Comparison of polyphenol contents, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities of wild and cultivated Lactuca indica

Lactuca (L.) indica is an edible wild vegetable that has been used in Asia as a folk medicine and has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. This study was conducted to compare and analyze polyphenolic contents, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities of wild and cultivated L. indica. Wild L. indica (WL) was found to contain higher levels of polyphenols and flavonoids than the cultivated L. indica (CL). Various phenolic compounds were detected in the leaves and roots of the WL, whereas only gallic acid was found in the roots of the CL. In addition, the WL leaf extract had greater DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging abilities and reducing power than the CL leaf extract. Analysis of anti-inflammatory activities showed that the WL leaf extract had a higher activity than the CL leaf extract, although the CL root extract inhibited nitric oxide (NO) production to a greater extent than the WL root extract. The results of this study indicate the WL has more potent nutraceutical effects than the CL, and that the WL could be used as a source for creating novel breeds of cultivated plants with enhanced nutraceutical properties.