Phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity of ethanolic leaf extracts of Monanthotaxis sororia (ANNONACEAE)

Medicinal plants are an important source of bioactive compounds, particularly phenolic compounds, which are recognized for their role in protecting against oxidative stress. The genus Monanthotaxis (ANNONACEAE) is known for its richness in secondary metabolites; however, Monanthotaxis sororia remains poorly studied. The present study aimed to characterize the phenolic compounds in the leaves of Monanthotaxis sororia and to evaluate their antioxidant activity. The ethanolic extraction was carried out by maceration at room temperature. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of tannins, polyphenols, leucoanthocyanins, flavonoids, triterpenes, steroids, reducing compounds, monosaccharides, and holosides, indicating a significant diversity of primary and secondary metabolites. The results showed that the ethanolic extract has a high content of total phenolic compounds (1046,57 ± 164,45 mg PGE/100 g DW) as well as a substantial level of condensed tannins (441,32 ± 14,61 mg CE/100 g DW) and flavonoids (50,81 ± 0,08 mg QE/100 g DW). The evaluation of antioxidant activity revealed significant activity, with an IC50 of 0,077 mg/mL. These results suggest that Monanthotaxis sororia represents a promising source of phenolic compounds with high antioxidant potential. This study provides new data on the phytochemical profile of this species and opens perspectives for further investigations aimed at identifying the active molecules.