N. Liyadipitiya, U. Ekanayake, L. Jayarathna, S. Ulpathakumbura, L. Jayasinghe, N. Marikkar*

National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Hantana Road, Kandy, Sri Lanka

(Manuscript received 8 August 2024; accepted for publication 12 February 2025)

Abstract. Banana tree (Musa spp.) has a false stem called a pseudostem which, is an edible soft-stem. A study was executed to compare the nutritional composition, antioxidative and anti-hyperglycemic properties of soft-stem of four local varieties namely, Alu-Kesel (AL), Ambul-Kesel (AM), Seeni-Kesel (SE), and Suwandel-Kesel (SU). Banana soft-stem of individual varieties were sequentially extracted with dichloromethane (DCM), ethyl acetate (EtOAc), and methanol (MeOH) as solvents. The extracts were evaluated for total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), anti-oxidative capacity, and anti-hyperglycemic effect using relevant assays. The main constituents of the banana soft-stem, regardless of variety, were carbohydrates (~66-77%), followed by ash content (~9-18%), protein content (~3-11%), and fat content (~1-2%). Palmitic acid (~22-29%), linoleic acid (~21-45%), and arachidic acid (~8-16%) were the dominant fatty acids. K (~27-55 g/kg) was the most abundant mineral, followed by Mg (~1.6-2 g/kg) and Ca (~1.4-2 g/kg). Among the solvent extracts, the EtOAc extract of SE had the highest TPC (20.06±1.97 GAE/g of crude extract) and the highest FRAP value (1.12±0.01 mM FeSO4/g of crude extract). EtOAc extract of AM had the highest TFC (17.54±2.25 CE/g of crude extract) and the highest DPPH (0.18±0.02 mM trolox/g of crude extract) and the highest ABTS (0.29±0.00 mM trolox/g of crude extract) radical scavenging activities. Among all extracts, MeOH of SU exhibited the strongest α-amylase inhibitory potential. Based on the findings, banana soft-stems of the local varieties could be utilized as a potential source for development of nutritionally rich and bioactive products.