Antioxidant profile of ethyl acetate extract from Garcinia mangostana L. stem barks and its fractions: Investigation using DPPH inhibition assay

Exogenous antioxidants are required to attenuate the increased oxidative stress level which is responsible for the development of various diseases. Owing to this crucial role of antioxidants, chemists have explored plant-based antioxidant sources. This research aimed to investigate the antioxidant activity of Garcinia mangostana stem barks in-vitro. Herein, we extracted the stem barks of G. magostana L. using ethyl acetate solvent and subsequently performed the fractionation using column chromatography with a gradient elution system. We found that the extract was rich in flavonoids and other antioxidant-related compounds. Some samples from fractionation had higher antioxidant activity as compared with the whole extract (median inhibitory concentration, IC₅₀ = 11.20 - 13.42 mg/L versus 16.81mg/L). Thin-layer chromatogram of the fractions revealed their richness in flavonoids and tannins. We conclude that G. magostana L. stem bark is a good source of antioxidants.