Two different types of sajna leaves were analyzed at different maturity levels for their physico-chemical compositions and change in contents of some hydrolytic and oxidative enzymes. The pH of the sajna leaves was acidic at all the maturity stages and continued to increase gradually with the advances of maturity. The moisture content decreased gradually while ash content increased remarkably with age. Chlorophyll, protein and lipid contents increased rapidly upto mature stage and thereafter decreased rapidly at the ripen stage. Total sugar content increased gradually with the advances of maturity while starch content decreased sharply after mature stage. The vitamins such as thiamine and riboflavin were found to be present in low amount in sajna leaves, while it contained good amount of ascorbic acid at mature stage and carotene at ripen stage. The activities of protease and peroxidase increased rapidly with the maturity, while amylase, cellulase, invertase, ascorbic acid oxidase and polyphenol oxidase increased upto mature stage and then decreased drastically at ripen stage. Fresh sajna leaves contained significantly higher amount of oxidative enzymes as compared to the hydrolytic enzymes at all maturity stages.
Hydrolytic and oxidative enzymes, maturity levels, physico-chemical composition, sajna leaves
