Biological Activities of Extracts from Different Parts of Cryptomeria japonica

Abstract

Cryptomeria japonica is one of the most important forest tree species in Japan. To increase the demand for domestic timber, broad uses related to the functional attributes of C. japonica must be developed. Several studies have examined the usefulness of C. japonica in terms of its biological activities, but a comprehensive study subjecting all parts of the C. japonica plant to the same solvent for extraction has not been done. Here, methanol extractions from the leaves, branches, bearing branches, male flowers, female flowers, cones, bark, heartwood, sapwood, pith, rhizomes, roots, and pollen were subjected to several in vitro assays of their biological activities such as antioxidant activity, anti-lipase activity, antibacterial activity and melanin-biosynthesis-inhibition activity. Their total phenolic content was also determined. The methanol extracts from each part of C. japonica except for pollen showed strong activities in the bioactivity assays. Furthermore, the methanol extracts were analyzed by GC/MS. The phytochemical profile varied among extracts from various parts of C. japonica. Our results suggest the great potential of C. japonica for use as a functional ingredient in health-related products.

Essential Oils and Their Main Chemical Components: The Past 20 Years of Preclinical Studies in Melanoma

“…Table 6 shows studies in which the antioxidant effects of EOs and their components have been analyzed using cell-free assays or melanoma models. Artemisia argyi -DPPH, ABTS, metal-ion chelation [28] Atriplex undulata -Crocin bleaching inhibition, DPPH [29] Cinnamomum cassia Cinnamaldehyde B16 [32] Chrysanthemum boreale Makino -DPPH, ABTS [31] Cryptomeria japonica -B16 [220] Cuminum Cyminum -DPPH, superoxide anion radical-scavenging activity, β-carotene/linoleic acid [35] Curcuma aromatica -DPPH [36] Curcuma kwangsiensis -DPPH [37] Dalbergia pinnata -DPPH, ABTS [39] Eucalyptus camaldulensis -DPPH, ABTS, B16-F10 [41] Eugenia uniflora -DPPH, β-carotene/linoleic acid [43] Glechoma hederacea β-carotene/linoleic acid, B16 [44] Helichrysum microphyllum -DPPH, ABTS [45] Hypericum hircinum -DPPH, ABTS [47] Lavandula augustifolia -B16-F10 [49] Melaleuca quinquenervia 1,8-Cineole, α-pipene, α-terpineol B16 [53] Ocimum basilicum -DPPH, hypoxanthine/xanthine oxidase [58] Ocimum gratissimum -DPPH, hypoxanthine/xanthine oxidase [58,237] Ocimum micranthum -DPPH, hypoxanthine/xanthine oxidase [58] Ocimum tenuiflorum -DPPH, hypoxanthine/xanthine oxidase [58] Table 6. Cont.…”

Bioactive Dimeric Abietanoid Peroxides from the Bark of Cryptomeria japonica

“…Phytochemical investigations indicated the presence of monoterpenoids, sesquiterpenoids, and diterpenoids [2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24] in the leaves, heartwood, and barks of C. japonica . The crude extracts and secondary metabolites from this species exhibited a wide array of bioactivities including cytotoxic [23], antifungal [24], antibacterial [23], antioxidant [25], anti-inflammatory [26], and insect antifeedant [27] and repellent [18] properties. While searching for bioactive chemical ingredients of the bark of C. japonica , we have already reported the isolation of three sesquarterpenoids [28,29] and ten abietane-type diterpenoids [30,31,32].…”

New Abietane-type Diterpenoids from the Bark of Cryptomeria japonica

“…Previous phytochemical investigations of the leaves, heartwood, and barks of C. japonica led to the identification of diverse terpenoids, including monoterpenoids, sesquiterpenoids, and diterpenoids . A variety of biological activities including cytotoxic [23], antifungal [24], antibacterial [25], antioxidant [26], anti-inflammatory [27], and insect antifeedant [28] and repellent [29] properties have been reported for the crude extracts or secondary metabolites from this species. While searching for the new chemical ingredients of the bark of C. japonica, we have already reported the isolation of a cytotoxic sesquarterpene (C 35 ), cryptotrione, with an unprecedented skeleton possessing a conjugated abietane and cadinane [30], ten abietane-type diterpenoids [31][32][33], and two sesquarterpenoids [34].…”