Comparative and Evaluative Study On Total Phenolic Content and Antioxidant Potential Within Hydromythanol Extracts and Their Fractions from All Parts of Drimia numidica (JORD. & FOURR.) J.C. MANNING & GOLDBLATT of Northeastern Algeria

Introduction: Drimia numidica is a polyphenol-rich species that has antioxidant capacity, which makes it very important. Nevertheless, D. numidica has not been studied in depth. Moreover, its capsules have not been studied so far. This detailed study compared the values of total phenolic content and antioxidant activity of all D. numidica parts (scapes, flowers, bulbs, capsules, leaves, roots), from Edough Peninsula, Annaba, Algeria, using hydromethanol extracts and their fractions (cyclohexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, and n-butanol). Methods: The total phenolic content was determined by Folin Ciocalteo assay, and the antioxidant activity by the following methods: DPPH, Reducing Powder, Phenanthroline, Silver Nanoparticles, CUPRAC, and ABTS. Statistical analysis was done using the ANOVA test and a correlation test (between antioxidant activity and total phenolic content). Results: The Ethyl acetate fraction was found the sample with the highest phenolic content. The same was true for the antioxidant activity in all tests except for the silver nanoparticles test in which cyclohexane extracts scored the best. Considering the methods used in general, there is a correlation between phenolic content and the highest antioxidant activity, but there are some methods that have not recorded any correlation. Conclusion: Choosing the appropriate method or extract/fraction type is extremely important. In addition, extracts of D. numidica parts could be an important natural alternative to antioxidants industrial.