Antioxidant and anti-osteoporosis activities of chemical constituents of the stems of zanthoxylum piperitum

Two new lignans, zanthoxyloside C (1) and zanthoxyloside D (2), together with nine known compounds comprising lignans (3–5), flavonoids (6–8), and phenolics (9–11), were isolated from the methanol extract of the stems of Zanthoxylum piperitum. All isolates were evaluated for their antioxidant and anti-osteoporotic activities using oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), cupric reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC), and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) assays. Compounds 7–10 showed peroxyl radical-scavenging capacities and 4, 6–7, and 9 showed reducing capacities. Moreover, compounds 3, 6–9, and 11 significantly suppressed TRAP activities. These results indicated that the stems of Z. piperitum could be an excellent source for natural antioxidant and anti-osteoporosis.