Aktivitas Antioksidan Ekstrak Metanol dan Fraksi N-Heksan-Etil Asetat Buah Paprika Merah (Capsicum annuum L.)

Red bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) contains vitamin E, vitamin C, carotenoids, and capsaicinoids which can be used as antioxidants. This study aims to determine the antioxidant activity of the methanol extract and the n-hexane-ethyl acetate fraction of red bell pepper. Fresh red peppers were extracted by maceration method using technical methanol and then fractionated using n-hexane-diethyl ether as solvent, the resulting insoluble fraction was n-hexane-diethyl ether and then fractionated again using n-hexane-ethyl acetate as solvent. The n-hexane-ethyl acetate fraction was tested qualitatively against carotenoid compounds, namely -carotene by TLC test using silica gel F254 as stationary phase and methanol as mobile phase: acetone (1:1). Quantitative test of antioxidant activity was carried out using the DPPH radical scavenging method with the parameter IC50 value. The IC50 value was then analyzed using SPSS version 20. The qualitative test results showed that the methanol extract and the n-hexane-ethyl acetate fraction contained -carotene compounds. The antioxidant activity of methanol extract, n-hexane-ethyl acetate fraction, and standard -carotene had IC50 values ​​of 307.91, 281.69, and 81.26 g/mL, respectively. Based on statistical results, the IC50 value of the n-hexane-ethyl acetate fraction was significantly smaller when compared to the methanol extract of red bell pepper. However, it is larger than the standard -carotene. The n-hexane-ethyl acetate fraction had more potent antioxidant activity when compared to the methanol extract of red bell pepper. However, it is less potent when compared to standard -carotene.