Phytochemical quantification and in-vitro antioxidant evaluation of Nymphaea nouchali flower
The present study evaluates the extraction efficiency, quantitative phytochemical composition, and in-vitro antioxidant potential of Nymphaea nouchali flower extracts obtained using solvents of varying polarity. The aqueous extract showed the highest extraction yield (5.86 g/100 g), followed by ethyl acetate (5.66 g/100 g) and acetone (5.41 g/100 g), whereas petroleum ether produced the lowest yield (1.41 g/100 g). Phytochemical analysis revealed maximum total phenolic content in ethanol (20.02 ± 0.08 mg GAE/g) and highest total flavonoid content in methanol (15.87 ± 0.08 mg QE/g). Antioxidant assays demonstrated that the aqueous extract exhibited the strongest activity with the lowest IC50 values across ABTS, SOARS, FRAP, and HPRS models. Overall, the results indicate that polar solvents enhance recovery of redox-active phytoconstituents, highlighting N. nouchali flowers as a promising natural antioxidant source.