Phytochemical screening and antioxidant activity of aqueous and methanolic extracts from Scabiosa atropurpurea L.

Scabiosa atropurpurea L. is a medicinal herb that has been traditionally employed for the treatment of diverse ailments. This work aimed to determine the phytochemical composition and assess the antioxidant capacity of aqueous and methanolic extracts derived from the aerial part of S. atropurpurea L., which grows in Algeria. The content of polyphenols, flavonoids, tannins, and many other bioactive components was measured using colorimetric methods. The antioxidant capabilities were evaluated using the DPPH radical scavenging, iron chelating, reducing power, and phosphomolybdate models. The quantitative phytochemical analysis showed that CrE had a greater amount of polyphenols and flavonoids, with 114.13±0.92µg GAE/mg DE and 100.57±0.93 µg QE/mg DE, respectively. AE had the greatest value of condensed tannins, with 41.04±0.64 µg CE/mg DE. AE exhibited a potential impact on iron chelating and reducing power tests. Nevertheless, AE and CrE exhibited significant efficacy in DPPH scavenging and phosphomolybdate testing. The findings suggest that extracts derived from S. atropurpurea have a high quantity of phytochemical components and exhibit notable antioxidant properties, making them a potential source of natural antioxidants.