• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.880-886
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• 2015

The objective of this study was to determine the proximate composition and antioxidant activities of Dioscorea spp. Samples were divided into Dunggeunma (D. bulbifra L), Danma (D. polystachya Turcz), Jangma (D. batatas Decaisne) and Danpungma (D. quinqueloba Thunb). The samples were extracted with 70% ethanol and analyzed for total flavonoid contents, polyphenol contents, DPPH radical scavenging activity, and ABTS radical scavenging activity. The moisture contents ranged from 11.96% to 15.01%. The crude protein contents were in the range of 7.86% to 11.55% (Dunggeunma 11.55%, Danpungma 10.48%, Danma 9.43%, Jangma 7.86%). The crude fat contents were between 0.37% and 0.43% (Danpungma 0.43%, Jangma 0.37%, Dunggeunma 0.37%, Danma 0.37%). In the antioxidant activities assay, total polyphenol content of Danma was significantly higher than those of other species at 115.47 mg/100 g gallic acid equivalent (GAE) (p<0.05), whereas it was significantly lowest in Jangma at 66.31 mg/100 g gallic acid equivalent (GAE) (p<0.05). ABTS and DPPH radical scavenging activities of Danma were significantly highest at 104.43 and 56.72 mg trolox eq/100 g (p<0.05). Therefore, antioxidant activities of Dioscorea spp. provide a possible scientific basis for assessing the performance of functional material of Dioscorea spp.