Flavonoid Content in Medicinal Plant Extracts from Several Genus

Milly A. Ortz Sols , Lisandra Santiago Capeles , Mary Chely Quiones and Jannette Gavilln-Surez Department of Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico at Cayey, 205 Antonio R. Barcel Avenue, Cayey, PR 00736 Category: Biochemistry and Phytochemistry

Abstract
Flavonoids provide important protective benefits to plants such as shielding from environmental toxins. When we consume plant-based foods rich in flavonoids, it appears that we also benefit from this antioxidant power. Antioxidants are believed to help the body's cells to resist damage caused by free radicals. In this research we are presenting the results obtained during the analysis of flavonoids of methanolic and aqueous plant extracts of Costus sp., Tapenoichilus ananassae, Lantana sp. and Rhoeo spathaceae. Our aim is to examine the relationship between the antioxidant capacity, the phenolics content and the amount of flavonoids in extracts of these plants known in folk medicine for their antidiabetic potential. The flavonoids content was determined as Quercetin equivalents at = 415 following the AlCl3 colorimetric method. The corresponding calibration curve was constructed with standard solutions of Quercetin (12.5 to 100.0 gQ/mLsolution). The flavonoid content in the methanolics extracts varied from 50.03 to 131.87 g Quercetine /g extract, while in the aqueous extracts varied from 49.98 to 94.04 g Quercetine/g extract. In general the amount of flavonoids in the methanolics extracts is higher than in the aqueous extracts. The TEAC antioxidant capacity correlates with phenolic content of the extracts. However, flavonoids content does not follow the same to trend. These results suggest that, other phenolics might explain the total antioxidant capacity observed in the extracts. In conclusion the free radical-scavenging activity determined as the total antioxidant capacity of the extracts results from the presence of both phenolic compounds and flavonoids. Further studies will be conducted to identify the flavonoids present in the methanolic extract of Costus sp. Which show the highest percent of flavonoids(56%).

Methodology
Analysis of flavonoids by the AlCl3 colorimetric method. Calibrations curves were obtained at different concentrations of Quercetine in the range of 12.5 to 100 g Q/mL. Analysis at 415 nm. Determine Total Flavonoids concentration (gQ/g extract).

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF TOTAL ANTIOXIDANT CAPACITY, PHENOLICS AND FLAVONOIDS CONTENT INPLANT EXTRACTS OFCostus sp., Tapenoichilus ananassae, Lantana sp. and Rhoeo spathaceae
Lantana sp.

Rhoeo spathaceae

Results and Discussion

Tapeinochilus ananassae

QUERCETINE CALIBRATION CURVE

Costus sp.

Figure 2: Legend

Flavonoids
(g Quercetine /g extract)

Phenolic
(eq Quercetine mM)

TEAC
(mg extract/mol TRolox)

Figure 1 shows the calibration curve use to determine the flavonoids content in the extracts of Costus sp., Tapenoichilus ananassae, Lantana sp. and Rhoeo spathaceae.

Figure 2 shows that the phenolic content in the extracts is consistently higher than the content of flavonoids. This is due to fact that there are phenolics in the plants studied that do not add to the concentration of flavonoids. Other plants studied contain phenolic compounds that given by the largest amount found in these antioxidant capacities When TEAC values are compare to the phenolic content of the extracts it can be seen that two of the four extracts contain phenolic compounds that are not linked to TEAC. Costus sp. and Rhoeo spathaceae showed higher phenolic content than antioxidant capacity. Phenolic. This suggest the presence of phenolic compounds that do not scavenge free radicals. Tapeinochilus ananassae and Lantana sp. showed the trend expected, that is as the antioxidant capacity in plant extracts increases, the phenolics and flavonoids concentration also increases.

Introduction
The use of medicinal plants present an alternative to the treatment and prevention of many diseases. Free radicals contribute to more than one hundred disorders in humans including arthritis, gastritis, cancer, diabetes and asthma. Free radicals produced from environmental pollutants, radiation, chemicals, toxins, deep fried and spicy foods as well as physical stress, cause depletion of immune system antioxidants, change in gene expression and induce abnormal proteins.1-3 Diabetes is a disorder of the metabolismthe way our bodies use digested food for growth and energy.1,3 In Puerto Rico, diabetics are estimated in 3,878,532. The use of medicinal plants with antidiabetic activity has being reported in the ethnobotanical literature. 2 Some of the plants reporeted include are Costus sp., Tapenoichilus ananassae, Lantana sp. and Rhoeo spathaceae. Recently there has been an upsurge of interest in the theringpeutic potential of medicinal plants as antioxidants in reducing free radicals and prevent induced tissue injury. The antioxidant activity of well known and traditionally used natural antioxidants from tea, wine, fruits and vegetables might be due to their phenolic compounds, specifically to flavonoids. 1 Flavonoids are water-soluble phenolic compounds that belong to a group of natural compounds that contain 15 carbon atoms in their basic nucleus arranged in a C6-C3-C6 configuration.

DETERMINATION OF FLAVONOIDS IN METHANOLIC AND AQUEOUS PLANT EXTRACTS

Regression analysis from Quercetin calibration curves was applied to obtain the linear equations ( > 95.5%) used to calculate the concentration of flavonoids in the extracts. The results obtained are presented below: Methanolic Extracts
Costus sp A = 1.0357nm x = 9.47 x10-9 g Quercetine/ L solution Flavonoid Content = 101.69 mg Quercetine /g extract

Aqueous Extracts
A = 0.9866 nm x = 81.02x10-8 g Quercetine/ L solution Flavonoid Content = 94.04 mgQuercetine /g extract

Future Work
Identify and quantitation of flavonoids in Costus sp. Methanolic extracts by HPLC

References
Rhoeo spathaceae A = 0.7954 nm x= 1.02x10-8 g Quercetine/ L solution A = 0.5389nm x = 5.06E-9 g Quercetine/ L solution 1. Pourmorad, F.; Hosseinimehr, S.J.; Shahabimajd, N. Antioxidant activity, phenol and flavonoid contents of some selected Iranian medicinal plants. African Journal of Biotechnology. [online] 2006, 5(11), 1142- 1145. 2. Gurav, S; Deshkar, N.; Gulkari, V.; Duragkar,N.; Patil,A. Free radical scavenging activity of polygala chinensis linn. Pharmacologyonlinefrican. 2007, 2, 245-253. 3. Yin,J.; Kwon, G.J.; Wang, M.H. The antioxidant and cytotoxic activities of Sonchgus oleraceus L. extracts. Nutrition Search and Practice. 2007. 1(3), 189-194. 4. Vinson, J.A.; Dabbagh Y.; Serry, M.M.; Jang, J. Plant flavonoids, Especially tea flavonols, are powerful antioxidants using an in Vitro oxidation model for heart disease. J.Agric. Food Chem. 1995, 43, 2800-2802. 5. Cheel, J.; Theoduloz, C.; Rodriguez, J.; Saud, G.; Caligari,P..; Schmeda-Hirschmann, G. E-Cinnamic acid derivatives and phenolics from Chilean strawberry fruits, fragaria chiloensis ssp. Chiloensis. J.Agric. Food Chem.2005, 53, 8512- 8518. 6. Rani,P.; Unni, K.; Karthikeyan, J. Evaluation of antioxidant properties of berries. Indian Journal of Clinical Biochemistry. 2004, 19(2), 103-110.

Flavonoid= 50.03 mg Flavonoid= 49.98 mg Quercetine /g extract Quercetine /g extract

http://www.ruhrunibochum.de/boga/html/Rhoeo.spathacea.BGBO.ja4.jpg

Lantana sp.

A = 2.4316 nm x= g Quercetine/ L solution Flavonoids= 131.87 mg Quercetine /g extract 1.63x10-8

A = 1.1689 nm x = 1.32x10-8 g Quercetine/ L solution Flavonoids = 92.19 mg Quercetine /g extract

Figure 1: The enzyme makes it a flavanone. The purpose of this study is to determine the amount of flavonoids in plant extracts that people use to treat diabetes. The results will be compare to previous data in our laboratory that showed that the antioxidant capacity of methanolic and aqueous extracts increases as the phenolic content in the extracts increases(TEAC).

Tapeinochilus ananassae

A = 0.9869nm x = 7.27x10-9 g Quercetine/ L solution Flavonoids = 68.35 mg Quercetine /g extract

A = 0.7825 nm x = 6.84x10-9 g Quercetine/ L solution Flavonoids= 61.98mg Quercetine /g extract

Acknowledgements
To our family and friends. NIH-RIMI Program Grant number 1-P2MD001112-0 Bio-Minds Program at UPR Institute ofnterdisciplinary Research at UPR Cayey RISE Program at UPRCayey

http://www.plantoftheweek.org/image/tapeinochilus.jpg