Nutritional value and antioxidant properties of Viburnum mullaha Buch.-Ham. ex D. Don fruit from central Nepal

Authors: PRABIN DAWADI, RACHANA SHRESTHA, SUBEKSHA MISHRA, SAYARA BISTA, JAYA KANT RAUT, TISTA PRASAI JOSHI, LOK RANJAN BHATT

Abstract: Viburnum mullaha is a popular wild edible fruit widely distributed in Nepal's mid-hills. Locals consume the fruits of the plants raw and use them to treat a variety of diseases. High value of fat (15%) and protein (3.94%) was evaluated in the seed compared to the pulp with fat 2.1% and protein 1.17%. Both the pulp and the seed exhibited high values of total phenolic content (3346.1 1 ± 0.05 and 2331.03 ± 0.02 mg QAEs/100 g respectively). The samples showed weak antioxidant activity when evaluated by diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) antioxidant assay as 50% of radical scavenging activity were 1350 ± 0.01 μg/mL and 1340 ± 0.77 μg/mL, respectively. The presence of minerals (iron, copper, manganese, and zinc) was evaluated by absorption atomic spectroscopy (AAS). The pulp contained iron and zinc whereas the seed contained iron, manganese, and zinc. The pulp methanolic extract at selected concentrations (125, 62.5, 31.25, and 15.63 mg/mL) did not show any inhibitory effect against the tested bacterial strains. These findings suggest the fruit to be rich in fats, total phenolic content, weak antioxidants, possesses micronutrients in trace amounts, and does not hold antibacterial properties at the selected concentrations.

Keywords: Viburnum mullaha, pulp, seed, nutrients, phytochemicals

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