ANTIOXIDANT POTENTIAL OF HABISCUS CANNABINUS METHANOLIC LEAF EXTRACT

Abstract

The antioxidant properties of Methanolic leaf extract of Hibiscus
cannabinus  (Malvaceae  family),  was  investigated  using  1,1-diphenyl-2-picryhydrazyl  (DPPH)  assay  method,  reducing
power  and  hydrogen  peroxide scavenging  effect  assays.  The
Methanolic leaf  extract, exhibited  significant scavenging  effect
on DPPH free radical and hydrogen  peroxide production at a
lower  concentration  of  the  extract  when  compared  with
ascorbic  acids  and  α-  tocopherol  standard  antioxidants.  The
highest  free-radical  scavenging  and  percentage  scavenging
effect of hydrogen peroxide by the Methanolic leaf extract was
observed  at  concentrations  31.25  and  250μg/ml  respectively;
with  76.03%  and  62.26%  inhibition/scavenging  effect
respectively. However, reducing power showed low activity for
the leaf extract