ASSESSING THE ANTIOXIDANT POTENTIAL OF N-HEXANE LEAF EXTRACT OF AFRICAN CHERRY (CHRYSOPHYLLUM ALBIDUM)

ABSTRACT Nigeria is home to the tropical African cherry (Chrysophyllum albidum). It is a member of the Sapotaceae family and is traditionally used to treat vaginal and dermatological infections, yellow fever, malaria, and diarrhea. This study's primary goal was to examine the antioxidant activity and qualitative phytochemical content of African cherry extract. The African cherry (leaf) plant sample was taken from Odo-otin, Iyeku, Osun State, Nigeria, and brought to the Department of Biological Sciences' Microbiology laboratory for cleaning, air drying, and extraction using n-hexane as a solvent. To identify the existence of fundamental phytochemicals, preliminary phytochemical investigations were conducted using conventional techniques. Phytochemical investigation of the plant revealed that African cherry leaf extract contained numerous bioactive compounds namely saponins, terpenoid and glycoside. The standard oxidant as well as n-hexane leaf extract of African cherry exhibits 1, 1- diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) radical, 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) radical and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), nitric oxide (NO) scavenging activity and hydroxyl radical (OH.) scavenging properties in a concentration dependent manner. The total antioxidant activity of n-hexane leaf extract of African cherry and standard antioxidant (Butylated Hydroxytoluene [BHT]) are 10.55 ± 0.84 mg QE/g and 18.67 ± 1.12 mg QE/g respectively African cherry leaf extract in n-hexane and standard antioxidant (BHT) had ferric reducing antioxidant powers of 1.26 ± 0.31 Mmol Fe2+/g and 1.72 ± 0.45 Mmol Fe2+/g, respectively. The results of the in-vitro models unequivocally indicate that African cherry leaf extracts in n-hexane have antioxidant activity because the extract contains phytochemical ingredients. Therefore, African cherries might be used as natural antioxidant boosters and to treat certain oxidative stress illnesses that include free radicals.