Antioxident components from Aralia continentalis

The root of Aralia continentalis Kitagawa(Araliaceae) have been used as an analgesic and fever remedy, and for treatment of rheumatism in Chinese medicine, whereas the young leaves are used for salad. An antioxidant activity of the young leaves of A continentalis was determined by measuring lipid peroxide produced when a mouse liver homogenate was exposed to the air at 37$^{\circ}C$, using 2-thiobarbituric acid(TBA) and by evaluation the radical scavenging activity on 1,l-diphenyl-2 picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical. Bioassay guided fractionation of MeOH extract isolated six flavonoid compounds as active components from EtOAc fraction. Adenosine and two saponins were isolated from the weak active BuOH fraction. The antioxidant effect by DPPH radical scavenging activity showed that quercetin was the most active among these compounds. Hyperoside and kaempferol were also active, while 6"-O-acetyl astragalin, astragalin, trifolin, adenosine, oleanolic acid 28-O-glucosyl ester and salsoloside C methyl ester were almost inactive. All the compounds were identified by spectroscopic methods.