Antioxidant activity of Rhizoma Smilacis Glabrae extracts and its key constituent-astilbin

Rhizoma Smilacis Glabrae is widely consumed by Chinese as functional food and in folk medicine for its medicinal properties. In this study, methanol and water extracts of Rhizoma Smilacis Glabrae were prepared. The water extract was further divided into polysaccharide and supernatant fractions. Constituents in different extracts were analysed by capillary electrophoresis, and levels of total phenolics were also determined using the Folin-Ciocalteu method. Astilbin, the main constituent in the herb, was isolated and purified. Different antioxidant tests were employed to evaluate the antioxidant activities of the extracts and the isolated astilbin, and the results were compared with two commonly used synthetic antioxidants-butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). Methanol, water extract and supernatant fraction showed concentration dependent antioxidant activity while polysaccharide didn’t show any antioxidant activity. Purified astilbin showed the strongest antioxidant activity in comparison to any other extracts.