Phytochemical investigation and antioxidant activity of leaf extract of withania somnifera from Konso, South Ethiopia

Abstract

Withania somnifera is endemic to Ethiopia where its leaf and root is traditionally used for the treatment of malaria in south Ethiopia. The main purpose of this study was to investigate phytochemicals and antioxidant activity of the leaf extract of Withania somnifera. The anti-oxidant potential and total antioxidant potential was determined by using reducing power determination method and phosphomolybdate method respectively. As per the phytochemical tests, the methanol extract revealed that presence of tannins, phenolics, flavonoids, saponins and, alkaloids while all are absent in hexane extract. The antioxidant capacity of methanol, acetone and hexane leaf extracts of Withania somnifera were found to be 494.088±0.230, 104.190±0.020 and 3.413±0.023 mg of ascorbic acid per 10 mg of dry weight of antioxidant in the reducing power, respectively and it’s total antioxidant capacity of these extracts were 45.41±0.018, 8.70±0.004 and 0.38±0.002mg of ascorbic acid per 10 mg of dry weight of the crude extract. Thus, the results of the present investigation infer that this plant extracts possess potent antioxidant. Therefore it is strongly recommended to isolate the antioxidant components.