The EtOAc soluble fraction from the stem of Sorghum bicolor showed a strong free radical scavenging activity. Five major compounds were isolated from this fraction. They were identified by spectral data as methyl ferulate (1), methyl p-hydroxycinnamate (2), p-hydroxybenzaldehyde (3), tricin (4), and quercetin 3,4'-dimethyl ether (5). Among these compounds, 1 exhibited a strong, free radical scavenging activity on 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) with an IC50 value of 0.7 microM. We further studied the effects of these isolated compounds on the lipid peroxidation in rat liver microsomes induced by non-enzymatic method. All five compounds showed anti-lipid peroxidation activity (IC50 values of 0.5, 0.4, 0.3 and 0.3 microM, respectively).

A phenyl propanoid derivative, dillapional(1) was found to be a antimicrobial principle of the stems of Foeniculum vulgare (Umbelliferae) with MIC values of 125, 250 and 125/ against Bacillus subtilis, Aspergillus niger and Cladosporium cladosporioides, respectively. A coumarin derivative, scopoletin(2) was also isolated as marginally antimicrobial agent along with inactive compounds, dillapiol(3), bergapten(4), imperatorin(5) and psolaren(6) from this plant. The isolates 1-6 were not active against the Escherichia coli.

In order to evaluate the pharmacological activities of Chinese medicine, nine Umbelliferae plants were selected and their restoring activity against dexamethasone-induced disorders, liver protective activity, antimicrobial activity, anti-inflammatory activity and antimutagenic activity were tested and compared. Angelica dahurica. Angelica acutiloba and Ostericum koreanum showed various activities in these tests at the dose used in this study.

The EtOAc and n-BuOH soluble fractions from the aerial part of Setaria vindis showed a strong free radical scavenging activity. Six major compounds were isolated from these fractions. They were identified by spectral data as tricin (1), p-hydroxycinnamic acid (2), vitexin 2''-O-xyloside (3), orientin 2''-O-xyloside (4), tricin-7-O-beta-D-glucoside (5) and vitexin 2"-O-glucoside (6). Among these compounds, 4 and 5 exhibited strong free radical scavenging activities on 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). We further studied the effects of these isolated compounds on the lipid peroxidation in rat liver microsomes induced by non-enzymatic method. As expected, 4 and 5 exhibited significant inhibition on ascorbic/Fe2+ induced lipid peroxidation in rat liver microsomes.

Flavonoids have been demonstrated to exhibit a wide range of biological activities including anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective actions. Although a significant amount of flavonoids has been identified to be present as glycosides in medicinal plants, determinations of the biological activities of flavonoids were mainly carried out with aglycones of flavonoids. Therefore, the exact role of the glycosidation of flavonoid aglycones needs to be established. In an attempt to understand the possible role of glycosidation on the modulation of the biological activities of flavonoids, diverse glycosides of kaempferol, quercetin, and aromadendrin were examined in terms of their anti-inflammatory activity determined with the suppression of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO) production in BV2 microglial cells. The results indicated that glycosidation of aglycones attenuated the suppressive activity of aglycones on LPS-induced NO production. Although attenuated, some of glycosides, depending on the position and degree of glycosidation, maintained the inhibitory capability of LPS-induced NO production. These findings suggest that glycosidation of flavonoid aglycones should be considered as an important modulator of the biological activities of flavonoids.