Isolation and Caenorhabditis elegans lifespan assay of flavonoids from onion

J Agric Food Chem. 2011 Jun 8;59(11):5927-34. doi: 10.1021/jf104798n. Epub 2011 May 12.

Abstract

The main flavonoids were isolated from three selected onion cultivars. Three phenolic compounds were obtained by reverse-phase HPLC, and their structures were elucidated by multiple NMR measurements. There were two known compounds, quercetin and quercetin 3'-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (Q3'G), and one novel compound, quercetin 3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside-(4→1)-β-d-glucopyranoside (Q3M), which was identified in onion for the first time. These flavonoids were found to be more abundant in the onion peel than in the flesh or core. Their antioxidative activities were tested using the DPPH method, and their antiaging activities were evaluated using a Caenorhabditis elegans lifespan assay. No direct correlation was found between antioxidative activity and antiaging activity. Quercetin showed the highest antioxidative activity, whereas Q3M showed the strongest antiaging activity among these flavonoids, which might be related to its high hydrophilicity.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antioxidants / chemistry
  • Antioxidants / isolation & purification
  • Antioxidants / pharmacology
  • Caenorhabditis elegans / drug effects*
  • Caenorhabditis elegans / physiology
  • Flavonoids / chemistry
  • Flavonoids / isolation & purification*
  • Flavonoids / pharmacology*
  • Life Expectancy
  • Longevity / drug effects*
  • Onions / chemistry*
  • Plant Extracts / chemistry
  • Plant Extracts / isolation & purification*
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Antioxidants
  • Flavonoids
  • Plant Extracts