Objective: Asparagus sprengeri (A S) is an ornamental plant cultivated in EGYPT. This study was designed to investigate some lipid and flavanoid constituents, in addition to the evaluation of antioxidant activity of different extracts of the plant.
Methods: Two phospholipid were identified by (HPTLC). The fatty acid methyl ester and unsaponifiable matter were analyzed by GC. Four flavonoids were isolated by CC and purified by PPc. Identification of isolated flavanoidal compounds was carried by spectroscopic analysis Viz, TLC,PC, UV, EL-MS and H-1– NMR. The different extracts were tested for their free radical scavenging activity using DPPH and β-Carotene- linoleic acid bleaching assay.
Results: Four flavonoids, were isolated, apigenin, dihydroquercitin, naringenin, apigenin- 7-o- glucoside Nine fatty acids, Myrestic and linoliec acids were the major components. The unsaponifiable matter was found to be a mixture of hydrocarbons from (C13– C28) and cholesterol two classes of phospholipid were identified namely L-α-Phosphatidyl-DL-glycerol and L-α- Phosphatidylethanolamine. The alcoholic extract of the plant has moderate antioxidant activity with EC50 0.114 and 0.110 mg/ml for the DppH and β-carotene methods respectively
Conclusion: Asparagus sprengeri can be used as the natural antioxidant. Flavonoids are suggested to be a group of key antioxidants in Asparagus
