Asian Journal of Biotechnology and Bioresource Technology

Aims: This study aimed to investigate the total phenolic and flavonoid content and DPPH free-radical scavenging activity of Vernonia amygdalina planted in Mekong Delta. The optimized conditions for maceration of pandan leaves included drying method, ratio of pandan leaf powder-to-solvent, and extraction time.

Methodology: The fresh pandan leaves were divided into two equal portions, subjected to different drying methods: shade and oven drying. The dried leaf powder was macerated in ethanol at room temperature. The maceration was conducted with 3 different ratios of pandan leaf powder-to-solvent (w/v) (1:10, 1:15 and 1:20), and the extraction time was 1, 2 and 3 days. The total flavonoid content was determined using aluminum chloride method whereas the total phenolic content was assessed using Folin-Ciocalteu assay. Meanwhile, the antioxidant activity of the plant extracts was quantitatively evaluated using DPPH test.

Results: The results indicated that the best conditions for maceration of pandan leaves were 1:10 shade-dried leaf powder-to-solvent ratio in 1-day extraction time. Accordingly, the total flavonoid and phenolic content was found to be the highest value of 130.02 ± 2.24 mg QE/g of dried extract and 100.67 ± 1.76 mg GAE/g of dried extract (p < 0.05), respectively. The lowest IC50 of DPPH free-radical scavenging activity of pandan leaf extract was found to be 0.90 ± 0.02 mg/mL (p < 0.05). In addition, the Pearson’s correlation coefficient between IC50 of DPPH free-radical scavenge activity and total flavonoid content was R² = 0.74 compared to that of phenolic content with the value of R² = 0.69, indicating that the IC50 of DPPH free-radical scavenge capacity of pandan leaves was influenced chiefly by flavonoid compounds.

Conclusion: There was a significant difference in phenolic and flavonoid content and DPPH free-radical scavenging activity between shade-dried and oven-dried pandan leaf extracts.