Abstract

Plantago major (seeds and leaves) and Cyamopsis tetragonoloba (guar beans( were analyzed for general chemical components including, fatty acids and amino acids. Guar beans had high contents of proteins, fats and total hydrolysable carbohydrates. Plantagoleaves high percentage of linolenic acid was characterized by 56.19%. While, P. majorseeds and Guar beans had high percentages of linoleic acid (25.41 and 48.99%, respectively). Essential and non essential amino acids were present in all samples andGuar beans had high amounts of glutamic, arginine, aspartic and leucine. Total phenols, total flavonoids and tannin content were the highest in Plantago leaves. Antioxidant activity of ethanolic, hot and cold water extracts of Plantago leaves and seeds and guar beans were evaluated. Plantago leaves extracts exhibited higher antioxidant activity than plantagoseeds and guar beans extracts. The ethanolic, hot and cold extracts of plant induced anticancer activity with various degrees. Ethanolic extract of P. major leaves possessed the greatest effect on tumor cell growth (Dead 74%) followed by hot water extract of P.major leaves (Dead 54.6%).

Key words: Plantago major, Guar beans, flavonoids, phenolic compounds antioxidant activity, antileukemia