Phytochemical analysis and bioactivity of the aerial parts of Abutilon theophrasti (Malvaceae), a medicinal weed.

Phytochemical investigations of aerial parts of Abutilon theophrasti yielded (6S,9R)-roseoside (1) and (6S,9S)-roseoside (2) which are new for the genus. The elucidation of the chemical structures was established by mass spectrometry, 1D and 2D NMR experiments. Although methanol extracts contained 48.5 ± 7.2 mg of caffeic acid equivalents and 15.87 ± 4.6 mg of quercetin equivalents, the antioxidant activity, as revealed by DPPH and ABTS assays, was of medium strength (EC50 of 306.2 ± 16.3 and 394.3 ± 14.8 μg/mL, respectively). A. theophrasti extract inhibits soybean 5-LOX with IC50 value 2.89 ± 0.2 mg/mL. The cytotoxicity of the methanol extract against MCF-7, CCRF-CEM and CEM/ADR5000 cancer cells resulted in IC50 values of 505.8 ± 34.7 μg/mL for MCF-7, 75.6 ± 7.1 μg/mL for CCRF-CEM, and 89.5 ± 13.4 μg/mL for CEM/ADR 5000 cells.