Effectiveness of Solvent Extraction on Phytochemicals and Antioxidant Activities from Fresh and Dried Wheatgrass

Aims: This study was intended to investigate and quantify the phytochemicals and the antioxidant activities of fresh and powdered wheatgrass.

Study Design: The experiment was performed by solvent extraction technique for determining the phytochemicals of wheatgrass samples.

Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted at the Food engineering laboratory in Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Dinajpur, Bangladesh between June 2018 and December 2018.

Methodology: Fresh and powdered wheatgrass were used for the experiment. Methanol and ethanol solutions were separately utilized, in an attempt to assume the efficient solvent for extraction. UV-Vis spectrophotometric methods were employed in general throughout the study. Total phenolic contents (TPC), total flavonoid contents (TFC), DPPH scavenging activity, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and the total chlorophyll contents of both solvent extracts were analyzed.

Results: Phytochemicals and antioxidant activity were found lower in both solvent extracts of powdered wheatgrass than fresh leaves. Phenolic content and Chlorophyll were significantly (P < 0.05) higher in fresh samples (extracts). Due to heating, a significant decrease was observed in the DPPH radical scavenging activity of powdered extracts. Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) was significantly (P < 0.05) higher in methanolic extracts than in ethanolic extracts. No significant (P > 0.05) difference was observed in total flavonoids contents.

Conclusion: These findings endorsed that both solvents demonstrate competitive potentials to extract bioactive compounds from wheatgrass and its derivatives and hence can be chosen specifically according to the components.