**3.3. Antioxidant activity of different extracts of** *Opuntia elatior* **fruit**

### *3.3.1. DPPH Method (1, 1diphenyl 2, picryl hydrazyl)*

In a living organism, free radicals are constantly generated; few amongst those remain as the unregulated radicals, which can cause extensive damage to tissue and biomolecules leading to various disease conditions, especially degenerative diseases and extensive lysis. This is the most widely reported method for screening of antioxidant activity. The lipophilic radical uses the model of DPPH radical. The lipid autoxidation was initiated by chain of lipophilic radicals. The stable free radical of DPPH at room temperature and stable diamagnetic molecule accepts an electron or hydrogen radical. The DPPH reducing capacity was observed by the decrease in its absorbance at 516 nm, which is induced by antioxidants. The suggested that the samples were free radical scavengers the DPPH test positive.

The best antioxidant activity was exhibited by the methanolic extract compared to hexanoic and distilled water extract. Methanolic extract exhibit the highest antioxidant activity that is 54.10% and the lowest antioxidant activity was exhibit by the hexanoic extract at 45.66% and the distilled water at 50.40% of antioxidant activity. The data obtained for different solvent

As a part of the investigation on the mechanism of the anti-inflammation activity, the ability of protein denaturation in different fruit extracts with different solvents was studied. The maximum percentage of inhibition of 37.49% was observed from methanol extract followed by distilled water at 34.15% and then hexane at 30.38%. All the solvent extract inhibited the albumin denaturation. The methanol extract shows the highest inhibition and distilled water extract shows the lowest inhibition. Diclofen, a standard anti-inflammatory drug, showed the

Several anti-inflammatory drugs have shown dose-dependent ability to inhibit protein denaturation. *Opuntia* fruit has more than 50% of protein denaturation inhibition properties present in anti-inflammation drugs. This shows that *Opuntia* can be used as a natural source of anti-inflammatory activities. The ability of *Opuntia elatior* extract to bring down denaturation of protein is a contributing factor for its anti-inflammatory activity. The data of this study suggest that *Opuntia elatior* shows significant anti-inflammatory activity with the tested in vitro methods. The data collected by protein denaturation method for inflammation

The phytochemical constituents present in the methanolic extract of *Opuntia elatior* are phytosterols and alkaloid compounds. The presence of yellow color precipitates of test sample by Mayer's reagent shows the presence of alkaloids. The presence of golden yellow color of

phenol and tannin are absent in methanolic extract of *Opuntia elatior*. Phytochemical constituents of the methanolic extract of *Opuntia elatior* were qualitatively tested for their presence as

The presence of these phytochemicals in the plants extract enhances their pharmaceutical and therapeutic potentials. Alkaloid is reported to carry antimicrobial activities [22]. The presence of alkaloids in the investigated plants of the wild cucurbits indicates that they have medicinal values. Alkaloids have a powerful effect on the physiology of animals [23]. Sterols in modern clinical studies have shown that they play an important role as anti-inflammatory and anal-

shows the presence of phytosterols. Flavanoids, saponin,

Evaluation of Nutritional and Medicinal Properties of *Opuntia elatior* Mill

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**3.5. Qualitative phytochemical analysis of** *Opuntia elatior* **fruit extract**

SO4

**Figure 4.** Antioxidant activity of different extract of *Opuntia elatior* fruit.

maximum inhibition of 63.33%.

are given in **Figure 5**.

depicted in **Table 2**.

gesic agents [24].

test sample by adding conc. H<sup>2</sup>

#### **Figure 3.** Extract yielded (%) of *Opuntia elatior* fruit.


**Table 1.** Nutritional value of *Opuntia elatior* fruit extract.

extracts using DPPH method are shown in **Figure 4**. DPPH radical scavenging activity of methanolic extract of *Cantaloupe* (muskmelon) pulp shows 48.55% [18] (Ibrahim *et al.,* 2016), and *Opuntia shows* 57.37% activity. This shows that *Opuntia* has a good antioxidant potential.

Itankar *et al*. reported that *Opuntia elatior* fruit has 64.14% of activity which is close to methanolic extract of *Opuntia elatior* [21]*. Opuntia* is a good source of vitamin C this helps increase antioxidant properties and reduces the risk of diseases such as atherosclerosis and cancer. Vitamin C is an electron donor. As an electron donor, it helps stabilize unpaired electrons in the body and reduces oxidative stress.
