Total flavonoid content and antioxidant activity of ethanol and ethyl acetate extracts from accessions of Amomum compactum fruits

Abstract Fruits of cardamom (Amomum compactum Sol. Ex Maton), Zingiberaceae family, has long been used as herbs and spices. The aim of the research was to evaluate the total flavonoid content and antioxidant activity in ethanol and ethyl acetate of fruit extract from the accession cardamom. We used ultrasonic extraction with 80% ethanol and ethyl acetate as solvents. Four accessions were performed for total flavonoid content (TFC) by colorimetric method using quercetin as standard flavonoid and antioxidant activity by cupric reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC), and 2,2-diphenyl picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assays using Trolox as standard antioxidant. TFC varied from 0.19 mg QE/g dry weight (DW) (ethanol extract of accession ‘Sukabumi’) to 2.26 mg QE/g DW (ethyl acetate extract of accession ‘Ciamis’). Antioxidant activity ranged from 3.83 μmol TE/g DW (ethyl acetate extract of accession ‘Bogor-1’) to 21.90 μmol TE/g DW (ethanol extract of accession ‘Bogor-1’) as calculated by CUPRAC method. In DPPH assay, antioxidant capacity reached from 0.19 μmol TE/g DW (ethanol extract of accession ‘Bogor-1’) to 0.40 μmol TE/g DW (ethyl acetate extract of accession ‘Bogor-2’). Ethyl acetate extract exhibited the highest TPC and antioxidant activity (DPPH) than ethanol extract of cardamom fruits. The accession ‘Ciamis’ and ‘Bogor-1’ of cardamom fruits were well-known highest TFC and antioxidant capacities.