title: Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of selected Chinese medicinal plants and their relation with antioxidant content.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The main aim of this study is to evaluate the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of forty four traditional Chinese medicinal herbal extracts and to examine these activities in relation to their antioxidant content.
  
  
  METHODS
  The antioxidant activities were investigated using DPPH radical scavenging method and yeast model. The anti-inflammatory properties of the herbal extracts were evaluated by measuring their ability to inhibit the production of nitric oxide and TNF-α in RAW 264.7 macrophages activated by LPS and IFN- γ, respectively. The cytotoxic effects of the herbal extracts were determined by Alomar Blue assay by measuring cell viability. In order to understand the variation of antioxidant activities of herbal extracts with their antioxidant contents, the total phenolics, total flavonoids and trace metal (Mg, Mn, Cu, Zn, Se and Mo) quantities were estimated and a correlation analysis was carried out.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Results of this study show that significant levels of phenolics, flavonoids and trace metal contents were found in Ligustrum lucidum, Paeonia suffuticosa, Salvia miltiorrhiza, Sanguisorba officinalis, Spatholobus suberectus, Tussilago farfara and Uncaria rhyncophylla, which correlated well with their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Some of the plants displayed high antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities but contained low levels of phenolics and flavonoids. Interestingly, these plants contained significant levels of trace metals (such as Zn, Mg and Se) which are likely to be responsible for their activities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results indicate that the phenolics, flavonoids and trace metals play an important role in the antioxidant activities of medicinal plants. Many of the plants studied here have been identified as potential sources of new antioxidant compounds.
authors.affiliation: School of Science and Health, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith South DC, NSW 1797, Australia.
authors.forename: Anjaneya S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Ravipati
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Sundar Rao
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Koyyalamudi
authors.forename: Sang Chul
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Narsimha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Reddy
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bartlett
authors.forename: Paul T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Kirubakaran
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shanmugam
authors.forename: Gerald
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Münch
authors.forename: Ming Jie
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Manavalan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Satyanarayanan
authors.forename: Balaram
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vysetti
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D002460:Cell Line; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D010636:Phenols / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D005419:Flavonoids; D010636:Phenols