Phytochemical Composition and Antioxidant Activity of Edible Wild Fruits from Malawi

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the phytochemical composition and antioxidant activity of 17 edible wild fruits that are widely distributed and consumed in Malawi for pharmacological value exploration. Qualitative phytochemical analysis, total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), total antioxidant activity (TAA), and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity (DPPH) were performed in aqueous and methanolic fruit extracts. The results showed that the extracts contained alkaloids, saponins, terpenoids, glycosides, coumarins, phenolic compounds, tannins, flavonoids, steroids, and quinones. Piliostigma thonningii had the highest total phenolic content ( $1675.33\pm 12.34$  mg GAEg-1 FW) in methanolic extracts, and Annona senegalensis gave the highest levels of total flavonoid content ( $649.67\pm 2.08$  mg RE g-1 FW) in aqueous extracts. The results of antioxidant activities (FRAP, TAA, and DPPH) varied widely, and the variations were significant ( $P<0.05$ ). Thespesia garckeana and Mangifera indica exhibited a high ability to chelate metal cations in methanolic extracts and in aqueous extracts, respectively. DPPH levels were higher in aqueous extracts and ranged from 11.07% to 99.61%. This study provides evidence that the studied edible fruits of Malawi have potential as value-added products for various treatments of oxidative stress-associated ailments as they contain more phytochemical constituents. We recommend further studies to determine if the presence of a particular class of phytochemicals would translate into the bioactivity capability of these edible fruits.