ASSESSMENT OF PHYTOCHEMICAL AND ANTIOXIDANT POTENTIAL OF UNDERUTILIZED PEAR (PYRUS PYRIFOLIA) AND PLUM (PRUNUS DOMESTICA) FROM INDIGENOUS HIMALAYAN REGION OF HIMACHAL PRADESH

The present investigation revealed the phytochemical constituent, antioxidant potential and correlation between antioxidant activities with total phenol and flavonoid contents of fruit extracts of Pyrus pyrifolia and Prunus domestica from local Himalayan region of Himachal Pradesh, India. The total phenolic content was estimated by using Folin-Ciocalteu reagent method, whereas, flavonoid content was quantified using aluminium chloride method. The antioxidant activity was evaluated by using DPPH, FRAP and Nitric oxide (NO) scavenging assay. The total phenolic content was found to be 159.86±2.91 and 145.56±2.43 µg/ml gallic acid equivalents. Similarly, flavonoid content was 48.69±1.90 and 284.27±2.16 µg/ml rutin equivalents for P. pyrifolia and P. domestica, respectively. The antioxidant activity values of DPPH scavenging for fruit extract were found to be (IC₅₀-17.37 and 9.47 µl/ml), FRAP activity values were (IC₅₀– 15.51 and 6.13 µM Fe (II) equivalents) and Nitric oxide scavenging values were (IC₅₀– 21.49 and 30.11 µl/ml) for P. pyrifolia and P. domestica respectively. The investigation revealed significant correlation between total phenolic and flavonoid contents with antioxidant activities of fruit extracts. This was the first report which provides insight towards development of value added products.