Deciphering the In Vitro Antioxidant Potential and Mineral Analysis of Fagopyrum Species from Kashmir and Ladakh Regions

Context: The Kashmir and Ladakh Himalayan regions are having a rich diversity of buckwheat germplasm, which is an excellent source of nutrition and functional food. The objective of this study was based on comparative in vitro flavonoid, antioxidant, and mineral analyses of Fagopyrum species grown in these regions. 
Materials and Methods: To achieve this goal, leaf samples from the four buckwheat species were subjected to antioxidant analysis. Besides, the mineral analysis of the groat samples of different buckwheat species was carried out by atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). 
Results: Results indicated that the methanolic extract shows higher total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) in the samples of Fagopyrum sagittatum followed by Fagopyrum tataricum, Fagopyrum kashmirianum, and Fagopyrum esculentum. Total reducing power (TRP), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), superoxide anion radical (SOR), and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) radical scavenging assays indicated excellent results from the leaf extracts of F. sagittatum. The results suggested that the crude methanolic extract of buckwheat species had effective reducing power, radical scavenging activity, and metal-chelating ability compared to other standard antioxidants. AAS analysis revealed that calcium content was higher in F. sagittatum (21,600 ppm), whereas the iron and zinc contents were higher in F. kashmirianum (1,122.5 ppm) and F. sagittatum (166.75 ppm), respectively. 
Conclusion: Our study suggested that methanolic extracts of Fagopyrum species could act as a potent source of natural antioxidants to the pharmaceutical and food industry. In addition, the study also revealed that the rich elemental profiles of buckwheat species specify their therapeutic value and thus could be used as a potential biofortification crop.