GC-MS CHARACTERIZED BIOACTIVE CONSTITUENTS AND ANTIOXIDANT CAPACITIES OF AQUEOUS AND ETHANOLIC LEAF EXTRACTS OF Rauvolfia vomitoria: A COMPARATIVE STUDY

Abstract

The comparative analysis of the bioactive constituents and antioxidant capacities of the aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Rauvolfia vomitoria leaves was carried out in this study. Bioactive compounds in the leaf extracts were characterized using Gas
Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS), while the antioxidant strengths were determined following standard biochemical procedures. The results showed percentage yields of 18.8%, and 6% respectively. Proteins, phenol and terpenes were present in both extracts; saponin, phlobatanin and alkaloids were present only in the aqueous extract; while flavonoids and steroids were present only in the ethanolic extract, with variations only in the alkaloids and reducing sugar amounts. The GCMS revealed the presence of different compounds (with varying relative area percent) belonging to the groups of alkanols, esters, fatty acids, alkanes etc in the extracts. Also, the plant’s extracts showed moderate free radical mopping and antioxidant capacities relative to the standard compound (ascorbic acid) in a pattern suggesting distilled water as solvent of choice for the extraction of this plant’s leaves as evident in their IC50 and EC50 values. The results of this study provide scientific insights into the ethnotherapeutic properties of this plant’s leaves as well as useful information for drug development