Chemical Study and Determination of the Antioxidant Activity of Three Varieties Tropaeolum tuberosum (Mashua)

Ecuador has among its foods a number of potatoes and tubers that are not only nutritious, but are also attributed properties as coadjutant in the treatment of different illnesses. The objective of this study was to conduct a comparative study of the mashua tuber (Tropaeolum tuberosum spp tuberosum Ruiz u0026 Pavon, Kuntze), in its three pink, yellow and black varieties, by comparing the physicochemical characteristics and antioxidant activity. The comparative study was carried out on tubers obtained in the province of Pichincha, Quito-Ecuador. The physicochemical parameters were determined by the identification of the secondary metabolites present in the hydroalcoholic extracts, the quantification of phenols and flavonoids, and the characterization of the extracts by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry and the antioxidant activity by three test methods. As a result, significant differences were found between the three varieties studied.