Abstract:
Background: Natural antioxidants present in herbs, fruits and vegetables can bring
substantial health benefits as dietary nutrition supplements and therapeutic agents.
Objectives: The aim of the present study was to evaluate phenolic profile and in vitro
antioxidant activity of syzygium cumini (madan) fruit grown in Sri Lanka.
Methodology: Two different solvents namely, acidified 80 % aqueous methanol and
acidified 70 % aqueous acetone were used to obtain the crude extracts from the fruit.
Preliminary phytochemical screening of crude extracts was performed. Total phenol, total
flavonoid contents and antioxidant activity were investigated using Folin-Ciocalteau
method, aluminium chloride colorimetric method and 2-2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl
(DPPH) assay respectively.
Results and conclusions: Preliminary phytochemical screening revealed the presence of
carbohydrates, reducing sugars, flavonoids, phenolics and anthocyanins in each crude
extract while alkaloids and saponins were absent. Total phenolic contents were determined
as 1433.984 ± 35.649 and 1247.214 ± 65.979 mg Gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/100 g dry
weight of edible fruit for acidified 80 % aqueous methanol and for acidified 70 % aqueous
acetone respectively. Total flavonoid contents were 417.184 ± 16.687 and 355.722 ± 21.928
mgCatechin equivalent (CAE)/100 g dry weight of edible fruit for acidified 80 % aqueous
methanol and for acidified 70 % aqueous acetone respectively. The promising antioxidant
activity (2.326 ± 0.130 mmolTrolox / 100 g dry weight of edible fruit) was exhibited by the
acidified 80 % aqueous methanol extract for DPPH assay followed by acidified 70 %
acetone extract (2.047 ± 0.110 mmolTrolox / 100 g dry weight of edible fruit). The results of
this study concluded that S. cumini fruit is a good source of antioxidants and further studies
are needed for any other potential benefits, separation and isolation of individual antioxidant
compounds.
