Determination of total phenolic and flavonoid content of Ghontoghe (Kleinhovia
hospita L.) leaves: in vitro antioxidant study

The Ghontohge plant (Kleinhovia hospita L.) has been used as a traditional medicine to
treat scurvy, lice, eye pain, jaundice and hepatitis, cholesterol, diabetes, hypertension and
treat pneumonia. Therefore, it is possible that plants can be used as antioxidants and redox
signalling sourced from natural materials. The purpose of this study was to investigate the
antioxidant potential and evaluate the total phenolic and flavonoid content of Ghontoghe
leaves and investigate the most potent fraction as an antioxidant from the extract and
fractions of Ghontoghe leaves. Ghontoghe leaf powder was extracted using the maceration
method. Antioxidant activity was evaluated using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryhidrazyl (DPPH)
and 2,2-Azinobis 3-ethyl benzothiazoline 6-sulfonic acid radicals (ABTS). The total
phenolic content was determined using the Folin-Ciocalteau method. Meanwhile, the total
flavonoid content was determined using the aluminium chloride complex colourimetric
method. The ethyl acetate fraction showed the strongest antioxidant activity on both
DPPH radicals and ABTS radicals with IC50 values of 6.253±0.008 g/mL and 6.486±0.023
g/mL, respectively. The ethyl acetate fraction also showed high phenolic and flavonoid
content with values of 26.92±0.10 mg GAE/g sample and 95±0.69 mg QE/g sample,
respectively. The ethyl acetate fraction has the potential to be used as a source of natural
antioxidants and has the potential to be used as a functional food.