Ultrasonic-assisted extraction and evaluation of biological activities of flavonoids from flemingia philippinensis merr et rolfe

Abstract

Purpose: To develop a simple and rapid method for extracting total flavonoids from the roots of Flemingia philippinensis and to investigate the antioxidant and anti-tumor activities of the extracts of the materials from various locations in China. Methods: The total flavonoids in F. philippinensis were obtained by ultrasonic-assisted conventional solvent extraction method, and the extraction conditions were optimized by single factor and orthogonal test. 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging and anti-tumor activities, using 3-(4,5- dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, of the extract were evaluated. The contents of flemiphilippinin A, auriculasin, 5,7,3′,4′-tetrahydroxy-6,8 -diprenylisoflavone and dorsmanins I were also determined. Results: Optimal extraction conditions were as follows: extraction time, 40 min; methanol concentration, 85 %; and solvent to solid ratio, 40 mL/g; and number of extraction, once. Total flavonoid content varied greatly (3.7 - 14.35 %) among the 19 samples collected from different origins in China. Flemiphilippin A, 5,7,3′,4′- tetrahydroxy-6,8 -diprenylisoflavone, auriculasin and dorsmanins I showed varying DPPH radical scavenging activities with effective half maximal concentration (EC50) of 18.36, 23.59, 57.25 and 63.54 μg/mL, respectively. Flemiphilippinin A (5 μg/mL) also exhibited some level of antitumor activity against human hepatocellular carcinoma cell (BEL-7402), human lung epithelial (A-549) and human ileocecal adenocarcinoma cell (HCT-8) with inhibition of 91.13 ± 1.6, 91.22 ± 3.23, and 79.77 ± 3.57 %, respectively. Conclusion: Total flavonoids can be extracted efficiently from F. philippinensis by ultrasonic-assisted extraction method. Flemiphilippinin A has a potential for use in medicine as an antioxidant and antitumor drug.