Chemical Investigation and Bioactivity Screening of Salvia cassia Extracts

In this study the antioxidant and anticholinesterase activities of the crude ethanol extract, as well as the dichloromethane and water extracts obtained from partitioning of the crude ethanol extract, of the plant Salvia cassia Samuelss ex. Rech. Fil, were determined. The extracts were screened for their total phenolic and flavonoid contents. The dichloromethane extract, which showed higher inhibition of lipid peroxidation, higher metal chelating capacity and also a higher flavonoid content than the other extracts was analyzed for its constituents. GC-MS analysis resulted in the identification of a total of 30 long chain hydrocarbons. A series of b-amyrin fatty acid esters, a triterpene acid oleanolic acid, a diterpenoid manoyloxide, and two flavonoids apigenin 7, 4′-dimethyl ether and salvigenin were isolated by open column chromatography. Their structures were identified based on NMR and mass spectrometric techniques. The isolated compounds were also tested for their anticholinesterase activities. The triterpenoids as well as the water extract exhibited promising anticholinesterase activity.