Nutraceuticals, phytochemicals, and radical quenching ability of selected drought-tolerant advance lines of vegetable amaranth

BACKGROUND: Vegetable amaranth is a source of natural phytopigments and functional components of the commercial food industry for sustainable health benefits across the globe. It is guessed that recently identified amaranth (drought-tolerant) genotypes may contain ample phytopigments and phytochemicals suitable to extract juice as drinks. Hence, phytopigments and phytochemicals content of amaranth were assessed in detail for suitability as drinks to feed the phytochemicals deficient community across the globe. RESULTS: The selected amaranth contained adequate carbohydrates, protein, moisture, and dietary fiber, phytopigments, minerals, phytochemicals including the ability to scavenge radicals. Nine flavonoids compounds were estimated in amaranth genotypes including six flavonols, one flavanol, one flavone, and one flavanone. It is the first effort in which we identified one flavonol such as myricetin, one flavanol, such as catechin, one flavone i. e., apigenin, and one flavanone, like naringenin in drought-tolerant vegetable amaranth. Across six flavonols, quercetin and rutin were the most noteworthy compounds followed by myricetin and isoquercetin. Across the accessions, AT7 and AT15 had abundant phytochemicals, and radical quenching ability including considerable proximate, nutraceuticals, and phytopigments in comparison to the accessions AT3 and AT11. AT15 demonstrated the maximum total flavonols including the highest rutin and hyperoside. AT7 showed high total flavonols including the highest quercetin, isoquercetin, myricetin, and kaempferol. The association of values revealed that studied phytopigments and phytochemicals of vegetable amaranth accessions demonstrated good radical quenching ability of 2,2-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) and 2,2- Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl equivalent to Trolox. CONCLUSIONS: These advance lines AT7 and AT15 had abundant nutraceuticals, phytopigments, and phytochemicals including radical quenching ability. These lines might significantly contribute to the promotion of health benefits and feeding the community across the globe deficit in nutraceuticals and antioxidants. Identified flavonoid compounds open the new route for pharmacological study.