Pharmaceutica Analytica Acta

Abstract

Isolation of Bioactive Phytochemicals in Leaves of Combretum dolichopentalum and their Hydrogen Peroxide Scavenging Potentials

Ujowundu FN, Ukoha AI, Ojiako AO and Nwaoguikpe RN

This study elucidated the bioactive constituents of leaves of Combretum dolichopentalum. The quantitative phytochemical analyses on the leaves of the plant revealed the presence of alkaloids (14.24 ± 2.24 %), flavonoids (17.00 ± 2.00 %), tannins (6.09 ± 0.32 %), saponin (4.19 ± 0.69 %), cyanogenic glycosides (2.89 ± 0.22 %), oxalate (2.56 ± 0.56 %) and phytate (0.10 ± 0.01 %). Further evaluation of the crude plant extract using gas chromatographyflam ionization detector (GC-FID) indicated presence and concentration of specific phytochemicals such as spartein, anthocyanin, lunamarine, epicatechin, rutin, and kaempferol. The free radical scavenging potential of flavonoid, saponins, alkaloid, and tannin precipitated from the plants showed increased scavenging abilities with increasing extract concentration. However flavonoid compared to saponins, alkaloid and tannin showed better scavenging activity with an IC50 of 36.10 mg/ml. These results indicate that C. dolichopentalum is endowed with phytoconstituent that has strong antioxidant potencies necessary to provide therapeutic effects.