Evaluation of the Antioxidant, Total Phenolics and Total Flavonoids of Suaeda Species Collected in Al Jouf Area

Aims: Al Jouf area is gifted with a wide range of plant genera belonging to different plant families. In a research program targeting the phytochemical exploration of this area plants, three species representing the genus Suaeda in this area; S. aegyptiaca, S. fruticosa and S. mollis (Family Chenopodiaceae) were subjected for investigation. The present study aimed to explore the secondary metabolite pattern of the three Suaeda species growing in Al Jouf area, through assessment of the total phenolics, total flavonoids and anti-oxidant activity of four different extracts of S. aegyptiaca, Suaeda fruticosa and Suaeda mollis.

Methodology: Finely powdered plant material (50 g) of each of the three plant species were exhaustively extracted with ethanol, methanol, ethyl acetate and water. Total phenolics content, total flavonoids content and anti-oxidant activity of all extracts for each species were assessed using Folin Ciocalteu, Aluminium chloride and DPPH assay methods, respectively.

Results: Different extracts showed variable percentage yield of each of the three Suaeda species. The highest flavonoid content was detected in the methanol extract of S. aegyptiaca and S. mollis, while the largest content of phenolic compounds are recorded in the ethanol and methanol extracts of S. mollis. Estimation of anti-oxidant activity revealed highest activity for the ethanol and methanol extracts of S. mollis.

Conclusion: The presented results revealed highest anti-oxidant activity of S. mollis compared to the activity of S. aegyptiaca and S. fruticosa, these results could be attributed to highest content of phenolic and flavonoid content of this species.