Phytochemical Compositions and In vitro Antioxidant Capacity of Methanolic Leaf Extract of Axonopus Compressus (P. Beauv.).
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Date
2013-04
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Abstract
Aims: We evaluated the phytochemical contents and antioxidant capacity of the
methanolic leaf extract of the Nigerian Axonopus compressus. This is a preliminary
investigation to determining the active principle which may be involved in the antidiabetic
mechanism of the plant.
Study Design: Phytochemicals and antioxidant capacity were determined using
chromatographic and spectrophotometric detection methods of cold leaf extracts of
Axonopus compressus.
Place and Duration of Study: Department of Biochemistry, College of Natural and
Applied Sciences, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike Abia State, Nigeria.
Methodology: Antioxidant activities were investigated by three tests namely: 2,2- diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH), Fe3+ to Fe2+ transformation (ferric reducing antioxidant
power, FRAP) and a modified version of TBARS assay. These in vitro antioxidant models
were carried out after cold extraction maceration. The antioxidant capacity was measured
at varying concentrations (10 ~ 400 μ/ml) of the extract required to quench the free
radicals by 50% (IC50) and expressed as % inhibition. Phytochemicals were determined
by standard detection and spectrophotometric methods.
Results: The phytochemicals: saponin (1.2±0.1), alkaloid (2.10±0.12), tannin (0.71±0.4),
flavonoid (1.92±0.13) and polyphenol (1.78±0.21) in mg/100g were strongly detected. The
leaf extract was found to have a concentration dependent antioxidant activity comparable
with that of ascorbic acid. Axonopus compressus’s DPPH reduction was highest at
400μg/ml (92.00 ± 0.002%) with IC50 of 52.2μg/ml. The ferric reducing power of the
extract at 400μg/ml (78±1.83% [FRAP:0.92]) and the inhibition of lipid peroxidation
measured as TBARS was 92.±1.21%
Conclusion: The presence of these phytochemicals and the high antioxidant power may
explain the astringent action of the plant observed in its ethnomedicinal use especially in
the treatment of diabetes. Our findings therefore, suggest that Axonopus compressus
possess a strong antioxidant property that may substantiate its ethnomedicinal efficacy.
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Keywords
Antioxidants, phytochemicals, flavonoid, medicinal plant, Axonopus compressus, Nigeria
Citation
Bartholomew O Ibeh, Maxwell Ezeja, Bitrus Habu Josiah. Phytochemical Compositions and In vitro Antioxidant Capacity of Methanolic Leaf Extract of Axonopus Compressus (P. Beauv.). European Journal of Medicinal Plants. 2013 Apr-Jun; 3(2): 254-265.