Abstract

This study was aimed at investigating the chemical constituents and radical scavenging activity of methanol leaf extract of Vitex doniana. The 2, 2 diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, trace metal contents and phytochemical constituents of V. doniana leaf extract were carried out. The results demonstrated that the leaf extract possess a high radical scavenging activity with an IC50 value of 198.53 μg/ml and 139.52 μg/ml for quercetin which was used as standard. Forty three phytochemicals were identified in the leaf extract of V. doniana, major among them include linalool (7.89%), β-Bisabolene (7.22%), erucic acid (7.11%), D-Nerolidol (6.22%), α-Farnesene (5.57%), α-Caryophyllene (5.28%), Calarene (1.02%), α-Copaene (0.80%). The metal element composition showed that the leaf extract is rich in some trace elements such as Mn, Fe and Zn. The presence of the phytochemicals and trace metals (iron, zinc, selenium, manganese and copper) identified in the leaf extract of V. doniana could be responsible for its high 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity.