+44-7897-074717Olajire A. A and Azeez L
Antioxidant activities, total phenolic, flavonoid and ascorbic acid contents of different vegetables commonly consumed in Nigeria were determined. The antioxidant activities of vegetables ranged from 22.15% (Talinum triangulare) to 92.30% (Capsicum frutesceus). Solanum macrocarpon, with the lowest IC50, is the most potent vegetable of the samples analyzed, that could scavenge most free radicals; while Cucumis sativus, with the highest IC50, is the least potent. Total phenolic, flavonoid and ascorbic acid contents of vegetables ranged from 22.1 to 370.68 mg quercetin g– 1; 10.23 to 215.39 mg quercetin g– 1 and between 16.67 to 150.67 mg ascorbic acid g– 1, respectively. A high and significant correlation existed between antioxidant activity and total phenolic content of vegetables (r2 = 0.861, p < 0.05), indicating that total phenolic content is the major contributor to the antioxidant activity of vegetables. However, flavonoids, which belong to the phenolic compounds, were not significantly correlated with antioxidant activity (r2 = 0.143, p < 0.05). Ascorbic acid fairly correlated (r2 = 0.546, p < 0.05) with antioxidant and phenolic content (r2 = 0.591, p < 0.05).
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