ISSN 2456-0235

International Journal of Modern Science and Technology

INDEXED IN 

​​January-February 2022, Vol. 7, No. 1-2, pp. 6-14. 

​​​An investigation into the chemical composition and in vitro antioxidant activity of ethanolic extracts of Ficus elastica and Mercurialis perennis leaves

Attama Chika¹*, Luka Lawrence¹, Yahaya Muhammad Falalu², Njiddah Kwaji³, Thomas Polar³
¹Department of Chemistry, Modibbo Adama University, Yola. Nigeria.
²Department of Petroleum Chemistry and Engineering, American University of Nigeria, Yola, Adamawa State. Nigeria.
²Adamawa State University, Mubi. Nigeria.
³Ondo State Fadama Coordination Office, Alagbaka, P.M.B 755 Akure, Nigeria.

​​​*Corresponding author’s e-mail: attamachika@gmail.com

​Abstract

​The study explored the chemical constituents and the inhibition of free radicals potential of ethanol crude extracts from Ficus elastica and Mercurialis perennis. The Phytochemical analysis of both crude extracts shows the presence of alkaloids, terpenoids, flavonoids, tannin, proteins, reducing sugar, phytosterol, glycosides except for saponin which was present in Ficus elastica and absent in Mercurialis perennis. The presence of these phytochemicals are likely responsible for their curative and pharmacological relevance. Antioxidant potential of Ficus elastica and Mercurialis perennis ethanolic crude extracts were analyzed by 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) and Hydrogen peroxide radical scavenging methods.  Essential oil of Mercurialis perennis compared to that of Ficus elastica demonstrated the best radical scavenging. The ethanolic crude extract antioxidant results obtained for the DPPH scavenging at 517 nm for the highest percentage inhibition showed that Mercurialis perennis, Ficus elastica and Ascorbic acid have 80.23, 79.72 and 91.24 respectively while the hydrogen peroxide percentage inhibition at 230 nm showed 90.23, 82.75 and 90.60 for Mercurialis perennis, Ficus elastica and Ascorbic acid respectively. On the other hand, the lowest percentage inhibition using DPPH are 55.48, 62.25 and 65.97 for Ficus elastica, Mercurialis perennis and Ascorbic acid respectively. While the Hydrogen peroxide percentage antioxidant activity of Ficus elastica, Mercurialis perennis and Ascobic acid was 60.97, 73.51 and 77.43 respectively. The plants’ crude extracts showed high radical scavenging and chelating activity. The negligible reducing activity with respect to concentration values shows that these plants will serve as good and cheap source of antioxidants.

Keywords: Ficus elastic; Mercurialis perennis; phytochemical; Antioxidant.

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