ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY AND THE IDENTIFICATION OF THE ESSENTIAL AND NON ESSENTIAL COMPOUNDS OF PIPER BETLE AND PIPER CROCATUM RUIZ LEAVES

ABSTRACT In this study the non-essential compounds of Piper betle Linn and Piper crocatum Ruiz leaves were extracted by maceration technique while the essential ones were obtained by steam distillation. The result of the antioxidant activity test showed that the piper betle extract of n-hexane fraction was very active as an antioxidant with IC50 of 26.73 mg/L, while the diethyl ether fraction and the essential oil showed an IC50 values of 114.54 mg/L and 185.78 mg/L, respectively, indicating a moderate activity level. The diethyl ether fraction of piper crocatum extract and the essential oil showed an IC50 of 50.48 mg/L and 88.71 mg/L, respectively that showed a strong antioxidant activity, while the IC50 of n-hexane fraction was of 118.91 mg/L indicating a moderate antioxidant activity. The non-volatile compound identified as antioxidants was 4-hydroxy-2-methoxy-3,6-dimethyl-benzoic acid, whereas the essential compounds were methoxyeugenol, eugenol, cavicol, citronelllyl acetate, caryophyllene, germacrene, and terpinene. Keywords: antioxidant, essential, non-essential compound, piper betle , piper crocatum Ruiz