Antioxidant and free radical scavenging activities of Misodendrum punctulatum, myzodendrone and structurally related phenols.

The peroxyl radical scavenging activity of a dry methanol extract of Misodendrum punctulatum was determined by means of luminol-enhanced chemiluminescence assay, allowing to calculate the total reactive antioxidant potential (TRAP) index equal to 239 +/- 26 microm, expressed in Trolox equivalents. The flavan-3-ol catechin (1) and the phenylbutanone derivative myzodendrone (2) were identified through assay-guided fractionation as active metabolites present in the extract, and their structures were elucidated by chemical and spectroscopic analysis. Three other structurally related synthetic phenols, dehydrozingerone (3), zingerone (4) and myzodendrone aglycone (5), were also analysed using this method. Compounds 1 and 2 were highly effective as free radical scavengers (TRAP = 1257 microm and 1018 microm, respectively) when compared with Trolox (TRAP = 144 microm), used as a standard. Compounds 3 and 5 were also active showing TRAP values of 229 microm and 219 microm, respectively, similarly to that observed for the dry extract. On the other hand, 4 was inactive. Catechin (1) also reduced the production of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in rat liver homogenates, with IC50 = 26 microg/mL, superior to that obtained for Trolox, IC50 = 73 microg/mL. Compounds 2 and 5 showed IC50 values > 1000 microg/mL, while no activity could be observed for 3, 4, or the extract.