In this study, the leaves of two medicinal plants; Dracena arborea, and Riccinus communis were investigated for their bioactive components, protein qualities, and in-vitro antioxidant properties. Their bioactive components were quantified using a gas chromatograph coupled to a mass spectrophotometer, while the amino acid and in-vitro antioxidant properties were respectively determined using an amino acid auto analyzer and a UV-VIS spectrophotometer. Eighty two (82) bioactive components were isolated from D. arborea with highest amounts of Hexadecanoic acid, methyl ester (7.05%), α-Caryophyllene (6.50%), Isoquinolinium, 2-ethyl-, iodide (6.02%), and Phytol (5.04%), while of the twenty one (21) components isolated from Riccinus communis 9-Octadecenoic acid methyl ester, 1-Benzothiepin, 2,3,4,5-tetrahydro, Phytol, and Hexadecanoic acid were the major compounds. Results for the protein quality showed total essential amino acids, total non essential amino acid, and essential amino acid index were 29.15 g/100g, 42.56 g/100g, and 1.39 g/100g respectively for D. arborea, and 34.99 g/100g, 48.59 g/100g, and 1.45 g/100g respectively for Riccinus communis. The 1,1-diphenyl-2- picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), hydrogen peroxide, nitric oxide scavenging potentials and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) for both plants were higher than those for ascorbic acid, while the 2,2-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) % inhibition of D. arborea was lower than that of ascorbic acid. This study has thus provided the needed scientific basis for the ethnopharmacological applications of these medicinal plants scientific basis for the ethnopharmacological applications of these medicinal plants.
Free radical scavenging activities of Ricinus communis
