Raviscanina wild asparagus (Asparagus acutifolius L.): A nutritionally valuable crop with antioxidant and antiproliferative properties

The present work is aimed to evaluate the nutritional values, antioxidative and antiproliferative properties, and the chemical composition of wild asparagus (Asparagus acutifolius L.) from Raviscanina, a small agricultural center near Caserta (Italy). Macronutrient components (proteins, carbohydrates and lipids) of wild asparagus were determined as well as free and protein amino acids. Fructose was the most abundant sugar present. Total phenol and flavonoid contents in the analyzed samples were determined. An antioxidant screening was carried out on a lipophilic (CHCl3) extract and an alcoholic (MeOH) one, opportunely prepared through Soxhlet extraction. Spectrophotometric techniques, relying on the reaction of the DPPH radical and the ABTS cation radical, were applied in order to determine the radical scavenging capabilities of the analyzed extracts. The quantification of the nitric oxide (NO) scavenging activity of both extracts was also determined. The ferricyanide method was applied to define Fe(III) reducing capability. The ORAC-fluorescein method was also performed. The antiproliferative effects towards human HepG2, A549, HeLa, and SK-N-BE(2) cell lines were evaluated. High performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet detection (HPLC-UV) was used to identify and quantify the main metabolites in the two investigated extracts. In particular, the alcoholic extract, rich in rutin and isoquercetrin, exhibited marked radical scavenging and antioxidant activities. The presence of ursolic acid and its isomer oleanolic acid as constituents of CHCl3 extract could explain its inhibitory effect detected on the proliferation of HeLa and, HepG2 tested cell lines. © 2013