Abstract

The ethanolic extract from corms of the Colchicum luteum Baker (Liliaceae) was investigated phytochemically. During phytochemical studies, compounds 1 - 4 were isolated from the n-butanol fraction. These compounds were identified as colchicines 1, β - Lumicolchicine 2, chlorogenic acid 3 and 3’, 4’, 5.7-Tetrahydroxyflavone 4, on the basis of different modern spectroscopic techniques. Chlorogenic acid 3’, 4’, 5.7-Tetrahydroxyflavone were isolated for the first time from this species. On the basis of scavenging activity of the stable 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhidrazyl (DPPH) free radical, the crude ethanolic extract and subsequent fractions of C. luteum Baker offered promising antioxidant activity. The highest activity was displayed by chloroform fraction (91%), while the overall range was found (56 - 91%), expressed some correlation with the isolated compounds.

Key words: Colchicum luteum, Liliaceae, chlorogenic acid, luteolin, antioxidant.

Abbreviation

RSA, Free radical scavenging activity; ¹H-NMR, proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy; DPPH, stable 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhidrazyl;HR-EIM, human resource-enterprise incentive management; HMBC, heteronuclear multiple bond correlation.