Acanthus mollis is used as ornamental and medicinal plant. The ethnopharmacology reports indicate that extracts have anti-inflammatory activity. Phytoconstituents profile was evaluated by estimating the content of anthraquinones, flavonoids and phenols. In addition, the antioxidant activity was evaluated using four methods: Hydrogen atoms transfer (TRAP, ORAC and DPPH assays), and single electron transfer (FRAP assay). Finally, antifungal activity was determined by the M27-A2 test. The results shown that ethanol extracts have the highest concentration of phenols, anthraquinones and flavonoids. Total antioxidant capacity, extracts of ethyl acetate and ethanol are those with the highest activity, which correlates strongly with the presence of phenols. The antifungal activity measured in various strains of Candida is concentrated in ethyl acetate extracts of flower and leaf ethanol, a phenomenon may be related to antioxidant activity.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of phenolic, flavonoid, and anthraquinones from sequential extracts (n-hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, and ethanol) of Embothrium coccineum leaves on the antioxidant capacity, cell viability, and toxicity of the same, in order to find possible sources for novel antioxidants for food and pharmaceutical formulations. Antioxidant potential of sequential extracts was analyzed by five different assays: 2,2-diphenyl-1- picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity assay (DPPH), hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity (H2O2), oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and total reactive antioxidant potential (TRAP). An in vitro growth inhibition assay was performed using sulphorhodamine dye to quantify cell viability, while an in vivo brine shrimp lethality test was used to quantify toxicity. The dichloromethane extract has a greater efficiency in scavenging free radicals, combined with low toxicity, and no effect exhibited on healthy cells, compared to observations for the other extracts tested. Further research is in progress to identify and separate the active compounds of active extracts and investigate the protective effect of extracts on human dermal fibroblast injury induced by hydrogen peroxide.