Spectrometric analysis, phenolics isolation and cytotoxic activity of Stipagrostis plumosa (Family Poaceae)

Grasses (family Poaceae) are economically important plants; they are used as crops and animal foods. Stipagrostis plumosa (L.) Munro ex T. Anderson is a member of this family and subjected to chemical and biological studies. The chromatographic techniques, LC–ESI–MS and GC/MS were used for identification of polar and non-polar compounds in its extract. Ten compounds, including one new flavone glycoside; tricin 7- O -galactoside, three known flavones, three C -glycosyl flavones and three phenolic acids, were isolated from S. plumosa for the first time except tricin. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic interpretation. In addition to the isolated compounds, eleven compounds were tentatively identified using LC–ESI–MS, five of them were detected for the first time from this species. 29 non polar compounds were identified using GC–MS analysis, representing 83.13% of S. plumosa diethyl ether extract. In addition to the DPPH activity evaluation, the crude extract and the isolated compounds were investigated against five human carcinoma cell lines; A549, HCT-116, HepG2, MCF-7 and PC3 at a concentration of 100 μg/ml. From the isolated compounds tricin and luteolin 6,8-di- C -glucoside could be considered as natural-free radical scavenging agents.