Dicaffeoylquinic Acids from the Aerial Parts of Artemisia ciniformis Krasch. & Popov ex Poljakov

Background: Artemisia ciniformis (A. ciniformis) belongs to the genus Artemisia and grows at northeast of Iran. The current phytochemical study was carried out on the most potent extract in cell-free antioxidant assays. Methods: Hydroethanolic extract of the aerial parts was fractionated using vacuum-liquid chromatography (VLC). The selected fraction from the previous cell-free antioxidant study was purified by semi-preparative HPLC. The structures of isolated compounds were identified using one- and two-dimensional NMR and ESIMS techniques. Results: Three identified compounds in this study were the known isomers of dicaffeoylquinic acid (DCQ), including 3,5- DCQ (isochlorogenic acid A), 3,4-DCQ (isochlorogenic acid B) and 4,5-DCQ (isochlorogenic acid C). Conclusion: The outstanding free radical scavenging potential in the hydroethanolic extract of A. ciniformis might be partly related to the presence of isochlorogenic acid derivatives.