Antioxidant activity of some furanocoumarins isolated from Heracleum persicum

Antioxidants are important substances that possess the ability to protect the body from damage caused by free radical-induced oxidative stress. A variety of free-radical scavenging antioxidants exist within the body, many of which are derived from dietary sources such as fruits, vegetables, and teas. This paper describes a search for bioactive components in fruits of Heracleum persicum Desf. ex Fisher, which led to isolation of four furanocoumarins that exhibit antioxidant activity. The structure of the constituents were identified by ultraviolet, infrared, nuclear magnetic resonance, and mass spectrometry analyses in comparison with literature data. The isolated constituents were tested by linoleic acid peroxidation for their antioxidant activities and were found to be moderately active. Antioxidant activity of crude ethyl acetate extract was stronger than single isolated constituents.