Antioxidative Constituents from the Seeds of Cuscuta chinensis

MeOH extract of Cuscuta chinensis seeds was fractionated with n-hexane, EtOAc and BuOH successively, and antioxidant activities were tested for all fractions using DPPH free radical scavenging method. In the tested fractions, EtOAc fraction showed high antioxidant activity$(EC_{50},\;50\;{\mu}g)$ From the EtOAc fraction, five compounds have been isolated. On the basis of spectral data, these compounds were identified as ${\beta}-sitosterol$, methyl 4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxycinnamate, ${\beta}-sitosterol-3-O-{\beta}-D-glucopyranoside$, caffeic acid, quercetin, kaempferol and calycopteretin. Among these compounds, ${\beta}-sitosterol$ and ${\beta}-sitosterol-3-O-{\beta}-D-glucopyranoside$ showed no antioxidant activity. $EC_{50}$ values of methyl 4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxycinnamate, caffeic acid, quercetin, kaempferol and calycopteretin were 0.6, 8, 19, 17 and $12\;{\mu}g$, respectively.