Phytochemical Screening and in Vitro Antioxidant Activity of Parkia biglobosa Extract

Abstract

Parkia biglobosa leaves have popular folkloric ethnomedicinal use in the treatment of many diseases especially among the South-Western people of Nigeria. The present study was undertaken to find the antioxidant value of aqeous-methanolic extract of Parkia biglobosa leaf by investigating its phytochemicals and invitro antioxidant potentials. Antioxidant activity of extract was screened for by measuring its total flavonoid and total phenol content, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity and ferric reducing property. Phytochemical screening was carried out on extract by standard method. Phytochemical analyses revealed the presence of saponins, flavonoids, tannins and cardiac glycosides. The total phenol and flavonoid contents are 144.18 mg gallic acid equivalent/g extract and 256.858mg Quercetin equivalent/g extract respectively. The extract showed considerably high and dose-dependent DPPH radical scavenging and ferric reducing property comparable with the respective standards, Quercetin and Ascorbic acid. The results of this study reveal that Parkia biglobosa leaf extract possess significant antioxidant properties and could be exploited as source of antioxidant additives.

Keywords: Parkia biglobosa, phytochemicals, Antioxidant activity