A Study on the Nutrients and Secondary Metabolites Composition of Two Varieties of Cynodon Available in Bangladesh and their Anti-Oxidant Activities

Cynodon spp. is used as the most important traditional medicine in Bangladesh. The chlorophyll, carotenoids, moisture, ash, sugar, carbohydrate, crude protein, crude fiber, fat, alkaloid, saponin, tannin, steroid, glycoside, flavonoid and cardiac glycoside were analyzed and it was found that CA contained higher amounts of crude protein (11.38%), crude fiber (38.95%) and carotenoid (3.17 mg/g) while CD contained higher amounts of moisture (14.97%), ash (11.63%), total sugar (7.2%) and total fat (4.4%). Of these two samples, macro-minerals content of CA are estimated to be as followscalcium (4.09 mg/100 g), phosphorus (2.14 mg/100 g), magnesium (2.01 mg/100 g), sodium (9.8 mg/100 g), potassium (11.7 mg/100 g) and chloride (8.3 mg/100 g) and for CD it was calcium (5.11 mg/100 g), phosphorus (2.29 mg/100 g), magnesium (2.65 mg/100 g), sodium (9.73 mg/100 g), potassium (12.1 mg/100 g) and chloride (9.1 mg/100 g), respectively. The phytochemical test showed that some important secondary metabolites like- alkaloids, saponins, tannins, steroids, glycosides, cardiac glycosides and flavonoids are also present. The total phenols and flavonoids have been investigated in different solvent extracts by spectrophotometric methods. The total phenolic contents were determined to be the highest and of same value (1.57 g%) for CD in 50% methanol as well as in 50% ethanol while in water 1000°C and 100% methanol for CA and it was 0.919 g% and 0.91 g%, respectively. Furthermore, all the experimental extracts showed low content of flavonoids and its contents were found to be 0.064 to 0.077 g% for CA and 0.065 to 0.088 g% for CD. The total antioxidant activity of two species was investigated by using phosphomolybdenum method. In each species 50% ethanol exhibited highest antioxidant activities and it was 2.50 g/100 g for CD and 1.50 g/100 g for CA. According to the result of anti-oxidant activity of the whole plants parts, it might be considered to be a potential source for use in pharmaceutical and food industry.

Author(s): Tuhina Chowdhury, Nasrin Sultana, Mohammad Al-Mamun, Nurul Absar and Md. Hasanuzzaman

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