Production of Black Herbal Tea from Bacopa Floribunda: Effect on Mineral Profile, Antioxidant and Anticholinesterase Properties of Bacopa Floribunda Leaves

Adetuyi O. Foluso*, Akintimehin S. Emmanuel, Karigidi O. Kayode

Volume 28, Issue 4;
Pages: 345-354; 2022
ISSN: 2069-0053 (print) (former ISSN: 1453-1399), Agroprint;
ISSN (online): 2068-9551

Bacopa floribunda is a tropical plant commonly used in folkloric medicine for the treatment of several neurodegenerative disorders, with scanty scientific basis for its use. This study sought to develop black herbal tea from Bacopa Floribunda leaf (BFHT) and assess the mineral profile, antinutrients, antioxidant, anticholinesterase and lipid peroxidation inhibitory properties. Freshly harvested Bacopa floribunda leaf (FHBF) was transformed into black herbal tea BFHT. Phytate, saponin and tannin content of B. floribunda leaf were significantly (P ˂ 0.05) reduced after processing into BFHT. BFHT exhibited significantly (P ˂ 0.05) higher total phenolics (60.08 mg GAE/g), total flavonoids (12.96 mg QE/g) and reducing power (50.38mg AAE/g). The scavenging activities of BFHT extract against DPPH and NO was significantly (P ˂ 0.05) higher than that of FHBF. The inhibition capacity of BFHT (IC₅₀ = 0.65 μg/ml) against Fe²⁺ induced lipid peroxidation was significantly (P ˂ 0.05) higher than FHBT (IC₅₀ = 0.78 μg/ml). Furthermore, BFHT (IC₅₀ = 74.26 μg/ml) demonstrated significantly (P ˂ 0.05) higher inhibitory capacity against acetylcholinesterase than FHBT. Thus, processing of fresh leaf of B. floribunda into herbal tea enhanced the nutraceutical potential of the leaf and also serves as another method of preservation.