Abstract

Protection of cells against damage by reactive oxygen species is a way of preventing disease conditions and food-derived anti-oxidants, which can prevent such damages, are of great interest. Polyphenols and essential oils of medicinal plants are antioxidants and this turns our attention to Gongronema latifolium. Phytochemicals and essential oil of G. latifolium leaves were extracted and their mechanisms of antioxidant action were investigated. Aldehydes, octanal and decanal as well as monoterpene class of compounds were detected from the essential oils of G. latifolium. The essential oils and aqueous-methanol extracts showed strong antioxidant activities by inhibition of lipid peroxidation, chelation of Iron (II) ions, scavenging of both Hydroxyl and α, α-diphenyl-β-picryl-hydrazyl radicals. The study demonstrates the strong antioxidant potentials of the essential oils and aqueous-methanol extracts which explains the potency assigned to it in traditional medicine and highlights its potential usefulness in preventing lipid peroxidation in food systems.

Keywords: Antioxidant activities; Free Radicals; Phytochemicals; Food systems, traditional medicine