Phytochemical investigation of Psoralea corylifolia II: Evaluation of the antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of bakuchiol

CHED 841

Preeti Dhar, Penina Odari, and Susan M. Wortas. Department of Chemistry, SUNY New Paltz, 75 South Manheim Boulevard, CSB 101, New Paltz, NY 12561
Use of antioxidants from natural sources, especially plants, is becoming more popular due to the health concerns arising from the use of synthetic antioxidants in the food industry. Psoralea corylifolia is an annual plant found in India and China and is widely used in folklore medicine for a number of ailments. The seeds of Psoralea corylifolia were extracted with solvents of increasing polarity. The hexane extract exhibited the maximum 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity and therefore was subjected to activity guided chromatographic fractionation. This led to the isolation and characterization of Bakuchiol, a known meroterpenoid. The antioxidant properties of Bakuchiol were spectrophotometrically evaluated and compared to Vitamin E and Butyl Hydroxy Anisole (BHA) using the DPPH radical scavenging method and monitoring the peak at 517 nm. Results of the antioxidant and antimicrobial assays of Bakuchiol would be presented.