Phytochemical and biological studies of Sisymbrium irio L. Growing in Saudi Arabia

Ten flavonoids were isolated for the first time from the aerial parts of Sisymbrium irio L. grown in Saudia Arabia, using chromatographic methods, and identified as apigenin, apigenin-7-galactoside, apigenin-7-O-β-d-glucoside, luteolin-7-O-glucoside, apigenin-7-di-glucoside 5, apigenin-7-O-(6″acetyl) glucoside, apigenin-7-O-gluco(6″-1″′) rhamnoside, apigenin-7-O-gluco(6″-1″′)rhamnoside-5-methoxide, kampferol and kampferol-3-xyloside-7-galactoside. The median lethal dose of the extract was determined in mice and found to be greater than 5000 mg/kg body weight, suggesting that this plant is non-toxic. Antioxidant activities were assessed for all extracts and fractions (total, ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate and butanol) and isolated compounds, and showed variable antioxidant activity, with apigenin-7-O-galactoside being the most potent.