Chemical composition and enzyme inhibition of Phytolacca dioica L. seeds extracts

Abstract

Phytolacca, which belongs to the family of Phytolaccaceae, are known for their use in popular medicine.Bioactivity of five extracts from Phytolacca dioica seeds were evaluated in four bioassays. A selected groupof compounds from the extract that displayed the best bioactivity was analysed. The ethyl acetate extract(EAE) possessed the highest content of phenolics, the highest inhibitory activity on the tyrosinase andxanthine oxidase enzymes and showed a high antioxidant activity. HPLC-DAD-MS was employed to iden-tify the phenolics profile of the most active one (EAE). HSCCC analysis of the EAE led to the isolation ofphytolaccoside B and a mixture of 4 isomers, isoamericanol B1, B2, C1 and C2. These isoamericanol iso-mers presented activity against tyrosinase and xanthine oxidase. Our results revealed for the first time aninteresting biological activity of the extract and isolated compounds fromP. dioicaseeds, which could beconsidered as a source of bioactive molecules.