Elucidation of Antioxidant Properties of Miliusa tomentosa

Miliusa tomentosa (Annonaceae) is an Indian plant species of reported ethnobotanical importance, although comparative information on the phytochemical and antioxidant properties of its different plant parts remains limited. The present study evaluated the phytochemical composition and in vitro antioxidant activity of fruit, bark and leaf extracts of M. tomentosa. Powdered plant materials were successively extracted with petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate, ethanol and water. Qualitative phytochemical screening was performed, followed by determination of total phenolic, tannin and flavonoid contents. Antioxidant activity was assessed using DPPH radical scavenging, phosphomolybdenum, reducing-power and superoxide radical scavenging assays. Preliminary screening demonstrated the presence of several classes of phytochemicals in the fruit, bark and leaves, whereas sterols were not detected. The ethanol fruit extract showed the highest total phenolic content at 487.71 mg GAE/g extract and the highest flavonoid content at 59.44 mg QE/g extract. In the phosphomolybdenum assay, the ethanol fruit extract showed a value of 423.16 mg AAE/g extract. The ethanol fruit extract also exhibited the highest superoxide radical scavenging activity among the tested extracts, with 37.91% inhibition. Ethanol and ethyl acetate extracts generally showed comparatively greater antioxidant responses across the assays. These findings demonstrate measurable phytochemical content and in vitro antioxidant activity in different parts of M. tomentosa and support further investigation of their bioactive constituents.