Phytochemical Screening and Evaluation of the Anti-Oxidant Activity of Morinda citrifolia (Noni) Seeds Extract

Morinda citrifolia (Noni) seeds are known to possess ethno medicinal values and have been used to treat various diseases. The study was aimed to screen the phytochemicals and evaluate the antioxidant activity of the seeds extract of Morinda citrifolia. The extraction was carried out using methanol by maceration method and the extract was screened for the phytochemicals using standard methods. The preliminary and quantitative phytochemical screening revealed some important phytochemicals; saponin (27.85 mg/100 g), alkaloids (1.24 mg/100g), tannin (2.70 mg/100 g) and flavonoid (85.50 mg/100 g). The total phenolic and flavonoids concentrations were found to be 15.65 mgGAE/g and 78.12 mgQE/g respectively. The antioxidant activity of the seeds extract was evaluated using DPPH and H2O2 free radical scavenging at concentration of 500 μg/ml to 31.25 μg/ml shows that the seeds possess antioxidant property with percentage radical scavenging inhibition ranging from 38.88% to 10.14%. The 50% scavenging (IC50) of DPPH and H2O2 were 13.68 and 18.38 μg/ml respectively.  It is therefore recommended that the seeds can be used as source of antioxidant.