Comparative evaluation of phytoconstituents and antioxidant potential in Aloe barbadensis, Cereus hexagonus, and Cissus quadrangularis ethanol extracts

Abstract

Plant-derived secondary metabolites are increasingly explored for their antioxidant potential, prompting this study to evaluate the phytochemical composition and antioxidant activity of ethanol extracts from Aloe barbadensis, Cereus hexagonus, and Cissus quadrangularis. Qualitative phytochemical screening revealed carbohydrates, flavonoids, glycosides, and phenols in all three extracts, with alkaloids absent; Cissus quadrangularis exhibited the richest phytochemical profile, followed by A. barbadensis and C. hexagonus. GC-MS profiling identified 78, 25, and 86 peaks respectively, with major compounds including fatty acids (palmitic, oleic, linoleic), sterols (campesterol, stigmasterol, γ-sitosterol), triterpenoids (α-amyrin, β-amyrin, lupenyl derivatives), and phenolics. Antioxidant assays demonstrated concentration-dependent activity: in DPPH radical scavenging, C. quadrangularis showed the highest activity at 500 μg/mL (88.5% RSA), while C. hexagonus exhibited superior activity at lower concentrations (62.8–72.9% RSA at 100–300 μg/mL); in reducing power assay, A. barbadensis demonstrated the strongest activity (85% RSA at 500 μg/mL), comparable to ascorbic acid (83.5%). These findings indicate that all three plant extracts possess significant antioxidant activity attributable to their diverse phytochemical constituents, particularly phenolics, flavonoids, fatty acids, and triterpenoids, supporting their potential applications in nutraceutical and pharmaceutical formulations.