INFLUENCE OF SOLVENTS ON PHYTOCHEMICAL CONSTITUENT PROFILE AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITIES OF VARIOUS EXTRACTS OF Tithonia diversifolia (Hemsl.) A. GRAY FLOWER

Extraction solvents are reported to influence the nature and extraction efficiency of the bioactive compounds from the plants. Thus, selecting an appropriate extraction solvent is essential for obtaining the required pharmacological activity of the extracts.Tithonia diversifolia(Asteraceae) is traditionally used to treat various diseases and is a promising bioactive compound source. Thepresent investigation was aimed to assess the impact of solvents on phytochemical constituent profile and antioxidant activity of various extracts of Tithonia diversifolia (Hemsl.) A. Gray flower. Four different solvents were used and screened for phytochemicals, using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrophotometry(GC- MS)analysis and the antioxidant activitywas evaluated using the DPPH radical scavenging activity assay and reducing power assay. The results revealed the existence of a diverse range of compounds, such as alkaloids, saponins, flavonoids, phenols, terpenoids, tannins, reducing sugar, phytosterols and cardiac glycosides. The highest total phenolic and flavonoid content were observed in ethyl acetate extract of T. diversifolia flower: 40.52 ± 0.628 mg GAE/ g, 14.53 ± 0.26 mg QE/ g.Ethyl acetate extract showed maximumDPPH radical-scavenging activity (IC50 = 60.31 µg/ ml)and reducing power(R2= 0.9883). The phytochemistry of T. diversifolia flower in different extracts indicated a total of 48 phytocompounds. In conclusion, extraction solvent influenced phenol and flavonoidcontent yield and antioxidant activity. The existence of phytocompounds like methyl palmitate, hexadecen- 1- ol, trans-9-, squalene, tetratetracontane, β-pinene oxide and lupeol, affirms that ethyl acetate solvent pointed out as the best solvent for obtaining an extract rich in polyphenols and antioxidants from T. diversifolia flower. The therapeutic advantages of this plant can be utilized in pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and cosmeceutical industries.