Chemical constituents with free-radical-scavenging activities from the stem of Fissistigma polyanthum

BACKGROUND: Fissistigma polyanthum is a liane belonging to the Annonaceae family and it is one of the most important crude drugs in traditional Chinese medicine. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to describe the structural elucidation and the free-radical-scavenging activities of the isolated compounds from Fissistigma polyanthum. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The chemical constituents were isolated and purified by normal, reverse column chromatography and HPLC. Their structures were identified by spectroscopic methods ((1)H NMR and (13)C NMR) and by comparison with literature values, and the free-radical-scavenging activities of these two compounds were also evaluated through three in vitro model systems (DPPH, trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) and Co (II) EDTA-induced luminol chemiluminescence by flow injection). RESULTS: Two known compounds, named kanakugiol (1) and teutenone A (2), were isolated from the stem of Fissistigma polyanthum for the first time, and compound 1 exhibited moderate free-radical-scavenging activity. CONCLUSION: Fissistigma polyanthum, which has traditionally been used as an important Chinese medicine, showed a certain free-radical-scavenging activity.