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Chemical study and biological assessment of allium schoenoprasum l. Regel & tiling (cebollín) ethanolic extract

Abstract:

Introduction: Allium schoenoprasum L. Regel & Tiling belongs to the Alliaceae´s family and it is characterized by its domestic use. Most of the studies carried out on species of this genus were focused on the bulbs. In some of them the presence of flavonoids was reported, to which antioxidant activity is attributed. Objective: To assess the chemical composition and the antioxidant activity of the ethanolic extract of the leaves and bulbs of Allium schoenoprasum L. Regel & Tiling cultivated in Ecuador. Methods: The extracts from the leaves and bulbs were elaborated by the maceration method for a period of seven days, starting from 500 g of sample with 1 L of 80% ethanol. In the extracts were determined the physical-chemical constants, the phytochemical screening and the determination of flavonoids by high performance liquid chromatography; and their antioxidant activity was determined by the technique of the total iron reduction’s potential. Results: Of the physical-chemical characteristics, the pH showed values in the acid range for both extracts and the total solids were higher for the bulbs (2.73%) with respect to the leaves (1.02). The presence of flavonoids, quercetin (18.33 mg / L) and kaempferol (9.75 mg / L) was determined in leaf extracts, while quercetin (16.08 mg / L) was only detected in the bulbs. The reduction’s potential of the leaves extract was 394.16 μM and that of the bulbs 39, 44 μM; the latter did not present antioxidant activity. Conclusions: The leaves of Allium schoenoprasum L. Regel & Tiling cultivated in Ecuador can be considered as a potential antioxidant.