Phytochemical Profiling and Antioxidant Activity of Ficus auriculata Leaf Extracts From Three Vietnamese Regions: Solvent Polarity, Geographical Variation
Online First: 03/09/2026
Corressponding author's email:
nhamnl@hcmute.edu.vnDOI:
https://doi.org/10.54644/jte.2026.2389Keywords:
Ficus auriculata, Phytochemical profiling, HPLC–MS–ESI, Antioxidant activity, DPPH, FRAPAbstract
This study investigates the phytochemical composition and biological activities of Ficus auriculata leaf extracts obtained from three geographical regions of Vietnam (Hue, Dak Lak, and Dong Nai) using solvents of varying polarity (heptane, ethanol, and distilled water). Qualitative phytochemical screening, high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HPLC–MS–ESI), DPPH radical scavenging, and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays were employed to characterize the extracts. Polar extracts (ethanol and water) demonstrated superior phytochemical diversity, particularly in polyphenolic compounds such as flavonoids, tannins, and proanthocyanidins, correlating with markedly higher antioxidant activity. The Hue water extract (H-W) exhibited the strongest antioxidant activity (DPPH IC50 = 11.28 ± 0.22 µg/mL; FRAP EC50 = 4.89 ± 0.08 µg/mL). Geographical origin further modulated phytochemical accumulation, with the Dong Nai water extract (DN-W) showing notably elevated polyuronic compound levels. These findings provide a scientific basis for the development of F. auriculata-derived natural antioxidant agents for environmental and biomedical applications.
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