A Comparative Assessment on Antioxidant and Phytochemical of Trichilia monadelpha (Thonn) J.J. De Wilde (Meliaceae) Plant Extracts

Abstract

This study was designed to evaluate the phytochemical screening and antioxidant activities of Trichilia monadelpha plant extracts. The leaves were extracted using two different solvents namely-(n-hexane and methanol).  The dry or wet yield of n-hexane extract was 1.3%, while methanolic extract exhibited a percentage yield of 3.7 %.  Phytochemical research revealed the presence of secondary plant metabolites such as; alkaloids, flavonoids, cardiac glycosides, terpenoids and saponins. In-vitro antioxidant activity was determined using three assays (DPPH free radical scavenging assay, reducing ability and hydroxy radical scavenging activity) with four concentrations (0.25, 5.0, 1.0 and 2.0 mg/L), vitamin C was also used as a standard antioxidant. The percentage of inhibition was measured, and the results from all assay models showed a concentration-dependent percentage of inhibition by the methanol extract. However, the percentage values for the 2,2, -diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), reducing ability and hydroxy radical scavenging activity assays of T. monadelpha leaf was lower than that of standard vitamin C. The Pearson’s correlation coefficient was evaluated and the results showed that of the two extracts, the methanolic extract had the most antioxidant activity with the methanol extract exhibiting a better significant correlation that had a similar trend to that of the antioxidant compound (vitamin C). The results of this study have shown that the plant Trichilia monodelpha contains bioactive compounds which may have contributed to its antioxidant properties.