title: Free radical scavenging activity of red ginseng aqueous extracts.
abstract: This study was performed to investigate the free radical scavenging activity of Panax red ginseng C.A. Meyer aqueous extract on 1,1-dipheny-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), carbon-centered radical, hydroxyl and superoxide radicals using Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) spectrometer and spin-trapping techniques. Two different Red ginseng aqueous extracts prepared by boiling water or room temperature extraction exhibited no significant difference in free radical scavenging activity. Ginseng extracts completely eliminated DPPH radical at 2 mg/ml. About 0.5 mg/ml ginseng extracts quenched 80% carbon-centered free radicals generated from 2,2'-azobis(2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH). Hydroxyl radical and superoxide radical were generated by UV irradiation and trapped by 5,5-dimethyl-l-pyrroline-N oxide (DMPO). Ginseng extracts scavenged 40% of hydroxyl radical at 0.1 mg/ml. Two mg/ml ginseng extracts completely scavenged superoxide radical. Ginseng extracts did not scavenge nitric oxide. The ESR data demonstrate that red ginseng aqueous extract is not a strong free radical scavenger.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-3200, USA.
authors.forename: Yoo K
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Qiong
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Lester
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Packer
mesh_terms: D015764:Bepridil / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds; D004578:Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000737:chemistry*; D005609:Free Radicals / Q000737:chemistry; D017665:Hydroxyl Radical / Q000737:chemistry; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000737:chemistry; D005894:Panax / Q000737:chemistry*; D010851:Picrates; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry; D013481:Superoxides / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D001713:Biphenyl Compounds; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D005609:Free Radicals; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D010851:Picrates; D010936:Plant Extracts; D013481:Superoxides; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D017665:Hydroxyl Radical; D015764:Bepridil; C004931:1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl