Abstract

STUDY OF IN VITRO OF ANTIOXIDANT AND FREE-RADICAL SCAVENGING POTENTIAL OF METHANOL EXTRACTS, ACUTE AND SUBACUTE TOXICITY EFFECTS OF AQUEOUS EXTRACTS FROM WILD EDIBLE FRUIT CONSUMED IN KINSHASA, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

Cimanga K. R.*, Mpia P. M., Kikweta M. C., Tshodi E. M., Tuenter E., Vlietinck A. J. and Pieters L.

ABSTRACT

Nine methanol extracts from wild edible fruits consumed in Kinshasa, in other provinces in Democratic Republic of Congo, in other African countries and world regions were assessed in vitro for their potential antioxidant and free-scavenging activities as well as acute and subacute toxicity of aqueous extracts. Results revealed that Averrhoa carambola aqueous extract wild edible fruit exhibited good activities with IC50 values from 17.65±0.04 to 19.68±0.02 μg/ml against all selected reactive oxygen species as 2, 2’-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), ABTS (2-Azinobis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sufonic acid) or 2,2-Azinobis-3- ethylbenzothiazoline sulphonate), superoxide anions (O2.-), hydroxyl (OH.) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) radicals as good activity. Actinida arguta aqueous extract wild edible fruits showed no significant antioxidant and free-radical scavenging activities (IC50 = 60.62±0.04, 58.21±0.06, 70.25±0.03, 65.52±0.04 μg/ml and 72.53±0.01 μg/ml respectively) since its concentrations 50 (IC50) were higher than 50 μg/ml against all selected reactive oxygen species. Methanol extracts from Afromomum alboviolaceum, Anisophyllea quangensis, Clitandara cymolosa, Daryodes edulis, Gambeya lacourtina, Nephellium lappaceum, Sponda cytherea or S. dulcis wild edible fruits exhibited pronounced antioxidant and free-radical scavenging activities against DPPH, ABTS, hydroxyl and hydrogen peroxide radicals with IC50 values from 1.32±0.06 to 2.81±0.04 μg/ml.

Keywords: Wild edible fruits, aqueous extracts, polyphenols, flavonoids, antioxidant and radical scavenging activities.