Phytochemical profile, mineral composition and antioxidant potential of Daucus carota aqueous extracts: A correlation study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14719/tcb.9459Keywords:
antioxidant activity, Daucus carota, mineral composition, phytochemical screening, principal component analysis, quantitative analysisAbstract
Daucus carota (Apiaceae), commonly known as “Sannariya” and is widely distributed in temperate and Mediterranean regions, particularly in Morocco. The aim of this study is to conduct mineralogical analysis, phytochemical investigations through aqueous extractions, essential oil extraction, phytochemical screening, quantification of phenolic compounds and evaluation of antioxidant activity using both H?O? and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to examine the correlation between antioxidant activity and the plant’s chemical composition. The results showed that the plant is very rich in minerals, particularly potassium (K) (117210), calcium (Ca) (13596.6), magnesium (Mg) (11525.1), sodium (Na) (6048.6), phosphorus (P) (5329.5) and iron (Fe) (2738.16) mg/kg of dry matter. The decocted exhibited the highest extraction yield (18.36 ± 0.14 %). Essential oil extraction limited to trace amounts. Phytochemical screening indicated that the plant is rich in flavonoids, catechic tannins, saponins, free quinones, sterols, anthraquinones and anthracenosides, while alkaloids and gallic tannins were absent. Quantification analysis showed that the decocted D. carota contained the highest levels of total polyphenols and catechic tannins, with 19.92 ± 0.08 µg GAE/mg E and 1.42 ± 0.10 µg CE/mg E, respectively, while the infused displayed the highest flavonoid content at 132.64 ± 0.57 µg QE/mg E. Similarly, the infused exhibited the strongest antioxidant potential in both H?O? and FRAP tests, with 10.22 ± 0.41 % and 64.24 ± 0.14 µg TE/mg E, respectively. Principal component analysis revealed a strong correlation between polyphenol, flavonoid contents and antioxidant activity. The findings demonstrate that D. carota is a rich source of bioactive compounds with potential for the development of pharmacologically relevant products.
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