Effects of Solvent Polarity on Phytoconstituents, Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory Activities of Dracaena angustifolia Roxb Root Bark Extracts

Abstract

Dracaena angustifolia Roxb. is a medicinal plant originally from Bali, Indonesia. Its root bark is a promising source of bioactive compounds. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of solvent polarity on the phytochemical constituents and biological activities of Dracaena angustifolia root bark (DARB) extracts. The DARB was extracted using different solvents, including methanol, ethanol, ethyl acetate, acetone, and n-hexane. Each extract was subjected to qualitative phytochemical screening. The total phenol (TPC) and flavonoid contents (TFC) of the extracts were determined. Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity assays were conducted on the DARB extracts. The results showed that the extraction yield, TPC, TFC, and biological activities of the extracts were significantly influenced by the solvents used for extraction. For every solvent utilized, the phytochemical compounds resulted in different results. Methanol extract (ME) significantly resulted in the highest extraction yield (10.27±0.27%). Ethyl acetate extract (EAE) had the highest TPC (1399.2476.99 mg GAE/g) and TFC (65.054.01 mg QE/g). The IC50 values of EAE (28.60±0.37 μg/mL), acetone extract (AE) (29.11±0.42 μg/mL), and ME (45.89±0.94 μg/mL) were classified as very powerful antioxidants. The extract with the strongest anti-inflammatory activity was EAE, maintaining membrane stability at 98.67±0.27%, which was not significantly different from diclofenac sodium as a drug reference. In conclusion, EAE is recommended as the optimal solvent to obtain high TPC and TFC contents and high antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities from DARB for utilization in pharmacognosy. Further studies should focus on isolating and identifying active secondary metabolites from these extracts.