Browsing by Author "Akello Norah"

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    Phytochemical analysis and antioxidant activity of the stem bark extract of Vernonia amygdelina in management of malaria.
    (Busitema University, 2024) Akello Norah
    Redox imbalance between reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and their neutralization by antioxidants in the system leads to accumulation of ROS in the system resulting into oxidative stress. Antioxidants guard against reactive oxygen free radical. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals by adding electrons to them, preventing bodily harm. Earlier studies have shown that artemisinins reduce the levels of reduced glutathione (GSH) and other antioxidants in the parasite thereby inducing oxidative stress (OS) in the parasite leading to their destruction. In traditional medicine, use of plants or their crude products as antioxidants have been reported. In this study the stem bark extract of V. amygdelina was phytochemically investigated and its antioxidant potential evaluated. The extract was prepared using methanol and screened for presence of saponins, flavonoids, alkaloids, tannins, phenols and glycosides. Quantitative determination of phytochemicals (phenols, alkaloids, flavonoids and tannins) was done using UV spectrophometer. Total phenol content was 33.45mg/g, flavonoids was 81.95mg/l, tannins was 66.42mg/g and alkaloids were 413.76mg/g. Antioxidant activity was determined using DPPH free radical scavenging that gave a percentage of 46.04%. The findings showed that the stem bark extract of V. amygdelina has antioxidant activity. Thus, phytochemicals (alkaloid, flavonoids, phenols, tannins, saponins, glycosides) observed in the stem bark extract of V. amygdelina could be responsible its antioxidant activity, however, there is need to formulate the syrup to determine its efficacy of antioxidant activity.