Chemical Constituents and their DPPH Radical Scavenging Activity of Nepalese Crude Drug Begonia picta

Vitexin (1), isovitexin (2), orientin (3), isoorientin (4) and 1, 3 - dih y d roxy - 6, 7 - dimethoxyxanthone (5) were isolated from the whole plant of Begonia picta , a Nepalese crude drug commonly known as “ Magarkaanche ”. Structures were elucidated on the basis of chemical and spectroscopic methods. All of these compounds were isolated for the first time from B. picta and their in vitro antioxidant activity was evaluated by diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl ( DPPH ) free radical scavenging assay. Compounds 3 and 4 showed significant free radical scavenging activity.