INVESTIGATING THE ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY, TOTAL PHENOLICS AND PHYTOCHEMICAL PROFILE IN AVICENNIA ALBA AND EXCOECARIA AGALLOCHA ROOT EXTRACTS AS A DEFENCE MECHANISM AGAINST POLLUTANTS

Plants have various self-defence mechanisms to protect themselves from adverse environmental factors. This study aimed to investigate the antioxidant activity, total phenolics and phytochemical profile of mangrove roots as a defence mechanism against pollutants. The roots of Avicennia alba and Excoecaria agallocha species were collected from mangrove areas affected by industrial activities and conservation mangrove areas in South Sumatra, Indonesia. Maceration and extraction of all samples were carried out using ethanol as a solvent. Samples were tested for antioxidants against DPPH free radicals, total phenolics by the Folin-Cioc & acirc;lteu method, and phytochemical profile screening by GC-MS. ABased on the results of the IC50 antioxidant of A. alba root extract, both regions were classified as very low (344.8 gg/mL and 1062.58 gg/mL) and E. agallocha root extract was classified as moderate (109.9 gg/mL and 116.9 gg/mL). The phenolic content of A. alba was 20.38 - 55.21 mg GAE/g and E. agallocha was 56.70 - 107.18 mg GAE/g. Based on the peaks that were found, the main groups of compounds were, terpenoids, esters, alcohols, fatty acids, aldehydes and steroids. Differences in the ability to produce antioxidant activity in each mangrove species indicate variations in self-defence against oxidative stress due to differences in morphology, habitat and environmental conditions.