Flavone glucosides from Artemisia juncea

A new flavone glucoside, 4′,5-dihydroxy-3′,5′,6-trimethoxyflavone-7-O-β-D-glucoside was obtained from aerial parts of Artemisia juncea, together with the known flavone eupatilin (5,7-dihydroxy-3′,4′,6-trimethoxyflavone). The compounds were comprehensively analytically characterized by IR, UV, NMR and HR-MS, and their chemical structures ascertained. The EtOAc fraction of A. juncea showed the strongest DPPH radical scavenging ability as well as reducing power (in CUPRAC and FRAP assays) and phosphomolybdenum activity. This fraction also exhibited the strongest inhibitory effects on tyrosinase. Additionally, the best antidiabetic effects were observed for eupatilin and the CHCl3 fraction.