Antioxidant and cytotoxic agent from the rhizomes of Kaempferia pandurata

ObjectiveTo determine antioxidant and cytotoxic activity of two flavanones, pinocembrin (1) and pinostrobin (2) from the rhizomes of Kaempferia pandurata. The chemical structures of both compounds were determined based on spectroscopic data, including UV, IR, MS and NMR spectra.MethodsThe antioxidant activities of pinocembrin (1) and pinostrobin (2) were assayed by using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl. Cytotoxic assay was done by using brine shrimp lethality test, and cytotoxic properties was tested against murine leukemia P-388 cells.ResultsCompounds 1-2 were evaluated for their antioxidant properties against DPPH, showing their IC50 were 5 816 and 6 268 μmol/L; brine shrimp lethality test: LC50 23.3 and 60.5 μg/mL; murine leukemia P-388: IC50 176.3 and 218.5 μmol/L.ConclutionsThe results indicated that pinocembrin (1) was slightly more active than pinostrobin (2).