PHYTOCHEMICAL AND ANTIOXIDANT PROFILE OF MONODORA MYRISTICA SEED EXTRACT

Monodora myristica (calabash nutmeg) is a widely used West African spice with traditional medicinal and preservative applications. This study presents a deep evaluation of its phytochemical composition and antioxidant potential. Quantitative phytochemical analysis revealed that flavonoids were strongly present (Mean ± SEM: 0.8216 ± 0.00072), indicating a high concentration likely responsible for the extract’s potent free-radical scavenging activity. Terpenoids (0.2091 ± 0.2183) and cardiac glycosides (0.5091 ± 0.5136) were moderately detected, suggesting contributions to the spice’s aromatic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and cardiotonic properties. Alkaloids (0.2725 ± 0.2734) and steroids (0.1940 ± 0.2560) were present at low to moderate levels, supporting traditional analgesic, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and membrane-stabilizing activities. Antioxidant activity was evaluated using a multi-assay approach, including DPPH, hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) scavenging, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), nitric oxide (NO) scavenging, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and reducing power (RP), with ascorbic acid as the standard. The extract demonstrated strong, concentration- dependent DPPH scavenging (21.41–87.27%) and progressively enhanced reducing power (76.05–88.12%), reflecting effective hydrogen donation and electron-transfer capacity. NO scavenging was highest at low concentrations (85.45%) but declined at higher doses, while TAC showed moderate and consistent activity (82.99–86.93%). H₂O₂ scavenging remained relatively low (15.35–17.75%), and FRAP displayed a decreasing trend with increasing concentration (82.49% → 25.03%), likely due to matrix interactions affecting iron reduction. Across all assays, ascorbic acid maintained high and stable antioxidant performance (>95%). These findings suggest that Monodora myristica is rich in bioactive phytochemicals with significant antioxidant potential, capable of neutralizing free radicals and supporting cellular redox balance. This study also reinforces the spice’s traditional medicinal relevance and highlights its promise as a natural source of antioxidants for nutraceutical, therapeutic, and food preservation applications.