Analysis of Quantitative Phytochemical Content and Antioxidant Activity of Leaf, Stem, and Bark of <i>Gymnosporia senegalensis</i> (Lam.) Loes.

Abstract

To the best of our knowledge, there was no prior report providing valuable preliminary data through a demonstration of the quantitative phytochemical and antioxidant activity of Gymnosporia senegalensis. The total contents of phenols, flavonoid, flavanol, tannin, and saponin were evaluated from different fractions extracted from the leaf, stem, and bark of G. senegalensis by using standards such as gallic acid, quercetin, rutin, tannic acid, and saponin quillaja. The antioxidant potential was measured by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), hydrogen peroxide scavenging (H2O2), superoxide anion radical scavenging, metal chelating ferrous ion, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC). Data were subjected to half-inhibitory concentration (IC50) and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) at p 50 and percentage (%) inhibition were dose-dependent and showed the highest antioxidant activity (40.9 ± 0.9 µg/mL) in methanol extract of leaf for DPPH, (88.8 ± 1.12 µg/mL) in the chloroform extract of stem for H2O2, (43.9 ± 0.15 µg/mL) in the aqueous extract of bark for superoxide anion radical scavenging activity, (26.9 ± 0.11 µg/mL) in the chloroform extract of leaf for the metal chelating ferrous ion activity, (7.55 ± 0.10 mg/mL) in the benzene extract of leaf for FRAP, and (2.97 ± 0.01 mg/mL) in the methanol extract of bark for TAC. These results show that G. senegalensis has great potential in antioxidant activities. The isolation and characterization of specific bioactive compounds and the in vivo applicability of such activity await further extensive studies for drug discovery and development.

Keywords

• antioxidant activity
• <i>Gymnosporia senegalensis</i>
• medicinal plant
• phytochemicals
• quantitative estimation