IN VITRO ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF RAUVOLFIA MEDIA BARKS AND LEAVES EXTRACTS

ABSTRACT

Rauvolfia media is a plant endemic to Madagascar, traditionally used against ulcers, diabetes and viral infections. No research has been scientifically conducted to prove the antioxidant activity of the plant. The current purpose of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant activity of R. media barks and leaves extracts with different solvents (acetone, acetic acid, methanol and water) by phosphomolybdate assay (total antioxidant capacity) and DPPH free radical scavenging. The results stipulate that the higher total oxidant capacity is found is R. media barks extracts which are acetic acid fraction with 0.332±0.01mg/g EAC, followed by the methanolic fraction with 0.816±0.01mg/g EAC (p<0.001). The DPPH data showed that the free radical scavenging activity increase with concentration, LMetOH fraction (20.711±0.01) had the greater free radical scavenging followed by LAcAc extract (28.375 ±1.2) with p < 0.001. The antioxidant activity can be attributed by the presence of certain phytochemical compounds in the plant extracts. According to these results, Rauvolfia media meets the criteria to be a natural antioxidant.