Analysis of phytochemical profile, ferric reducing power, H2O2 scavenging activity and 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity of extracts from aerial parts of <em>Pseudognaphalium undulatum</em>

Abstract

In this study, the antioxidant activity and phytochemical analysis of dichloromethane (DCM) and methanolic extracts of Pseudognaphalium undulatum (L.) Hillard & B.L Burtt were evaluated using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) assay, ferric reducing power assay and standard analytical methods. Out of nine phytochemical classes determined, the DCM extract showed the presence of 33.3% of them while the methanolic extract showed the presence of 88.9%. The extracts showed significant antioxidant properties of which the methanolic extract showed the DPPH and H2O2 IC50 values of 706.38 and <50 µg/ml, respectively. Similarly, the methanolic extract showed the highest total phenolic and flavonoid contents of 213.03±0.82 mg GAE/g DW and 43.81±0.93 mg QE/g DW, respectively. The ferric reducing powers of both extracts showed a linear correlation with the ascorbate standard. Further studies such as bio-guided fractionation are required to explore in depth the pharmacological and ethnomedicinal properties of pure compounds from this plant.