Antioxidant Activity of Carotene-rich Sweet potato Extracted with an Hexane-Ethanol Solvent mixture

Nareswari, Nadia
Estiasih, Teti
Murtini, Erni Sofia

Jurnal Teknologi Pertanian
Vol 7, No 3 (2006)

<p style="text-align: justify;">A study was conducted to assess the antioxidant activity of carotene-rich sweet potato extracted with various ratios of solvent mixture hexane and ethanol. The respective ratios of solvent mixture hexane to ethanol were 4:0, 3:1, 2:2, 1:3 and 0:4. Observations were made on the colour parameter value, beta carotene, phenol content and antioxidant activity i.e radical scavenging and peroxide inhibition activities.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">The radical scavenging activity of the extract varied with the ratio of the solvent found at the hecane to ethanol ratio of 1:3 (89.744%), followed by the ration of 2:2 (88.539%), 4:0 (87.305%), 3.1 (86.923%) and 0:4 (83.897%). Based on the value of EC50 and the ability to react with radicals, the extract of hexane to ethanol 1:3 and 0:4 were the two best in the radical scavenging activity, as shown by the correlation coefficient of 74.9%.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Similarly, the peroxide formation inhibition activity also varied with the ration of the solvent i.e. 61.126% (2:2), followed by 53.035% (1:3), 50.127% (0:4), 43.561% (3:1) and 36.046% (4.0). It seems that the carotenoids were the most influenced factor to the peroxide formation inhibition activity, as shown by the correlation coefficient of 63.4%.</p><p>Keywords: Carotene-rich sweet potato, ratio of hexane:ethanol, antioxidant activity</p>