Chemical composition and bioactivities of flavonoids-rich extract from Davallia cylindrica Ching

• Characterization of flavonoids-rich extract from Davallia cylindrica.
• Flavonoids-rich extract from D. Cylindrica showed similar antioxidant activities with rutin.
• Flavonoids-rich extract from D. Cylindrica showed cytotoxic effects on A549 cells.

The flavonoids profiles and bioactivities of flavonoids-rich extract from Davallia cylindrica Ching were investigated. The total flavonoids content in D. cylindrica was determined as about 164.41 mg/g. The main flavonoids in D. cylindrica were tentatively identified as quercetin-3-O-rutinoside, quercetin 7-O-glucoside, quercetin 7-O-glucoside, kaempferol 3-O-rutinoside, and quercitrin by UV and ESI-MS spectra. Flavonoids-rich extract (0.258 mg/ml) from D. cylindrica showed similar or higher free radical (O2−, DPPH and ABTS) scavenging potential with that of rutin (0.25 mg/ml). The reducing power of flavonoids-rich extract (0.258 mg/ml) was slightly stronger than that of 0.25 mg/ml rutin. The flavonoids extract from D. cylindrica exhibited cytotoxic effects on A549 cells. It exhibited a dose-dependent inhibition against acetylcholinesterase.