title: Nutraceutical potential of selected wild edible fruits of the Indian Himalayan region.
abstract: Wild edible fruits contribute significantly to the nutritional security of mankind across the globe. However, detailed analyses of health promoting bioactive compounds and antioxidants are lacking, especially in Himalayan wild edible fruits. Bioactive compounds and antioxidant potential of 10 wild edible fruits reveal that Terminalia chebula, Phyllanthus emblica and Myrica esculenta are the richest source of total phenolics; Pyaracantha crenulata, Terminalia chebula and Berberis asiatica for flavonoids; Phyllanthus emblica, Morus alba and Ficus palmata for ascorbic acid, anthocyanins, and Morus alba for β-carotene. Phenolic compounds, i.e. Gallic acid, catechin, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid and p-coumaric acid varied among species and found the maximum in Terminalia chebula and Phyllanthus emblica. Antioxidant activity showed the significant relation with total phenolics, flavonoids and phenolic compounds. Results indicated that these species should be promoted as a natural source of antioxidant/nutraceuticals so that these antioxidants can be used for supplementing dietary foods of mountain people.
authors.affiliation: G. B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment and Sustainable Development, Kosi-Katarmal, Almora 263 643, Uttarakhand, India. Electronic address: id_bhatt@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Indra D
authors.initials: ID
authors.lastname: Bhatt
authors.affiliation: G. B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment and Sustainable Development, Kosi-Katarmal, Almora 263 643, Uttarakhand, India.
authors.forename: Sandeep
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rawat
authors.affiliation: G. B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment and Sustainable Development, Kosi-Katarmal, Almora 263 643, Uttarakhand, India.
authors.forename: Amit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Badhani
authors.affiliation: G. B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment and Sustainable Development, Kosi-Katarmal, Almora 263 643, Uttarakhand, India.
authors.forename: Ranbeer S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Rawal
mesh_terms: D000872:Anthocyanins / Q000032:analysis; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000032:analysis; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000032:analysis; D003373:Coumaric Acids / Q000032:analysis; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000032:analysis*; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000032:analysis; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry*; D007194:India; D019684:Magnoliopsida / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000145:classification; D010636:Phenols / Q000032:analysis; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry*; D011422:Propionates
chemical_list: D000872:Anthocyanins; D000975:Antioxidants; D003373:Coumaric Acids; D005419:Flavonoids; D010636:Phenols; D010936:Plant Extracts; D011422:Propionates; C495469:p-coumaric acid; D001205:Ascorbic Acid
keywords: Ascorbic acid (PubChem CID: 54670067); Caffeic acid (PubChem CID: 689043); Catechin (PubChem CID: 9064); Chlorogenic acid (PubChem CID: 1794427); Dietary supplement; Gallic acid (PubChem CID: 370); Himalaya; Nutraceuticals; Nutritional security; Wild edible fruits; p-Coumaric acid (PubChem CID: 637542); β-Carotene (PubChem CID: 5280489)