The antioxidant capacities (oxygen radical absorbance capacity, ORAC) and total phenolic contents in extracts of 27 culinary herbs and 12 medicinal herbs were determined. The ORAC values and total phenolic contents for the medicinal herbs ranged from 1.88 to 22.30 μmol of Trolox equivalents (TE)/g of fresh weight and 0.23 to 2.85 mg of gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g of fresh weight, respectively. Origanum × majoricum, O. vulgare ssp. hirtum, and Poliomintha longiflora have higher ORAC and phenolic contents as compared to other culinary herbs. The ORAC values and total phenolic content for the culinary herbs ranged from 2.35 to 92.18 μmol of TE/g of fresh weight and 0.26 to 17.51 mg of GAE/g of fresh weight, respectively. These also were much higher than values found in the medicinal herbs. The medicinal herbs with the highest ORAC values were Catharanthus roseus, Thymus vulgaris, Hypericum perforatum, and Artemisia annua. A linear relationship existed between ORAC values and total phenolic contents of th...

Antioxidant activity and phenolic compounds in selected herbs

Phenolics and polyphenolics in foods, beverages and spices: Antioxidant activity and health effects – A review

https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3516&context=pubs

Health-promoting properties of common herbs

The roots and rhizomes of licorice (Glycyrrhiza) species have long been used worldwide as a herbal medicine and natural sweetener. Licorice root is a traditional medicine used mainly for the treatment of peptic ulcer, hepatitis C, and pulmonary and skin diseases, although clinical and experimental studies suggest that it has several other useful pharmacological properties such as antiinflammatory, antiviral, antimicrobial, antioxidative, anticancer activities, immunomodulatory, hepatoprotective and cardioprotective effects. A large number of components have been isolated from licorice, including triterpene saponins, flavonoids, isoflavonoids and chalcones, with glycyrrhizic acid normally being considered to be the main biologically active component. This review summarizes the phytochemical, pharmacological and pharmacokinetics data, together with the clinical and adverse effects of licorice and its bioactive components.

Review of Pharmacological Effects of Glycyrrhiza sp. and its Bioactive Compounds

Epidemiological evidence suggests that flavonoids may play an important role in the decreased risk of chronic diseases associated with a diet rich in plant-derived foods. Flavonoids are also common constituents of plants used in traditional medicine to treat a wide range of diseases. The purpose of this article is to summarize the distribution and biological activities of one of the most common flavonoids: luteolin. This flavonoid and its glycosides are widely distributed in the plant kingdom; they are present in many plant families and have been identified in Bryophyta, Pteridophyta, Pinophyta and Magnoliophyta. Dietary sources of luteolin include, for instance, carrots, peppers, celery, olive oil, peppermint, thyme, rosemary and oregano. Preclinical studies have shown that this flavone possesses a variety of pharmacological activities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and anticancer activities. The ability of luteolin to inhibit angiogenesis, to induce apoptosis, to prevent carcinogenesis in animal models, to reduce tumor growth in vivo and to sensitize tumor cells to the cytotoxic effects of some anticancer drugs suggests that this flavonoid has cancer chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic potential. Modulation of ROS levels, inhibition of topoisomerases I and II, reduction of NF-kappaB and AP-1 activity, stabilization of p53, and inhibition of PI3K, STAT3, IGF1R and HER2 are possible mechanisms involved in the biological activities of luteolin.

Distribution and biological activities of the flavonoid luteolin.

Antioxidant components in Aloe vera were examined for lipid peroxidation using rat liver microsomal and mitochondrial enzymes. Among the aloesin derivatives examined, isorabaichromone showed a potent antioxidative activity. The DPPH radical and superoxide anion scavenging activities were determined. As one of the most potent components, isorabaichromone together with feruloylaloesin and p-coumaroylaloesin showed potent DPPH radical and superoxide anion scavenging activities. Electron spin resonance (ESR) using the spin trapping method suggested that the potent superoxide anion scavenging activity of isorabaichromone may have been due to its caffeoyl group. As A. vera has long been used to promote wound healing, the inhibitory effects of aloesin derivatives for cyclooxygenase (Cox)-2 and thromboxane (Tx) A 2 synthase were examined and the participation of p-coumaroyl and feruloyl ester groups in the aloesin skeleton was demonstrated. These findings may explain, at least in part, the wound healing effects of A.vera. Abbreviations. ADP:adenosine diphosphate ASA:ascorbic acid BHT:butylated hydroxytoluene BSA:bovine serum albumin DMPO:5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide DPPH:1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl EDTA:edetic acid HEPES: N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-piperazine- N-2'-ethane-sulfonic acid NADH:reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide NADPH:reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate NBT:nitroblue tetrazolium Pg:prostaglandin SOD:superoxide dismutase TBA:thiobarbituric acid TCA:trichloroacetic acid XOD:xanthine oxidase

Antioxidant, free radical scavenging and anti-inflammatory effects of aloesin derivatives in Aloe vera.

Four diterpenoids, carnosic acid (1), carnosol (2), rosmanol (3), and epirosmanol (4), were isolated as antioxidative agents from the leaves of Rosmarinus officinalis by bioassay-directed fractionation. These diterpenoids inhibited superoxide anion production in the xanthine/xanthine oxidase system. Mitochondrial and microsomal lipid peroxidation induced by NADH or NADPH oxidation were also completely inhibited by these diterpenes at the concentration of 3-30 microM. Furthermore, carnosic acid protected red cells against oxidative hemolysis. These phenolic diterpenes were shown to be effective to protect biological systems against oxidative stresses.

Inhibition of lipid peroxidation and superoxide generation by diterpenoids from Rosmarinus officinalis.

Inhibition by ALOE extracts of L-dopa oxidation by mushroom-tyrosinase was examined. 2''- O-Feruloylaloesin and aloesin at concentrations of 0.4 microM showed inhibition of 27 and 30%, respectively. Lineweaver-Burk plots of the concentration of L-dopa in the absence and presence of 2''- O-feruloylaloesin, 0.4 and 0.8 microM, showed that this compound inhibits mushroom-tyrosinase noncompetitively. The K (i) value obtained was 8.5 x 10 (-5) M. 2''- O-Feruloylaloesin and aloesin contents were analyzed by a reversed-phase HPLC, and their seasonal variations were observed.

Akira Yagi

Papers

Antioxidant, free radical scavenging and anti-inflammatory effects of aloesin derivatives in Aloe vera.

Inhibition of lipid peroxidation and superoxide generation by diterpenoids from Rosmarinus officinalis.

Inhibition of mushroom-tyrosinase by aloe extract.

Flavonoids in Rosmarinus officinalis leaves.

High-performance liquid chromatographic determination of carnosic acid and carnosol in Rosmarinus officinalis and Salvia officinalis