Phytochemical analysis and antioxidant activity of the flavonoids extracts from pods of Ceratonia siliqua L.

90 Abstract . This study was carried out to determine the phytochemical profile and antioxidant activity of the carob. The results of preliminary phytochemical assessed showed that the alkaloid bases and salts, flavones aglycones, reducing compounds, fatty acids, polyterpenes, catechin tannins, volatile oils, cardiac glycosides, flavonoids, sterol glycosides and terpenes, amino acids and saponins are classes of chemical groups present in the pods of Ceratonia siliqua . The pods are characterized by 87 ± 1.0 % dry matter, 55 ± 0.2 % total sugars, 4 ± 0.1 % proteins, 7 ± 0.4 % lipids, 4 ± 0.3 ash. We have found that the pod has a 10.56 ± 0.2 Na, 0.75 ± 0.1 Zn, 0.55 ± 0.3 Cu, 41.7 ± 0.2 Mg, 210 ± 0.3 Ca and 1150 ± 0.2 mg/100g K. Pods of carob present 71.6 ± 2.10 mg/100g of flavonoids, 56.51 ± 1.02 mg/100g of alkaloids, 41.25 ± 1.36 mg/100g of saponins and 1.18 ± 0.2 mg/100g of tannins. Flavonoids fractions were extracted using organic solvents with different polarity. The ethyl acetate extract has the highest content of polyphenols and flavonoids 259.4 ± 4.2, 71.34 ± 1.08 mg EGA/g E, followed by the n–butanol extract 62.19 ± 0.13, 53.01 ± 0.11, then the crude extract 15.5 ± 0.21, 12.9 ± 0.17 and finally aqueous extract 13.39 ± 0.27, 11.13 ± 0.62. The flavonoids fractions extracted by ethyl acetate and n–butanol showed the higher antioxidant capacity determined by three methods: free radical scavenging activity, reducing power and liver lipid peroxidation compared to the crude exact and aqueous