Aktivitas Antioksidan dan Penentuan Kadar Total Flavonoid Fraksi Daging Buah Pala (Myristica fragrans houtt)

Abstract

Indonesia is a developing country with limitations in addressing health issues, where infectious diseases remain prevalent, and degenerative diseases are on the rise, while flavonoids in nutmeg flesh, functioning as potent antioxidants, can stabilize free radicals and inhibit their chain reaction formation. Research has shown that nutmeg fruit possesses strong antioxidant activity, with phenolic compounds and flavonoids in nutmeg fruit contributing to this antioxidant effect. This study aims to evaluate the antioxidant activity and total flavonoid content of ethanol extract fractions from nutmeg fruit (Myristica fragrans Houtt). This is a quantitative study designed through an experimental approach using DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) and spectrophotometric methods. Phytochemical screening results showed that all fractions tested positive for Alkaloids, Flavonoids, Steroids, Phenolics, Saponins, and Tannins. The total flavonoid content was measured as follows: n-hexane fraction 67.18 ± 17.85, chloroform fraction 142.55 ± 3.83, and ethyl acetate fraction 431.89 ± 36.72. The antioxidant activity results indicated that the ethyl acetate and n-hexane fractions had average IC50 values categorized as very strong, with ethyl acetate at 5.760 μg/mL and n-hexane at 17.719 μg/mL, while the chloroform fraction had an IC50 value categorized as strong at 73.079 μg/mL. In conclusion, high levels of total flavonoids were found in the chloroform and ethyl acetate fractions, with the n-hexane fraction showing lower levels, and the antioxidant activity was categorized as very strong, strong, and weak, respectively.