Preliminary phytochemical screening and antioxidant activity of leave extract of Albizia chevalieri harms (Leguminoseae-Mimosoideae)

Abstract

Antioxidant evaluation of Albizia chevalieri used in Northern Nigerian traditional medicine, was carried out using the free radical scavenging activity of the 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH), total phenolics content and reducing power assay on the methanol leave extract. The results of the DPPH scavenging activity study indicate a concentration dependent antioxidant activity with 59.588, 68.477, 77.240, 85.925 and 94.732% of various concentrations of 10, 25, 50, 125 and 250µg/ml of the extract respectively. The total phenolic content was found to be 60.20 mg/g Gallic acid equivalent (GAE) and the reducing power of 0.071±0.03nm was obtained. The DPPH scavenging activity of the extract was found to be promising. There is no significant difference (p<0.05) in the antioxidant activity between the extract and those of the standard ascorbic and Gallic acids at 50, 125 and 250µgml-1 concentrations. The phytochemical screening revealed the presence of flavonoids, tannins and saponins. It indicates that the methanol leave extract of the plant has the potency of scavenging free radicals in vitro and may provide leads in the ongoing search for natural antioxidants from Nigerian medicinal plants to be used in treating diseases related to free radical reactions.