Inhibition Strength of Free Radicals of DPPH and Staphylococcus aureus by Ethanol Extract of Papaya Leaves (Carica papaya L)

Abstract

Papaya (Carica papaya L.) leaves are a significant source of bioactive compounds that warrant scientific attention. This study conclusively evaluates the potency of papaya leaf extract as a valuable herbal ingredient for pharmaceutical applications. Papaya leaves were extracted by maceration using 70% and 96% ethanol for 24 h. Our investigation examined the antioxidant activity of the papaya leaf extract using the DPPH radical scavenging assay, alongside an analysis of its antibacterial properties against Staphylococcus aureus. The results revealed that the TPC of the 70% ethanol extract is remarkably higher at 65.27 ± 1.21% compared to only 12.64 ± 0.27% for the 96% ethanol extract. This significant discrepancy in phenolic content directly correlates with the variations observed in antioxidant and antibacterial activities. Although both extracts exhibited a low capacity to scavenge DPPH free radicals, the inhibition zones against S. aureus were measured at 1.47 ± 0.05 mm for the 70% ethanol extract and 1.37 ± 0.05 mm for the 96% ethanol extract (at a concentration of 8 mg/mL), clearly indicating their limited antibacterial efficacy under the tested conditions. These findings underscore the crucial influence of ethanol concentration on the total phenolic content of papaya leaf extracts. While the antioxidant and antibacterial activities remain limited, the data presented here provide essential insights that pave the way for future research into the phytochemical properties and potential applications of papaya leaf extracts.