• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.135-140
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• 2004

The antioxidant activities of 80% methanol extracts obtained from 118 medicinal plants were tested through the evaluation of DPPH and superoxide anion radicals scavenging activity. Methanol extracts of Sophora japonica (76.9%) and Camptotheca acuminata Dence (50.9%) were found to have more than 50% DPPH radical scavenging activity while those of Perilla frutescens (37.2%), Amomum costatum (34.9%), Prunus ansu (33.2%), Mentha arvensis (32.3%), Serratula koreana (32.2%), Eriobotrya japonica (30.5%), and Artemisia asiatica (30.5%) showed more than 30% scavenging activity. Even though all of the commercial antioxidants didn't show superoxide anion radical activity, Mentha arvensis (87.7%), Eriobotrya japonica (84.9%), Amomum costatum (82.9%), Camptotheca acuminata Dence (82.1%) showed more than 80% scavenging activity. Mentha arvensis, Eriobotrya japonica, Amomum costatum, Camptotheca acuminata Dence showed strong antioxidative activity in the both DPPH and superoxide anion radical scavenging activities.