Major phytosteroid from Polygonatum orientale Desf. Rhizome

Polygonatum orientale Desf. (Asparagaceae) is herbaceous and perennial plant grown in northern parts of Iran. The rhizomes of Polygonatum, known as Iranian Shaghagho, is used in Iranian traditional medicine as tonic, aphrodisiac, wound healing, lightening, kidney stone remedy, gynecological and internal wounds healing, anti-gout and rheumatism, and anti-diabetic. The aim of this study was to evaluate 2,2 Diphenyl -1- Picryl Hydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity, isolation, purification and identification of secondary metabolites from Polygonatum orientale Desf. rhizome collected from north of Iran. The 80% methanol extract from the rhizomes of P. orientale was partitioned between 80% methanol and hexan, chloroform, ethyl acetate, and n-butanol respectively. The inhibitory concentrations 50% (IC50) for ethyl acetate fraction and BHT were measured from the concentration-inhibition curve and were 315.02 μg/ml and 42.3 μg/ml, respectively. Chloroform fraction was loaded on silica gel chromatography column and eluted with hexane:ethyla cetate (90:10 to 100% ethyl acetate).Two major compounds, 12-Hydroxystigmast 4-en 3-one, a phytosteroid, and methyl oleate, a fatty acid ester, were isolated using TLC plates and identified by spectroscopic methods; H and 13C NMR. These major compounds have been reported for the first time from Polygonatum species. A further phytochemical study to find more compounds from this medicinal plant is recommended.