Antioxidant Properties of Ricinus communis Leaf Extracts: Evaluation of Solvents and Their Mixtures

Abstract

The shrub Ricinus communis, originally from Asia, has adapted to different regions of Mexico. The main value of this crop lies in the production of non-edible vegetable oil. In this work, extracts from the leaves of R. communis were obtained using various solvents: methanol, ethanol, and water; as well as 80:20 mixtures of methanol:water and ethanol:water. The extraction yield ranged between 1.00 and 2.10 g of extract per 100 g of plant material. The aqueous extract showed the highest yield, while the methanol: water mixture had the lowest. A SEM-EDS analysis was applied to the leaves before and after the extraction. The extracts were tested as antioxidants through free radical scavenging assays, ferric reducing capacity, and total phenolic content. The extract that exhibited the highest IC₅₀ value was the water, followed by ethanol, with values of 38.94 and 331.01, respectively. The extract from the leaves of R. communis, demonstrated antioxidant properties. This suggests that this biomass can serve as a source of natural antioxidants, thus utilizing this by product of the crop. The SEM-EDS results indicate that the leaves were not contaminated with metals or other sources, supporting the use of these extracts in applications such as biodiesel.