Abstract: Fourteen compounds were isolated from the flowers of Carthamus tinctorius L..On the basis of spectroscopic data and physicochemical properties,their structures were elucidated as isolumichrome (1), (2S)-4′,5,6,7-tetrahydroxyflavanone-6-O-β-D-glucopyranoside(2),neocarthamin(3),kaempferol(4),kaempferol-3-O-β-D-glucoside(5), kaempferol-3-O-β-rutinoside(6),6-hydroxykaempferol(7),6-hydroxykaempferol 3-O-β-D-glucoside(8),quercetin(9),p-hydroxybenzoic acid(10), p-hydroxycinnamic acid(11),uracil(12),adenine(13),β-sitosterol(14).Compound 1 was isolated from the genus Carthamus for the first time.Free radical scavenging activity of the isolated constituents was investigated in vitro using TLC-DPPH assay.The results showed that the ethyl acetate extract and compounds 4,9 and 11 exhibited significant activity.

Key words: CarthamiFlos, chemical constituents, flavonoids, free radical scavenging activity, DPPH