Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

A COMPARATIVE AND BIOCHEMICAL EVALUATIONS OF EDIBLE PARTS OF DIPLAZIUM ESCULENTUM (RETZ.) SW. A LOCALLY AVAILABLE FERN OF ASSAM AT DIFFERENT GROWING STAGES

Lakhya Jyoti Gogoi, Sristisri Upadhyaya, Mitali Baruah, Arunima Konwar, Manas Pratim Nath5, Kamala Kanta Borah and Prativa Deka

Abstract

Edible portion of Diplazium esculentum (Retz.) sw. at four different growing stages were collected from Mangaldai College, Assam and analysed for phytochemical constituents, antioxidant activity, amino acid content and nutritive value. Except anthraquinone, all the Phytochemicals, i.e. tannin, phenol, flavonoid, terpenoid, cardiac glycoside, alkaloid and reducing sugar were present in all the samples. Highest antioxidant activity was recorded in sample1 (stage 1) followed by sample 2 (stage 2). Considerable amount of nutritive value was found in all the samples and sample 2 showed highest values (287.78 cal/100 g). Different amino acid, i.e. cystein, glycin, phenylalanine, serine, valine and glutamic acid were recorded from the samples. The results revealed that both primary and secondary metabolite content of the fern varies with its growing stage.