Avaliação da composição química e bioativa de cultivares de Petroselinum crispum (Mill.) Nym

Abstract

Petroselinum crispum Mill., Fuss., is a culinary vegetable used as an aromatic herb, gives colour, aroma and flavours a great variety of dishes. In the present study nutritional value (moisture, fat, protein, ash, carbohydrates, and energetic value), chemical composition (fatty acids, tocopherols, free sugars, organic acids and phenolic compounds) and bioactive (antioxidant and antimicrobial activity) of parsley leaves (plain- and curly-leafed and turnip-rooted) from twenty-five cultivars were evaluated. Moisture was higher for the plain-leafed cv. Rialto Bejo: 192±11 g/pot, while significant differences were observed between the three types in the nutritional parameters, except for the carbohydrates content. The most abundant organic acid was malic acid (5.22- 6.88 g/100 g dw), while the total free sugars content did not differ significantly among the tested cultivar types. α-Tocopherol was the major tocopherol detected in amount that ranged between 14.76-30.32 mg/100 g dw. The main fatty acids were α-linolenic and linoleic followed by palmitic acid, while only linoleic acid content being different among the cultivar types. Seven phenolic compounds were identified in all the cultivars, including apigenin and kaempherol derivates. Apigenin-O-pentoside-O-hexoside was the major compound in plainand curly-leafed and turnip-rooted (20, 22 and 13 mg/g of extract, respectively) and responsible for its excellent antioxidant activity, also investigated in this study. Antimicrobial activities were also explored, and the results revealed a good bioactivity against specific tested pathogens, such as bacteria and fungi. In conclusion, the present findings reflect the diversity of parsley cultivars that exist in Greek germplasm, and thus could be valorized to increase the agrobiodiversity in the broader Mediterranean region through the introduction of less cultivated curly-leafed and turnip-rooted types along with already established plain leaf genotypes. The leaves of all the types of P. crispum are a good font of natural bioactive compounds that promotes health benefits and so it should be part of a balanced diet.