Phytochemical screening and antioxidant activity of pogostemon cablin using FTC and TBA methods / Suraini Zakaria

Antioxidants play an important role in inhibiting and scavenging radicals, thus providing protection to humans against infections and degenerative disease. Literature shows that the antioxidant activity is high on herbal and vegetable plants. Realizing the fact, this research was carried out to detect the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins and terpene from the leaves of Pogostemon cablin and to evaluate the antioxidant activity in three different solvent polarity extracts (hexane, chloroform, and methanol). The results from Dragendoff’s and Meyer’s test found that alkaloid present in the sample. Test of flavonoids were positive in chloroform and methanol extracts. Saponins slightly present in methanol extracts. Terpene give negative results in all solvent extraction. The antioxidant activity was measured using FTC and TBA methods and all extracts showed strong antioxidant activity within the range 76% to 84% and 71% to 81% respectively. The result obtained showed that both methods have similar pattern of antioxidant. In conclusion, the antioxidant activities of three different polarity of solvent were higher than vitamin E and vitamin A. This study also suggested that Pogostemon cablin have potential as an anticancer agent against certain breast cancer.