Isolation of two isochlorogenic acid isomers from phenolic rich fraction of Artemisia turanica Krasch.

Total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant capacity of five different extracts (petroleum ether (40-60), dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, ethanol and ethanol-water (1:1 v/v)) of Artemisia turanica (A. turanica) aerial parts were determined and phytochemical study on the most promising extract was carried out. Folin–Ciocalteu method, 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging test, β-carotene bleaching (BCB) method and ferrous ion chelating (FIC) assay were performed. Vacuum liquid chromatography (VLC) and semi-preparative HPLC were used for bioassay-guided phytochemical isolation. Structures of isolated compounds were established using spectroscopic analysis including NMR and MS. Among all the extracts analyzed, the hydroethanolic extract exhibited the highest phenolic content and antioxidant activity. VLC of this extract yielded seven fractions (A to G) which were subjected to all antecedent experiments. The same sample (Fraction D) showed the highest total phenolic content and free radical scavenging activity but the only statistically significant correlation between TPC and EC50 values was observed for BCB.3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid (isochlorogenic acid A), and 4,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid (isochlorogenic acid C) were isolated from the most active fraction. Antioxidant activity of A. turanica is probably partly due to the presence of isomers of isochlorogenic acid.