Effects of Various Drying Methods on the Proximate Composition and Antioxidant Activities of Stellaria media Leaves

Background: Stellaria media belongs to the family of Caryophyllaceae. The plant is widely distributed in cold and temperate region all over the world. However, different parts of the S. media plant have been used to treat various disorders such as diarrhoea, jaundice, asthma, gastrointestinal disorders, measles, renal, reproductive, digestive, and respiratory tracts inflammations.

Aims: This investigation is aimed to determine the proximate composition and antioxidant activity of S. media leaves by using three different drying methods- Sun drying (SD), Shadow drying (SHD), and Oven drying (OD).

Methodology: All the experiments were performed according to standard procedures of the Association of Analytical Communities (AOAC). In this study, the effect of drying method on the proximate composition, mineral content, and antioxidant activity such as total flavonoid content, DPPH, and FRAP were investigated.

Results: The result was compared with the fresh leaves (FL) of the S. media. FL of S. media was recorded to have maximum amount of moisture content. Also, the ash content which was determinant of minerals content was higher in OD sample compared with the FL and other drying methods. Protein and crude fiber were higher in dried samples as compared with the FL. Furthermore, levels of calcium (Ca) and iron (Fe) were higher in SD sample as compared with FL, SHD, and OD samples. Meanwhile, the total flavonoid content (TFC) 652.0±0.56 mg quercetin/g was highest present in OD sample in methanol extract. The inhibition percentage in DPPH ranged from 4.8±0.17 in FL in water extract to 95.8±0.21 in OD samples in methanol extract. The value of FRAP ranged from 9.0±0.42 µmol FeII/g in FL in water extract to 9277.0±0.33 µmol FeII/g in OD samples in methanol extract. Also, the result showed in both DPPH and FRAP highest value in OD sample in methanol extract as same as TFC.

Conclusion: Nutrients and antioxidants help to maintain the nutritional status as well as to prevent various diseases. Therefore, they should be included as a dietary supplement. Furthermore, this represents a driver for future research in this field to consider different drying methods and determine the change in antioxidant activity using the high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method.