ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the chemical constituents of antioxidative fractions in roots of Moghania philippinensis (Merr. et Rolfe) Li.. METHODS: The antioxidant activities of the extract and fractions were evaluated by determining their ability to scavenge DPPH radicals. The compounds were isolated by chromatographic techniques with silica gel, Sephadex LH - 20 and semi-preparative HPLC. Their structures were identified by analysis of physical and spectral evidence, and confirmed by comparison of their spectral data with reported values in the literature or those of authentic samples. RESULTS: The chloroform and n-butanol extracts showed strong scavenging activity against 2, 2-diphenyl-l-picrylhydrazyl(DPPH). Twenty-one compounds were isolated and identified as palmitic acid(1), lupeol(2), β-sitosterol(3), 3', 4'-dihydroxy-trans-cinamic acid tetracosyl ester(4), 3-(4-methoxyphenyl) propionic acid(5), n-tetracosanoic acid(6), 5, 7-dihydroxy-6, 8-diprenylchromone(7), flemiphilippinin E(8),5,7, 4'-trihydroxy-3'-methoxy-6, 8-dipre-nylisoflavone(9), 6, 8-dipreny naringenin(10), 5, 7, 4'-trihydroxy-6, 8-diprenylisoflavone(11), pomiferin(12), 5, 7, 3', 4'-tetra-hydroxy-6, 8-diprenylisoflavone (13), desmoxyphyllin A (14), 5, 7, 2', 4'-tetrahydroxy-8-(1, 1-dimethylprop-2-enyl) isoflavone (15), 5, 7, 4'-trihydroxy-2'-methoxy-isoflavone (16), Ψ-baptigenin (17), formononetin (18), quercetin (19), genistein (20) and genistin(21), respectively. CONCLUSION: Compounds 1, 4, 6, 14-17 are found from this genus for the first time.