Determination of phytochemicals and some selected antioxidants from the juice of sweet orange

Abstract

sometimes known as sweet orange, is a fruit native to Southeast Asia that is now consumed all over the world as a rich source of vitamin C, a potent natural anti-oxidant that aids in optimal body function. The phytochemicals and selected antioxidants in sweet orange juice were determined in this study. The concentrations of phytochemicals in sweet orange juice were determined by titrimetrically measuring phytic acid and oxalate, gravimetrically measuring cardiac glycosides, and spectrophotometrically measuring saponins, flavonoids, phenols, terpenoids, tannins, alkaloids, and steroids against the absorbance of the control. Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) was used as a standard control for measuring antioxidant and free radical scavenging activity against DPPH, NO, Hydroxyl value, HO, and Reducing power ability. The results showed the presence of flavonoid (17.64±0.00), saponin (1.227±0.0028), terpenoids (1.64±0.74), phenol (0.50±0.0014), alkaloid (15.855±0.02), cardiac glycosides (6.3±1.40), steroid (7.68±0.00), oxalate (0.031±0.00), phytate (0.29±0.042) with tannin (282.925±0.30) being the most abundant. Antioxidants studies of the HO on the orange juice showed that as the concentration of the test sample increases, the scavenging activity increases. DPPH radical scavenging activity being an accepted mechanism for screening the anti-oxidants activity of plants extracts when compared with Ascorbic acid, the result showed that the Ascorbic acid has more scavenging property than the DPPH. With an increasing level of the Ascorbic acid absorbance, the result showed strong reducing power ability. The hydroxyl radical scavenging activity of the sweet orange juice extract when compared with the ascorbic acid showed that the Ascorbic acid has more scavenging activity. sweet orange may be recommended for individuals due to its rich antioxidants and phytochemical properties.