Antioxidant activity of caffeoyl quinic acid derivatives from the roots of Dipsacus asper Wall

The methanol extract from Dipsacus asper Wall (Dipsacaceae) was found to show antioxidant activity against free radical and Cu2+-mediated LDL oxidation. In further study, to identify active constituents from the plant, six caffeoyl quinic acid derivatives: 3,4-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid (1), methyl 3,4-di-O-caffeoyl quinate (2), 3,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid (3), methyl 3,5-di-O-caffeoyl quinate (4), 4,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid (5) and methyl 4,5-di-O-caffeoyl quinate (6) were isolated. Their structures were identified by spectroscopic methods including 2D-NMR. The isolated compounds, 1–6, were found to be potent scavengers of the free radical 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), and are more potent than butylated hydroxyl toluene (BHT) used as a positive control. The compounds 1–6 also inhibited Cu2+-mediated low-density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation. They increased the lag time of conjugated dienes formation and inhibited the generation of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggested that Dipsacus asper due to its antioxidant constituents, 1–6, may have a role to play in preventing the development and progression of atherosclerotic disease.