In this study, Pyracantha angustifolia (Franch.) C. K. Schneid was extracted with 70% methanol at room temperature for 48 hrs and concentrated under reduced pressure to measure its total polyphenol contents; furthermore, the effect of electron donating ability was examined. Methylene chloride, ethyl acetate, and methanol were used to fractionate the extract to testify total polyphenol contents, electron donating abilities, the removal abilities of superoxide radical as well as hydrogen peroxide. The total polyphenol contents were 2007.30±109.28 μg GAE/mL in 70% methanol extract, 273.39±10.19 μg GAE/mL in methylene chloride fraction, 80.57±0.64 μg GAE/mL in ethyl acetate fraction, and 1,160.87±44.71 μg GAE/mL in methanol fraction. The total polyphenol contents showed significant differences (p<0.05) between the solvents. The electron donating ability was 79.07±7.31% for 70% methanol extract, 22.34±0.64% for methylene chloride fraction, 5.33±0.28% for ethyl acetate fraction, and 32.26±1.10% for methanol fraction. The electron donating abilities were significantly different(p<0.05) between the solvents. The removal ability of superoxide radical was 0.018±0.003 for 70% methanol extract, 0.007±0.002 for methylene chloride fraction, 0.0147±0.003 for ethyl acetate fraction, and nothing for methanol fraction. The measurement of hydrogen peroxide decomposition was 0.022±0.0046 for 70% methanol extract, 0.0027±0.0015 for methylene chloride fraction, 0.0037±0.0012 for ethyl acetate fraction, and 0.0009±0.0001 for methanol fraction.

Pyracantha is a genus of thorny evergreen large shrubs in the family of Rosaceae, with common names Firethorn or Pyracantha. It's extract has also been used in cosmetics as a skin-whitening agent and functioning through tyrosinase inhibition. Recent studies have shown that pyracantha extract possesses antioxidant activities and may significantly improve lipoprotein metabolism in rats. Although the mode of action of Pyracantha extract is not fully understood, a strong relationship was observed between antioxidant and apoptosis in some types of cells. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluated the effect of pyracantha extract on blastocysts formation and their quality of the porcine parthenogenetic embryos. After parthenogenetic activation by chemicals, presumptive porcine parthenogenetic embryos were cultured in PZM-3 medium supplemented with extracts of pyracantha leaf, stalk and root for 6 day (1, 5 and 10 μg/ml, respectively). In our results, the frequency of blastocyst formation in pyracantha root extract (5 μg/ml) treated group had increased that of other groups. Furthermore, blastocysts derived from pyracantha root extract (5 μg/ml) treated group had increased the total cell numbers and reduced apoptotic index. Blastocyst development was significantly improved in the pyracantha root extract (5 μg/ml) treated group when compared with the H2O2 treated group (p<0.05). Subsequent evaluation of the intracellular levels of ROS in pyracantha root extract (5 μg/ml) treated groups under H2O2 induced oxidative stress were decreased (p<0.05). In conclusion, our results indicate that treatment of pyracantha root extract may improve in vitro development of porcine parthenogenetic embryos through its antioxidative and antiapoptotic effects.