Phytochemical and antioxidant evaluation of ethanol extract leaves of dendrophthoe falcata (loranthaceae) hemiparasitic on melia azedarach host tree

The aim of the study was to identify the content of total phenolic and flavonoids, and to test the antioxidant activity of leaves extract of Dendrophthoe falcata hemiparasite on Melia azedarach plants. The research method was carried out by extracting dry powder from the leaves of D. falcata with ethanol. Ethanol extract was partitioned using consecutive n-hexane, chloroform, and ethyl acetate solvents. Each fraction was then analyzed for the content of total phenolic and total flavonoids by spectroscopic methods. The method for testing antioxidant activity using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) by in vitro. The results showed that leaves of D. falcata were rich in phenolic compounds and flavonoid. Furthermore, in the antioxidant test showed ethyl acetate fraction had the highest activity, with IC₅₀ 6.66 ± 0.11 μg/ml. This study shows that D. falcata leaves have potential as natural antioxidants. (paper)