Protocatecheuic Acid Underlies the Antioxidant Activity Exhibited by Illicium Verum Fruit

Illicium verum Hook F Star anise belongs to the family Illiciacea In traditional medicine it is used for variety of ailments The current study was aimed at investigating the antioxidant potential of I verum IV constituents Various extract fractions and pure compounds of I verum were explored for their antioxidant activity using DPPH diphenyl picrylhydrazyl and deoxyribose sugar assays The structure of pure compound was elucidated through spectral studies UV IR EIMS and H NMR data In DPPH assay the methanolic extract of I verum displayed antioxidant activity with an IC of mg ml Among its various fractions the ethyl acetate IV EA appeared to be potent antioxidant with IC value of mg ml and its sub fractions theethyl acetate soluble sub fraction of ethyl acetate fraction IV EA EA S was most potent with IC of mg ml Further fractionation led to potent sub fraction i e Petroleum ether ethyl acetate insoluble sub fraction IV EA PE EA I with an IC of mg ml The purified fraction subsequently appeared to be most potent mg ml which led to the isolation of dihydroxy benzoic acid protocatechuic acid as active principle In deoxyribose degradation assay the IV E IV EA and protocatechuic acid also demonstrated antioxidant activity with IC of approximately and mg ml respectively In conclusion the protocatechuic acid residing in I verum most probably underlies its antioxidant action