The aim of this study is to determine the phytochemical profile, the total polyphenolic contents and the antioxidant activities of Haplophyllum tuberculatum leaves extracts. The most active extracts were analyzed by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Antioxidant activities were screened by the 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) test and measured by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2-azinobis 3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) and β-carotene bleaching inhibition assays. Phytochemical screening of the extracts revealed the presence of various secondary metabolites. The ethyl acetate extract was the richest extract in phenolics and flavonoids with 262mg gallic acid equivalents/g and 99.1mg quercetin equivalent/g of dry weight, respectively. The same extract showed an important scavenging effect on DPPH, ABTS and β-carotene/linoleic acid with IC50 of 0.020mg/mL, 0.029mg/mL and 0.022mg/mL, respectively. The correlations between the antioxidant capacities and the polyphenolic content were ranging between 0.889 and 0.256 and occasionally found to be significant. The UPLC-ESI-MS analysis showed the presence of polyphenolic and alkaloid compounds. Arabelline, majidine, dictamine and a qudsine derivative are found for the first time in H. tuberculatum. The results indicate that polyphenolic and alkaloid compounds may be major contributors to the antioxidant activity of these extracts.
Keywords: Antioxidant activities; H. tuberculatum; UPLC–ESI–MS analysis.
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