Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate antioxidative and antihypertensive activities of selected Malaysian ulam (salad), vegetables and herbs. The aqueous extract of selected ulam (salad), vegetables and herbs were analysed for total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant activities (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay, 2,2-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) radical cation scavenging assay and ferric reducing antioxidant power assay (FRAP) and antihypertension activity (angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity assay). TPC analysis showed that Polygonum minus contains significantly (p<0.05) highest phenolic compound at 48.23 ± 0.17 mg GAE/g as compared to other plants. DPPH analysis showed that P. minus had significantly (p<0.05) highest percentage of radical scavenging activity at 79.09 ± 0.10% as compared to other plants. ABTS analysis showed that Sauropus androgynus had significantly (p<0.05) highest percentage of radical cation scavenging activity at 95.10 ± 0.26% as compared to other plants. FRAP analysis showed that P. minus had significantly (p<0.05) highest ferric reducing power at 63.61 ± 0.73 mmol Fe²⁺/g as compared to other samples. Murraya koenigii had the highest percentage of ACE inhibitory activity (91.20 ± 4.15%). Correlation analysis showed positive and significant (p<0.01) correlation between TPC and FRAP (r = 0.956), TPC and ABTS (r = 0.635), TPC and DPPH (r = 0.630) and TPC and ACE inhibitors (r = 0.645). This shows that Malaysian tropical plants especially P. minus are potential source of natural antioxidant and antihypertensive agents. 

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.