Antioxidant Activity and Phytochemical Analysis of the Leaf Extract of Chloris breviseta Benth

The antioxidant activity of the ethanol leaf extract of Chloris breviseta Benth (Poaceae) was evaluated using in vitro assays. The powdered leaves were extracted with ethanol and fractionated into n-hexane, chloroform, and ethyl acetate fractions. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of tannins, flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins, terpenoids, steroids, anthraquinones, and carbohydrates. Antioxidant activity was determined using the DPPH free radical scavenging assay. The chloroform fraction demonstrated the strongest radical scavenging effect (IC₅₀ = 532 µg/mL) compared with ascorbic acid (IC₅₀ = 269 µg/mL). FTIR analysis identified functional groups corresponding to alkanes, alkenes, aldehydes, esters, and carboxylic acids. GC-MS confirmed the presence of squalene, a bioactive triterpene with known antioxidant properties. These findings highlight C. breviseta as a promising natural source of antioxidant compounds for therapeutic applications.