Molecules 2013, 18(2), 2005-2017; doi:10.3390/molecules18022005
Article

Antioxidant Activity of the Extracts of Some Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L) Walp.) Cultivars Commonly Consumed in Pakistan

Muhammad Zia-Ul-Haq 1 email, Shakeel Ahmad 2 email, Ryszard Amarowicz 3,* email and Vincenzo De Feo 4 email
1 Department of Pharmacognosy, University of Karachi, Karachi-75270, Pakistan 2 Department of Agronomy, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan-60800, Pakistan 3 Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Tuwima Str. 10, 10-748 Olsztyn, Poland 4 Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Salerno University, Fisciano, 84084 Salerno, Italy
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Received: 23 November 2012; in revised form: 28 January 2013 / Accepted: 31 January 2013 / Published: 5 February 2013
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antioxidants 2012)
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Abstract: The present investigation has been carried out to determine the antioxidant activity of the methanolic extracts obtained from four cultivars of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L) Walp.) seeds. Phenolic compounds present in the extracts showed the antioxidant and antiradical properties when investigated using a linoleic acid peroxidation model, FRAP, ORAC and TRAP assays, as well as DPPH, hydroxyl, nitric oxide and superoxide radical scavenging activity. The HPLC analysis of the cowpea extracts showed the presence of neochlorogenic acid, chlorogenic acid and caffeic acids. The results indicated that methanolic extract of the cowpea resembled in the aforementioned activities those from other leguminous seeds and pulses. Phenolic constituents contained in cowpea may have a future role as ingredients in the development of functional foods.
Keywords: cowpea; antioxidant potential; phenolic compounds; Pakistan

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MDPI and ACS Style

Zia-Ul-Haq, M.; Ahmad, S.; Amarowicz, R.; De Feo, V. Antioxidant Activity of the Extracts of Some Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L) Walp.) Cultivars Commonly Consumed in Pakistan. Molecules 2013, 18, 2005-2017.

AMA Style

Zia-Ul-Haq M, Ahmad S, Amarowicz R, De Feo V. Antioxidant Activity of the Extracts of Some Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L) Walp.) Cultivars Commonly Consumed in Pakistan. Molecules. 2013; 18(2):2005-2017.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Zia-Ul-Haq, Muhammad; Ahmad, Shakeel; Amarowicz, Ryszard; De Feo, Vincenzo. 2013. "Antioxidant Activity of the Extracts of Some Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L) Walp.) Cultivars Commonly Consumed in Pakistan." Molecules 18, no. 2: 2005-2017.

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