Abstract

The antioxidant activity of the flavonoid fraction of the seed extract of Monodora myristica (Gaertn) Dunel was evaluated. The M. myristica seed was extracted with aqueous ethanol (70%) to produce the crude extract. Phytochemical analysis of M. myristica ethanolic extract revealed the presence of secondary metabolites, such as alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, cardiac glycosides and tanins. Fractionation of the crude extract by solvent-solvent extraction using n-hexane, dichloromethane, ethylacetate and butanol yielded the EtOAC fraction which tested positive for flavonoid as the flavonoid fraction (FF). The FF exhibited potent and appreciable anti-oxidant potentials with maximum DPPH-radical scavenging activity (41.20 ± 0.12 %), hydroxyl radical scavenging activity (46.34 ± 0.24%). It also exhibited a significant p Ë‚ 0.05 reduction of Fe³⁺ to Fe²⁺ (64.64 ± 0.11%). It exhibited a dose dependent protective effect against free radical induced haemolysis of red blood cells with maximum protection of 37.00 ± 0.13 and 46.23 ± 0.41% inhibition of lipid peroxidation and free radical generation in liver homogenate. The result suggests that flavonoid fraction of M. myristica seed possessed significant antioxidant properties.

Key words: Monodora myristica, haemolysis, 1,1-dipheny-2-pycryl hydrazine (DPPH), flavonoid fraction