ABSTRACT

The present study was earned out to investigate the phytochemical, vitariiin and antioxidant properties of Colocasia esculenta corm. The parameters investigated were determined using standard biochemical methods. Phytochemical studies of Colocasia esculenta corm showed high levels of oxalate followed by phytate, reducing sugar, flavonoids, phenol and saponin while terpenoids, tannins alkaloids, steroids and anthocyanin were in trace amount. The vitamin composition of Colocasia esculenta showed that the leaves contain a variety of vitamins. From the result, colocasia esculenta have high content of vitamin C, folic acid (B9) and vitamin A Vitamin E, vitamin B3 (niacin) and vitamin B5 were in moderate while vitamin B12 and Bi (thiamine) were in trace amount. The antioxidant properties of Colocasia esculenta increased with increasing concentration. 2, 2-diphenyl-1 - picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), hydrogen peroxide, ferric oxide and nitric oxide scaverging activity of Colocasia esculenta corm were found to be lower than the standard vitamin C or curcumin but increases as the concentration increase. The presence of these phytochemicals and vitamins support its use as food and as source of useful drug and it is not unreasonable to attribute its antioxidant properties to the presence ofthese bioactive substance.