Polyphenols Isolated from Xanthoceras sorbifolia Husks and Their Anti-Tumor and Radical-Scavenging Activities

Xanthoceras sorbifoliaBunge. is used in traditional medicine in North China. To evaluate the anti-tumor and radical-scavenging activities ofX. sorbifoliahusks polyphenols and determine their structure-activity relationships, 37 polyphenols1–37were obtained by bioassay-guided fractionation. Two new compounds1–2, and compounds5,6,8,9,11,14–17,21–25,27–29,31,33,34,36, and37were isolated from the genusXanthocerasfor the first time. Compounds1–37did not show strong cytotoxicity against the four tested tumor cell lines (A549, HepG2, MGC-803, and MFC) compared to paclitaxel and under the conditions tested in the anti-tumor assay, but compounds3,4,7,8,10,18–20,25,26,29,30,32, and35exhibited stronger radical-scavenging activity than ascorbic acid in a 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt assay. This was the first report on the anti-tumor and radical-scavenging activities of the polyphenols isolated fromX. sorbifoliahusks. Overall, the present study contributed valuable information concerningX. sorbifoliahusks use in medicine and pharmacology.Keywords:Xanthoceras sorbifolia;polyphenols;extracts;anti-tumor activity;radical-scavenging activity