Antioxidant activity of prenylated flavonoids from the West African medicinal plant Dorstenia mannii.

The antioxidant activities of three prenylated flavonoids from Dorstenia mannii (6,8-diprenyleriodictyol, dorsmanin C and dorsmanin F) were compared to the common, non-prenylated flavonoid, quercetin. The prenylated flavonoids were found to be potent scavengers of the stable free radical 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), and are more potent than butylated hydroxy toluene (BHT), a common antioxidant used as a food additive. The prenylated flavonoids also inhibited Cu(2+)-mediated oxidation of human low density lipoprotein (LDL). Dose-response studies indicated that the prenylated flavonoids were effective inhibitors of lipoprotein oxidation with IC50 values <1 microM and had similar inhibitory potency compared to quercetin, but was not directly related to Cu binding. Unlike quercetin, they did not show any pro-oxidant activity at high doses in the Cu(2+)-mediated lipoprotein oxidation system. The medicinal action of Dorstenia mannii may be related to the high concentration of potent antioxidant prenylated flavonoids in this species.