• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.53-60
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• 2010

Objectives : This study was conducted to evaluate the antioxidative and fibrinolytic activity of the water and ethanol extracts from medicinal plants. Methods : Five kinds of medicinal plants(Carthami Flos, Glycyrrhizae Radix, Schisandrae Fructus, Atractylodes Rhizoma, Shiitake mushiroom) were extracted with distilled water and 70% ethanol, and the extracts were tested for their antioxidative and fibrilytic activities. Results : The highest polyphenol contents of the water and ethanol extracts from medicinal plants were 812.52 mg and 685.44 mg per 100 g of Carthamus tinctorius and Schizandra chinensis, respectively. The electron donating abilities (EDA) of the water extracts from all medicinal plants except Lentinus edodes were about 90% at 1,000 ppm and ethanol extracts were higher than those of water extracts. The highest SOD-like activity and nitrite scavenging abilities (NSA) were both of water and ethanol extracts from Schizandra chinensis. Five kinds of medicinal plants had fibrinolytoc activity and the highest activities were water and ethanol extracts from Glycyrrhiza uralensis. Conclusion : These results suggest that the medicinal plants can be used as natural antioxidant to prevent oxidative damage in normal cells probably because of their antioxidative and fibrinolytic activities.