Component Analysis and Antioxidant Activity of Adenophora triphylla

The levels of minerals, amino acids, fatty acids and sugars and antioxidant capacity of Adenophora triphylla (AT) root were investigated. The moisture, crude protein, crude lipid, crude ash and carbohydrate contents of the AT root were 3.4±0.3, 9.4±0.1, 1.6±0.1, 3.7±0.2, and 81.9±0.5, respectively. Among the minerals present in root, potassium content was the highest. Total amino acid contents were 103.5±9.1 mg/g. Palmitic acid was the most abundant fatty acid in AT root. The vitamin E and C levels in AT root were 1.1±0.1 and 5.2±0.5 mg/100 g, respectively. The antioxidant activity of 70% ethanol extract and fractions of the AT root has been determined by the scavenging of the stable radical DPPH; the result showed that the chloroform fraction was the most active, as the amount required for 50% reduction of DPPH after 30 min (RC50) was 103.7 μg, followed by 70% ethanol extract (265.4 μg), hexane fraction (104.4 μg), ethyl acetate fraction (104.4 μg), butanol fraction (108.9 μg) and aqueous fraction (484.1 μg).