Flavonoid in goat weed (Ageratum conyzoides L. Asteraceae)

Abstract

   Goat weed (Ageratum conyzoides (L.) Asteraceae), a popular folk medicine used to treat sinusitis. Among the published chemical constituents of the goat weed, the flavonoid group is a group that exhibits significant anti-inflammatory activity. The study was conducted to provide chemical evidences for the use of goat weed in the treatment of sinusitis. Dry plant powder was extracted with ethanol 96%. The total ethanol extract was divided into three fractions by shaking with petroleum ether 30-60 ^oC (PE), dichloromethane (DCM) and ethyl aceat (EA). Segments were characterized by flavonoid reagents and analyzed by column chromatography for pure flavonoids. The substances were preliminarily identified on TLC and analyzed by UV-Vis and MS spectra. Results showed that flavonoids exist in all three segments, where PE and DCM segments contain methoxyflavones; The four flavonoids AC1, AC2, AC7 and AC8 were isolated, preliminarily determining that AC7 is a trimethoxyflavone and AC8 is a tetramethoxyflavone.