2010 Volume 56 Issue 3 Pages 203-207
Lutein is one of the major carotenoids in green leafy vegetables (GLVs), which show a marked antioxidant activity. The study was carried out to identify and quantify the carotenoid content of selected Sri Lankan GLVs. RP-HPLC with photodiode array detection method was followed for the separation, identification and quantification of carotenoids. Among the vegetables analyzed, Ipomoea batatas leaves showed the highest β-carotene content (743.9±35.0 μg/g dry weight (DW)) while Syngonium angustatum leaves contained the highest amount of lutein (1,728.2±168.3 μg/g DW). Percentage in vitro bioaccessibility of lutein from cooked GLVs ranged from 10.1 to 48.0% in stir-fried preparations of Centella asiatica and Cucurbita maxima, respectively. Hence these GLVs can be exploited as a rich source of β-carotene and lutein to overcome vitamin A deficiency and age-related macular degeneration.
