Dynamic Bioactivity of Ceylon Gooseberry (Dovyalis hebecarpa) Fruit across Maturity Stages: Phytochemicals, Antioxidants and Anti-inflammatory Potential

The under-utilized fruit plant, Ceylon gooseberry (Dovyalis hebecarpa) has significant medicinal and commercial potential that is yet to be explored. This study aimed to address an existing research gap by comparing the levels of phenols, flavonoids, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of Ceylon gooseberry fruit at three maturity stages; near-ripe, ripe and over-ripe. Freeze-dried fruit samples were extracted using 80% methanol through a 72-hour maceration process. Total contents of phenols and flavonoids were measured respectively by Folin-Ciocalteu and Aluminum chloride methods. The antioxidant activities of the extracts were evaluated using the DPPH and ABTS assays, with ascorbic acid as the positive control. The anti-inflammatory activity was determined by the HRBC and protein denaturation assays, with ibuprofen as the positive control. Among the three extracts, the highest TPC was demonstrated by the near-ripe stage, as 2.0138 ± 0.7143 mg GAE/g. The maximum TFC value was also depicted by the near-ripe extract as 0.2104 ± 0.0049 mg QE/g. From the DPPH assay, the most potent IC50 value was obtained as 0.3085 mg/mL from the near-ripe extract, while the most potent IC50 value from the ABTS assay, 0.1293 mg/mL was also recorded by the near-ripe extract. The near-ripe extract exhibited the lowest IC50 value in the HRBC assay, measuring 0.0547 mg/mL. In the protein denaturation assay, the minimum IC50 value of 0.0965 mg/mL was observed for the near-ripe extract. The study indicates that Ceylon gooseberry fruit possesses an impressive phytochemical content, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties with optimal benefits when consumed at the near-ripe stage.