참당귀(Angelica gigas Nakai)를 기능성 식품소재 및 의약품의 원료로 활용하기 위하여 참당귀 methanol 추출물에 대한 항산화, 항암 및 면역활성을 조사한 결과는 다음과 같다. 참당귀의 항산화력을 알아보기 위하여 0.1, 0.5 및 1 mg/mL의 농도로 당귀의 methanol 추출물을 처리한 후 수소 공여능, 환원력 및 hydroxyl radical 활성을 측정하였다. 그 활성은 모두 추출물의 농도에 의존적으로 높게 나타났으며
The biological activities of methanol extracts of Angelica gigas Nakai, such as antioxidation, anticancer and immuno-activity, were investigated in relation to development of functional foods. Anti-oxidation activity in the methanol extracts were assessed by hydrogen donating activity, reducing power and hydroxyl radical scavenging activity. Activities were dose-dependent over concentrations of 0.1, 0.5 and 1 mg/mL, with thehydrogen donating activity being over 50% at 1 mg/mL concentration. The methanol extracts inhibited the proliferation of SW480 cells in a dose-dependent manner, and chromatin condensation and apoptotic bodies were observed by fluorescence microcopy in the cells treated with the extracts for 24 hr. Caspase-3 activity was also increased in a dose-dependent manner in cells treated with the extracts relative to control cells. The extracts did not induce the proliferation of mouse spleen cells or NO production in macrophage cells (RAW 264.7). These results show that the methanol extract had slight anti-oxidative activity and did not increase immuno-activity, but inhibited proliferation of SW480 through apoptosis via a caspase dependent pathway.