Influence of extraction solvents on antioxidant activity of Withania somnifera

Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) is a promising source of bioactive compounds and known for its medicinal properties for prehistoric times in India. The efficient and cost-effective extraction of bioactive compounds is the foremost step for drug development. The study was performed to evaluate the effect of selected solvents (hexane, chloroform, acetone, methanol, and aqueous) on the extraction yield, phytochemical composition, and antioxidant capacity of W. somnifera. Results showed that methanol followed aqueous extract is the most effective solvent with highest extraction yield (5.8%), phenolic content (85.88 mg GAE/g), and flavonoid content (105.09 mg QCE/g).The antioxidant activity was found to be effective in the order methanol > aqueous > acetone > chloroform > hexane extracts at different concentrations of 60240 μg/ml. TPC and TFC positively correlated with antioxidant activity, however, there is a strong correlation (