Nutritional, Therapeutic and Antioxidant Activity Potential of the Leaves of Wild and Regenerated Euadenia trifoliolata Schum & Thonn. Oliv. (Capparaceae) Plants
Fah Monh Alice *
Laboratory of SV-T, Botany Unit, Bouaké, Côte d’Ivoire.
Béné Kouadio
Laboratory of Botany and the Utilization of Plant Diversity, University Nangui Abrogoua, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
Koné Witabouna Mamidou
Laboratory of Botany and the Utilization of Plant Diversity, University Nangui Abrogoua, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
Zoro BI Irié Arsène
Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Breeding, University Nangui Abrogoua, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aims: This study focused on quantifying nutritional and therapeutic compounds and in vitro antioxidant activity in Euadenia trifoliolata, a medicinal plant consumed as a vegetable and used in traditional medicine to treat otitis, anaemia, tuberculosis and arthritis, and as an aphrodisiac.
Study Design: This experimental study compared the phytochemical composition and antioxidant activity of aqueous, methanolic and dichloromethane (DCM) extracts from wild and cultivated E. trifoliolata plants.
Place and Duration of Study: The study addressed the management and valorisation of secondary forest products, particularly medicinal plants threatened with extinction. It was carried out in 2025 at Nangui Abrogoua University, Côte d'Ivoire.
Methodology: Nutritional and therapeutic compounds and in vitro antioxidant activity were evaluated in aqueous, methanolic and dichloromethane (DCM) extracts of wild and cultivated E. trifoliolata plants using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric reducing antioxidant capacity (FRAP) methods.
Results: Leaf protein content ranged from 0.17 ± 0.02% to 0.44 ± 0.03%, while reducing sugar content ranged from 0.005 to 0.025 mg/mL. Vitamin C content ranged from 0.04% to 0.15%, and fibre content was close to 95%. Regenerated plants yielded higher values for protein, vitamin C and fibre, at 0.44 ± 0.03%, 0.12 ± 0.01% and 92.88 ± 0.07%, respectively. The levels of therapeutic compounds ranged from 0.07 to 0.15 mg/mL for phenols, 0.29 to 0.35 mg Eq AG/g SE for flavonoids and 0 to 45 mg/mL for tannins. Aqueous extracts of cultivated plants showed a higher DPPH value of 97.36 ± 1.62%. Methanolic extracts from Banco yielded a higher DPPH value of 99.82 ± 0.06% and a higher FRAP value of 96.38 ± 4.80%.
Conclusion: These results support the multiple uses of this species by local populations.
Keywords: Euadenia trifoliolata, medicinal plant, nutritional potential, therapeutic potential, antioxidant activity