In Vitro Antioxidant Activity of Ethanolic Extract from Terminalia Catappa (L.) Leaves and Fruits: Effect of Fruit Ripening

Terminalia catappa L. popularly known as tropical almonds, sea almonds and Indian almonds. It is widely distributed to many tropical countries ranging from India, Malaysia, Australia, and Pakistan among others. It has been used traditionally to cure diseases like dysentery, bilious fever, diarrhoea, sores and abscesses. The aims of this study was to evaluate antioxidant activity of leaf and fruit of Terminalia catappa, with regard to fruit ripening. Total phenolic and total flavonoid content of the samples were assessed using the in vitro FolinCiocalteu method and aluminium chloride assay respectively. While antioxidant potential of the samples were evaluated via DPPH radical scavenging and Ferric-reducing antioxidant power assays. Leaf extract showed the highest levels of total phenolic, total flavonoid content, DPPH radical scavenging activity and reducing power potential, with 285.77 4.83 (mg GAE/ g), 59.95 3.41 (mg QAE/ g), 43.34 IC50 (g/ml) and 2512.8913.47 (mM Fe (II) /g) respectively. However, nearest all the activities studied increases as the ripening progressed. Thus ripe fruit showed highest levels of total phenolic, total flavonoid content, DPPH radical scavenging activity and reducing power potential compared to unripe fruit. This may be related to the increased of vitamin C content through ripening process.