Apoptotic and free radical scavenging properties of the methanolic extract of Gentianella alborosea

Gentianella alborosea ("Hercampure") is a Peruvian species used in folk medicine for the treatment of a variety of health disorders. We tested the free radical scavenging (DPPH) and induction of apoptosis on a human uterus tumor cell line (HeLa) by its methanolic extract. The results showed a noticeable radical scavenging activity and a dose-dependent apoptotic effect.     

Antimicrobial and free radical scavenging activities of Teucrium montanum

The antimicrobial and free radical scavenging activities of petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate, n-butanol and water extracts of Teucrium montanum were investigated. Ethyl acetate, chloroform and n-butanol extracts expressed a wide range of inhibiting activity against both Gram (+) and Gram (-) bacteria. n-Butanol extract possessed potent DPPH free radical scavenging activity.     

Antimicrobial and free radical scavenging activity of Gentianella nitida

The antimicrobial and free radical scavenging activity of the ethanol extract and fractions of Gentianella nitida have been assessed. The most susceptible microorganisms were Candida albicans, Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Microsporum gypseum. The antifungal activity was concentrated in the 90% methanol and nonsoluble fractions, while the radical scavenging activity was stronger in the ethyl acetate and nonsoluble fractions.     

Antioxidant and free radical scavenging activities of some medicinal plants from the Lamiaceae

Antioxidative effects of methanolic extracts from six wild European Lamiaceae species have been studied with the use of three in vitro assays. The ability of scavenging free radicals was measured by DPPH reduction spectrophotometric assay. The reducing potential towards transition metals was tested by phosphomolybdenum method and the inhibition of lipid oxidation was tested by Fe/ascorbate system with photometric TBARS detection. All studied herbs exposed strong antioxidant capability, but the results were different for each species depending on the applied test. In DPPH scavenging the order from strongest to the weakest was: Leonurus cardiaca, Lamium album, Marrubium vulgare, Stachys officinalis, Lamium purpureum, Galeopsis speciosa. With phosphomolybdenum method the extract of S. officinalis was the strongest in both 40 degrees Celsius and 90 degrees Celsius but other species acted differently in both temperatures. In lipid peroxidation assay, the maximum inhibition of 78% was reached by S. officinalis and M. vulgare, whereas for both Lamium sp. and L. cardiaca slightly exceeded 70% and for G. speciosa reached 65%. The observed differences indicate the complexity of involved mechanisms and support the necessity of combining several assays in studying the antioxidant potential of medicinal plants.     

Antioxidant and free radical scavenging activities of five moss species

Total phenolic content, reducing power, antioxidant and free radical scavenging activities of ethanol extracts of five mosses were determined in vitro. No correlation between the total phenolic content and antioxidant or scavenging activities was found.     

Antibacterial and free radical scavenging activity of the seeds of Agrimonia eupatoria

n-Hexane, dichloromethane and methanol extracts of the seeds of Agrimonia eupatoria have been assessed for antibacterial and free radical scavenging activity.     

Investigation of the free radical scavenging activity of Ginkgo biloba L. leaves

The free radical scavenging activity of methanolic, ethanolic and aqueous extracts from Ginkgo biloba leaves, has been determined by EPR (electron paramagnetic resonance) using the DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging method. The investigation has also included selected constituents of G. biloba leaves, protocatechuic and p-coumaric acids, quercetin, rutin, isoginkgetin and (+)-catechin.     

A potent acetylcholinesterase inhibitor from Pancratium illyricum L.

Plants belonging to the Amaryllidaceae contain an exclusive group of alkaloids, known as sources of important biological activities. In the present work, Pancratium illyricum L., a species belonging to this family and endemic of Sardinia (Italy), was investigated for its alkaloid content. Fresh bulbs and leaves were processed separately. Standard extraction and purification procedures were applied to obtain fractions and compounds for GC–MS and NMR analysis. In addition to eight already known alkaloids (1–8), 11α-hydroxy-O-methylleucotamine (9) was isolated for the first time and its structure completely determined by one and two-dimensional ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. This new galanthamine-type compound exhibited a pronounced in vitro acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory activity (IC₅₀ = 3.5 ± 1.1 μM) in comparison to the reference standard galanthamine hydrobromide (IC₅₀ = 1.5 ± 0.2 μM).     

Antioxidative and radical scavenging effects of phenolics from Vicia sativum

An acetone extract of Vicia sativum seeds and fractions, comprising low molecular-weight phenolics and tannins, displayed good antioxidant activity.     

Isolation and free radical scavenging activities of a novel biflavonoid from the shells of Camellia oleifera Abel.

Oil production from the seeds of Camellia oleifera Abel. causes a great waste of shells which contain a lot of bioactive components. The aim of this research was to isolate flavonoid from the shells of C. oleifera Abel. and evaluate its uses. The shells were extracted by 70% methanol, hydrolyzed by 2 M hydrochloric acid, and further crystallized in acetone, the corresponding yield of flavonoid was up to 2.1% (purity: 93.8%). The procedure is concise, quick and proper for industrial utilization of the shells. Flavonoid was identified as bimolecular kaempferol structure by UV, MS, ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR spectra, which is a new biflavonoid and first found in C. oleifera Abel. It showed stronger scavenging activity of DPPH and ABTS radicals than kaempferol. MDA decreased, and SOD and GSH-Px activities increased significantly in serum (P < 0.01) and brain tissue (P < 0.05) of mice after intragastric administration of biflavonoid at 200 mg/kg/d for 30 d. Its effects in vivo are superior to vitamin C and similar to kaempferol. Thus biflavonoid can be used as a prospective antioxidant to protect brain cells against damage from free radicals.     

Antinephritis and radical scavenging activity of prenylflavonoids

Antinephritis activity of 5 prenylflavonoids similar to glabridin (1-5), isolated from Morus alba, Artocarpus communis, Glycyrrhiza uralensis and G. inflata, was evaluated in mice with glomerular disease (Masugi-nephritis). Oral administrations of artonin E (2) or licochalcone A (4) for 10 days (30 mg kg(-1) day(-1)) reduced the amount of urinary protein excretion compared to nephritic mice. ESR spectroscopy demonstrated that morusin (1) and licorisoflavan A (5) increased the radical intensity of sodium ascorbate by about two times. Morusin, licoricidin (3), licochalcone A and licorisoflavan A showed weak scavenging activity against superoxide anion radical.     

Free radical scavenging activity of three Equisetum species from Fruska gora mountain

The scavenger activities of Equisetum arvense, Equisetum ramosissimum and Equisetum telmateia aboveground parts phosphate buffer (pH 7) extracts were evaluated using three different methods: DPPH assay, ESR and NO radical inhibition assay. Total reducing power was determined by FRAP assay. The E. telmateia extract demonstrated the most relevant scavenger and antioxidant properties. ESR signal of DMPO-OH radical adducts in the presence of E. telmateia phosphate buffer (pH 7) extract was reduced to 98.9% which indicated that E. telmateia could be a useful source of antioxidants with huge scavenger ability.     

Preliminary evaluation of antinephritis and radical scavenging activities of glabridin from Glycyrrhiza glabra

Antinephritis activity of glabridin, a pyranoisoflavan isolated from Glycyrrhiza glabra, was evaluated after its oral administration to mice with glomerular disease (Masugi-nephritis) by measuring the urinary protein excretion, total cholesterol, serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen levels. Administration of glabridin for 10 days (30 mg kg(-1) day(-1)) reduced the amount of urinary protein excretion from control level (100+/-23 mg/day) to a significantly lower level (47+/-4 mg/day). ESR spectroscopy demonstrated that glabridin neither produced radical, nor affected the radical intensity of sodium ascorbate, suggesting the lack of correlation between the antinephritis activity and radical scavenging activity.     

Free radical scavenging activity of Achillea alexandri-regis extracts

The antioxidative potential of Achillea alexandri-regis has been studied by measuring the influence of herb extracts on hydroxyl and superoxide radicals' quantity in different in vitro systems. The ethyl acetate extract exhibited hydroxyl radical scavenging activity in all tested biological system (liver homogenate, hemolyzed blood, serum and postmitochondrial liver fraction), whereas butanol extract reduced hydroxyl radicals significantly only in the postmitochondrial liver fraction. Both extracts showed superoxide radical scavenging effect only in hemolyzed blood.     

DPPH radical scavenging activity of two flavonol glycosides from Aconitum napellus sp. lusitanicum

The DPPH radical scavenging activity of two flavonol glycosides obtained from ethanolic extracts of Aconitum napellus sp. lusitanicum was studied. The results showed a high DPPH antiradical activity of compound 1 (quercetin 3-O-(6-trans-caffeoyl)-beta-glucopyranosyl-(1-->2)-beta-glucopyranosyl-7-O-alpha-rhamnopyranoside) when compared with compound 2 (quercetin-3-sophoroside-7-rhamnopyranoside), rutin and ascorbic acid. The relationship between the caffeoyl and rhamnopyranoside groups in the flavonol glycosides structures and the DPPH antiradical activity was also discussed.     

Antioxidative and radical scavenging effects of olive cake extract

The antioxidative activity of different butanol extract fractions of olive cake was investigated. Four fractions showed marked antioxidative activity in comparison with BHT. Fractions tested also showed good hydrogen donating abilities, indicating that they had effective activities as radical scavengers. Coumaric, ferulic, cinnamic acids and oleuropein were isolated.     

Comparison of bioactive compounds content, free radical scavenging and anti-acne inducing bacteria activities of extracts from the mangosteen fruit rind at two stages of maturity

Contents of bioactive components, free radical scavenging and anti-acne producing bacteria activities of young and mature fruit rind extracts of mangosteen were compared. The young fruit rind extract contained significantly higher contents of phenolics and tannins and promoted higher free radical scavenging activity than the mature fruit rind extract, while the later extract contained higher contents of flavonoids and α-mangostin xanthone and gave higher anti-acne producing bacteria activity than the young fruit rind extract. Thus, the young and mature stages of mangosteen fruit rind should be beneficial for further development of antioxidant and anti-acne pharmaceutical preparations, respectively.     

Free radical scavenging activity of extracts prepared from fresh leaves of selected Chinese medicinal plants

The free radical scavenging activity of the 80% methanolic extracts from fresh leaves of 300 Chinese medical woody plants was assessed with the aid of the stable DPPH radical. Among the plants screened, 56 species had strong free radical scavenging capacities, with IC50 values lower than 0.5 mg leaves per milliliter. Analysis of the medical uses of these plants showed that most of them are employed for their effects on hemostasis, as anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial or for treatment of dysentery. These uses may be directly linked to the content in tannins and flavonoids and consequently to their free radical scavenging activities.     

Molluscicidal and radical scavenging activity of quinones from the root bark of Caryopteris x clandonensis

In the search for new molluscicidal natural products, the activity of the chloroform extract of the root barks of Caryopteris x clandonensis was tested. The LC(100) was <5 ppm. The fractionation and purification of the extract afforded 15-deoxyfuerstione, fuerstione and alpha-caryopterone as the main compounds. These compounds were tested against the snail Bulinus truncatus, an intermediate host snail of a schistosomiasis parasite and showed strong molluscicidal activity with LC(100)<4 ppm. In addition, they were found to have potent radical scavenging properties on superoxide radical.     

Phenolic content and radical scavenging capacity of 31 species of ferns

The total phenolic content of 31 species of fern plants was determined, and their antioxidant activities were assessed by DPPH radical scavenging analysis.