Studies on antioxidant potential and active compounds of Scutellaria salviifolia Bentham

Abstract

The genus Scutellaria (Lamiaceae), includes about 350 species, is widespread in all over the world1. There are 15 Scutellaria L. species in Turkish flora and 3 of which are endemic2. Infusions of most of the species are used as tonic, antidiarrheaic, hemostatic, for wound healing, in gastric disorders, nausea and allergies3, 4. Scutellaria species and their active principles possess antitumor, anti-angiogenesis, hepatoprotective, antioxidant, anticonvulsant, antibacterial, and antiviral activities. Investigations on Scutellaria were resulted isolation of flavonoids, iridoid glucosides, phenylethanoid glycosides, diterpenes, triterpenoids, alkaloids and essential oils1. In the present study, aqueous extract of endemic S. salviifolia, collected from Ankara, Turkey; was tested for its radical scavenging activities against DPPH, SO, NO and ABTS radicals spectroscopically2. The extract showed concentration dependent radical scavenging ability. Its gallic acid equivalent total phenolic content was found as 72,3 mg/g dry extract using Folin-Ciocalteau reagent. On the other hand, the aqueous extract of the endemic S. salviifolia was subjected to polyamide column chromatography for the fractionation. Eluted fractions were tested for their radical scavenging activities. The most active phenylethanoid-rich fraction eluted with %50 MeOH from polyamide column was applied to HPLC-DAD system. The comparison of this fraction with previously isolated phenylethanoid glycosides showed the presence of acteoside, leucosceptoside A, martynoside and teucrioside as major phenylethanoid glycosides. Isolation studies have still been continuing on the titled plant.