Characterization of Health Beneficial Components in Discarded Leaves of Three Escarole (Cichorium endivia L.) Cultivar and Study of Their Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Activities

Plants of genus Cichorium (Asteraceae) can be used as vegetables with higher nutritional value and medicinal plants. This has beneficial properties owing to the presence a number specialized metabolites such alkaloids, sesquiterpene lactones, coumarins, unsaturated fatty acids, flavonoids, saponins, tannins. endivia L., known escarole, achieved common food status due its nutritionary value, bitter taste, healthy components, is eaten cooked or raw in salads. Presently, wastes derived from horticultural crops supply chain are generated very large amounts. Vegetable waste comprises discarded leaves sources produced during collection, handling, transportation, processing. The external L. crop that discarded. In this work, phytochemical profile, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory activities hydroalcoholic extract obtained three cultivars escarole (C. var. crispum ‘Capriccio’, C. latifolium ‘Performance’ ‘Leonida’) typical Campania region were investigated. order describe metabolite profile cultivars, extracts analysed by HR/ESI/Qexactive/MS/MS NMR. careful analysis accurate masses, ESI/MS spectra, 1H NMR chemical shifts allowed for identification small molecules belonging phenolic, flavonoid, sesquiterpene, amino acid classes. addition, antioxidant potential was evaluated using cell-free cell-based assays, well their cytotoxic activity. All showed similar radical-scavenging ability while significant differences between investigated emerged assays. data ascribed content polyphenols sesquiterpenes extracts. Accordingly, by-products deemed an interesting material product formulations.