Name: Ebube David Michael
Mentor: Dr. Adolfina Koroch
Abstract: For centuries, medicinal plants have been traditionally utilized in various parts of the world in the prevention and treatment of oxidative stress-related diseases. The remarkable ability of these plants to potentially cause decline in the rate of formation of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) has been linked to the presence of a group of phytochemicals known as polyphenols. This study investigates the potential antioxidant capacity of Vernonia amygdalina.
Vernonia. amygdalina is a plant that originates from tropical west Africa; it bears the common name Bitter leaf, and as the name implies, virtually every part of the plant is known to possess a distinct bitterness in it. Medicinally, this plant is used to treat illnesses ranging from diabetes and hypertension to several bacterial, parasitic and viral infections.
The objective of this study is to measure and analyze the antioxidant activity associated with Vernonia amygdalina. This has been done through the quantification of phenolic compounds present in commercial samples of the plant.
Plant extracts were prepared by grounding dry leaves, dissolving in water, and then boiling for 15 minutes. Total phenolic content was quantified using the Folin-Ciocalteu method and antioxidant activity was quantified using the ABTS radical scavenging assay. Extracts exhibited high total phenolic content and high antioxidant activity. High correlation between total phenolic content and antioxidant activity was observed. These data obtained for total phenolic content and antioxidant activity of Vernonia amydalina supports its traditional and medicinal uses across west Africa.
