Phytochemical Screening and Antioxidant Activity of Balanites Aegyptiaca Root Bark Extracts: Influence of solvent

Balanites aegyptiaca (L) Del is a medic- inal plant used in Africa’s folk medicines to treat wide range of diseases. Phytochemical screening of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Balanites ae- gyptiaca (L) Del root indicated the presence of flavonoids, saponins, tannins and phenols.The ethanolic extract of the plant root had in addition carbohydrate, cardiac glycoside and steroids while n-hexane extract indicated the presence of anthraquinone, carbohydrates, cardiac glycoside, terpenoids and resins. The extracts were also eval- uated for their free radical scavenging potential, total phenolic and total flavonoid contents. The antioxidant activity was determined using 1,1-di- phenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay, the total phenolic content was evaluated using Folin-Cio- calteau assay, while the total flavonoid content was assessed by the aluminium chloride colori- metric assay. The results obtained revealed that the ethanolic extract exhibited higher total antiox- idant capacity in the range of 55.23±0.4 to 81.04±0.9% while concentrations in the aqueous extract ranged from 20.15±0.2 to 35.11±0.2% compared to 80 % of standard ascorbic acids. Es- timated total phenolic content in aqueous and eth- anolic extracts were 179.48±1.99 and 260.07±2.31 mg/gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g respectively. However, the total flavonoid content for aquoues and ethanolic extracts were 69.17±0.32 and 95.52±0.41 mg/ quercetin equiva- lent (QE)/g respectively. Total phenol and flavo- noid were absent in normal hexane extract. The results obtained from the study indicated that the choice of solvent can influence the components that can be extracted from Balanites aegyptiaca (L) Del root and that for optimum extracts to be obtained, the best solvent is ethanol.