Screening of antioxidant activities and antioxidant constituents in less expolored Allium species grown under middle hill conditions of western Himalayas

In Uttarakhand Himalayas, Allium is one of the important genus and the wild Allium species have been utilized as spice and condiments. The antioxidant activity and constituents like total phenolics, flavonoids and tannins have been estimated in the leaves and bulbs of five Allium species namely Allium auriculatum Kunth, Allium ampeloprasum L., Allium ascalonicum L., Allium fistulosum L. and Allium tuberosum L. The results revealed that among five less explored Allium species, Allium auriculatum (Jamboo) leaves contain maximum quantities of antioxidant constituent viz. total phenolics(9.633 mg/g), flavonoids (9.123 mg/g) and tannin contents (24.5926 mg/g) followed by Allium ascalonicum leaves(6.380mg/g),(7.274mg/g) and (18.123 mg/g), respectively. The Allium auriculatum exhibited highest antioxidant activity with the minimum IC₅₀ value (0.356 mg/ml) by ABTS method and (0.808 mg/ml) by DPPH method followed by Allium ascalonicum. It was further, observed that aqueous extract of the plant exhibited better antioxidant activity and antioxidant constituents than alcoholic extract. These ûndings provide substantial evidence that leaves of Allium auriculatum exhibited highest antioxidant potential followed by Allium ascalonicum. The leaves of these less explored Allium species are superior in antioxidant activity and antioxidant constituents than bulbs. Therefore, Allium species have the potential to be valued as sources of natural antioxidants.