ABSTRACT
GC-MS analysis of derivatized oily chromatographic fractions from leaf and root bark extracts of Allophylus africanus indicated palmitic (leaf, 30.87%; root bark, 25.23%), linolenic (leaf, 19.41%; root bark, 14.20%), and stearic (leaf,12.50%; root bark 19.07%) acids as major constituents; in addition, the oil from the root bark had vaccenic acid (15.93%). In vitro antioxidant, antidiabetic, and anticancer studies of the methanol extract and its partitioned fractions using DPPH, alpha-glucosidase, and human lung adenocarcinoma cells (A549) showed that the water-soluble fractions of the leaf, stem, and root extracts had higher antioxidant potential than the standard ascorbate. The crude and water fractions of stem and root bark inhibited α-glucosidase enzyme in a concentration-dependent manner, with higher activity than standard drug Acarbose at concentration greater than 50 μg.mL–1. However, none of the tested sample was as cytotoxic as 5-fluorouracil.