Comparison of the phytochemical and in vitro antioxidant activity studies of the rhizomes, fruits and leaves of Amomum aculeatum Roxb.

In the present study, various phytochemical screening methods were used for the preliminary screening of bioactive components like alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenoids, steroids etc. in the methanol extracts of the rhizomes, fruits and leaves of Amomum aculeatum Roxb. The methanol extracts of the rhizomes, fruits and leaves of A. aculeatum were subjected to various in vitro antioxidant activity studies like total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, reducing power and DPPH radical scavenging activity. The antioxidant activities were evaluated and compared. The total phenolic content and total flavonoid content of the fruit extract were found to be higher than that in the rhizome extract and leaf extract. The fruit extract also exhibited higher reducing power and DPPH radical scavenging ability than the other two extracts. The findings indicated promising antioxidant ability for the methanol extracts of the rhizomes, fruits and leaves of A. aculeatum. Moreover, the fruit extract of A. aculeatum can be used as an easily accessible source of natural antioxidants for reducing oxidative stress.