PHYTOCHEMICAL ESTIMATION AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF VARIOUS EXTRACT OF Stigma maydis (CORN SILK)

Main Article Content

Karuna Singh
Dharmendra Ahuja

Keywords

Phytochemicals, corn silk, solvents, antioxidant activity, free radical scavenging activity

Abstract

The stigmas, or delicate, yellowish threads, from the female flowers of the maize plant are collected to form corn silk. Traditional uses for corn silk include diuretic, antilithiasic, uricosuric and treatment for prostatitis, gout, kidney stones, cystitis, and nephritis. The study examined the phytochemical components, total antioxidant activity, and free radical scavenging ability of many maize silk extracts. Various solvents, including benzene, chloroform, ethanol, ethyl acetate, methanol, and petroleum ether, were used to extract phytochemicals from corn silk. Positive screening results for flavonoids, alkaloids, phenols, steroids, glycosides, carbohydrates, terpenoids, and tannins were obtained from the phytochemical screening process. Methanol was the optimal extract rant for phytochemicals. Because DPPH is a stable antioxidant, its ability to scavenge free radicals was assessed using the DPPH test. Methanol proved to be the most effective solvent for extracting phytochemicals. The assessment of free radical scavenging activity was conducted by employing the DPPH test, which utilizes DPPH as a reliable and stable antioxidant. The methanolic extract exhibited the highest level of DPPH scavenging activity and overall antioxidant activity. The inclusion of flavonoids, alkaloids, phenols, steroids, glycosides, and tannins in maize silk may contribute to these activities.

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