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Plant Science Today (PST)

Research Articles

Vol. 12 No. 4 (2025)

Comparative analysis of phenolic compounds, antioxidant activity and enzyme inhibitory effects of Camellia pubicosta Merr. leaf extracts

DOI
https://doi.org/10.14719/pst.8579
Submitted
30 March 2025
Published
11-11-2025 — Updated on 27-11-2025
Versions

Abstract

This study investigated the phenolic content and various bioactivities of extracts from the leaves of Camellia pubicosta Merr., a plant species native to Vietnam. The results revealed that catechin and epicatechin were significantly more abundant in the aqueous methanolic extract (ME70) compared to other extracts. The acetone/methanol (AC/ME) and aqueous ethanolic (ET70) extracts demonstrated the most potent antioxidant activity. However, no significant differences in DPPH radical scavenging activity were observed among AC/ME, ME70 and ET70. The ethyl acetate extract exhibited the strongest α-amylase inhibitory activity, whereas AC/ME was the most effective against α-glucosidase. Correlation analysis suggested that phenolic compounds were key contributors to the radical scavenging activities, while flavonoids played a significant role in the α-amylase inhibitory effects of the extracts. These findings enhanced our understanding of the bioactive phenolics present in C. pubicosta leaves and their potential health benefits.

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