Abstract
Several solvent extracts from Alpinia katsumudai were prepared and their various anti-inflammatory activities were evaluated. Alpinia katsumadai extract showed high various anti-inflammatory effects among the 8 medicinal plant extracts, Butanol extract from Alpinia katsumndai showed a potent anti-oxidative and free radical scavenging activities, Free radical scavenging effect of butanol fraction of Alpinia katsumadai($IC_{50}$/ : 50$\mu$g/m$\ell$) was higher than butylated hydroxytoluene($IC_{50}$/ : 50$\mu$g/m$\ell$) and ascorbic acid($IC_{50}$/ : 22$\mu$g/m$\ell$). Alpinia katsumadai butanol fraction exhibited relatively high antioxidative activity($IC_{50}$/ : 335$\mu$g/m$\ell$) compared to ascorbic acid. The inhibitory effect of Alpinia katsumadal ethanol extract on elastase exhibited 10 to 78% at 100 to 1000$\mu$g/m$\ell$ concentration , tile $IC_{50}$/ values with 465.7$\mu$g/m$\ell$ for porcine pancreatic elastase(PPE) and 481.9$\mu$g/m$\ell$ for human leukocyte elastase(HLE), respectively The Alpinta katsumadai extract inhibited effectively hyaluronidase activity($IC_{50}$/ 335$\mu$g/m$\ell$), and showed inhibition in vitro on delayed hypersensitivity when it was topically applied. These results suggest that Alpinia katsumadai extract may reduce inflammatory skin trouble. The Alpinia katsumadai extract also showed higher Inhibitory effect of melanin biosynthesis on cultured melanoma cell compared to arbutin and kojic acid.