Effects of Solanum melongena (garden egg) on some visual functions of visually active Igbos of Nigeria

Grown to be Blue-Antioxidant Properties and Health Effects of Colored Vegetables. Part II: Leafy, Fruit, and Other Vegetables

The current trend for substituting synthetic compounds with natural ones in the design and production of functional and healthy foods has increased the research interest about natural colorants. Although coloring agents from plant origin are already used in the food and beverage industry, the market and consumer demands for novel and diverse food products are increasing and new plant sources are explored. Fresh vegetables are considered a good source of such compounds, especially when considering the great color diversity that exists among the various species or even the cultivars within the same species. In the present review we aim to present the most common species of colored vegetables, focusing on leafy and fruit vegetables, as well as on vegetables where other plant parts are commercially used, with special attention to blue color. The compounds that are responsible for the uncommon colors will be also presented and their beneficial health effects and antioxidant properties will be unraveled.

Evaluation of shelf-life, antioxidant activity and nutritional quality attributes in carnauba wax coated eggplant genotypes

Eggplant genotypes of white, green and violet are very popular in the specific regions of sub-tropics and tropics. These possess enormous health benefits as having high antioxidant activity. Due to limited shelf life i.e. 3 days at ambient storage, wholesalers and retailers apply many unhygienic practices. They use petroleum based oil to make the fruit surface shiny and attractive. In the present study, Eggplant genotypes, viz. violet, green and white, were assessed after carnauba wax (CW) emulsion containing additives such as 2.5% polyethylene glycol (PEG) and 0.5% sodium alginate (SA) as T1, 0.5% SA as T2, 2.5% PEG as T3 and non-coated eggplant fruits as control fruits (T4) for shelf life extension and retention of nutritional quality attributes at ambient condition (20 ± 2 °C and RH 52-54%) for 7 days. The additives mixed CW coatings were effective in extending the shelf life and retaining the nutritional quality attributes than control genotypes. Sodium alginate (SA) mixed CW coating resulted in maximum shelf life extension of white eggplant genotypes by 7 days as compared to 3-4 days in control eggplant genotypes at ambient storage. However, 6.9%, 1.83% and 6.04% decrease in physiological loss in weight was obtained in 0.5% SA based CW coating after 5 days of ambient storage of violet, green and white eggplant genotypes, respectively in comparison to fully control eggplant genotype. The firmness level of eggplant genotypes in 0.5% SA based CW coating was more (85.1%, 50% and 45%) after 7 days of ambient storage of violet, green and white genotypes, respectively in comparison to fully control eggplant genotype. Similarly, total phenol content was also increased (26.1%, 37.5% and 180.9%) in 0.5% SA based CW coated eggplant genotypes of violet, green and white, respectively after 7 days of ambient storage in comparison to fully control eggplant genotype. Initially there had been increase in antioxidant activity in white genotype up to 5 days of storage which thereafter decreased on 7 days of storage in all the treatments. However, violet and green genotypes had not followed any trend during storage.

Evaluation of anti-inflammatory activity of aqueous extract of leaves of solanum melongena linn. In experimental animals

INTRODUCTION

Aqueous extract of leaves of Solanum melongena Linn was investigated for its anti-inflammatory activity.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Acute oral toxicity study according to OECD425 guidelines was done to find out the LD50 of test drug. Carrageenan induced paw oedema method in Wistar Albino rats were used in this study. Aspirin in the dose of 300mg/kg was used as the standard drug and three doses of aqueous extract of leaves of Solanum melongena L. (100mg/kg, 200mg/kg, 400mg/kg b.w.) was used as the test drug. The results were measured at 1(st) h, 3(rd) h, and 5(th) h after the carrageenan injection.

RESULTS

In acute oral toxicity study none of the animals died at the dose of 2000mg/kg. Aqueous extract of Solanum melongena Linn leaf in the dose of 200mg/kg showed significant anti-inflammatory activity (p <0.05) at 3(rd) hr and highly significant anti-inflammatory activity (p<0.001) at 5(th) hr; in the dose of 400 mg/kg, test drug showed p<0.01 at 3(rd) and p<0.001 at 5(th) hr and in the dose of 100mg/kg it showed significant (p<0.05) anti-inflammatory activity at 5(th) hr. In doses of 200mg/kg and 400 mg/kg of aqueous extract of S. melongena L showed the percentage of inhibition of 42.62% which is less than the standard drug aspirin which showed 64.5% inhibition.

CONCLUSION

Aqueous extract of leaves of Solanum melongena Linn has anti-inflammatory activity.