RADICAL SCAVENGING TESTS OF PHENOLIC FRACTIONS FROM MIMUSOPS ELENGI FRUITS

The antioxidant capacities of the methanol-acetone extracts of immature green, mature green and orange ripe fruits of bullet wood (Mimusops elengi) were investigated using radical scavenging methods. The phenolic compounds in the methanol-acetone extracts were further separated into three different fractions designated as free phenolic acid (F1), soluble phenolic ester (F2) and insoluble phenolic acid ester (F3). The relative antioxidant capacities of these fractions, expressed as gallic acid equivalents (GAE), extracts of immature and mature fruits were F2 > F3 > F1 and of ripe fruit F2 F3>F1. The antioxidant capacity of crude methanol-acetone extract from immature fruit is higher than that of either the mature or the ripe fruit.