Potentials of Mangifera indica L. and Jatropha curcas Linn Essential Oils as Valuable Natural Antioxidants

Antioxidants are chemical compounds that mitigate oxidative stress by neutralizing excess free radicals. The study aimed at investigating the antioxidant activity of the essential oils extracted from the leaves of Mangifera indica and Jatropha curcas. The essential oils from Mangifera indica and Jatropha curcas air-dried leaves was extracted via hydrodistillation method using a Clevenger-type apparatus and the antioxidant activities of each plant’s essential oils were carried out using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay with ascorbic acid as the standard. M. indica appeared as a cloudy light yellow liquid while that of J. curcas was cloudy whitish liquid, and both had a strong scene. The essential oils of M. indica and J. curcas afforded 0.83% and 0.41% (v/w) weight respectively. The percentage inhibition values for M. indica varied between 51.89% at 0.2 mg/mL to 66.65% at 2.0 mg/mL, while that of J. curcas % inhibition ranges between 54.70% at 0.2 mg/mL to 78.07% at 2.0 mg/mL. The corresponding Ascorbic acid showed higher inhibition compared to both plants at similar concentration. Summarily, the DPPH assay indicated that both oils exhibited moderate to strong free radical scavenging activity, reflecting significant antioxidant potential. These shows that the essential oils derived from both plants could serve as valuable natural antioxidants with potential applications in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and food industries.