Comparative Phytochemical Screening and Antioxidant Activity of Ethanol Extracts of Fresh and Dried Cyperus Esculentus
Ikpe Vitalis & Uchechukwu Ann
Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences
Caritas University, Amorji-Nike Enugu
Email: vitalis.ikpe@yahoo.com
ABSTRACT
Phytochemicals are bioactive molecules present in plants. Some of them have antioxidant activities that impact on human health. This study assessed the phytochemical composition and antioxidant activities of
ethanol extracts of fresh and dried Cyperus esculentus nut by standard methods. Both fresh and dried Cyperus esculentus nut contained saponin, flavonoid, phenol, steroids, terpenoid, terteoids, anthroquinone, cyanogenic and cardiac glycosides, tannins, alkaloids and reducing sugar. Quantitatively, dried Cyperus esculentus nut had higher concentrations of these phytochemicals than the fresh nut. Fresh nut had alkaloid content of 1.8%, flavonoid 12.2%, tannins 0.63mg/l, phenol 1.0% and glycosides 0.75 % while the dried nut had alkaloid content of 4.0%, flavonoid 32.0%, tannins 2.63mg/l, phenol 1.4% and glycosides 0.54%. The antioxidant capacity in fresh nuts using phosphomolybdenum, hydrogen peroxide and reducing power assays where 102ug/ml, 65.90ug/ml and 154.0ug/ml respectively while the dried extract had 166.17ug/ml, 34.0ug/ml and 332.0mglml. Cyperus esculentus is an under-utilized crop with enormous potentials. It should be part of dietary consumptions because of its phytochemical contents and antioxidant benefits.
Key words: Cyperus esculentus, fresh, dried, composition, comparism.
