Dahanayaka Lakshanee Weerasinghe, Mapa Mapa Mudiyanselage Sumudu Tharangani, Kadigamuwa Chamila Chathuranga, Udayanga Dhanushka
Department of Biosystems Technology, Faculty of Technology, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Homagama, 10206, Sri Lanka.
Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Kelaniya, Kelaniya, 11300, Sri Lanka.
BMC Plant Biol. 2025 Jan 27;25(1):118. doi: 10.1186/s12870-025-06143-3.
Basella alba L. (Malabar spinach) is a widely consumed leafy vegetable, well known for its nutritional and therapeutic properties. These properties arise from the availability of essential nutrients, phytochemicals, and antioxidant potential, which may vary depending on environmental factors induced by the geographical location. In this study our aim is to investigate the correlation between the geographical location and proximate composition, phytochemical content, and antioxidant activity of B. alba harvested from fifteen locations in Sri Lanka.
According to the statistical analysis by ANOVA and Tukey test, the results of proximate analysis confirmed that samples from different locations showed statistically significant variance in nutritional content. Furthermore, phytochemical content and antioxidant potential varied showing a significant difference between locations in total chlorophyll (27.53 to 6.69 µg/g dry weight), carotene (4.54 to 1.15 µg/g dry weight), total flavonoid content (10.54 to 3.94 mg/g dry weight in Quercetin equivalents), total phenolic content (8.33 to 0.46 mg/g dry weight in gallic acid equivalents), 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity (38.03-11.4% inhibition), and ferric ion-reducing antioxidant power (1.23 to 3.76 mg/g dry weight in ascorbic acid equivalents) (p < 0.05). The Pearson correlation showed a strong positive correlation between total phenolic content and antioxidant activity. Principal component analysis indicates the role of antioxidant activity and chlorophyll content in location differentiation, forming distinct clusters. Cluster analysis categorized samples into four groups, linking biochemical traits to agro-climatic zones. The principal component analysis and cluster analysis showed a close relationship between some locations due to their high antioxidant and phytochemical accumulation.
This study exhibits the importance of geographical location on the phytochemical profile and antioxidant properties of B. alba. These findings can be used to refine optimal cultivation sites for B. alba to enhance the efficacy of its nutraceutical and pharmaceutical potential.
落葵（木耳菜）是一种广泛食用的叶菜类蔬菜，以其营养和治疗特性而闻名。这些特性源于必需营养素、植物化学物质的存在以及抗氧化潜力，它们可能会因地理位置所引发的环境因素而有所不同。在本研究中，我们的目的是调查从斯里兰卡15个地点采集的落葵的地理位置与近似成分、植物化学物质含量和抗氧化活性之间的相关性。
根据方差分析（ANOVA）和Tukey检验的统计分析，近似分析结果证实，来自不同地点的样本在营养成分上显示出具有统计学意义的差异。此外，植物化学物质含量和抗氧化潜力各不相同，在总叶绿素（27.53至6.69微克/克干重）、胡萝卜素（4.54至1.15微克/克干重）、总黄酮含量（以槲皮素当量计为10.54至3.94毫克/克干重）、总酚含量（以没食子酸当量计为8.33至0.46毫克/克干重）、1,1-二苯基-2-苦基肼自由基清除活性（38.03 - 11.4%抑制率）以及铁离子还原抗氧化能力（以抗坏血酸当量计为1.23至3.76毫克/克干重）方面，不同地点之间存在显著差异（p < 0.05）。Pearson相关性显示总酚含量与抗氧化活性之间存在强正相关。主成分分析表明抗氧化活性和叶绿素含量在地点区分中所起的作用，形成了不同的聚类。聚类分析将样本分为四组，将生化特征与农业气候区联系起来。主成分分析和聚类分析表明，由于某些地点具有高抗氧化和植物化学物质积累，它们之间存在密切关系。
本研究展示了地理位置对落葵植物化学特征和抗氧化特性的重要性。这些发现可用于确定落葵的最佳种植地点，以提高其营养保健和药用潜力的功效。
