Antioxidant properties and chemical composition of white truffle Tirmania nivea and its host plant Helianthemum lippii

This study aims to determine the phytochemical contents and the antioxidant activity of the white truffle Tirmania nivea (Desf.) Trappe, and its host plant Helianthemum lippii (L.) Dum. Cours. Standard procedures were applied for phytochemical analysis, including the determination of proximate compositions, mineral elements, and various secondary metabolites. The antioxidant activities were assessed using the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl, azinobis benzo thiazoline sulphonic, and ferric reducing antioxidant power assays. Chemical analysis revealed the presence of carbohydrate content, which has the highest value in the truffle and its host plant. The carbohydrate content is the highest in T. nivea compared with H. lippii. Crude lipids showed the lowest value in T. nivea and H. lippii. Potassium is the highest concentration of a macro-element in the truffle and the host plant. Iron is the highest concentration of micro-element in the truffle and host plant. Phenolics had the highest concentration of secondary metabolisms, but tannins had the lowest value in the truffle and its host plant. Concerning the antioxidant activity, we found that hexane extract of T. nivea and H. lippii has high inhibitory percentages equivalent to IC50 134.8 and 119.9 μg/mL, respectively for DPPH, 128.84, 111.21 μmol Fe2+/mg, respectively for FRAP, and 121.39 and 107.22 μg/mL, respectively for ABTS. The study proved that the aqueous extract of the truffle is much richer than the host plant in proximate constituents, minerals elements, and secondary metabolites; in addition, the truffle has a tremendous antioxidant capacity than the host plant, which leads us forward to introduce it for medical use.