Enzyme Inhibitory and Antioxidant Activities of Fruit and Stem of Opuntia ficus india var. saboten

The objective was to verify biological activities of fruit and stem of prickly pear(Opuntia ficus indica L. var, saboten Makino). We have determined inhibitory activities on enzymes, such as dopamine ${\beta}$-hydroxylase(DBH), monoamme oxidase A and B(MAO-A, B), and antioxidant activity, in vitro. We purchased dried stem powder and lyophilized fruit powder of prickly pear from CheJu Island, and prepared the extracts with 80% of methanol. The fruit extract showed stronger inhibitory effects on MAO-A and -B and antioxidant activity compared. to the stem extract, on fractionation with hexane, ethyl acetate, butanol and water. Both the stem and the fruit extracts with ethyl acetate showed stronger enzyme inhibitory and antioxidant activities than other extracts. Now we are isolating active principles from both ethyl acetate extracts.