EVALUATION PHYTOCHIMIQUE ET DE LACTIVITE ANTIOXYDANTE DE CINQ PLANTES ENDOGENES ET ALICAMENTAIRES UTILISEES COMME ASSAISONNEMENTS EN REPUBLIQUE DU CONGO

Food additives are the most consumed by living beings because they are frequently included in the composition of dishes and medicines. The use of seasonings based solely on plants is an alternative to avoid the consumption of synthetic nutrients which are made up, for some, of substances harmful to human health. In order to enhance the value of these endogenous congolese plants, the food organs of Afrostyrax lepidophyllus Mildbr, Salacia pynaertii De Wild., Tiliacora funifera (M.) Oliv., Triclisia louisiiTroupin and Scyphocephalium mannii (Benth.) Warb. were selected in order to evaluate their chemical and antioxidant potentials. Chemical analysis of the extracts of these plant organs revealed the presence of compounds important for the health of the human body, namely proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, flavonoids, terpenes, sterols, carotenoids, etc. These organs have a reducing power of Fe3+ ions in Fe2+ and DPPH lower than that of vitamin C taken as a reference. The antioxidant power observed on these extracts proves that these plant organs can be consumed by the congolese population for nutritional and therapeutic needs. These scientific data could consolidate the Congolese population to consume these local natural products to the detriment of imported products. Therefore, other scientific studies and a policy on the protection of these plants are possible to expand their domestication and produce local seasonings based solely on these endogenous plants.