Abstract

ENSCONCING OF ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY ON AQUEOUS EXTRACTS OF THEOBROMA CACAO LEAVES

D. Deborah Evangeline*, N. L. Gowrishankar, Athira T. R., Mohammed Safvan T. P., Nuzrath K. P., Raslin Rasha and Shibili Sherin V.

ABSTRACT

Theobroma cacao is a medicinal plant that has numerous significant properties. Theobroma cacao leaves are used as a medicine for the treatment for wound healing, worm expellers and malaria cure. In this study, the antioxidant activity of aqueous extract of the leaves of Theobroma cacao was investigated. The phytochemicals (alkaloids, flavanoids, steroids, saponins, terpenoids, tannins, triterpenoids, phenols) present in the leaves were determined using standard procedures. The aqueous extracts were prepared by simple maceration and decoction method. The quantitative analysis such as total protein content and total carbohydrate content determination was carried out for both maceration and decoction extracts. The total protein content and carbohydrate content was higher in maceration extract than decoction. The antioxidant activity was determined by using Phosphomolybdenum reduction assay and CUPRAC assay method. The statistical analysis done by ANOVA showed significant antioxidant activity. Comparing with the standard antioxidant ascorbic acid, the maceration extracts showed significant antioxidant activity(p<0.001).

Keywords: Theobroma, Cacao, phytochemical analysis, antioxiant activity, decoction, maceration, CUPRAC.