Abstract:
In the present study, the free radical scavenging capacity and antioxidant activities of methanolic extracts of inflorescence and stem core of plantain (Musa sapientum) were evaluated in terms of total phenolic content, 1,1 diphenyl-2 picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity (RSA), superoxide RSA, metal chelation and total reducing power, and the results were compared with the standard antioxidants like gallic acid, trolox and butylated hydroxy anisole. The results from the present study showed that the methanolic extracts of plantain inflorescence and stem were able to effectively scavenge the free radicals. The plantain flower and stem samples showed promising metal chelating (IC50– 204.9 and 417.4 µg/mL, respectively), DPPH radical scavenging (IC50– 186.5 and 1,745.3 µg/mL, respectively) and reducing power with maximum superoxide scavenging activity (IC50– 195.03 and 384.05 µg/mL, respectively). The results showed that plantain inflorescence possessed greater antioxidant potential as compared with the stem.
