Assessment of in vitro antioxidant capacity of stem and leaf extracts of Rabdosia serra (MAXIM.) HARA and identification of the major compound

The leaf and stem of Rabdosia serra were extracted by different solvents in this work. The results indicated that 60% ethanol was the most suitable solvent for efficiently extracting antioxidants with strong free radical-scavenging capacity and ferrous ion chelating capacity. The butanol and 60% ethanol extracts of stem, methanol and 60% ethanol extracts of leaf were analysed by HPLC–PDA. A similar chemical composition was observed for these stem and leaf extracts. The major compound was obtained by column chromatography and identified by mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, which was confirmed to be rosmarinic acid. The contents of rosmarinic acid were in a descending order: butanol extract of stem > 60% ethanol extract of leaf > 60% ethanol extract of stem > methanol extract of leaf.