Total Phenolic and Flavonoid Content and Chemical Profiling Using GCMS of Cocos nucifera Sap (CNS) and its Extract

Abstract

Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is categorized under non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and become one of the prevailing diseases in Malaysia. There is growing attention to avail of natural products in replacing table sugar as an alternative remedy in therapy for diabetes and has uncovered a good status. Cocos nucifera sap (CNS) also known as 'neera' is the sweet, oyster-white colored sap collected from immature coconut spadix (inflorescence) and has been reported to have a low GI index. This study aims to profile the phytochemical compounds of the extract(s). The CNS was extracted using hexane and ethyl acetate. Total phenolic and total flavonoid content of ethyl acetate has higher total phenolic content (19.25 ± 1.24 mg GAE/g extract) and flavonoids (2.50 ± 0.11 mg RE/g extract) than hexane extract (phenolic: 12.46 ± 0.04 mg GAE/g extract, flavonoids: 1.52 ± 0.08 mg RE/g extract) and CNS (phenolic: 6.35 ± 0.81 mg GAE/g extract, flavonoids: 1.30 ± 0.11 mg RE/g extract). GC-MS analysis of the extract(s) identified seven volatiles compounds where the major volatile components were 2- Furancarboxaldehyde, 5-hydroxymethyl, and 4H Pyran-4-one, 2,3-dihydro-3,5-dihydroxy-6-methyl-. These results suggest that CNS and its extracts would have higher potential as nutraceuticals and could serve as natural alternatives to anti-diabetic remedies.