Lipoxygenase Inhibition and Antioxidative Activity of Flavonoids from Paeonia moutan Seeds

Previously, the methanolic extract of Paeonia moutan seeds was found to potently inhibit soybean lipoxy-genase (SLO). Hence to isolate SLO inhibitor, the defattd methaniolic extract of the seeds was consecutively partitioned wiht ether, ethyl acetate,n-butanol ,adn water. The ether souble fraction showing strong inhibitory activity against SLO was further fractionated into a strongly acidic, a weakly acidic, and a neutral fractions. The strongly acidic components of the ether extract were successively subjected to chromatography on a silica gel, Sephadex LH-20, and preparative HPLC. Four phenolic compounds were isolated , and twio of them showing a strong SLO inhibition activity were identified as luteolin (IC50=2.32$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml) and 5,6,4'-trihydroxy-7,3'- dimethoxylflavone (IC50=0.31$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml) by UV, IR, 1H-& 13C-NMR, and MS spectroscopy. In addition, two flavonoids showed significantly antioxidative activity as strong as that of of $\alpha$-tocopherol (p<0.05) in the autoxidation system of linoleic acid. These results suggest that luteolin and 5,6,4'-trihydroxy-7,3'-dimethoxy-flavone may be used as a potential source of anti-inflammatory agents with antioxidative activity.