In Vitro Free Radical Scavenging Activity and Total Phenolic Content of Kigelia Africana (LAM)

Recently, plants have received much attention as sources of biologically active substances including antioxidants. In the present study the total phenolic and flavonoid contents as well as the in-vitro antioxidant activity of petroleum ether, chloroform, methanol and aqueous extracts of Kigelia africana leaf were determined. The total phenolic and flavonoid contents were estimated using tannic acid and quercetin as standards respectively, while the in-vitro antioxidant activity was evaluated for all extracts using DPPH method. The results showed that methanol extract has the highest amount of phenolics and petroleum ether, the least. The flavonoid contents of the methanol and chloroform extracts are the same and are higher than those of petroleum ether and aqueous extracts. The methanol crude extract showed very promising antioxidant activity as compared with petroleum ether, chloroform and water extracts. The findings of the present study suggest that Kigelia africana leaf could be a potential natural source of antioxidants and thus play an important role as a therapeutic agent in preventing or retarding oxidative stress-related degenerative diseases.