Friday, 26 December 2025

Evaluating Bioactive Compounds in Medicinal Plants: A Case Study of Trichilia monadelpha (Meliaceae) | Chapter 5 | Chemical and Materials Sciences: Research Findings Vol. 6

 

Oxidative stress contributes to numerous degenerative diseases, making plant-derived antioxidants increasingly valuable for therapeutic applications. This study evaluated the phytochemical composition and antioxidant potential of Trichilia monadelpha leaf extracts, a West African tree with reported medicinal properties. Leaves were extracted using maceration with n-hexane and methanol solvents, yielding 2.4% and 3.2% respectively.  Phytochemical screening revealed that the methanolic extract contained alkaloids, saponins, flavonoids, cardiac glycosides, and terpenoids, while the n-hexane extract contained alkaloids, terpenoids, and cardiac glycosides. Antioxidant activity was assessed at four concentrations (0.25–2.0 mg/mL) using DPPH radical scavenging, ferric reducing antioxidant power, and hydroxyl radical scavenging assays, with vitamin C as the standard. The methanolic extract showed clear, concentration-dependent antioxidant activity across all assays. Its DPPH IC₅₀ value was 2.584 mg/L compared with 1.907 mg/L for vitamin C, and similar dose-dependent trends were observed in the reducing and hydroxyl radical scavenging assays, although with lower potency than the standard. Pearson’s correlation indicated a stronger association between phytochemical content and antioxidant activity in the methanolic extract (r = 0.951). The n-hexane extract displayed minimal activity (r = 0.560).

 

T. monadelpha leaves, especially the methanolic extract, contain bioactive constituents with measurable antioxidant effects, supporting their traditional use and highlighting the need for further isolation and characterisation of the active compounds.

 

Author(s) Details

P. D. Clark
Department of Chemistry, Edwin Clark University, Kiagbodo, Delta State, Nigeria.

 

E. Omo-Udoyo
Department of Chemistry, Edwin Clark University, Kiagbodo, Delta State, Nigeria.

 

Please see the book here :- https://doi.org/10.9734/bpi/cmsrf/v6/6791

 

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