Biological Evaluation of the Isolated Compounds from Methanol Fraction of Leutea avicennia Mozaff

Leutea avicennia Mozaff. That belongs to Apiaceae family is an endemic species distributed in the west of Iran. The aim of this study was to investigate the antioxidant activity and acetylcholinestrase (AChE) inhibition of the crude extract, fractions, and isolated compounds from methanol fraction of L. avicenniae. Five compounds were detected from methanol fraction; three phenolic compounds as p-coumric acid, caffeic acid, salicylic acid and also, two flavonoids as quercetin and astragalin. These structures were identified by spectroscopic techniques such as (1)H-NMR, (13)C-NMR, and UV. Antioxidant activity was evaluated by the free radical scavenging assay using 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picryl- hydrazyl (DPPH) method. Ellman colorimetric method was used to determine acetylcholinestrase (AChE) inhibition. In the DPPH assay, Quercetin exerted the highest antioxidant activity (IC(50 )= 10.24 ± 1.3 µg/mL). Caffeic acid inhibited AChE with IC(50 )= 12.06 ± 2.01µg/mL which were comparable to Galanthamine as positive control (IC(50 )= 62.44 ± 2.2µg/mL). In conclusion, methanol extract of L. avicenniae contains bioactive components with antioxidant and AChE inhibitory effects.