Free Radical Scavenging Active Components from Cedrus deodara

Abstract

An activity-directed fractionation and purification process was used to identify the antioxidant components of Cedrus deodara. Dried heartwood powder of C. deodara was first defatted with petroleum ether and then extracted with chloroform. The chloroform extract showed strong antioxidant activity on 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical. This fraction was then subjected to separation and purification using silica gel column chromatography. Three compounds with potent antioxidant activity were isolated in significant yields and identified by spectroscopic methods ((1)H NMR, (13)C NMR, IR, and MS). They were identified as (-)-matairesinol, (-)-nortrachelogenin, and a dibenzylbutyrolactollignan (4,4',9-trihydroxy-3,3'-dimethoxy-9,9'-epoxylignan). This is the first report of the occurrence of these compounds in C. deodara.

In vitro screening of medicinal plant extracts for macrofilaricidal activity

“…R. communis has central nervous system (CNS) stimulant (Ferraz et al 1999), antitumor (Lin and Liu 1986), antifertility (Makonnen et al 1999), antifilarial (Titanji et al 1987), antiparasitic (Jacobson and Schlein 1999) and insecticidal (Alvarez Montes de Oca et al 1996) properties. C. deodara is known as an antioxidant (Tiwari et al 2001), anti-inflammatory, analgesic, immunomodulatory (Shinde et al 1999a,b) and a spasmolytic (Kar et al 1975). This study has revealed the macrofilaricidal properties of S. indicus and C. deodara that are known for other medicinal properties as mentioned above.…”

Simultaneous high-performance liquid chromatographic determination of Cedrus deodara active constituents and their pharmacokinetic profile in mice

“…Bark of this plant has been included in several traditional Ayurvedic polyherbal preparations for indications like inflammation, arthritic pain and dermal diseases [1]. Several botanical products from the C. deodara have shown diverse pharmacological activities: anti-spasmodic and anti-cancer against human epidermoid carcinoma of nasopharynx [2], spasmolytic [3], anti-fungal [4], anti-arthritic [5], anti-allergic [6,7], anti-inflammatory and analgesic [8,9], anti-oxidant [10], anti-filarial [11], and molluscicidal [12].…”

Antifungal Sesquiterpenes fromCedrus deodara

“…Studies on the chemical constituents of C. deodara have led to the discovery of many compounds including lignans, terpenoids, and glycosides [4][5]. In continuation of the work in the area of natural products [6], C. deodara oil and extracts were examined for the presence of many sesquiterpenes [7] with potent insecticidal activities [8].…”