RESUMO
The present work concerns a phytochemical study of Urginea maritima L. from Algeria, and an evaluation of antioxidant activity of the methanolic extract (UMME) and its chromatographic fractions. UMME was fractionated using open glass chromatography on silica gel and antioxidant effects were evaluated using DPPH and ß-carotene/linoleate assays. The phytochemical screening revealed that the bulb of plant contains flavonoids, glycosides, tannins, reducing compounds, anthraquinones combined, anthocyanins, mucilage, triterpenes and steroids. DPPH method showed that the UMME has a scavenger effect on radical DPPH with an IC50=57.83±1.59µg/ml. The fractions isolated from U. maritima (L.) presented an IC50 ranging between 499.23 and 39.68µg/ml. In ß-carotene/linoleate test, UMME and fractions give an I% =69.56±0.08% and between 31.29±0.49% and 90.79±0.29%, respectively. UMME showed a high inhibitory effect on the xanthine oxidase (IC50=0.67±0.01 mg/ml) and on the cytochrome c reduction (IC50=0.68 mg/ml). Wide range of phytochemical constituents in Urginea maritima were detected in methanolic extract which exhibited antioxidant and antibacterial activity. This plant could serve as pilot for the development of novel agents for pathological disorders.