Phytochemical Composition and Antioxidant Potential of Carica papaya Leaf and Stalk Litter

This study evaluated the phytochemical content and in-vitro antioxidant capacity of Carica papaya leaf and stalk litter extracts using spectrophotometric methods. Four solvents—aqueous, chloroform, methanol, and ethanol—were employed for extraction. Antioxidant assays, including total antioxidant capacity, reducing power assay, nitric oxide scavenging, and 1,1- diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging, were conducted with ascorbic acid, gallic acid, aspirin, and catechin used as standard. Qualitative analysis revealed the presence of saponins, terpenes, and alkaloids in both leaf and stalk litter extracts. Quantitative phytochemical analysis indicated the presence of phenols, tannins, flavonoids, and alkaloids in the various extracts. The chloroform extract of the leaf litter exhibited the highest alkaloid and phenolic content, while the methanol extract of the leaf litter was richest in flavonoids. The chloroform extract of the stalk litter contained the highest tannin levels. The antioxidant analysis showed significant activity in both leaf and stalk litter extracts compared to the standards. The IC50 values indicated that the methanol extract of the stalk litter exhibited more potent antioxidant properties than the methanol extract of the leaf litter and other extracts. These results suggest that the leaf and stalk litter of Carica papaya are viable sources of bioactive compounds with strong antioxidant properties. This study reveals the higher antioxidant potency of the methanol extract of Carica papaya stalk litter over the Carica papaya leaf and stalk litter extracts analyzed.