Evaluation of the antioxidant activity of wild edible greens

In the last years, several studies have been conducted in order to evaluate the nutritional and functional potential of wild edible plants. Some of them have shown a remarkable biological activity, mainly as antioxidants properties, and are good sources of bioactive compounds. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro antioxidant activity of the edible part of 20 wild edible greens traditionally consumed in the Iberian Peninsula, quantifying its radical scavenging activity (DPPH and reducing power assays) as well as the lipid peroxidation inhibition capacity (beta-carotene bleaching inhibition assay and TBARS assays). The correlation of these parameters with the content of different bioactive compounds was also calculated. The samples analyzed were collected during three consecutive years (2007-2009) in two different locations in the centre of the Iberian Peninsula. The most interesting antioxidant activity results, expressed as EC50 (mg/mL of extract), corresponded to Anchusa azurea, Apium nodiflorum and Taraxacum obovatum for DPPH assay. Whilst, for reducing power assessment, Anchusa azurea, Apium nodiflorum, Chondrilla juncea and Montia fontana presented the better EC50 values (p <0.05). For lipid peroxidation inhibition assays, Anchusa azurea, Apium nodiflorum again were the most interesting species for beta-carotene bleaching inhibition assay, while for the TBARS were Sonchus