Evaluation of Antioxidant Property of the Methanolic Leaf Extracts of Trema guineensis (Tg) and Cassia sieberiana (Cs)

Abstract

Oxidative stress leads to degenerative diseases, such as cancer, diabetics and heart diseases. Antioxidants are known to act as a defense mechanism that protects against oxidative damage caused by free radicals produced in the body. Medicinal plants are preferably used to manage degenerative diseases in many countries. This study was conducted to determine the antioxidant activity of methanol leaf extract of Tg and Cassia s (Cs) using 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging assay and 2,2- azinobis-(3 – ethylbenzothiazoline -6 –sulphonate (ABTS) assay. Butylatedhydroxytoluene and Rutin which were respectively used as standards, displayed 159.27% and 92.02% inhibition. The % antioxidant activity of the leaf extracts for DPPH Assay was in this order: (50 mg/ml) Tg ssss(97.38%)>  Cs (95.02%); (40 mg/ml) Tg (96.99%) > Cs (94.59%); (30 mg/ml) Tg (96.26%) > Cs (91.54%); (20 mg/ml) Tg (95.51%) >Cs (88.63%);(10 mg/ml) Tg(94.95%) > Cs(86.73%). The % antioxidant activity of leaves extract using ABTS Assay at varying concentrations is as follows: (50 mg/ml) Tg (33.36%) > Cs (27.03%); (40 mg/ml) Tg (19.32%) > Cs (17.90%); (30 mg/ml) Tg (16.95%) > Cs (10.46%); (20 mg/ml) Tg (15.31%) > Cs (5.92%); (10 mg/ml) Tg (13.88%) > Cs (2.75%) respectively. Tg had the most dominant activity. This indicates that they can be used as natural antioxidant for the remedy of degenerative diseases.