Author: Nikkita Rani Farikar & Dr. Asha Mishra
DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.70798/Bijmrd/03030017
Abstract: This study systematically investigated the protective effects of 70% ethanolic extracts from four selective legume species (Vigna radiata, Vigna mungo, Macrotyloma uniflorum, and Cajanus cajan) sourced from Balangir district, Odisha, against oxidative DNA damage and their influence on cell signaling pathways. Phytochemical profiling revealed Vigna mungo to possess the highest concentrations of quercetin (32.78 µg/g), kaempferol (24.36 µg/g), and gallic acid (11.54 µg/g), suggesting its superior antioxidant potential, while Vigna radiata and Cajanus cajan showed moderate levels, and Macrotyloma uniflorum presented unique phytochemical balance.
In vitro assessment demonstrated that all legume extracts offered dose-dependent protection against Fe²⁺/AAPH-induced oxidative DNA damage. Vigna mungo exhibited the highest protective activity (91.0 ± 6.5% at 400 µg/mL), closely followed by Cajanus cajan (88.5 ± 6.0%) and Vigna radiata (85.1 ± 6.2%), likely due to their rich flavonoid and phenolic content. Furthermore, the extracts showed significant antiinflammatory activity by inhibiting nitric oxide production in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages; Vigna mungo again led with 82.1 ± 6.4% inhibition at 400 µg/mL.
Beyond direct cellular protection, these extracts displayed promising broader health benefits. They exhibited anti-urolithic activity, with Vigna mungo showing 84.1 ± 6.3% inhibition of calcium oxalate crystallization, comparable to sodium citrate. Similarly, all extracts demonstrated anti-obesity potential through pancreatic lipase inhibition, with Vigna mungo reaching 78.3 ± 6.1% inhibition. Importantly, the legumes also displayed quorum sensing inhibition (QSI) activity, suppressing violacein production in Chromobacterium violaceum CV026, where Vigna mungo showed 80.1 ± 6.3% inhibition.
Collectively, these findings underscore the significant potential of legumes from Balangir district as rich sources of bioactive compounds capable of mitigating oxidative stress, inflammation, and related diseases, while also offering anti-urolithic, anti-obesity, and quorum sensing inhibitory properties. Vigna mungo consistently emerged as the most potent species across multiple assays, warranting further isolation and in vivo mechanistic studies for its potential as a functional food ingredient or natural therapeutic agent.
Keywords: Vigna Radiata, Vigna Mungo, Macrotyloma Uniflorum, Cajanus Cajan.
Page No: 142-158