Ethyl acetate fraction of Cymbopogon citratus as a potential source of antioxidant compounds†
Abstract
This study aimed to characterize different extracts/fractions obtained from Cymbopogon citratus according to their chemical composition and antioxidant properties. Plant leaves were submitted to extractions with different solvents, and the antioxidant capability of each fraction was analyzed using different methods (E1–E4). The ethyl acetate fraction from extraction procedure 1 (E1) presented a high polyphenolic content and antioxidant capability. Therefore, in E2, the pH of the aqueous phases was modified to fractionate the compounds in the ethyl acetate extractions. Interestingly, the fraction obtained at pH 4 presented a higher antioxidant activity than AcOEt F1. Furthermore, it was verified that the essential oil removal improved the extraction of polyphenols in ethyl acetate fractions. The antioxidant activity of these fractions was comparable to ascorbic acid, and could also inhibit TBARS production in phospholipids comparatively to vitamin E. Such fraction will be further explored to isolate the active chemicals, and to evaluate its toxicity and antioxidant actions in vivo.