Antioxidant Activity of Bisbenzylisoquinoline Alkaloids from Stephania rotunda: Cepharanthine and fangchinoline

Abstract

In the present study, we determined the antioxidant activity of cepharanthine and fangchinoline from Stephania rotunda by performing different in vitro antioxidant assays including 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl free radical (DPPH·) scavenging, 2,2´-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging activity, N,N-dimethyl-p-phenyl-enediamine dihydrochloride (DMPD) radical scavenging, superoxide anion (O2· - ) radical scavenging, hydrogen peroxide scavenging, total antioxidant activity, reducing power and ferrous ions (Fe2+) chelating activities. Cepharanthine and fangchinoline showed 94.6 and 93.3% inhibition on lipid peroxidation of linoleic acid emulsion at 30 µg/mL concentration, respectively. On the other hand, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), α-tocopherol and trolox indicated inhibition of 83.3, 92.2, 72.4 and 81.3% on peroxidation of linoleicPeeracidemulsionatthesame concentration (30 Ig/mL), respectively. According to the results, cepharanthine and fangchinoline had effective antioxidant and radical scavenging activity