Chemical constituents of roots of Epimedium wushanense and evaluation of their biological activities

Abstract

Seven flavonoids named diphylloside A, epimedoside A, epimedin C, icariin, epimedoside C, icarisoside A, desmethylanhydroicaritin, as well as the oleanolic acid, were isolated from the roots of Epimedium wushanense for the first time. These flavonoids manifested significant antioxidant activity in vitro. Scavenging effects of two flavonoids were comparable to that of Vitamin C. Antibacterial experiment has shown that the diphylloside A, icarisoside A and desmethylanhydroicaritin have significant activity towards Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Keywords:

• Antioxidant
• Antibacterial
• Epimedium wushanense
• Flavonoid
• Isolation

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Mr Daobao Xu, of Ankang Institute of Drug Control, for offering the plant material; to Prof. Zongdong Wang, of Luoyang Land-flora Institute of Natural Plants, for identification of the plant material. We thank the Peking Institute of Microchemistry for measurement of ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR and ESI MS Spectral data.