Bioactivity of major components from the seeds of Bunium persicum (Boiss.) Fedtch.

Zire Kermani (Bunium persicum) is an Iranian plant which is commonly used as antispasmodic, carminative, anti obesity and lactogage. The essential oil and different extracts of the seeds of this plant were evaluated for antioxidant activity by three complementary methods: DPPH assay, beta-carotene bleaching and ammonium thiocyanate methods. The oil and methanolic extract of B. persicum exhibited the highest antioxidant activity with IC50 = 23.4 +/- 1.6 and 45.7 +/- 3.6 microg mL(-1) in DPPH assay and the most inhibition of beta-carotene oxidation and lipid peroxidation. The GC/MS analysis of the essential oil of B. persicum indicated the gamma-Terpinene (46.1%) and cuminaldehyde (15.5%) as the major components of the oil. Furthermore the active methanol extract of the plant was fractioned by column chromatography to afford several fractions, of which in more purification, kaempferol, caffeic acid and p-coumaric acid were found to be the antioxidant components of this extract. These results confirm the in vitro antioxidant and radical scavenging activity of the essential oil and methanolic extract of B. persicum, which warranty the use of the plant in many traditional uses.