Phytochemical Composition and Radical Scavenging Activity of Hexane, Ethyl acetate and Methanol Extracts of Spermacoce ocymoides (Burm F.) DC and Annona muricata L. Leaves and Fruit Juice

Abstract

This study investigated the in vitro free radical scavenging capacity and phytochemical constituents of methanol, ethyl acetate and n-hexane extracts of leaves of Spermacoce ocymoides (Burm F.) DC (Rubiaceae) and Annona muricata L. (Annonaceae) as well as the fruit juice of A. muricata. A. muricata fruit juice was also investigated for its vitamin composition. The radical scavenging activities of the solvent extracts of the leaves and fruit juice were determined by measuring their reducing activities against 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical, hydrogen peroxide and ferric ion. The methanol, ethyl acetate and hexane extracts of S. ocymoides and A. muricata leaves contained phenolics, alkaloids and tannins, while only the methanol and ethyl acetate extracts of both plants contained flavonoids and triterpenes, respectively. Saponins were present in the hexane extracts of both plants and ethyl acetate extract of A. muricata leaves. Steroids, phlobatannins and glycosides were not detected in the extracts. A. muricata fruit juice contained the highest amount of flavonoids while the A muricata methanol leaf extract contained the least amount of flavonoids. S. ocymoides methanol leaf extract contained the highest amount of phenolics, while the A muricata ethyl acetate leaf extract contained the least amount of phenolics. A muricata fruit juice contained more vitamin C than vitamin B1, with vitamin B2 having the lowest concentration. The extracts of the leaves of both plants as well as A. muricata fruit juice reduced DPPH, hydrogen peroxide and ferric ion at concentrations varying from 0.2 mg/ml to 1.0 mg/ml. Overall, the results showed that the extracts of S. ocymoides and A. muricata leaves as well as A. muricata fruit juice contained antioxidants and vitamins and also exhibited in vitro free-radical scavenging properties, which might have been responsible for the acclaimed and the reported properties of these plants.