Abstract:
This study was conducted to identify the consumption pattern of Green Leafy Vdgetables
(GLVs) of Myocardial lschemiC (Ml) patients who suffered chest pain due to insufficient
blood flow to heart muscle and attending the cardiac clinic at teaching Hospital Baticaloa,
ln addition, vitamin C, total phenolic contents (TPC) and total antioxidant activity (TAA)
were also estimated for the highly consumed fresh GLVs for food an.d medicinal purpose
by the Ml patients. Consumption pattern of GLVs was assessed by using a semi-structured
questionnaire. Vitamin C content was determined by 2,6-dichloroindophenol (DCP)
titrimetic method, whereas TPC was measured by Folin-Ciocalteu method. Total
Antioxidant activity was measured using Ferric Reducifig Antioxidant Power (FRAP) assay
which depends upon the reduction of ferric tripyridyltriazine [Fe(ll|)-TPTZ] complex to
the ferrous tripyridyltriazine (Fe(ll)-TPTZ) by a reductant 4! low pH.
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Results revealed that thirty one species of GLVs wer6 commonly consumed by Ml patients.
Their average frequency of consumption was nearly 50%. Fotrrteen specids were
consumed by more than 50% of the patients interviewed. Sixty one percentage of Ml
patients consumed GLVs daily. Eighty eight percent of Ml patients consumed GLVs
immediately after harvesting / purchasing. Sixteen GLVs wdre selected to determine
Vitamin C, TPC and TAA which included AeNa, Qtternanthera sess/is Ama'ranthua
caud atu s (Pendant am a ranth ), Am aranth u s v i ri d i s, A rgy re i a p om ace a, C ard i o spe rm u m.
halicacabum, Centella asiatica Delonix elata , Drega volubilis , Mollugo oppositifoliq,
Moringaoleifera, Murraya koenigii, Pisonia. grandis, Sauropus androgynus, Sesbanla
grandiflora, and Solanum. trilobafum. Vitamin C content of fresh GLVs ralged from 5.25
mg/100 g wet weight in Centetla asiatica to 416.2 mg/100 g in Drega volubilis. TPC of
fresh GLVs ranged from 21.82x15 mg TAE /100 g in Mollugo oppositifolia to 560.1151
mg TAE /100 g in Detonix elata. TAA of fresh GLVs ranged from 4.12i0.16 pmol Fe2*g-'
in Moringa oleifera to 38.59t1 .05 pmol Fe2*g-t in Murraya koenigii. Based on the Vitamin
C, TPC and TAA analysis, D. volubilis, D. elata and M. Koenigiiare identified as promising
GLVs.
