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. 2014 Sep 22;9(9):e108140.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0108140. eCollection 2014.

Phytochemical profiles and antioxidant activities in six species of ramie leaves

Yongsheng Chen  1 , Gaoyan Wang  2 , Hong Wang  1 , Chaohua Cheng  3 , Gonggu Zang  3 , Xinbo Guo  1 , Rui Hai Liu  4
Affiliations

Phytochemical profiles and antioxidant activities in six species of ramie leaves

Yongsheng Chen et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

Increased consumption of vegetables or plant food has been associated with decreased risk of developing major chronic diseases, such as cancers, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and age-related functional decline. Ramie leaves are rich in phenolics and flavonoids, which have been suggested for human health benefits. Phenolic contents, flavonoid contents, phenolic compounds, and anti-cancer properties in six species of ramie leaves were analyzed by Folin-reagent method, sodium borohydride/chloranil-based assay (SBC), HPLC method and antiproliferation, cytoxicity, respectively. Antioxidant activities were measured through peroxyl radical scavenging capacity (PSC) method, oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) method, and cellular antioxidant activity (CAA). Research indicated that Boehmeria penduliflora contained the highest total phenolic content (2313.7±27.28 mg GAE/100 g FW), and flavonoid content (1682.4±27.70 mg CAE/100 g FW). Boehmeria tricuspis showed the highest PSC value (9574.8±117.63 µM vit. C equiv./100 g FW), while Boehmeria penduliflora indicated the highest ORAC value (330.44±16.88 µmol Trolox equiv./g FW). The antioxidant activities were correlated with phenolic contents and flavonoid contents. Boehmeria tricuspis had the highest antiproliferative capacity with the lowest EC₅₀ (4.11±0.19 mg/mL). The results for the analyzed ramie for CAA were significantly different from each other (p<0.05), Boehmeria tricuspis had the highest CAA value (133.63±7.10 µmol QE/100 g). Benzoic acid, 4-coumaric acid, caffeic acid, and ferulic acid were the dominant phenolic ingredients in the ramie leaves according to HPLC analysis. Our research is the first report to study the phytochemical profiles and antioxidant activities in different species of ramie leaves for their health benefit.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Phenolic contents in six species of ramie leaves (mean ± SD, n = 3).
Bars with no letters in common are significantly different (p<0.05).
Figure 2
Figure 2. Flavonoid contents in six species of ramie leaves (mean ± SD, n = 3).
Bars with no letters in common are significantly different (p<0.05).
Figure 3
Figure 3. PSC values in six species of ramie leaves (mean ± SD, n = 3).
Bars with no letters in common are significantly different (p<0.05).
Figure 4
Figure 4. ORAC values in six species of ramie leaves (mean ± SD, n = 3).
Bars with no letters in common are significantly different (p<0.05).
Figure 5
Figure 5. CAA values in six species of ramie leaves (mean ± SD, n = 3).
Bars with no letters in common are significantly different (p<0.05).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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Publication types

Grants and funding

The work was supported in part by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (2014ZM0072), the Leading Talents Program in Guangdong Province (Rui Hai Liu), the Guangzhou Science and Technology Program (2013J4500036), and the Guangdong Science and Technology Program (2012B050500003). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.