Antioxidant properties of extracts from Alchornea laxiflora (Benth) Pax and Hoffman

The antioxidant activities of the leaf and root extracts of Alchornea laxiflora, a plant used locally for the preservation of food items in Nigeria, were evaluated using the ferric thiocyanate method, horseradish peroxidase catalysed oxidation of 2,2 azinobis‐(3‐ethylbenzothiazoline‐6‐sulfonic acid) (ABTS), β‐carotene linoleate model system and Fe2+/ascorbate/H2O2‐induced rat liver microsomal lipid peroxidation. The crude hexane root (HR), methanol root (MR), methanol leaf (ML) and hexane leaf (HL) extracts from A. laxiflora were tested for antioxidant activities. Antioxidant activity decreased in the following order: HR (76.4%), MR (63%), ML (40%) and HL (38%) at a concentration of 0.05% v/v. The antioxidant activity of HR compared to that of butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) (80%), a standard antioxidant. The total antioxidant activity (TAA) of the crude extracts suggests that activity is highest in the HR compared with the others. The TAA value was estimated to be 8.0 measured as mm of vitamin C equivalent. Six column chromatographic fractions (FI–FVI) from HR showed antioxidant activity to varying extents in the β‐carotene model system in the order of FII > FI > FVI > FIII > FIV > FV. FII exhibited the highest antioxidant activity in all model systems utilized, it recorded a higher antioxidant activity than BHA and quercetin in the β‐carotene linoleate and Fe2+/ascorbate/H2O2. TLC analysis of fraction II revealed the presence of terpenoid compounds (radiant green coloration with 2,4 dinitrophenylhydrazine). Our results suggest that A. laxiflora contains potent natural antioxidants and may therefore be relevant in the preservation of lipid food products, which are prone to oxidation and rancidity. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.