ABSTRACT
Orostachys margaritifolia Y. N. Lee (OMY) is an endemic Korean plant in the family Crassulaceae that is known to contain a variety of bioactive compounds. To assess the physiological activities of an OMY ethanol extract, ABTS+ and DPPH radical scavenging assays and a nitric oxide (NO) inhibition assay were conducted. The phytochemical makeup of the extract was profiled via liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-ESI/MS) and high-performance liquid chromatography with a photodiode array detector (HPLC/PDA). The OMY extract was found to have weaker ABTS+ and DPPH radical scavenging activities than the control group (green tea). In the NO inhibition assay, the OMY extract induced a significant increase in macrophage cell viability but showed a lower NO inhibitory activity than l-NAME, producing an IC50 value of 202.6 µg/mL. The LC-ESI/MS and HPLC/PDA analyses identified isoquercitrin and astragalin in the OMY extract, quantifying their contents at 3.74 mg/g and 3.19 mg/g, respectively. The study revealed possibilities for the utilization of OMY as a future source of drugs for alleviating inflammation and diseases related to reactive oxygen species.
ABSTRACT
Chrysanthemum morifolium is a valuable plant that contains a wide range of phytochemical compounds and exhibits various biological activities. Ethanol extracts from both the leaves and flowers of 17 different cultivars of C. morifolium were tested for antioxidant activities using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and 2,2'-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) assays and were quantitatively analyzed for 12 phenolic compounds using high-performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detection. We found that the 'Ford' and 'Raina' cultivars demonstrated strong antioxidant abilities and high phenolic compound contents compared to other cultivars, while the flowers of 'Cielo' and the leaves of 'White Cap' exhibited low antioxidant capacity in both assays. The 'Cielo' cultivar also displayed the lowest compound contents. Additionally, in most samples, 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid and 4,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid stood out as high-content compounds in the extracts. This study provides foundational knowledge that can be used for selecting appropriate C. morifolium cultivars for further research. Moreover, the 'Ford' and 'Raina' cultivars, containing high amounts of bioactive compounds and showing superior antioxidant ability, could be applied to produce health-beneficial products.
ABSTRACT
Total polyphenol and total flavonoid assays were performed to characterize the relationships between the color of Peucedanum japonicum (PJ) seed coat and stem and the content of phytochemical compounds. The samples were divided into two groups based on their stem and seed coat color, with each group containing 23 samples. The stem color group was subdivided into green, light red, and red, whereas the seed coat color group was divided into light brown, brown, and dark brown. In the stem color group, the light red stems exhibited the highest content of phytochemical compounds, with levels over 10% higher than those of the stems of the other colors. Moreover, among the top ten samples with the highest total polyphenol content, eight samples were light red, and the light red group also exhibited the highest total flavonoid content among the examined color groups. In terms of the seed coat color, the plants grown from dark brown seeds exhibited the highest contents of both total polyphenols and total flavonoids. In conclusion, PJ plants with dark brown seeds and light red stems contained the highest levels of phytochemical compounds. Collectively, our findings provide a valuable basis for future seed selection of PJ for pharmaceutical purposes.