Abstract

EXPLORING THE ANTIOXIDANT AND PHYTOCHEMICAL PROFILES OF THREE UNDERUTILIZED PLANT SOURCES: A COMPARATIVE STUDY

Aditi Vichare and Dr. Aparna Dubhashi^*

Abstract

The present study investigates the antioxidant activities and phytochemical content, particularly total phenolics and flavonoids, in the peel extracts of Luffa acutangula, Brassica oleracea, and Musa paradisiaca using various solvents. The antioxidant activities of methanolic extracts were determined. Total phenolic and flavonoid content was also quantified across methanolic, ethanolic, water, ethyl acetate, and n-hexane extracts. The Total phenolic content [TPC] was measured using Folin- Ciocalteu method whereas Total flavonoid content [TFC] was determined by aluminium chloride colorimetric method. The results indicate that methanol is the most effective solvent for extracting bioactive compounds, particularly phenolics and flavonoids, from all three samples. Luffa acutangula exhibited the highest antioxidant activity, making it a promising source of natural antioxidants. This study highlights the potential of utilizing fruit and vegetable peels as inexpensive sources of bioactive compounds with significant antioxidant properties. Further exploration of their use in food, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetic industries is recommended.

Keywords: Antioxidant activity, total phenolic content, flavonoid content, Luffa acutangula, peel powder, Musa paradisiaca, Brassica oleracea.