Flavonoids, Terpenes and the Anti-Oxidant Activity of Diplostephium phylicoides (H.B.K.) Wedd.

Objective: To purify and identify secondary metabolites of Diplostephium phylicoides and determine the antioxidant capacity through the DPPH* and ABTS*+ techniques. Methods: Extracts were obtained by soxhlet of the different organs with solvents of increasing polarity and by means of column chromatography, triterpenes and flavonoids were purify, which were identify by spectroscopic techniques. Findings: It is purified and identified in leaves: Urs-12-ene-3, 28-diol (Uvaol), 5, 4’-dihydroxy-7-methoxy-flavone (Genkwanin) and 5, 6,4’-trihydroxy-7-methoxy-flavone (Sorbifolin). In the stems were found Bauer-7-en-3b-yl acetate (Bauerenol acetate) and in the flowers, friedelan-3-one (Friedelin) and 3, 3’, 4’, 5, 7-pentahydroxyflavone (Quercetin). The anti-oxidant activity was determined by the DPPH* and ABTS*+ free radical assay, with the polar extracts showing a greater activity. The ethanol extract showed an IC₅₀ of 13.80 mg/L MeOH, with the DPPH* assay and 10.14 mg/L MeOH, with the ABTS*+ assay. The extract of ethyl acetate showed an IC₅₀ of 28.32 mg/L MeOH, with the DPPH*assay and 10.86 mg/L MeOH, with the ABTS*+ assay method. Application: The species Diplostephium phylicoides possesses a high antioxidant activity in the polar fractions, which present the flavonoids, positioning the species with a high medicinal potential.