In this study, we evaluated the antioxidant activity and protective effects against oxidative DNA damage of the ethyl acetate fraction from the callus of Abeliophyllum distichum Nakai (ECA). Callus of A. distichum was induced on MS medium containing NAA (1 ㎎/L) and 2,4-D (1 ㎎/L), and a sufficient amount was obtained for the extraction by subculture. Acteoside was analyzed and quantified (0.39 ㎎/g callus) from ECA using the high-performance liquid chromatographyphotodiode array detector method. ECA showed very high antioxidative activity as revealed by DPPH and ABTS scavenging assays. The IC50 values were 12.4 and 6.8 ㎍/㎖, respectively. ECA showed protective effects against oxidative DNA damage evaluated by using ψX-174 RF I plasmid DNA. It also inhibited DNA damage by suppressing the oxidative stress-induced protein and mRNA levels of γ-H2AX and p53 in NIH/3T3 cells. In conclusion, ECA protects against oxidative DNA damage through its powerful antioxidant activity.

In this study, we evaluated the antioxidant activity and anti-inflammatory effects of Abeliophyllum distichum (A. distichum) leaves that were prepared via air-drying. Fresh and air-dried A. distichum leaves were examined via 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) radical, and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS) radical scavenging assay and measurements of the reducing power. The suppression effects on inflammation of the leaves were analyzed by a western blot and RT-PCR on LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells. As a result, the antioxidant activity of the fresh leaves was found to be more effective than that of the air-dried leaves. Also, the fresh leaves were more effective in suppressing the protein and mRNA levels of iNOS and COX-2 than the air-dried leaves, thereby indicating the better anti-inflammatory effects. In addition, the contents of phenolic compounds and acteoside were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The results showed that the acteoside content decreased with the use of the air-drying method, while there was no change in the content of phenolic compounds. Therefore, this study indicated that fresh A. distichum leaves potential antioxidant and suppression activities of various factors that are involved in the production of NO, which were found to be better than those of air-dried A. distichum leaves. These biological activities were also found to be independent of the content of phonolic compounds and were assumed to be directly or indirectly related to the content of acteoside.

Sophora japonica has been used for treatment of liver and blood-related diseases in herbology. We evaluated whitening activities of Sophorae Flos and Fructus. Sophorae Flos and Fructus were extracted with methanol (MeOH) and divided into petroleum ether, ethyl acetate(EtOAC) and water fraction. For whitening effect by western blot in B16 F10 cells, we analyzed it by investigating the effect of tyrosinase, TRP-l (tyrosinase-related protein 1), TRP-2 (tyrosinase-related protein 2) and MITF (microphthalmia-associated transcription factor) protein expression. The protein expressions of tyrosinase, TRP-1, TRP-2 and MITF in B16 F10 cells treated with Sophorae Flos and Fructus extract were reduced in a dose-dependant manner. Therefore, these results suggest that Sophorae Flos and Fructus have useful plant resource to be developed as functional cosmetic.

Background: Valeriana fauriei (Valerianaceae) has been used to as a traditional medicine to treat a variety of symptoms, including headache, insomnia, hypertension, and menstrual irregularity. However, the present study investigates the species' antioxidant activity and its inhibition of oxidative DNA damage, which have yet to be studied.Methods and Results:The antioxidant activity was assessed using radical scavenging assays with 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) and, 2, 2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6 sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS) and a reducing power assay. The total phenol content was also analyzed, and phenolic compounds were detected using HPLC/UV, whereas the inhibitory effect of Valeriana fauriei on oxidative DNA damage was measured using φ-174 RF I plasmid DNA cleavage assay. The DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activity were 75.17 ± 3.55% and 95.83 ± 0.63%, repectively, and the reducing power was 93.14 ± 1.74 at 200 μg/ml. The total phenol content was 10.24 ± 0.04 ㎎/g, whereas chlorogenic acid, catechin, caffeic acid and epicatechin were identified using HPLC/UV, and the φ-174 RF I plasmid DNA cleavage assay indicated that V. fauriei provided protection against oxidative damage.Conclusions:The results of the present study suggest that V. fauriei has powerful antioxidant activity that can provide protective effects against the oxidative DNA damage caused by free radicals. The species, therefore, provides a valuable resource for the development of natural pharmaceutical to treat aging, cancer, and degenerative diseases.

Antioxidant activity and inhibitory effect on oxidative DNA damage of ethyl acetate fractions extracted from Cone of Red Pine (Pinus densiflora) were investigated to find utilization of Cone, by-product of Red Pine, thrown out after berry shatter, as a new natural plant resource. Cone from P. densiflora was extracted with methanol (MeOH) and separated to petroleum ether, ethyl acetate and water fraction. Among them, ethyl acetate fraction was used. The antioxidant activity was conducted by the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) radical, 2, 2'-Azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6 sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS) radical scavenging assay, Fe 2+ chelating assay and reducing power assay. The inhibitory effect on oxidative DNA damage was determined by DNA cleavage assay using φX-174 RF I plasmid. The results of DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activity at 200 ㎍/㎖ of extracts were 86.50% and 95.80% respectively, which were similar figures compared with L-ascorbic acid as control. Fe 2+ chelating activity was 77.96% and reducing power was 0.77 at 200 ㎍/㎖. Total phenolic component was 27.29±0.3 ㎎/g and Vitamin C content was 1.84±0.1 ㎎/g. Also ethyl acetate fraction from Cone has inhibitory effect, using φX-174 RF I plasmid on DNA cleavage assay. In conclusion, Cone, by-product of P. densiflora, showed high antioxidant activity and inhibitory effect on oxidative DNA damage. Therefore this study suggests Cone, useless by-product, can be developed as a new natural plant resource with lots of utilization such as an effective antioxidant, natural medicine, food, cosmetics and so on.