The Inhibitory Effects of 12 Medicinal Plants and Their Component Compounds on Lipid Peroxidation

Abstract

The antioxidative activities of 12 medicinal plants and the compounds isolated from them were investigated using the thiocyanate method to evaluate inhibitory effects on lipid peroxidation in the linoleic acid system. The peroxide levels gradually increased during incubation in the presence of linoleic acid over 3 days, and most of the plants inhibited lipid peroxidation. In particular, of the plants tested, Cudrania tricuspidata, Zanthoxylum piperitum, Houttuynia cordata and Ulmus parvifolia reduced lipid peroxidation more effectively as lipid peroxidation progressed, resulting in inhibition of about 80% relative to the control value by the 3rd day of incubation. In addition, the polyphenols isolated from the plants also showed marked and dose-dependent inhibitory effects on lipid peroxidation. The compounds with the strongest activities were 3,4-dihydroxylbenzoic acid, quercetin, the quercetin glycosides quercetin-3-O-beta-D-galactoside, quercetin-3-O-alpha-L-rhamnoside, quercetin-3-O-beta-D-glucoside and quercetin-3-O-rutinose, catechin, gallic acid, methyl gallate and rosamultin isolated from Zanthoxylum piperitum, Houttuynia cordata, Rosa rugosa and Cedrela sinensis. Moreover, quercetin glycosides showed stronger activity than quercetin, suggesting that glycosylation increases the antioxidative activity of quercetin. Our results indicate that the medicinal plants and their polyphenols show promise as therapeutic agents for various disorders involving free radical reactions.

Aqueous Extracts of Dried Fruits of <i>Zanthoxylum armatum</i> DC., (Rutaceae) Induce Cellular and Nuclear Damage Coupled with Inhibition of Mitotic Activity <i>in Vivo</i>

“…Analysis of roots of Allium bulbs incubated in varying concentrations of AEDF exhibited a concentration dependent inhibition of a yellow coloured complex, previously reported to be an aldehyde-TBA complex [41,42] (result not shown). This is in agreement with previously published reports of the inhibition of lipid peroxidation by Zanthoxylum extracts [43,44] suggesting that the cel-lular damages induced by AEDF possibly does not involve induction of lipid peroxidation and might occur via an alternative mechanism(s).…”

Biological activity and composition of teas and tinctures prepared from Rosa rugosa Thunb.

“…Many of them act as potential natural antioxidants [8][9][10]. Although some R. rugosa extracts were reported to possess antioxidant properties [5,11], there are no detailed studies on their antiradical potential. Similarly, there are only a few data on antibacterial and antitumor properties of the plant.…”

Germplasm resources research of Toona sinensis with RAPD and isoenzyme analysis

“…Studies showed that the leaf extracts of Toona sinensis have many functions as ovarian cancer cells proliferation suppression (Chang et al 2006), antiinflammatory, analgesic actions and boil growth inhibition (Park et al 1993), DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) radical-scavenging activities and lipid peroxidation inhibition (Cho et al 2003), antioxidant activity , apoptosis induction of cancer cells (Chang et al 2002).…”