Effect of solvent extraction system on the antioxidant activities of three invasive alien species and quantification of phenolic compounds by HPLC

Abstract

The present study aimed to investigate the antioxidant activities of three invasive alien species e.g. Scoparia dulcis, Pilea microphylla and Alternanthera paronychioides collected from West Bengal, India using four different solvent extraction system. The plants were evaluated by using 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, ABTS radical scavenging ability, reducing power capacity, metal chelating activity, lipid peroxidation assay, estimation of total phenolic content and flavonoid content. The solvent systems used were benzene, chloroform, methanol and 70% aq. ethanol. The different levels of antioxidant activities were found in the solvent systems used. The quantitation of phenolic acids and flavonoids in these plants were carried out by HPLC using Acclaim C 18 column (5μm particle size, 250 x 4.6 mm), Dionex Ultimate 3000 liquid chromatograph and detection was carried out in photo diode array (PDA) detector. The HPLC analysis also showed the presence of phenolic acids and flavonoids in various amounts in these plant which could be utilized as natural antioxidant.