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Laboratory of Foods and Nutrition, P.G. Department of Home Science, Sardar Patel
University, Vallabh Vidyanagar-388120, Gujarat, India.
ABSTRACT
Article Received on
11 June 2015, Spices are widely used for various culinary preparations in India and
Revised on 01 July 2015, worldwide. Nowadays, spices are also popular for their antioxidants
Accepted on 21 July 2015
and other medicinal properties such as antimicrobial, antidiabetic,
antiallergic, antimutagenic, antiulcerogenic, antipyretic,
*Correspondence for antianaesthetic, antispasmodic and carminative activities. Antioxidants
Author
prevent a specific action of initiation, propagation and oxidizing chain
Viraj Roghelia
reaction. In the present study, organic and conventional cinnamon and
Laboratory of Foods and
Nutrition, P.G. clove were studied for total phenol, flavonoids and antioxidant
Department of Home capacity using standard methods. Results indicated that organic
Science, Sardar Patel cinnamon contained higher content of total phenol, flavonoid,
University, Vallabh
DPPHRSA and FRAP as compared to conventional cinnamon. Similar
Vidyanagar-388120,
results were observed for clove except FRAP as FRAP content of
Gujarat.
conventional clove was found to be higher. Regression analysis
revealed that antioxidant capacity of organic spices could be due to their flavonoid content.
Hence, the study concludes that organic spices could be a better source of dietary
antioxidants.
INTRODUCTION
Antioxidants are well known for prevention of various chronic diseases by delaying,
inhibiting and oxidation of lipid and other molecules. They neutralize the free radicals and
prevent many non-communicable diseases. The free radicals are considered as etiological
Clove (Syzygium aromaticum) and Cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) are two most
commonly consumed spices in India and worldwide. These two spices are abundant source of
antioxidants that neutralize free radicals or their actions. The essential oil of clove buds is
widely used for its medicinal properties such as antispetic, analgesic, antibacterial, antifungal
activities and it is also important for dental care.[4] Cinnamon is recognised as a functional
food source of antioxidants which help decrease oxidative stress by inhibiting the enzyme 5-
lipooxygenase improving insulin sensitivity.[5] Some studies have mentioned cinnamon
possesses anti-carcinogenic, anti-microbical and anti-inflammaroty effects.[6,7]
These days, consumers are concerned about nutrition, health and food safety. The awareness
about some special aspects such as genetically modified organisms, irradiation of foods and
use of synthetic pesticide residue in foods.[8] Due to this, the popularity of natural foods and
organic foods continues to grow dramatically. Nowadays, many consumers prefer organic to
nonorganic food because of their interest in both a healthier-safer diet and a better
environment.[9,10] The production of organic products is also increasing day by day. India is
the second leading country in among the ten countries with the largest increase of organic
farmland in 2011 as well as India is the leading country with the highest number of organic
producers (547,591 producers) in the world.[11] Organic foods are produced using methods
that do not involve modern synthetic inputs such as synthetic pesticides and chemical
fertilizers, do not contain genetically modified organisms, and are not processed using
irradiation, industrial solvents, or chemical food additives. The use of genetic engineering,
sewage sludge, and irradiation also are prohibited in organic production and processing.[12,13]
The agricultural practices followed in organic and conventional farming varied a lot. Organic
foods are reported with higher bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity.[14,15,16] The
present study was planned with objectives to analyse non-nutritional bioactive compounds
and antioxidant activity of organic and conventional cinnamon and clove.
Chemicals used
Trolox, Gallic acid, Rutin, Ascorbic acid, Folin cio-calteu, 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl
(DPPH) and 2,4,6- Tris (2-pyridyl)-s-triazine (TPTZ) were purchased from Sigma-Aldrich
Ltd.( India).
Preparation of the sample for total phenol, flavonoid and total antioxidant capacity
The samples were powdered and 1 gm of homogenized powdered sample was weighed and
extracted using 80% acidified methanol (pH-2.0) in shaker (Genie Ltd.) for 30 minutes at
room temperature (37°C). The extracts were centrifuged at 7000 rpm for 10 minutes and
supernatant were collected in separate flask. The residues were further extracted by adding
the same solvent and the extraction procedure was repeated for three times. Volume made to
a round number of collected extracts and sample were stored at -20°C and used for total
phenol, flavonoid and antioxidant activity analysis.
Flavonoid assay
The concentrated extracts of the samples were used to analyse flavonoid content by
spectrophotometric method. [18] Appropriate aliquots of the sample were taken and made 1 ml
with 95% methanol. Tubes were further added with 0.1 ml of 10 % aluminium chloride, 0.1
ml of 1M Potassium acetate and 2.8 ml of D/W. After incubation of 30 minutes at 37°C,
absorbance was measured at 415 nm against 95% methanol as a blank. 10 mg% Rutin was
used as a standard. Flavonoid content was expressed as rutin equivalents (mgRE/100g).
Statistical analysis
Mean, standard error of mean, t –test and regression analysis was done to determine the difference
between the means and significance was noted at P < 0.01 level using SPSS (version-16).
higher in organic cinnamon, however no significant difference was noted while comparing
the type of growing system.
Table-1: Total phenol and flavonoid content of organic and conventional spices
Cultivation Total Phenol Flavonoid
Practice ( mgGAE/100g) ( mgRE/100g)
Organic 5039.09**±164.16 2289.58**±332.39
Clove
Conventional 2957.04±119.43 1516.66±165.71
Organic 1642.30**±21.98 1144.79NS±74.36
Cinnamon
Conventional 1063.46±60.45 1057.29±44.94
Values are Mean ± Standard Error of Mean (N=4),
NS-No significant difference,** indicates significant difference between organic and
conventional at p<0.01 level.
The antioxidant activity of phenolic compounds is mainly due to redox properties, which
allow them to act as reducing agents, hydrogen donors, singlet oxygen quenchers, heavy
metal chelators, and hydroxyl radical quenchers.[21] In the present study, antioxidant activity
measured as DPPH radical scavenging activity (DPPHRSA) and Ferric Reducing Antioxidant
Power (FRAP). The results obtained for DPPHRSA and FRAP are presented in table-2. The
DPPHRSA of organic clove and cinnamon was 19.54% and 28.88% higher (p<0.01)
respectively as compared to their counterparts. Ferric reducing antioxidant power of organic
cinnamon was also found significantly (p<0.01) higher by 34.07% than conventional one.
However, no significant difference was observed for FRAP in clove pertaining to cultivation
practices.
Lv et al.(2012)[22] have reported that gallic acid, catechin, EGCG, vanillic acid, syringic acid,
ferulic acid, p-coumaric acid were found higher in organic cinnamon as compared to
conventional cinnamon but significant (p<0.05) difference was noticed for ferulic acid and
syringic acid. It was also noticed that insoluble bound phenolic compounds were found
higher in organic cinnamon and pepper mint. Liyana and shahidi (2012)[23] noted the
importance of bound insoluble phenolic compounds to antioxidant activities. Roghelia and
Patel, (2013)[24] have reported higher antioxidant activities in organic turmeric as compared
to conventional turmeric.
The higher antioxidants in organic spices could be due to variation in agricultural practices
followed in organic and conventional farming. In organic farming plants are unprotected by
pesticide and fungicide. Hence, the plants under organic farming suffer from higher biotic
and abiotic stress. This results into activation of the shikimate pathway especially
modulation in the activity of phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL). Consequently, this defense
mechanism leads to increases the antioxidants such as plant polyphenolics.[25,26] Another
reason for higher antioxidant potential in organic crops could be the type of fertilizers used.
The use of synthetic fertilizers in conventional farming makes nitrogen more available for the
plants and this could accelerate plant growth and development. This supportive mechanism
makes plant resources for growth purposes, resulting in a decrease in the production of plant
secondary metabolites such as organic acids, polyphenolics, chlorophyll, and amino acids.[27]
Regression analysis was done to study the correlationship of total phenol and flavonoids with
the antioxidant activity. All the studied correlationships were found positive and significant
for both organic and conventional spices. The higher R2 value was observed for flavonoid-
antioxidant activities in organic spices [figure-1(a)] as compared to conventional spices
[figure-1(b)]. While, the higher R2 value was observed for total phenol- antioxidant activities
in conventional spices as compared to organic ones [figure-2(a) and 2 (b)]. This reveals that
the antioxidant capacity of organic spices could be due to their flavonoid content.
Figure-1(a): Correlation ship of flavonoid with DPPHRSA and FRAP in organic spices
Figure-2(a): Correlation ship of total phenol with DPPHRSA and FRAP in organic
spices
Figure-2(b): Correlation ship of total phenol with DPPHRSA and FRAP in conventional
spices
CONCLUSION
Antioxidant potential, flavonoid and total phenol were found to be higher in organic spices as
compared to conventional spices. Hence it may be concluded that organic cinnamon and
cloves can be considered as food source for antioxidant activity with reduced threat of
adverse effects of pesticides.
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