Uji Aktivitas Antioksidan dan Sitotoksik dari Fraksi Kaya Flavonoid Daun Afrika (Vernonia amygdalina Del.) pada Sel HepG2

Abstract

Background: A major problem in the treatment of liver cancer is the mechanism of cancer resistance. Flavonoids are one of the secondary metabolites found in plants and have high antioxidant activity to prevent cancer-causing cell damage by free radicals. African leaves (Vernonia amygdalina Del.) contain flavonoids and their derivatives that can be utilized for cancer therapy. Objective: This study aims to determine the antioxidant activity of extracts and fractions of African leaves and to determine the cytotoxic activity of flavonoid-rich fractions of African leaves against liver cancer cells (HepG2). Method: Preparation of extracts was carried out by reflux method then testing antioxidant activity with ABTS and DPPH methods. Determination of total flavonoid content was done using colorimetry method with AlCl3 reagent. Fractions with the highest total flavonoid content were tested for cytotoxic activity using the MTT assay method. Results: The best antioxidant activity test results from African leaf extracts and fractions in ABTS and DPPH methods are ethyl acetate fractions with IC50 values of 78.27 ± 0.25 μg/mL and 21.56 ± 0.08 μg/mL, respectively. The highest total flavonoid content was obtained in the dichloromethane fraction of 69.56 ± 0.22 mg QE/g sample. The results of cytotoxic activity testing on flavonoid-rich fraction (dichloromethane fraction) of African leaves amounted to 56.29 ± 11.42 μg/mL. Conclusion: he results of the study can be concluded that African leaves extracted by reflux method have moderate antioxidant activity and have moderately active cytotoxic activity against HepG2 cells.