The antioxidant and Anticancer Activities of Swiss Chard and Red Beetroot Leaves
Abstract: Plants have been used for many years as a source of traditional medicine to treat various diseases and
conditions. Many of these medicinal plants are also excellent sources for phytochemicals, which contain potent
antioxidant and anticancer activities. Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris, Cicla, BVc) and beetroot (Beta vulgaris Rubra,
BVr) are vegetables belong to the Chenopodiaceae family, widely consumed in traditional western cooking.
These vegetables represent a highly renewable and cheap source of nutrients. In Eygpt, beetroot leaves (Beta
vulgaris L.) are commonly cut off and discarded before using its bulb due to lack of knowledge of how to use
them. Aiming to use these leaves, in the present study, in fresh swiss chard and beetroot leaves were chemically
characterized in terms of total phenolic compounds, flavonoids, antioxidant activity by DPPH, Chlorophyll A, B
and carotenoids. The beetroot leaves showed the highest levels compared with swiss chard leaves. In addition,
the anticancer activity of chard and beetroot leaves were examined. The major phenolic acids in water extract of
chard leaves were e- vanillic, caffeine, ellagic acid and pyrogallol while the methanolic extract of chard leaves
was enriched with e- vanillic, salycillic, protocatchoic acid and catechol. On contrary, the water and methanolic
extracts of beetroot leaves were enriched with e- vanillic, pyrogallol, ellagic acid and protocatchoic acid. The
water extract of chard leaves was enriched with hesperidin and rosmarinic, while the methanolic extracts of
chard and beetroot leaves were enriched with vitexin and hesperidin, the water and methanolic extracts of
beetroot leaves were enriched with rosmarinic. Dried powder of chard and beetroot leaves were added to mango
and orange juices as an application to make use of it, all samples had significant different compared to the pure
juices but generally they were acceptable by the sensory evaluation. Overall, the results suggested that chard and
red beetroot leaves may provide a natural sources of antioxidant and anticancer activities and it can be added to
juices as they raise the nutritional value of the juices and does not noticeably impact on the sensory properties of
them.
Publication year 2015
Pages 491-498
Organization Name
serial title Current Science International
Author(s) from ARC
External authors (outside ARC)
    غادة حسين حامد إسماعيل معهد بحوث تكنولوجيا الأغذية – مركز البحوث الزراعية
Publication Type Journal
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