Antioxidant Activity, Total Phenolic Content and Total Flavonoid Content of Water and Methanol Extracts of Phyllanthus species from Malaysia

Aims: The effects of 2 types of solvents, water and methanol were investigated to determine the presence of antioxidant activity, total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) from three Phyllanthus species namely, Phyllanthus urinaria, Phyllanthus niruri and Phyllanthus debilis. Materials and Methods: The antioxidant activities were measured using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,20- azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) assays. The chemical contents of the Phyllanthus sp. were presented as total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC). Statistical analysis used: All statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS for Windows, Version 22. All data were presented as mean ± standard deviation. Results: Our result showed that P. urinaria showed higher TPC, followed by P. debilis and P. niruri for both methanol and water extracts. Similarly, P. urinaria showed higher TFC than P. debilis and P. niruri. The antioxidant activity by using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrydydrazyl (DPPH) assay showed EC₅₀ of samples ranged from 15.8 to 29.3 μg/mL for methanol extract and 33.5 to 73.0 μg/mL for water extract. The 2,20- azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline- 6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) assay showed EC₅₀ ranges which were from 11.2 to 26.0 μg/mL for methanol extract and 13.5 to 37.4 μg/mL for water extract. Conclusion: Methanol extract showed higher TPC, TFC value and lower EC₅₀ values for antioxidant activities when compared to water extract. In both methanol and water extracts, P. urinaria had higher TPC and TFC value and lower EC₅₀ for both DPPH and ABTS assay followed by P. debilis and P. niruri.