title: Antioxidant properties of germinated fenugreek seeds.
abstract: Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) is used as a spice, vegetable and a medicinal plant. Since antioxidant properties have been linked to health benefits of natural products, such properties were studied in germinated fenugreek seeds which are considered to be more beneficial than dried seeds. Different fractions of the germinated seeds were used to determine their antioxidant potential at different levels. The assays employed were ferric reducing antioxidant power, radical scavenging by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl, ferrylmyoglobin/2,2'-azobis-3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid, pulse radiolysis, oxygen radical absorbance capacity and inhibition of lipid peroxidation in mitochondrial preparations from rat liver. An aqueous fraction of fenugreek exhibited the highest antioxidant activity compared with other fractions. As the quantity of phenolic and flavonoid compounds can be related to antioxidant activity, the contents from these extracts were measured. HPLC analysis was carried out to detect polyphenols, flavonoids and other components. This study reveals significant antioxidant activity in germinated fenugreek seeds which may be due partly to the presence of flavonoids and polyphenols.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, University of Pune, Ganeshkhind, India.
authors.forename: Priyanjali
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dixit
authors.forename: Saroj
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ghaskadbi
authors.forename: Hari
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mohan
authors.forename: Thomas P A
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Devasagayam
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005260:Female; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology; D018525:Germination; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008930:Mitochondria, Liver / Q000187:drug effects; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction / Q000187:drug effects; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D010636:Phenols / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012639:Seeds / Q000737:chemistry*; D029910:Trigonella / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D005419:Flavonoids; D010636:Phenols; D010936:Plant Extracts