Phytochemical Screening, Antioxidant, and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Dioscorea hispida (Dennst.) Tuber Extracts and Fractions

Antioxidants are crucial in preventing cell and biomolecule damage caused by free radicals. These free radicals can eventually set off degenerative disorders, including inflammation. Dioscorea hispida tubers are plants that are widely used in the food sector. This study aims to establish the correlation between phytochemicals and the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties in extracts and derived fractions. The tubers were extracted by maceration using 96% ethanol and the liquid-liquid fractionation (n-hexane, ethyl acetate, and water) to obtain extract and fractions. Phytochemical screening and characterization were carried out on these samples. The ABTS method was used to evaluate the antioxidant, whereas the protein denaturation inhibition method was used to evaluate anti-inflammatory activity. The study shows dried plant materials and extracts contain alkaloids, flavonoids, glycosides, tannins, saponins, and triterpenoids/steroids. In fractions, triterpenoids/steroids were traced in the n-hexane fraction only; alkaloids, flavonoids, glycosides, and tannins in the ethyl acetate fraction, while alkaloids, flavonoids, glycosides, tannins, saponins in the water fraction. The IC50 values of the extract and fraction antioxidant assay are shown in the medium category, which aligns with the IC50 values of the ethyl acetate and water fraction anti-inflammatory assay. The secondary metabolites of ethanol extract and all fractions in this study are related to antioxidant activity, while anti-inflammatory activity was found only in the extract, ethyl acetate, and water- fraction.