This study examined the antioxidant and neuronal cell protective effects of the water and methanol extracts of Eugenia caryophyllata Thunb. The total polyphenol content was significantly higher in the methanol extract than in the water extract. The DPPH radical scavenging activity in the water extract was similar to Vit. C at a concentration of 100~200 μg/mL. The ABTS radical scavenging activity in the water and methanol extract was similar to Vit. C at a concentration of 800~1,000 μg/mL. The superoxide dismutase (SOD)-like activity in the methanol extract was similar to Vit. C at a concentration of 800~1,000 μg/mL. The DPPH, ABTS radical scavenging and (SOD)-like activity increased with increasing extract concentration. In a cell viability using MTT, the water extract (50 and 100 ppm) and methanol extract (100 ppm) had a protective effect against H2O2-induced neurotoxicity.The result ssuggest that the extract of E. caryophyllata Thunb. has antioxidant activities and may be useful for treating neurodegenerative disorders.

The objective of this study was to investigate the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of Eugenia caryophyllata Thunb. water and 70% ethanol extracts. The content of total polyphenol was significantly higher in water extract than in 70% ethanol extract. The DPPH radical scavenging activity of water extract was similar to that of Vit. C at a concentration of 1,000 μg/mL. The ABTS radical scavenging activities of water and 70% ethanol extract were similar to that of Vit. C at a concentration of 1,000 μg/mL. SOD-like activity of water extract was higher than that of 70% ethanol extract at a concentration of 1,000 μg/mL but lower than that of Vit. C. The DPPH radical scavenging activity, ABTS radical scavenging activity, and SOD-like activity increased as concentrations of water and 70% ethanol extracts increased. Cell cytotoxicity was not observed at all concentrations except at 100 μg/mL concentration of water extract. Inhibitory activity on NO production effect of water extract was significantly higher than that of 70% ethanol extract. These results show that E. caryophyllata Thunb. has potent biological activities, and their activities were different depending on extraction solvent.

From the EtOAc fraction of Eugenia caryophyllata, four compounds were isolated through activity-guided silica gel column chromatography, From the result of spectroscopic data including NMR, MS and IR, the chemical structures of the compounds were determined as 1-allyl-4-hydroxy-3-methoxybezene acetate (eugenol acetate, 1), 1-allyl-4-hydroxy-3-methoxybezene (eugenol, 2), 3β-hydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid (oleanolic acid, 3) and 2α, 3β-dihydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid (maslinic acid, 4). Compounds 3 and 4 were isolated for the first time from this plant. Also, compounds 1, 2 and 3 exhibited relatively high platelet aggregation inhibitory activity with the IC50 values of 0.24, 0.09 and 0.07 mM, respectively. Compound 2 significantly prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) with the value of 124±11.2 seconds as compared to the control with the value of 37.5±2.2 seconds at the concentration of 50 μg/ml. Compounds 1 and 3 revealed inhibitory activity on farnesyl protein transferase (FPTase) with the IC50 values of 0.49 and 0.24 mM and compounds 1 and 2 highly inhibited the growth of rat-H-ras cells with the Gl50 values of 6.63 and 5.70 μm, respectively.