Antioxidant and antiviral activities of the aqueous alcoholic leaf extract of A. Rich. (Capparaceae) and its major component ‘ombuin’

Authors

Abstract

Background and objectives

A. Rich. is an endemic African species and has various folk medicinal uses. The present study aimed to investigate the polar compounds in leaves and evaluate the antiviral and antioxidant activities of its extract and its major compound.
Materials and methods
The isolated compound (ombuin) was identified using chemical and spectroscopic tools (UV, H, and C NMR), and the polar constituents were characterized using gas chromatography mass spectrometry after silylation.
Results and conclusion

A. Rich. leaves yielded 7,4′-dimethoxy quercetin ‘ombuin’. Both the aqueous alcoholic extract and ombuin showed moderate antioxidant activity using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl assay with IC values 41.2 and 16.5μg/ml, respectively. Remarkable inhibition against H5N1 virus was found at concentration 80 μg/μl (63 and 68%, respectively). The gas chromatography mass spectrometry analysis revealed the presence of a complex mixture of 42 compounds, mainly acids, sugars, and their derivatives.

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