Comparative Analysis of Total Flavonoid Content and Antioxidant Activity in Medicinal Plant Leaf Extracts Using Ethanol and Citric Acid
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Antioxidants, Citric Acid, Ethanol, Flavonoid, Green Solvent
Abstract
Flavonoids are bioactive compounds with antioxidant activity, and their extraction efficiency is strongly influenced by solvent selection. This study compared total flavonoid content and antioxidant activity of leaf extracts from Persea americana, Annona muricata, Piper betle, and Pandanus amaryllifolius obtained using ethanol and citric acid. Total flavonoid content was determined using the AlCl₃ spectrophotometric method with quercetin as the reference standard, while antioxidant activity was evaluated by the DPPH assay. Ethanol generally yielded higher flavonoid levels, with the highest content observed in P. americana leaves (3.87 mg QE/g), whereas citric acid extracts exhibited stronger antioxidant activity, reaching 94.21% DPPH inhibition in P. betle leaves. No significant correlation was observed between total flavonoid content and antioxidant activity. Overall, these results indicated that solvent selection critically determines extraction outcomes, and citric acid represents a viable green alternative for antioxidant-oriented applications.
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References
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