동백나무 잎을 새로운 기능성 식품의 재료로 활용하기 위하여 항산화 및 항암활성을 측정한 결과는 다음과 같다. DPPH radical 소거활성을 측정한 결과 분획물의 농도가 증가함에 따라 DPPH radical 소거활성이 증가하는 경향을 보였으며, 특히 물 분획물에서 가장 높은 DPPH radical 소거활성을 보였다. 환원력도 분획물의 농도가 증가함에 따라 환원력이 증가하는 경향을 보였으며, 환원력 또한 물 분획물에서 가장 높게 나타났다. Lin
To obtain basic information on the potential use of Camellia japonica leaf as a raw material in functional food, leaf antioxidant and anticancer activities were investigated. The radical-scavenging activity of various solvent fractions from the leaf, as shown by the DPPH radical test, increased in a dose-dependent manner, with the water fraction showing the highest activity. The reducing power of various solvent fractions from the leaf was also dose-dependent, and, again, the water fraction showed the highest reducing power. The water fraction showed strong antioxidant activity in the linoleic acid test and was also capable of scavenging nitrite in a dose-dependent manner. Proportions of 92.15% and 95.61% of available nitrite were scavenged by the water and butanol fractions, respectively, at levels of . Both butanol and water fractions exhibited strong inhibitory effects on the growth of human lung and colon cancer cells. The total phenolic contents of the butanol and water fractions were 216.26 mg/g and 220.68 mg/g, respectively. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) showed that quercetin and epicatechin were the predominant phenolic compounds in the water fraction. The activities of this fraction are attributable to the presence of these phenolic compounds, particularly quercetin and epicatechin.