title: Biological activities of Schefflera leucantha.
abstract: This study investigated various biological activities of the ethanolic extract of dried ground leaves of Schefflera leucantha Viguier (Araliaceae). The extract possessed very low cytotoxicity to brine-shrimp with the LC(50) of 4,111.15 microg/ml; the significant antioxidant activity on DPPH with the EC(50) of 71.90 microg/ml; the inhibitory activity on mushroom tyrosinase with the IC(50) of 10.53 mg/ml using the dopachrome microplate-assay. The extract of 5-20 mg/ml range in the agar dilution assay were active against various pathogenic microbial (11 species, 11 strains), with the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 5 mg/ml against Clostridium spp.; MIC=10 mg/ml against enteropathogens as Bacteroides spp., Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212, Lactobacillus spp., Peptococcus spp. and Streptococcus mutans; MIC=10 mg/ml against a pneumonia causing bacteria Klebsiella pneumoniae and a dermatopathogen as Propionibacterium acnes; MIC=20 mg/ml against dermatopathogens as Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538, Streptococcus spp. and Candida albicans ATCC 90028. TLC fingerprints of the specific extracts from the leaf powder exhibited zones of steroids-terpenes and flavonoids. HPLC fingerprint of the flavonoid extract was performed.
authors.affiliation: Pharmaceuticals and Natural Products Department Thailand Institute of Scientific and Technological Research, Technopolis, Thanon Liab Klong 5, Klong Luang, Pathumthani 12120, Thailand. buppachart@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Buppachart
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Potduang
authors.forename: Chanchai
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chongsiriroeg
authors.forename: Yaowaluck
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Benmart
authors.forename: Rattanasiri
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Giwanon
authors.forename: Winai
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Supatanakul
authors.forename: Sayan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tanpanich