Chemical constituents and antioxidant activity of hydnophytum formicarum jack

Abstract

Hydnophytum formicarum Jack., a medicinal plant possesses diverse bioactivities. Herein, inorganic and organic constituents including antioxidant property of its tuber extracts are reported. Analysis of the extracts by ICP-AES, twenty-two elements (Be, Al, Ca, Cr, Mn, Fe, Zn, Ba, P, Li, Sr, Rb, Hg, Tl, In, Pb, Cd, As, Cs, Na, K and Mg) were found. Among these are common essential elements e.g., Mn, Fe, Zn and Cr with important roles in life. Repeated chromatographic isolations of methanol extract afforded sodium and potassium chlorides. Bioactive β-sitosterol was found in hexane and chloroform extracts. Significantly, radical scavenging activity of the extract derived from different growing areas exhibited comparable activity with IC50 range 8.40-8.79 μg mL -1. The findings provide data to support the use of H. formicarum Jack, as a traditional medicine. © 2012 Asian Nrtwork for scientific inforamtion.