Antioxidant Potential of Aqueous and Hydroalcoholic Extracts of Gossypium hirsutum L.

• DOI: 10.58624/svoamb.2025.06.012
• Publication Date: 2025-05-15T13:05:11Z
• Authors: Luciene Ferreira ...; Adrielle Rodrigue...; Carlos Vinicius B...; Antônia Eliene Du...; Cícera Norma Fern...; Damiana Gonçalves...; Severino Denicio ...; Nair Silva Macêdo; Joycy Francely Sa...; Ana Lays Braga; Andressa Brandão ...; Naiza Saraiva Farias; Henrique Douglas ...; Maria Flaviana Be...

Plant extracts serve as a reservoir of bioactive phytochemicals applicable in various domains, with Gossypium hirsutum L. encompassing constituents such as terpenes, phenolic compounds, and flavonoids, all exhibiting notable antioxidant properties, as well as metal-reducing capabilities, alongside potential toxicity. These compounds are distributed throughout the seeds, capsules, goblets, leaves, stems, flowers, and roots of the plant. To assess these potential activities, this study investigated the antioxidant capacity of the extracts by neutralizing free radicals and iron ions. Aqueous and hydroalcoholic extracts from the leaves and roots (AERG, HERG, AELG, and HELG) were prepared and subsequently dried using spray drying techniques. Following this, evaluations of the antioxidant potential were conducted utilizing the DPPH method (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl), while the reducing and chelating capacities of iron ions (Fe2+ and Fe3+) were determined by measuring the intensity of the orange complex formed with 1,10-phenanthroline and free Fe2+ in the control supernatant and extracts. The hydroalcoholic extracts exhibited antioxidant activity comparable to that of ascorbic acid (IC50 46.30 µg/mL), effectively donating electrons to stabilize free radicals, demonstrating a higher percentage of efficacy than their aqueous counterparts from G. hirsutum. Nevertheless, the chelation and reduction assays for the iron extracts did not demonstrate significant chelation or oxidation of iron. It was concluded that the extracts displayed a mild antioxidant action; thus, conducting further tests with various metals would be beneficial to ascertain their reducing or chelating potential.