Radical scavenging potential of compounds isolated from Vitex agnus-castus

Nine secondary metabolites—artemetin (1), casticin (2), 3-hydroxy-5,6,7,4 ´ -tetramethoxy flavone U(3), penduletin (4), p-hydroxybenzoic acid (5), methyl 3,4-dihydroxybenzoate (6), methyl isovanillate (7), vanillic acid (8), and 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid (9)–were isolated from a folkloric medicinal plant, Vitex agnus-castus. The structures of compounds 1-9 were identified using spectroscopic techniques. Compound 7 was isolated for the first time from this plant. These compounds were screened for their antioxidant activity. Compounds 6 and 9 exhibited significant activity against the DPPH free radical.