Gagan Poswal

Pulse crops, rich in flavonoids and polyphenolics possess not only free radical scavenging properties but also they are highly safe in the treatment of many diseases. Quantitative determination of phenols and flavonoids in seed coat, dehusked raw dal, dehusked cooked dal and whole seed of locally grown red lentil (Lens culinaris L.) was carried out using spectrophotometric methods. The amount of total phenols were analysed by using Folin-Ciocalteau assay and the amount of total flavonoids were analysed using aluminium chloride calorimetric assay. Gallic acid and catechin reagents were used as the standards For the calibration of phenols and flavonoids respectively. Hydrophillic and hydrophobic phenols were also estimated to confirm total phenolic composition. Orthodihydric phenols were analysed by Arnow’s method. Free radical scavenging efficiencies and antioxidant activities were analysed by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay and ferric thiocyanate (FTC) assay respectively. Among the four treatments, seed coat extract showed highest scavenging activity followed by whole seed, dehusked raw dal and lowest found in dehusked cooked dal extracts in terms of their EC50 values. The results from analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed that total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC) and antioxidant properties varied among the different methanolic extracts significantly (p