Studies on phytochemical screening, total phenolic content and antiradical activity of three extracts of Emilia sagittata DC. (Asteraceae)

The present study determined the phytochemicals, antiradical activity, total phenolic and proanthocyanidin contents of three extracts of Emilia sagittata which was an herbaceous annual currently used to treat various diseases in gabonese pharmacopeia. The powdered plant samples were analyzed for their phytochemical screening using standard laboratory methods. The total phenols were measured using the Folin-Ciocalteu method. Proanthocyanidins content were determined by the method of HCl-butanol hydrolysis. Antioxidant activities were evaluated with 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. The best average contents of total phenols and proanthocyanidins were revealed among 423.80 mg GAE/10 mg extract and 57.11 mg APE/10 mg extract respectively, and an average of antioxidant capacity was found in 170.24 μg/ml of extract. Somewhat the proanthocyanidins in extract represent an average of 13.69 % for the total phenolic content. Also an average of 93% antioxidant capacity of extracts was due to the contribution of proanthocyanidins compounds thus are the dominant antioxidants in these extracts. The presence variability of bioactive extract compounds in the case of Emilia sagittata consolidated the fact of the traditional used of that plant in certain treatment diseases.