Phytochemical Screening and Antioxidant Activity of Ethanolic Extracts of Young and Mature Butterfly Pea (<i>Clitoria ternatea</i>) Leaves Using the DPPH Method

Butterfly pea leaves (Clitoria ternatea) are one part of the plant that contains various secondary metabolites and have the potential to serve as a natural antioxidant source. This study aimed to determine the phytochemical content and compare the antioxidant activity of ethanolic extracts of young and mature butterfly pea leaves using the DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) method. The samples were extracted by maceration using 96% ethanol, followed by qualitative phytochemical screening and antioxidant activity testing at concentrations of 20, 40, 60, and 80 μg/mL. The results showed that both extracts were positive for phenolics, flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids, saponins, and steroids, but negative for triterpenoids. The IC₅₀ values of young leaf extract, mature leaf extract, and vitamin C were 80.408, 58.023, and 5.655 μg/mL, respectively. Based on the IC₅₀ values, both extracts were classified as strong antioxidants, while vitamin C was classified as a very strong antioxidant. The mature butterfly pea leaf extract showed higher antioxidant activity than the young leaf extract, indicating that leaf maturity affects the antioxidant potential of butterfly pea leaves.