Nutritional composition, phytochemical profile, and in-vitro antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of mustard greens ( Brassica juncea ) leaves

Brassica juncea (BJ) is considered a potent functional food ingredient due to its rich nutritional and phytochemical profile. The current study investigated the phytochemical profile, nutritional composition, antioxidant, and antimicrobial activities of Indigenous BJ. The findings of proximate analysis provided higher protein content (19.8%), followed by moisture 75%, ash 10.21%, crude fiber 8.01%, carbohydrate 5.01%, and fat 2.78% on a dry weight basis (g/100 g), respectively. Potassium and calcium were identified as the predominant minerals, whereas ascorbic acid, niacin, and β-carotene were major vitamins in BJ. The methanolic extract yielded higher extraction efficiency than aqueous and ethanol extracts. The methanolic extract had a total phenolic content of 31.15 ± 1.16 mg GAE/g and total flavonoid content of 28.38 ± 0.23 mg QE/g, respectively, corresponding to higher antioxidant activity. The extract provided dose-dependent antimicrobial potential, particularly against Staphylococcus aureus (19.7 mm inhibition zone). Whereas a minimum inhibitory concentration of 25 mg/mL was observed against Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis. The findings of the present research suggest that BJ possesses significant therapeutic potential against oxidative stress-mediated disorders, highlighting its potential use as a natural antioxidant in pharmaceutical and medicinal formulations.