Antioxidant activity of different extracts from the aerial part of Moringa peregrina (Forssk.) Fiori, from Jordan.

The antioxidant activities of methanol (M), ethyl acetate (E) and hexane (H) extracts from leaves (L) and seeds (S) of Moringa (Moringa peregrina) were evaluated using different model systems in vitro. Free radical scavenging activities were assessed by measuring the scavenging activities of leaves and seeds different polar extracts separately using ABTS, Hydroxyl (OH) and DPPH radicals. Effect of extracts on ferrous ions chelating ability and total antioxidant capacity were also investigated for each extract. In addition, total phenolics, flavonoids and flavonols content of Moringa leaves and seeds extracts were determined. The leaves methanol (LM) extract showed significantly the highest DPPH radical scavenging activity (IC50value of 5.3±0.2μ/ml), followed by leaves ethylacetate extract (LE) and seeds methanolic extract (SM) with IC50 values of 7.1±0.2 and 7.2±0.4μ/ml, respectively. LE extract showed the highest ABTS radical scavenging activity with IC50value of 49.1±2.7μ/ml, followed by LM extract with IC50value of 61.2±1.2 μ/ml, whereas the highest hydroxyl radical (OH.) inhibition activity was found for LM and SM extracts with IC50 values of 76.9±0.8 and 77.5±1.2μ/ml, respectively. The total antioxidant activity was the highest in LM, LE and SM extracts (294.3, 244.5 and 231.6μ ascorbic acid equivalent for 1mg extract, respectively). LM, LE and SM extracts at concentration of 100μ/ml showed the highest chelating activity against ferrous ions (98.4, 91.1 and 90.7%, respectively). All Moringa leaves and seeds extracts showed pronounced antioxidant activities in a dose dependent manner and the effects depend strongly on the solvent used for extraction. The results showed that extracts of both leaves and seeds of Moringa exhibit antioxidant potential suggesting that M. peregrina is a promising plant.