VALORIZATION OF THE MEDICINAL PLANT VACHELLIA HORRIDA (L.) KYAL. & BOATWR. THROUGH CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF ITS EXTRACTS

This study aims to enhance the value of the medicinal plant Acacia horrida (synonym of Vachellia horrida) by evaluating its chemical and biological properties, specifically focusing on its antioxidant and enzymatic activities. Three extraction methods, namely ultrasonication, maceration, and microwave-assisted extraction, were employed, utilizing various solvent systems to extract bioactive molecules, quantify total polyphenols and flavonoids, and measure antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, and antimicrobial activities. The antioxidant activity was assessed using several tests, including DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging assays, as well as the CUPRAC and FRAP methods for measuring reducing power. The radical scavenging tests proved to be the most effective. Phytochemical screening of the extracts revealed an abundance of secondary metabolites, particularly total polyphenols and flavonoids, in the ethyl acetate (AE) extract, which likely accounts for its potent antioxidant activity. The study confirms the efficacy and high yield of the ultrasonication method compared to maceration and microwave-assisted extraction, as mentioned earlier. On the other hand, the extracts from this plant exhibited no significant antidiabetic or anti-inflammatory activities. However, they did demonstrate antibacterial activity, with the dichloromethane (DC) and butanolic (BU) extracts displaying notable effects.