Total phenolics, flavonoids contents and antioxidation of avocado extract (Persea americana Mill.) cultivated in Khao Kho District, Phetchabun Province

Abstract

Avocado (Persea americana Mill.) is a fruit-bearing plant belonging to the family Lauraceae, which also includes species such as camphor Cinnamomum camphora) and cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum). This family is known for its high content of phytochemicals, which can be utilized for medicinal purposes. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, and the antioxidant activity of crude extracts obtained from the peel (P) and seed (S) of avocado. The extracts were prepared using 50% ethanol as a solvent at a ratio of 1:10 (w/v) through maceration at room temperature for 7 days. The results revealed that the total phenolic contents of the peel and seed extracts were 109.82±2.73 and 59.65±0.39 mg gallic acid equivalents per gram of extract, respectively, while the total flavonoid contents were 120.90±5.66 and 60.18±1.55 mg catechin equivalents per gram of extract, respectively. Antioxidant activity, as measured by IC₅₀ values, was found to be 415.24±16.38 and 710.30±7.55 µg/mL for the peel and seed extracts, respectively. Therefore, the use of avocado peel and seed serves as a significant source of antioxidants due to their diverse composition of phenolic compounds such as flavanonol, flavonol-3-glycoside, flavanone, flavonol, and both condensed and hydrolysable tannins. These compounds play a role in antioxidant activity, helping to reduce the risk of various chronic diseases, and may potentially be developed into dietary supplements or extracts for use in the cosmetic and food industries in the future.