Affiliations: Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences,
Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung Jawa, Indonesia | Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta,
Indonesia | Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences,
Universitas Negeri Manado, Tondano-Minahasa, Indonesia | Division of Food Science and Biotechnology,Graduate
School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
Note: [] Address for correpondence: Dr. Ratu Safitri, Department of
Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Padjadjaran,
Jl. Jatinangor km 21, Bandung-Sumedang, Jawa Barat, Indonesia. Tel.: +62 22
7206774; Fax: +62 22 2509013; E-mail: [email protected]
Abstract: Two antioxidant compounds were isolated from C. sappan L by
multiple steps of column chromatography and thin layer chromatography in
succession with superoxide scavenging assay as activity monitor. Structures of
the two compounds were determined by spectroscopic methods
as 1',4'-dihydro-spiro[benzofuran-3(2H),3'-[3H-2]benzopyran]-1',6',6',7'-tetrol
(compound 1) and 3-[[4,5-dihydroxy-2(hydroxymethyl)
phenyl]-methyl]-2,3-dihydro-3,6-benzofurandiol (compound 2).
Characterization of antioxidant properties of these two compounds was done by
determining the inhibitory effect on xanthine oxidase activity as well as
scavenging effect on superoxide anion and hydroxyl radicals. Our results
indicated that compounds 1 and 2 inhibited xanthine oxidase
activity and scavenged superoxide anion and hydroxyl radicals. Compounds
1 and 2 possessed similar radical scavenging activities as ascorbic
acid, and they were more effective than other well-known antioxidants such as
α-tocopherol, β-carotene, and
BHT. As inhibitors of free radical formation, compounds 1 and 2
were more effective than all the other antioxidants tested. In conclusion,
compounds 1 and 2 can be regarded as primary antioxidants with
radical-scavenging and chain-breaking activities as well as secondary
antioxidants with inhibitory effect on radical generation.
