Antioxidative and antimutagenic activities of healthy herbal drinks from Chinese medicinal herbs.
Twenty-nine Chinese medicinal herbs and three healthy herbal drinks made of those herbs in a food processing pilot plant were tested for their antioxidative, free radical scavenging, mutagenic and antimutagenic activities. Water extracts of herbs (with few exceptions) and herbal drinks showed free radical scavenging activity. All water extracts of herbs and herbal drinks showed no mutagenicity toward Salmonella typhimurium tester strains TA98 and TA100 used in the Ames mutagenic tests. In the antimutagenic tests, the mutagenic activity of 4-nitroquinoline N-oxide (NQNO) toward S. typhimurium TA98 was markedly inhibited by water extracts of herbs and herbal drinks. Based on the results, it is suggested that the herbal drinks manufactured in pilot-plant scale are safe and can be served as health-promoting drinks for the public.
Department of Applied Chemistry, National Chiayi University, Chiayi 600, Taiwan, ROC.
Wenlung
W
Chen
Yih-Ming
YM
Weng
Chin-Yin
CY
Tseng
D016587:Antimutagenic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D009152:Mutagenicity Tests; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012486:Salmonella typhimurium / Q000187:drug effects; D013662:Tea
D016587:Antimutagenic Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D010936:Plant Extracts; D013662:Tea