Studies on Antistress and Antioxidant Effects of Schefflera elliptica (Blume) Harms. Araliaceae

ABSTRACT

Both ethanol extracts of the bark and leaves of Schefflera elliptica (Blume) Harms (Araliaceae) showed antistress effect on mice at the oral doses of 158 and 167 mg/kg body weight, respectively. The bark proved to be more effective than the leaves, and their efficacity increased with the doses. Both extracts possessed in vitro antioxidant activity at the concentrations of 50-100 mcg/ml, the bark also being more effective than the leaves. The total saponin extract of the bark exhibited antioxidant effects at the levels of 5-25 mcg/ml. So, saponins might be the chemical constituents determining the antioxidant activity.