Flavonoid and Diterpenoid Components from Teucrium orientale subsp. orientale and their Radical Scavenging Activity

Abstract

Being a member of the Lamiaceae family, Teucrium orientale (named Maryam Nokhodi in Iran) grows in Iran, Turkey, Iraq, Caucasus, Syria, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Central Asia, Europe, and North Africa. Among the pharmacological effects, Teucrium orientale is confirmed to have antidiabetic, antihemorrhoidal, antidysmenorrhea, antioxidant, antipyretic, antibacterial, anticandidal, and pesticide effects. The genus Teucrium comprises many bioactive compounds, including flavonoids, monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, diterpenoids, phenolic acids, and fatty acid esters. In this work, in order to investigate the phytochemistry of Teucrium orientale, the aerial parts of the plant were extracted by maceration. The column chromatography technique was used to fractionate the acetonic extract. Purified compounds were obtained by smaller chromatography columns and techniques, including preparative thin layer chromatography, precipitation, and recrystallization. Chemical structures of compounds were identified by NMR and FT-IR spectroscopy and also elemental analysis. The compounds were elucidated as sclareol, quercetin, and luteolin. Furthermore, the antioxidant activity of the isolated compounds was evaluated.