Cytotoxic and Antioxidant Activities of Flavonols from Melicope quercifolia

Melicope quercifolia, a plant from the Rutaceae family, is known for its medicinal properties, especially in traditional herbal medicine. Flavonoids, bioactive compounds widely found in plants, are recognized for their antioxidant and cytotoxic effects, making them promising candidates for cancer therapy and combating oxidative stress. Two flavonols, pachypodol (1) and ternatin (2), were isolated from the stem bark of M, quercifolia. Compounds 1-2 were isolated and purified with column and planar radial chromatography. The structures of 1-2 were determined based on HRESI-MS data, UV, 1D, and 2D NMR spectra. Compound 1 showed high activity against HeLa cells (IC50 values 0.65 µg/mL), moderate against P-388 cells (IC50 values 2.45 μg/mL), and weak activity against (DPPH radical (IC50 values 254 μg/mL.