Antioxidant Activity of the Major Soldier Salivary Glands Extracts of the Termite Macrotermes bellicosus

The aim of this study was to evaluate the chemical composition and the antioxidant potential of extracts (aqueous, methanol and acetic) of the major soldier salivary glands of the termite Macrotermes bellicosus. The antioxidant activities of extracts were examined using diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric reducing power methods (FRAP). The presence of phenolics, quinones, flavonoids, terpenoids, saponins, reducing sugars, glycosides, carbohydrates was identified in the extracts. In comparison to the methanolic and acetic extracts, the aqueous extract had the highest total phenolic and flavonoid content at 584 3.25 mg of GAE/g and 12.63 1.88 of mg of QUE/g respectively. The results showed that the extracts presented strong activities of scavenging DPPH free radical and ferric reducing power. The IC50 values of extracts (aqueous, methanolic and acetic) were found 8.92 0.54 g/mL, 28.33 1.35 g/mL and 39.78 2.13 g/mL respectively for the DPPH radical scavenging activity. This higher content of total phenolics and flavonoids found in the extracts was directly associated with higher antioxidant activity. The results encourage the use of major soldier of the termite Macrotermes bellicosus for medicinal health, functional food and nutraceuticals applications, due to their antioxidant properties.