OBJECTIVETo study the antioxidant activity in vitro of five flavonoids contained Hebei balmy chrysanthemum, luteolin, apigenin, acacetin, acacetin-7-O-beta-D-glucoside and acacetin-7-O-beta-D-glucoside and discuss the antioxidant mechanism of Hebei balmy chrysanthemum as well as the structure-activity relationship of antioxidant activity of flavonoids.

METHODUV-visible spectrophotometric method was used to determine the DPPH scavenging rate and anti-hemolysis activity of the five flavonoids. The inhibitions on lipid peroxidation in rat brain homogenate were evaluated by measuring the content of MDA, and detected by the TBA method. The effect on glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in rat plasma was detected by GSH-Px kit.

RESULTThe flavonoids from Hebei balmy chrysanthemum showed better activity in scavenging DPPH radical, protecting RBC from hemolysis, inhibiting lipid peroxidation in rat brain homogenate, and increasing the activity of GSH-Px in rat plasma. The order of antioxidant efficacy was as follows: luteolin > luteolin-7-O-beta-D-glucoside > apigenin > acacetin > acacetin-7-O-beta-D-glucoside.

CONCLUSIONThe antioxidant activity of Hebei balmy chrysanthemum is related to the effect of flavonoids in scavenging radical, inhibiting lipid peroxidation and increasing the activity of GSH-Px. And the antioxidant activity of flavonoids is related to the number and position of hydroxide radicals and the steric hindrance of glucoside.