Cuscuta reflexa as a Rich Source of Bioactive Phenolic Compounds

ABSTRACT

Free and bound phenolic acids in flowers and stems of Cuscuta reflexa were extracted by sonication using two extraction procedures and analyzed by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a photodiode array detector (RP-HPLC-DAD). The HPLC profiling revealed the presence of 16 phenolic compounds including 13 phenolic acids and 3 aldehyde derivatives, possessing a greater fraction of bound phenolic acids than free ones. The results from both procedures revealed that caffeic and p-coumaric acids were the dominant constituents in both flowers and the stem of the plant. Five phenolic acids, i.e., gallic, gentisic, 2,4,6-trihydoxybenzoic acid (THBA), β-resorcinolic, and vanillic acids were identified only as bound phenolic acids, while the others were present in both forms. The radical scavenging potential and total phenolics content were greater in the stem than flowers, while total flavonoids and tannins were more prominent in flowers.

KEYWORDS:

• Antiradical activity
• caffeic acid
• folk medicines
• HPLC profiling
• parasitic plant

Acknowledgments

The authors express gratitude to Mr. Farooq Bughio (Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Sindh, Jamshoro, Pakistan) for botanically authenticating the species.

Funding

Support during the present work given by the National Centre of Excellence in Analytical Chemistry, University of Sindh, Jamshoro, Pakistan, is gratefully acknowledged.

Additional information

Funding

Support during the present work given by the National Centre of Excellence in Analytical Chemistry, University of Sindh, Jamshoro, Pakistan, is gratefully acknowledged.