Comparative determination of total antioxidant effects of ethanol extract of Phyllanthus amarus leaves

Abstract

Abstract. Yakubu OE, Abu MS, Akighir J, Onuche JI, Arabi A. 2021. Comparative determination of total antioxidant effects of ethanol extract of Phyllanthus amarus leaves. Asian J Nat Prod Biochem 19: 81-85. Some medicinal and therapeutic potency have been reported of Phyllanthus in traditional settings. Hence, the current study evaluated the total antioxidant potential, phenolics, and flavonoids of fractions of ethanol extract of Phyllanthus amarus leave obtained using column chromatography. Extraction was done using absolute ethanol; elution was performed using different organic solvents of varying polarities, from n-Hexane, Chloroform, Ethylacetate, Ethanol, Methanol, and finally, water. The results obtained from the study revealed that fraction 10b (83 mg/mL) has the highest concentration of total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC), the next being 1a, 5a, and 11b (48mg/mL). The reduction in the TAC of the fractions was in the order; of 3b>7a>6a>5b>4a> with F7b (13mg/mL) having the lowest TAC. The result for Total phenolic Content (TPC) shows that fraction 10b (430 mg/mL) has the highest concentration of TPC, just like in antioxidant activity, followed by F4b (428 mg/mL). Fraction 2a (9 mg/mL) has the lowest concentration of TPC. Total Flavonoid Content (TFC) showed that fraction 3b (201 mg/mL) has the most concentration of total flavonoids, followed by 4b (120mg/mL). Meanwhile, fractions 1a, 2b, and 9a have the same TFC. While fraction 2a showed the lowest flavonoid concentration (25mg/mL). The plant extract fractions were found to contain more both phenolics and flavonoids, which may have contributed to the antioxidant activity observed.