Polyphenolic compounds characterization and reactive nitrogen species scavenging capacity of Oenothera paradoxa defatted seed extracts

Biological investigations have revealed high scavenging capacity of Oenothera paradoxa defatted seed extract on reactive nitrogen species such as NO and ONOO⁻. The characteristics of the polyphenols present in the extracts were checked using high performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray negative ionization ion trap mass spectrometry. Extracts contained five groups of compound: phenolic acids (gallic acid, ethyl gallate, ellagic acid and ferulic acid pentoside), flavanols (catechin, catechin gallate) and oligomeric procyanidins, flavonols (quercetin-3-O-glucoside, quercetin-3-O-glucuronide, quercetin-3-O-pentoside and quercetin), and gallotannins (tetragalloyl glucose, pentagalloyl glucose and hexagalloyl glucose). Penta-O-galloyl-β-d-glucose were present in the extracts in concentrations from 9.44 to 16.75 mg/g, which demonstrated a significant NO and ONOO⁻ scavenging activity with IC₅₀ 0.20 and 0.06 μM, respectively, may be considered as an O. paradoxa extract quality marker.