Evaluating the Phytochemical Contents, Antioxidant Assay, and Vitamin C Content of Selected Nutraceutical Wild Edible Plants in Northwestern Ethiopia.

Wild edible plants (WEPs) are valuable sources of secondary metabolites with potential nutraceutical benefits. This study aimed to analyze the phytochemical composition, antioxidant capacity, and vitamin C content of seven selected nutraceutical plants. The analyses were performed following AOAC standard protocols. A standard calibration curve was used to validate spectrophotometric measurements. One-way ANOVA and Pearson's correlation were used for analysis. The results showed that TPC, TFC, and vitamin C levels ranged from 106.61 ± 4.62 to 172.88 ± 8.76 mg GAE/100 g, 50.64 ± 5.64 to 154.16 ± 8.18 mg QE/100 g, and 11.3 ± 0.025 to 61.2 ± 0.071 mg/100 g, respectively. The average antioxidant activities of the studied WEPs, expressed as DPPH, IC50, ABTS, and FRAP values, ranged from 38.98% to 71.52%, 0.06 to 0.15 mg/mL, 27.67% to 61.76%, and 614.15 to 2872.94 mM Fe2+/g, respectively. Pearson correlation analysis revealed a strong positive relationship among the FRAP, ABTS, and DPPH assays (r = 0.93-0.99, p < 0.001), indicating consistent redox-based antioxidant responses across the different methods. In conclusion, this study identifies selected WEPs as valuable sources of bioactive compounds that offer significant nutritional and health benefits, particularly in combating oxidative stress-related disorders. These plants provide affordable, natural alternatives to synthetic antioxidants, especially in resource-limited communities. Promoting their sustainable use and conservation can enhance dietary diversity and local resilience, highlighting their potential as crucial components of sustainable food systems in Ethiopia and beyond.