Flavonoid content, free radical scavenging and increase in xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity in Galgeun-tang following fermentation with Lactobacillus plantarum.

Galgeun-tang (GT) prior to and following fermentation with Lactobacillus plantarum was analyzed to determine the total polyphenol and flavonoid contents and the antioxidant activity. GT, fermented GT (FGT) and their three solvent-partitioned fractions, which were prepared by successive partitioning with ethyl acetate (EtOAc), butanol (BuOH) and water, were evaluated for total polyphenol and flavonoid contents, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity and xanthine oxidase (XO) inhibitory activity. Following fermentation, the total polyphenol content only increased slightly; however, the flavonoid content increased by 24.3%. The radical scavenging activity increased from 22.4 to 27.5% and the XO inhibitory activity increased from 20.2 to 62.4% at 500 µg/ml. The EtOAc fraction among the solvent­partitioned fractions demonstrated the highest total polyphenol and flavonoid contents, radical scavenging activities and XO inhibitory activity, and the quantity also markedly increased following fermentation.

Simultaneous determination of five marker constituents in Ssanghwa tang by HPLC/DAD.

A HPLC-DAD method was established for the simultaneous evaluation of five bioactive compounds in Ssanghwa tang (SHT) including glycyrrhizin, paeoniflorin, cinnamic acid, decursin and 6-gingerol. These compounds were separated in less than 40 min using a Dionex C(18) column with a gradient elution system of water and methanol at a flow rate of 1 ml/min. Calibration curve of standard components presented excellent linear regression (R(2) > 0.9903) within the test range. Limit of detection and limit of quantification varied from 0.07 to 0.46 mug/ml and 0.13 to 1.11 mug/ml, respectively. The relative standard deviations (RSDs) of data of the intraday and interday experiments were less than 3.67 and 5.73%, respectively. The accuracy of recovery test ranged from 95.98 to 105.88% with RSD values 0.10- 4.82%.

Evaluation of Salicornia herbacea as a potential antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent.

In this study, the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of Salicornia herbacea were evaluated. The crude CH(2)Cl(2)/methanol extract of S. herbacea showed 52% and 86% scavenging activities of the authentic ONOO(-) and ONOO(-) from 3-morpholinosydnomimine (SIN-1) at a concentration of 50 microg/mL, respectively, and was subjected to a further fractionation with n-hexane, 85% aqueous methanol, n-butanol, and water. Additional purification of the n-butanol fraction revealed that the most potent scavenging activity led to the isolation of isorhamnetin 3-O-beta-d-glucopyranoside as the active principle. The structure of isorhamnetin 3-O-beta-d-glucopyranoside was elucidated by extensive two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance experiments such as (1)H correlation spectroscopy nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy, heteronuclear single quantum correlation, and heteronuclear multiple-bond correlation as well as by comparison with the published spectral data. Isorhamnetin 3-O-beta-d-glucopyranoside exhibited dose-dependent scavenging activities of the authentic ONOO(-) and ONOO(-) from SIN-1. The electron spin resonance spin-trap techniques confirmed that reactive oxygen species, including the hydroxyl, superoxide, carbon-centered, and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radicals, were actively quenched by addition of isorhamnetin 3-O-beta-d-glucopyranoside. In addition, isorhamnetin 3-O-beta-d-glucopyranoside suppressed the lipopolysaccharide-induced nitric oxide production and the expression of cytokines such as inducible nitric oxide synthase, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and interleukin-1beta in Raw 264.7 cells. Findings from this study should underscore the nutraceutical value of S. herbacea-derived isorhamnetin 3-O-beta-d-glucopyranoside as a potent antioxidative and anti-inflammatory agent via alleviation of radical-induced toxicities and pro-inflammatory responses.