Screening of medicinal plant extracts for antioxidant activity.
The methanol extracts of nine medicinal plants traditionally used in Chinese medicine were screened for antioxidant activity versus resveratrol, which has been shown to protect cells from oxidative damage [Toxicol. Lett. 102 (1998) 5]. Most of the plant extracts used in this study inhibited the H(2)O(2)-induced apoptosis of Chinese hamster lung fibroblast (V79-4) cells. The extracts of Areca catechu var. dulcissima, Paeonia suffruticosa, Alpinia officinarum, Glycyrrhiza uralensis and Cinnamomun cassia strongly enhanced viability against H(2)O(2)-induced oxidative damage in V79-4 cells. Relatively high levels of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity were detected in extracts of Areca catechu var. dulcissima, Paeonia suffruticosa and Cinnamomun cassia (IC(50) < 6.0 microg/ml). The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) were dose-dependently enhanced in V79-4 cells treated with most of the plant extracts. The extracts of Areca catechu var. dulcissima showed higher antioxidant activity than resveratrol in all experiments. These results suggest that the plant extracts prevent oxidative damage in normal cells probably because of their antioxidant characteristics.
Lee
Si Eun
SE
Department of Biochemistry, College of Dentistry, Kyung Hee University, 1 Hoegi-Dong, Dongdaemoon-Ku, Seoul 130-701, South Korea.
Hwang
Hyun Jin
HJ
Ha
Jung-Sun
JS
Jeong
Han-Seung
HS
Kim
Jeong Hee
JH
D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006224:Cricetinae; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000494:pharmacology; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008647:Mesocricetus; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism
D000975:Antioxidants; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D010936:Plant Extracts; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase