Clitoria ternatea L., a Southeast Asian herbal medicine and tea, is increasingly used in Vietnam as a natural food
colorant and remedy, but its bioactive constituents are not well-documented. The present study evaluated the phenolic
content, antioxidant activity, and potential antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory properties of C. ternatea flower and
leaf extracts. Clitoria ternatea flowers and leaves were extracted using methanol and ethyl acetate. Phenolic and
flavonoid contents of the extracts were quantified through spectrophotometry, while high-performance liquid
chromatography connected to a diode-array detector was used to identify phenolic compounds. Antioxidant activity
was assessed using DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) and ABTS (2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-
sulfonic acid)) assays. α-glucosidase inhibition was determined spectrophotometrically. Anti-inflammatory effects
were evaluated via albumin denaturation assay. The results demonstrated that the ethyl acetate extract of the flowers
contained the highest total phenolic and flavonoid contents. The ethyl acetate flower extract exerted the strongest
radical scavenging activity (IC50 = 474.76 g/mL) while the methanolic leaf extract possessed the greatest capacity
to quench free radicals (IC50 = 284.91 g/mL). The ethyl acetate extract at 4000 g/mL was identified as having the
most potent inhibitory effect on -glucosidase, comparable with that of 100 g/mL acarbose. The methanolic extract
of leaves exerted the strongest protective effect against albumin denaturation (IC50 = 120.05 g/mL), and this may be
on a par with diclofenac. The study’s findings showed that flowers and leaves of C. ternatea are abundant in phenolics
and possess high bioactivities. Therefore, they have the potential for being utilized in the production of functional
food products.
