Solvent effects on antioxidant activities and phenolic contents of the alhydwan (Boerhavia elegana choisy) seed flour.

The effects of using solvents with different polarities on the yields of extracting phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity of novel food Alhydwan seed flour were investigated. The extraction solvents used include methanol, ethanol, acetone, diethyl ether, ethyl acetate and hexane. Results showed the efficiencies of the solvents in the extraction of phenolic compounds and antioxidant activities were in this order: methanolic extract < ethanolic extract < acetone extract < diethyl ether extract < ethyl acetate extract < hexane extract. The phenolic content was 63.82–177.08 mg of gallic acid equivalents/g and the yield extract ranged as low as 8.49–126.10%. The results have shown that the properties of extraction solvents significantly affected extraction yield, total phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity of the Alhydwan seed extract. Furthermore, results showed that the methanol extraction resulted in the highest yield (80%), higher phenolic compounds and better antioxidant activity compared to the other solvents.