Original scientific paper
Comparative Evaluation of Antioxidant Activity and Phytochemical Profile of Four Capsicum Fruits Species
John O. Oladipo
; Department of Industrial Chemistry, University of Ilorin, P.M.B 1515, Ilorin, Nigeria
Omolara O. Oluwaniyi
Stephen S. Emmanuel
orcid.org/0000-0003-0896-2776
Blessing T. Oyewo
Gbonjubola V. Awolola
Samson A. Oyeyinka
Oluwafemi A. Omole
Abstract
Capsicum fruits are commonly consumed vegetables included in foods worldwide as spices. Capsicum species are known to improve digestion and appetite, cure colds, coughs, fever, colic, dysentery, worms, and piles among others. This research is therefore aimed at evaluating the phytochemicalas well as the antioxidant activities of four different varieties of Capsicum commonly consumed in Africa. The fruits were extracted using 3 different
solvents; n-hexane, ethyl acetate, and methanol. The phytochemical evaluation was carried out using standard methods. Antioxidant activities were evaluated using 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay. The highest yield of extract was obtained with methanol from Capsicum annuum var. grossum (25.48%); The phytochemical screening of crude extracts revealed the presence of alkaloids, saponins, flavonoids, phenols, terpenoids, tannins, coumarins, and cardiac glycosides. The total phenolic contents of crude extracts of Capsicum species ranged from 25.10±0.3 to 62.01±0.1 mg GAE g-1 (Gallic acid equivalent) of dry weight and the flavonoid contents ranged from 206.08±0.03 to 474.23±0.04 mg QE g-1 (Quercetin equivalent) of dry weight. The capacity to neutralize DPPH radicals was found to be at the highest in methanolic extracts of Capsicum species which neutralized 50% of free radicals at the concentrations of 5.79 μg mL-1, 8.08 μg mL-1, 5.76 μg mL-1, and 8.81 μg mL-1for Capsicum annuum var. accuminatum, Capsicum frutescens var. baccatum, Capsicum annuumvar. grossum and Capsicum annuum var. abbreviatum respectively. The study has concluded that Capsicum species contain phytoconstituents with high antioxidant activities and great potential to combat oxidative stress and other related diseases.
Keywords
Capsicum sp.; phytochemicals; antioxidant; extracts; medicinal plant
Hrčak ID:
304927
URI
Publication date:
28.6.2023.
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