The antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cytotoxic activities of water and ethanol extracts of 14 Chinese medicinal plants were investigated and also their total phenolics and flavonoid contents measured. The antioxidant activity was evaluated in a biological assay using Saccharomyces cerevisiae , whereas the radical scavenging activity was measured using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method. Total phenolics and flavonoid contents were estimated by Folin-Ciocalteu and aluminum chloride methods, respectively. The anti-inflammatory activities of the plant extracts were determined by measuring the inhibition of production of nitric oxide (NO) and TNF-α in LPS and IFN-γ activated RAW 264.7 macrophages. Their cytotoxic activities against macrophages were determined by Alamar Blue assay. Four plants, namely, Scutellaria baicalensis , Taxillus chinensis , Rheum officinale , and Sophora japonica , showed significant antioxidant activity in both yeast model and also free radical scavenging methods. The ethanol extract of S. japonica showed highest levels of phenolics and flavonoids (91.33 GAE mg/g and 151.86 QE mg/g, respectively). A positive linear correlation between antioxidant activity and the total phenolics and flavonoid contents indicates that these compounds are likely to be the main antioxidants contributing to the observed activities. Five plant extracts (S. baicalensis, T. chinensis, S. japonica, Mahonia fortunei , and Sophora flavescens ) exhibited significant anti-inflammatory activity by in vitro inhibition of the production of NO and TNF-α with low IC(50) values. These findings suggest that some of the medicinal herbs studied in this paper are good sources of antioxidants.

BackgroundThe main aim of this study is to evaluate the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of forty four traditional Chinese medicinal herbal extracts and to examine these activities in relation to their antioxidant content.MethodsThe antioxidant activities were investigated using DPPH radical scavenging method and yeast model. The anti-inflammatory properties of the herbal extracts were evaluated by measuring their ability to inhibit the production of nitric oxide and TNF-α in RAW 264.7 macrophages activated by LPS and IFN- γ, respectively. The cytotoxic effects of the herbal extracts were determined by Alomar Blue assay by measuring cell viability. In order to understand the variation of antioxidant activities of herbal extracts with their antioxidant contents, the total phenolics, total flavonoids and trace metal (Mg, Mn, Cu, Zn, Se and Mo) quantities were estimated and a correlation analysis was carried out.ResultsResults of this study show that significant levels of phenolics, flavonoids and trace metal contents were found in Ligustrum lucidum, Paeonia suffuticosa, Salvia miltiorrhiza, Sanguisorba officinalis, Spatholobus suberectus, Tussilago farfara and Uncaria rhyncophylla, which correlated well with their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Some of the plants displayed high antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities but contained low levels of phenolics and flavonoids. Interestingly, these plants contained significant levels of trace metals (such as Zn, Mg and Se) which are likely to be responsible for their activities.ConclusionsThe results indicate that the phenolics, flavonoids and trace metals play an important role in the antioxidant activities of medicinal plants. Many of the plants studied here have been identified as potential sources of new antioxidant compounds.

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Agaricus bisporus mushrooms contain an abundance of ergosterol, which on exposure to UV irradiation is converted to vitamin D2. The present study evaluated the effects UV-C irradiation on vitamin D2 formation and its bioavailability in rats. Fresh button mushrooms were exposed to UV-C irradiation at mean intensities of 0.403, 0.316, and 0.256 mW/cm(2) from respective distances of 30, 40, and 50 cm for periods ranging from 2.5 to 60 min. Vitamin D2 and ergosterol were measured by HPLC-MS/MS. The stability and retention of vitamin D2 were assessed including the extent of discoloration during storage at 4 degrees C or at room temperature. Exposure to UV-C irradiation at 0.403 mW/cm(2) intensity from 30 cm distance resulted in a time-dependent increase in vitamin D2 concentrations that was significantly higher than those produced at intensities of 0.316 and 0.256 mW/cm(2) from distances of 40 and 50 cm, respectively. Furthermore, the concentrations of vitamin D2 produced after exposure to UV-C irradiation doses of 0.125 and 0.25 J/cm(2) for, 2.5, 5, and 10 min were 6.6, 15.6, and 23.1 microg/g solids, equivalent to 40.6, 95.4, and 141 microg/serving, respectively. The data showed a high rate of conversion from ergosterol to vitamin D2 at short treatment time, which is required by the mushroom industry. The stability of vitamin D2 remained unchanged during storage at 4 degrees C and at room temperature over 8 days (P = 0.36), indicating no degradation of vitamin D2. By visual assessment or using a chromometer, no significant discoloration of irradiated mushrooms, as measured by the degree of "whiteness", was observed when stored at 4 degrees C compared to that observed with mushrooms stored at room temperature over an 8 day period (P < 0.007). Vitamin D2 was well absorbed and metabolized as evidenced by the serum response of 25-hydroxyvitamin D in rats fed the irradiated mushrooms. Taken together, the data suggest that commercial production of button mushrooms enriched with vitamin D2 for improving consumer health may be practical.