Baccharis spicata (Lam) Baill: Polyphenol screening, determination of their antioxidant activity and their main polyphenolic metabolites

Abstract

Baccharis spicata is a dioecious plant from South America. The quantitative variation of its polyphenolic compounds was studied in methanolic extracts of its vegetative and reproductive aerial organs. Leaves were found to be the organ with the highest polyphenol concentration. The main compounds have been characterized by thin layer chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography with standard compounds, and studies of structural elucidation were performed by UV-Visible spectrophotometry. The flavonoid rutin and the caffeoylquinic derivatives chlorogenic acid, and 3, 5; 3, 4 and 4, 5 dichlorogenic acids have been found. Studies of antioxidant activity were performed, obtaining a value of IC50 of 61.3µg/ml extract. This work sets a precedent in the study of this species and its possible therapeutic use in diseases related to the generation of oxidative stress.