Investigating the Total Phenolic Contents, In-Vitro Antioxidant Activities and Elemental Contents of Annona Muricata, Bryophyllum Pinnatum and Syzygium Aromaticum in South-West Nigeria

Based on the existence of phytochemicals including alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, tannins, carotenoids, phenols and steroids that are highly effective antioxidants helpful in medicinal plants, they are useful in disease control and management. Thus, medicinal plants are used as natural remedies for treating conditions like cancer, diabetes, hypertension, and other cardiovascular diseases. However, the actual ways of involvement of these herbs and plants remain unclear, but the presence of certain mineral elements has also been connected to the pharmacological efficacy of medicinal plants in addition to their phytochemicals. Exploring the precise pathways of involvement of these herbs in the management and control of various diseases may be a useful direction in developing pharmacologically active phytomedicines. This study was designed to investigate the phytochemical contents, total phenolic contents, antioxidant potentials and concentrations of mineral elements including selenium (Se), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg) and chemical elements, “lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd)” in the ethanolic extracts of Annona muricata (Soursop fruits), Bryophyllum pinnatum (miracle leaf) and Syzygium aromaticum (cloves). The Total phenolic content was determined by the use of the Folin-Ciocalteu assay, whereas antioxidant analysis of the three extracts was conducted via the Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Potential (FRAP) and 2,2-diphenyl-1- picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay to determine their efficacy in preventing, controlling and managing health challenges. The elemental assessment was done by employing atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). Every test was conducted in triplicates and results were analyzed. Our results showed that ethanolic extracts of Annona muricata (Soursop fruits), Bryophyllum pinnatum (miracle leaf) and Syzygium aromaticum (clove) exhibit outstanding antioxidant activities, showed the presence of dominant and helpful elements as well as phytochemicals in varying degrees. The extract of Syzygium aromaticum among the three tested extracts exhibits the highest phenolic content of 111.3 mg GAE/g, the highest DPPH scavenging efficiency of 81.3% and the highest Ferric ion reducing antioxidant potential (FRAP) of 77.9%. These results suggest that the pharmacological efficacies of the selected herbs may be a function of the presence of notable elements, phytochemicals and antioxidant activities observed in their ethanolic extracts.