Phenolic, Flavonoid, and Antioxidant Profiles of Sago (Metroxylon sagu Rottb.) Leaf Ethanol Extract
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Submitted
2 September 2024
Published
30 November 2025
Keywords:
-
Antioxidant, phenol, flavonoid, Metroxylon sagu Rottb
Abstract
Oxidative stress drives many degenerative conditions, motivating the search for safe, plant-based antioxidants. Sago (Metroxylon sagu Rottb.) leaf is comparatively underexplored. This study evaluated its antioxidant activity and related it to phenolic and flavonoid contents. A 96% ethanolic leaf extract was assayed for radical-scavenging activity by DPPH using ascorbic acid as the positive control; IC50 values were obtained from linear regression of % inhibition versus concentration (2.5–10 ppm). Composition was profiled by total phenolic content (TPC; Folin–Ciocalteu, expressed as mg gallic acid equivalents per g, mg GAE/g) and total flavonoid content (TFC; AlCl3 colorimetry, expressed as mg quercetin equivalents per g, mg QE/g). The extract showed very strong DPPH activity (IC50 = 11.873 ± 0.025 µg/mL), while ascorbic acid yielded 3.166 ± 0.025 µg/mL; both fall within the <50 µg/mL category. The extract contained TPC = 1.61% w/w (~16.1 mg GAE/g) and TFC = 3.05% w/w (reported on the quercetin-equivalent scale). These indices are consistent with the low IC50 and support a phenolic-driven antioxidant profile. Metroxylon sagu leaf extract exhibits very strong radical-scavenging activity, supported by appreciable levels of phenolics and flavonoids, which identify M. sagu leaves as a promising natural antioxidant source. The findings provide a concise quantitative basis for follow-up work focused on targeted phenolic/flavonoid profiling, as well as broader antioxidant evaluations.
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References
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2. Martemucci G, Costagliola C, Mariano M, D’andrea L, Napolitano P, D’Alessandro AG. Free Radical Properties, Source and Targets, Antioxidant Consumption and Health. Oxygen. 2022;2(2):48–78. DOI: 10.3390/oxygen2020006
3. El-Lateef HMA, El-DabeaT, Khalaf MM, Abu-Dief AM. Recent Overview of Potent Antioxidant Activity of Coordination Compounds. Antioxidants. 2023;12(2):213. DOI: 10.3390/antiox12020213; PMCID: PMC9952845; PMID: 36829772
4. Charlton NC, Mastyugin M, Török B, Török M. Structural Features of Small Molecule Antioxidants and Strategic Modifications to Improve Potential Bioactivity. Molecules. 2023;28(3):1057. DOI: 10.3390/molecules28031057; PMCID: PMC9920158; PMID: 36770724
5. Apak R, Özyürek M, Güçlü K, Çapanoğlu E. Antioxidant Activity/Capacity Measurement. 1. Classification, Physicochemical Principles, Mechanisms, and Electron Transfer (ET)-Based Assays. J Agric Food Chem. 20160;64(5):997-1027. DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.5b04739; PMID: 26728425
6. Gulcin I. Antioxidants: a comprehensive review. Arch Toxicol. 2025;99(5):1893-97. DOI: 10.1007/s00204-025-03997-2; PMCID: PMC12085410; PMID: 40232392
7. Flieger J, Flieger W, Baj J, Maciejewski R. Antioxidants: Classification, Natural Sources, Activity/Capacity Measurements, and Usefulness for the Synthesis of Nanoparticles. Materials. 2021;14(4135):4135. DOI: 10.3390/ma14154135; PMCID: PMC8347950; PMID: 34361329
8. Roy A, Khan A, Ahmad I, Alghamdi S, Rajab BS, Babalghith AO, et al. Flavonoids a Bioactive Compound from Medicinal Plants and Its Therapeutic Applications. Biomed Res Int. 2022;2022:5445291. DOI: 10.1155/2022/5445291; PMCID: PMC9192232; PMID: 35707379
9. Ninfali P, Antonini E, Frati A, Scarpa ES. C-Glycosyl Flavonoids from Beta vulgaris Cicla and Betalains from Beta vulgaris rubra: Antioxidant, Anticancer and Antiinflammatory Activities-A Review. Phytother Res. 2017;31(6):871-84. DOI: 10.1002/ptr.5819; PMID: 28464411
10. Arias-Sánchez RA, Torner L, Navarro BF. Polyphenols and Neurodegenerative Diseases: Potential Effects and Mechanisms of Neuroprotection. Molecules. 2023;28(14):5415. DOI: 10.3390/molecules28145415; PMCID: PMC10385962; PMID: 37513286
11. Ullah A, Munir S, Badshah SL, Khan N, Ghani L, Poulson BG, et al. Important Flavonoids and Their Role as a Therapeutic Agent. Molecules. 2020;25(22):5243. DOI: 10.3390/molecules25225243; PMCID: PMC7697716; PMID: 33187049
12. Nurlila RU, Sudiana S, Fua JL. Efek Antibakteri Daun Sagu (Metroxylon sagu Rottb.)Terhadap Pertumbuhan Staphylococcus aureus dan Escherichia coli. J Mandala Pharmacon Indones. 2021;7(2):285–322. DOI: 10.35311/jmpi.v7i2.141
13. Isrul M, Hasanuddin S, Dewi C, Alimasi A. Uji Kestabilan Fisik Krim Antijerawat Ekstrak Etanol Daun Sagu (Metroxylon sagu Rottb) dan Uji Aktivitas Bakteri Terhadap Propionibacterium acnes dan Staphylococcus epidermidis. J Mandala Pharmacon Indones. 2023;9(1):148–60. DOI: 10.35311/jmpi.v9i1.355
14. Baliyan S, Mukherjee R, Priyadarshini A, Vibhuti A, Gupta A, Pandey RP, et al. Determination of Antioxidants by DPPH Radical Scavenging Activity and Quantitative Phytochemical Analysis of Ficus religiosa. Molecules. 2022;27(4):1326. DOI: 10.3390/molecules27041326; PMCID: PMC8878429; PMID: 35209118
15. Susana I, Ridhay A, Bahri S. Kajian Aktivitas Antioksidan Ekstrak Batang Kecombrang (Etlingera elatior) Berdasarkan Tingkat Kepolaran Pelarut. Kovalen J Riset Kimia. 2018;4(1):16–23. DOI: 10.22487/kovalen.2018.v4.i1.10178
16. Michiu D, Socaciu MI, Fogarasi M, Jimborean AM, Ranga F, Mureşan V, et al. Implementation of an Analytical Method for Spectrophotometric Evaluation of Total Phenolic Content in Essential Oils. Molecules. 2022;27(4):1345. DOI: 10.3390/molecules27041345; PMCID: PMC8880325; PMID: 35209133
17. He Y, He Z, He F, Wan H. Determination of quercetin, plumbagin and total flavonoids in Drosera peltata Smith var. glabrata Y.Z.Ruan. Pharmacogn Mag. 2012;8(32):263-7. DOI: 10.4103/0973-1296.103649; PMCID: PMC3785162; PMID: 24082628
18. Fattahi S, Zabihi E, Abedian Z, Pourbagher R, Ardekani AM, Mostafazadeh A, et al. Total Phenolic and Flavonoid Contents of Aqueous Extract of Stinging Nettle and In Vitro Antiproliferative Effect on Hela and BT-474 Cell Lines. Int J Mol Cell Med. 2014;3(2):102–7. PMCID: PMC4082812; PMID: 25035860
19. Kedare SB, Singh RP. Genesis and development of DPPH method of antioxidant assay. J Food Sci Technol. 2011;48(4):412–22. DOI: 10.1007/s13197-011-0251-1; PMCID: PMC3551182; PMID: 23572765
20. Fitriana WD, Ersam T, Shimizu K, Fatmawati S. Antioxidant activity of Moringa oleifera extracts. Indones J Chem. 2016;16(3):297–301. DOI: 10.22146/ijc.21145
21. Yassir M, Bakrim WB, Mahmoud MF, Drissi B, Kouisni L, Sobeh M. [Retracted] Watery Rose Apple: A Comprehensive Review of Its Traditional Uses, Nutritional Value, Phytochemistry, and Therapeutic Merits against Inflammation‐Related Disorders. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2022;2022:7502185. DOI: 10.1155/2022/7502185; PMCID: PMC9168099; PMID: 35677104
22. Aung EE, Kristanti AN, Aminah NS, Takaya Y, Ramadhan R. Plant description, phytochemical constituents and bioactivities of Syzygium genus: A review. Open Chem. 2020;18(1):1256–81. DOI: 10.1515/chem-2020-0175
23. Widowati W, Wargasetia TL, Afifah E, Mozef T, Sari H, Kusuma W, et al. Antioxidant and antidiabetic potential of Curcuma longa and its compounds. Asian J Agric Biol. 2018;6(2):149-61.
24. Nikolaeva TN, Lapshin PV, Zagoskina NV. Method for determining the total content of phenolic compounds in plant extracts with Folin–Denis reagent and Folin–Ciocalteu reagent: Modification and comparison. Russ J Bioorg Chem. 2022;48(7):1519–25. DOI: 10.1134/S1068162022070214
25. Rizvi NB, Fatima A, Busquets R, Khan MR, Ashraf S, Khan MS, et al. Effect of the media in the Folin-Ciocalteu assay for the analysis of the total phenolic content of olive products. Food Anal Methods. 2023;16(11):1627–34. DOI: 10.1007/s12161-023-02527-z
26. Zugazua-Ganado M, Bordagaray A, Ezenarro J, Garcia-Arrona R, Ostra M, Vidal M. Adaptation of the Folin-Ciocalteu and Fast Blue BB spectrophotometric methods to digital image analysis for the determination of total phenolic content: Reduction of reaction time, interferences and sample analysis. LWT. 2024;193:115756. DOI: 10.1016/j.lwt.2024.115756
27. Liochev SI. Reactive oxygen species and the free radical theory of aging. Free Radic Biol Med. 2013;60:1–4. DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2013.02.011; PMID: 23434764
28. Carvalho D, Pinho C, Oliveira R, Moreira F, Oliveira AI. Chromatographic Methods Developed for the Quantification of Quercetin Extracted from Natural Sources: Systematic Review of Published Studies from 2018 to 2022. Molecules. 2023;28(23):7714. DOI: 10.3390/molecules28237714; PMCID: PMC10708206; PMID: 38067447
29. Platzer M, Kiese S, Tybussek T, Herfellner T, Schneider F, Schweiggert-Weisz U, et al. Radical Scavenging Mechanisms of Phenolic Compounds: A Quantitative Structure-Property Relationship (QSPR) Study. Front Nutr. 2022;9:882458. DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2022.882458; PMCID: PMC9013829; PMID: 35445057
Authors
1.
Isrul M, Ridwan BA, Syaiful A, Azlimin A, Putri TZAD, Jambilu E, Bone M, Maulidya V. Phenolic, Flavonoid, and Antioxidant Profiles of Sago (Metroxylon sagu Rottb.) Leaf Ethanol Extract. Borneo J Pharm [Internet]. 2025Nov.30 [cited 2025Dec.5];8(4):335-43. Available from: https://journal.umpr.ac.id/index.php/bjop/article/view/7818
Copyright (c) 2025 Muhammad Isrul, Bai Athur Ridwan, Ahmad Syaiful, Azlimin Azlimin, Tenri Zulfa Ayu Dwi Putri, Eviyanti Jambilu, Mahfuzun Bone, Vina Maulidya
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