Abstract

This study aimed to determine the activity of Saba florida extracts against brine shrimps (Artemia salina) and to investigate in vitro antioxidant activity of the extracts as well. Extracts of the fruit pulp, fruit pericarp and leaf of the plant were subjected to bioscreening study to detect cytotoxic activity by the brine shrimp lethality bioassay. The results obtained showed that the crude alcohol extracts were relatively safe when compared with the reference potassium dichromate (LC₅₀ = 296.825 µg/ml) but however, the toxicity of the extracts were increased by heating at different temperatures. The ability of the extracts in scavenging free radical was measured by DPPH reduction spectrophotometrically. In the DPPH scavenging assay, the order from strongest to the weakest was: fruit pericarp (IC₅₀ = 38.115 µg/ml), leaf (IC₅₀ = 46.185 µg/ml) and fruit pulp (IC₅₀ = 90.782 µg/ml). On the whole, the results suggested that the plant parts investigated are relatively safe for the purposes utilized and are potent antioxidant source that could offer protection against oxidative stress.

Key words: Saba florida, DPPH, brine shrimps and antioxidants