Bioprospecting medicinal plants for antioxidant components

Objective: To evaluate antioxidant activities of seven medicinal plant species and their fractions, identify their phenolic compounds. Methods: Two extractions were processed and further fractionated by column chromatography to evaluate the concentration that inhibit 50% of 2,2'-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-suslfonic acid, 1,1 diphenyl-2-pieryl-hydrazyl radicals, and their ferric reducing antioxidant power. The identification of the fractions of phenolic compounds was done by ultra performance liquid chromatography. Results: The aqueous-acetone extracts of Feretia apodanthera and Ozoroa insignis exhibited the highest antioxidant potentials comparable to those of the standard quercetin. Their subsequently silica gel column fractionation showed three most active fractions from which the major constituents quercetin, myricetin, kampferol, rutin and isoquercetin were identified. Conclusions: These plant species have potent antioxidant profiles and polyphenol compounds that may help to manage with radical related disease and aging.