In vitro photoprotective and antioxidant activities of dried aqueous-methanolic (H2O/MeOH) crude extract and ethyl acetate (EtOAc), n-butanol (n-BuOH) as well as aqueous (H2O) fractions of roots of western Himalayan plant Potentilla atrosanguinea (Himalayan cinquefoil) were evaluated. The ability of protection against UVB region followed the trend EtOAc>n-BuOH>H2O/MeOH>H2O. Total phenol content of crude H2O/MeOH extract was found to be 429.808mg GAE/g. The H2O/MeOH crude extract showed highest antioxidant of DPPH radical scavenging, superoxide anion radical scavenging and cupric ion reducing of 90.04, 78.86 and 88.64% respectively at 200?g/mL. One new compound methyl pentatetraconta-30,32,34,36,38,40,42-heptaenoate (PA-1) along with a known pentadecylbutyrate (PA-2) was isolated by column chromatography. Results indicated the importance of root extracts as photoprotective agents in sunscreen preparation in the pharmaceutical industry and considered as a natural source of antioxidants. ? 2015 South African Association of Botanists.
