Phytochemical Profiling, Antioxidant, and Antityrosinase Activities of Bamboo Leaves in Thailand

Abstract

Bamboo, an economic plant, has high genetic diversity and is distributed widely in many countries. The beneficial phytochemicals in bamboo leaves may vary according to genetic characteristics and harvesting season. Thus, in this study, the leaf phytochemical profiling of 27 bamboo genotypes popularly grown in Thailand was investigated during the summer and winter. The phytochemical contents in 60% ethanolic leaf extracts were analyzed using a spectrophotometer, thin layer chromatography (TLC), and reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). Among the 27 genotypes, 11 had a high total phenolic and flavonoid content, as well as, high antioxidant and antityrosinase activity. Bamboo leaves were rich in natural antioxidants and antimelanogenic compounds, including chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, isoorientin, orientin, p-coumaric acid, vitexin, isovitexin, and apigenin, and the major effective compound was different in each bamboo genotype. Moreover, harvesting bamboo leaves in the winter provided the highest quality yield. Therefore, both genotypes and harvesting seasons affect the leaf phytochemical profiling, and bamboo leaves appeared to be a valuable natural resource for the development of multiple pharmacological, cosmetic, and food supplement applications.