Bioactive Potentials of Dacryodes edulis and Persea Americana Seeds

Abstract

This study compared the phytochemical composition, detected volatile constituents, and in vitro antioxidant activities of aqueous seed extracts from Dacryodes edulis and Persea americana. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents were determined using the Folin–Ciocalteu and aluminium chloride colourimetric methods, respectively. Antioxidant activity was assessed using nitric oxide, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) scavenging assays, while dichloromethane extracts were analysed by gas chromatography–flame ionisation detection (GC-FID). Persea americana contained more flavonoids (1.862 mg/mL) but fewer phenolics (0.645 mg/mL) than Dacryodes edulis, which contained 1.516 mg/mL flavonoids and 0.825 mg/mL phenolics. GC-FID detected 29 compounds in Dacryodes edulis, predominantly fatty acid methyl esters, and 12 compounds in Persea americana, with butylated hydroxytoluene as the predominant peak. Both extracts showed concentration-dependent scavenging activity. Persea americana produced lower IC₅₀ values than Dacryodes edulis in the nitric oxide (4.045 vs 12.319 mg/mL), DPPH (17.93 vs 41.03 mg/mL), and H₂O₂ (5.229 vs 17.866 mg/mL) assays. Ascorbic acid showed lower IC₅₀ values than both extracts in all assays. These findings indicate that both seed wastes contain measurable phytochemicals and detected volatile constituents with in vitro antioxidant activity. Persea americana showed stronger scavenging activity under the tested conditions, whereas Dacryodes edulis showed a more diverse detected compound profile. Replicated analyses and confirmatory GC-MS identification are required before practical applications can be established.