate phytochemical content and antioxidant activity of two high-lycopene tomato breeding lines (HLT-F71 and HLT-F72) grown under open field conditions as compared to the traditional cultivar (cv) Rio Grande. Two open-field trials were conducted in 2013 and 2014. Three tomato cvs were used: two high-lycopene tomato advanced breeding lines (HLT-F71 and ‘HLT-F72’) (F7 generation), and the open-pollinated cv Rio Grande commonly grown in Tunisia. Regardless the growing years and cvs, lycopene content ranged from 98.8 to 280.0 mg/kg fw, total phenolics from 176.1 to 831.8 mg GAE/kg fw flavonoids from 169.7 to 552.1 mg RE/kg fw and total vitamin C from 183.4 to 370.0 mg/kg fw. Significant year-to-year variability was only detected in total phenolics and flavonoid content. No significant year-to-year variability in antioxidant activity was detected in high-lycopene lines. Disregarding the cv, tomato berries harvested on July 2014 had 143% - 224% higher total phenolics and 8% to 47% higher flavonoid contents compared to tomato berries harvested on July 2013. However, disregarding the cv, tomato berries harvested on July 2013 had 6% -17% higher lycopene and 8% -21% higher LAA compared to berries harvested on 2014. During the second growing year, the higher temperature, particularly prior to harvest, determined a decrease in lycopene content and a significant increase in total phenolics regardless the cv. Although the huge variability in total phenolics and the decrease in lycopene content during the second harvest, the antioxidant activity was not affected by year-to-year variability. This reveals consistent functional quality of these cvs and minimal genotype*environmental conditions interaction.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant and antibacterial properties of Styphnolobium japonicum (L.) Schott extracts. Results showed that the total phenols and flavonoids contents of the extracts ranged from 24.57 to 316.11 mg GAE/g and from 1.80 to 12.41μg QE/mg, respectively. Ethyl acetate (EaES) and aqueous (AqES) extracts from seeds showed the highest DPPH scavenging capacity (IC50= 5.51 and 23.43 μg/mL). EaES from seeds, stem bark and fruit pod were the most active in inhibiting β-carotene oxidation. While, aqueous extracts have the ability to chelate ferrous ions. Significant antibacterial activity was obtained against Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Salmonella typhimurium, Listeria monocytogenes, Bacillus cereus and Pseudomonas aeroginosa; and inhibition zones varied between 10 to 29.5 mm. MIC and MBC ranged from 0.7–11.25 mg/mL and 5.63–22.5 mg/mL, respectively. In addition, synergistic effects were obtained, where inhibition zones varied between 7 and 50 mm. These results support the use of this species in traditional medicine in many physiological disorders and could be used where antioxidant and antibacterial are warranted.

Pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima Lam.) is a well-known, extensively grown and consumed crop, world-wide. Pumpkins are natural and rich source of potential bioactive compounds. The presence of active phytochemicals makes these fruits a great matrix to be further exploited for therapeutic purposes, beyond biotechnological applications. Peel, flesh and seeds of this fruit are heavily loaded with phenolics, flavonoids and carotenoids, which are the main tributes of this functional and medicinal food. Present study was designed to utilize these parts of pumpkin in the form of powders, at 0, 5, 10 and 15% replacement levels with white flour, to develop biscuits and to obtain methanolic extracts of these biscuits to determine their phytochemical parameters. Among the different treatment biscuits, highest amount of total phenolics (101.79 mg GAE/100 g), flavonoids (60.74 mg CE/ 100 g) and DPPH free radical scavenging activity (38.00 mg AAE/100 g) was found in biscuits with 15% replacement of pumpkin seeds powder, while biscuits with 15% replacement of pumpkin flesh powder exhibited highest amount of total carotenoid contents (6.95 mg/ 100 g) and β carotene (2.86 mg/100 g). Functional biscuits developed from replacement of pumpkin parts powders with wheat flour may be offered to patients facing oxidative stress, degenerative diseases and diabetes. These biscuits can be offered to children for better growth and development. Consumers awareness through proper marketing at commercial level with proper labelling of nutritional facts, may lead to increased demand of this functional and medicinal food rich in bio actives.

Artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.) is a worldwide popular horticultural crop. Interest in assessing bioactive compounds with potential health benefits in artichoke is increasing. Therefore, in this study, the variability in total phenolic and flavonoid contents of six artichoke cultivars, including five purple namely Brindisie, Opal, Conserto, Romanesco and Rouge de France as well as an ordinary white artichoke variety were investigated. The results showed significant differences in total phenolic and flavonoid contents between artichoke cultivars. Total phenolic content ranged from 17.31 mg GAE/ g DW in the white artichoke variety to 21.31 mg GAE/g DW in Romanesco. Flavonoid content ranged from 4.51 mg RE/g DW in white artichoke to 7.06 mg RE/g DW in Rouge de France. Therefore, the highest total phenolic content was shown by Romanesco. However, the highest flavonoid content was recorded for both Opal and Rouge de France. This study demonstrates the importance of genotypic variability in shaping the levels of total phenolic and flavonoid, emphasizing the need to evaluate artichoke biodiversity in order to improve its nutritional value and to contribute towards increasing the intake of antioxidants.

In this study, antioxidant activities of two macroalgae, Eucheuma sp. J.Agardh and Laminaria sp., J.V.Lamouroux used as food supplements were investigated. The antioxidant activity, free radical scavenging activity, the total content of phenolics, flavonoids and condensed tannins in extracts were determined. The IC50 values of the extracts of Eucheuma sp. and Laminaria sp. on DPPH scavenging activity was 2.26±0.03 mg/g and 2.63±0.03 mg/g of extract, respectively. The maximum total phenolic (5.31±0.04 mg GAE/g Ext.) were determined. According to our results, all extracts exhibited low radical scavenging activity when compared to the standards used, i.e. -tocopherol and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) with the inhibition percentage in the range of 48.45±0.06% (Eucheuma sp.) – 58.49±0.03% (Laminaria sp.). The highest flavonoid content was measured as 18.78±0.10 mg rutin/g of extract in Laminaria sp. The condensed tannins were not detected in Eucheuma sp. However, this value was measured as 6.24±0.60 mg CE/g of extract for Laminaria sp. According to our results, Eucheuma sp. and Laminaria sp., which are commercially sold in medicinal herb stores, are good sources of antioxidant components because of their phenolic and flavonoid contents.

Vegetables supply various minerals, vitamins, dietary fibers along with important phytochemicals that plays a major contribution in our balance diets and nutrition. Each vegetable contain a unique amount of various nutrients that are strongly linked with the protection of different health diseases. Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) is a nonwoody annual plant with purple to white flowers along with enlarged lobed leaves with bushy foliage that grows with maximum height of 120cm. Eggplant is mainly grown for vegetables and medicinal purposes. The phytochemical analysis of eggplant shows that it is the rich source of various essential compounds aspartic acid, tropane, flavonoids, lanosterol, gramisterol, steroid alkaloids, glycoalkaloids, histidine, nasunin, oxalic acid, solasodine, ascorbic acid and tryptophan that are present in fruits and leaves. It also contains low calories and high moisture contents. These compounds were found helpful in the cure of various diseases like cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-asthmatic, anti-platelet hypo-lipidemic, and hypotensive etc. Today most modern scientific techniques are available to cure different various health problems but still majority of population across the globe depends upon the traditional herbal medicines and practices. This review mainly explains nutritional content, medicinal and health benefits of S. melongena

In this study, the antioxidant activities and biochemical characteristics of Ulva rigida (Ulvophyceae) and Arthrospira platensis (Cyanophyceae) were determined. The extracts from two seaweed species were evaluated for their free radical scavenging activity, using the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl hydrate (DPPH) method, their total phenolic, flavonoid, and condensed tannin contents, through Folin–Ciocalteu, Quettier-Deleu, and Price methods, respectively. The extracts of two seaweeds showed a low free radical scavenging capacity in comparison with commercial antioxidant BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene), and vitamin C. The extract of U. rigida demonstrated greater antioxidant potential with a low IC50 (3.76±0.02 mg/g Ext.). The total phenolic contents were ranged from 2.21±0.08 (U. rigida) to 8.59±0.62 (A. platensis) mg GAE/g of extract. The highest flavonoid content was found in A. platensis as 22.70±0.65 mg rutin/g of extract. The contents of condensed tannin were measured 3.01±0.11 mg CE/g of extract for A. platensis and 3.76±0.06 mg CE/g of extract for U. rigida. According to results obtained, U. rigida and A. maxima possess antioxidant activity and could be used in for future applications in medicine, functional foods, and agriculture.