ABSTRACT
Objective: This study aim’s was to determine the phytochemical constituents, the total phenol content and to perform the antioxidant activity of Entada africana Guill. & Perr. (Samanèrè, dimijama Bambara, sinnégo; mooré) and Sterculia setigera Del. (karaya gum tree, Ponsimponrgo, mooré), two plants used in folk medicine in Burkina Faso to control various diseases.
Methodology and results: The extracts were obtained by maceration in ethanol and hydroethanol, and by decoction. Phytochemical screening was performed by tube test method and thin layer chromatography (TLC). The Folin Ciocalteu Reagent technique was used to evaluate the content of phenolic compounds. Antioxidant activity was determined by ABTS and DPPH methods. Phytochemical composition showed the presence of tannins, alkaloids and flavonoids in the extracts. S. setigera was the plant that contained the highest content of phenolic compounds with a variation of 34.53 ± 1.75 to 3506.70 μg GAE/g extract. It recorded also the best free radical scavenging activity towards DPPH- radical with an IC50 of 0.011±0.0002 followed by the ethanol extract of E. africana with an IC50 of 0.019±0.0002. The same ethanol extract of S. setigera shows a very high antioxidant activity with an Antioxidant Activity Index (AAI) of 3.63 followed by the ethanol extract of E. africana with an AAI of 2.10.Conclusion and applications of findings: The results of this work suggest that these plants are natural sources of antioxidant compounds and justify their use in traditional medicine. This study provides information that can be used as a lead in the discovery and development of new, more affordable and safer phytomedicines in the treatment of free radical and cough.

phenolic compounds; antioxidant activity; Sterculia setigera; Entada africana; cough