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In this study, the aqueous and ethanolic extracts (leaves, stems and fruits) from Morus alba L., a traditional Chinese medicine, were evaluated for their antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. Ethanolic extracts showed higher contents of both total phenolics and flavonoids than aqueous extracts. The total phenolic content was in the order of: leaf extracts > fruit extracts > stem extracts, whereas the total flavonoids was: leaf extracts > stem extracts > fruit extracts. Using DPPH assays, the concentrations providing 50% inhibition (IC50) values of aqueous extracts from leaves, stems and fruits were 7.11 ± 1.45 mg/ml, 86.78 ± 3.21 mg/ml and 14.38 ± 2.83 mg/ml, respectively, whereas the IC50 values of ethanolic extracts were 3.11 ± 0.86 mg/ml, 14.62 ± 2.45 mg/ml and 12.42 ± 2.76 mg/ml, respectively. In sum, the antioxidant activities of ethanolic extracts from M. alba L. were stronger than the aqueous extracts, and in the order of: leaf extracts > fruit extracts > stem extracts. The ethanolic extracts exhibited moderate antimicrobial activities, whereas the aqueous extracts showed poor antimicrobial properties in our test system. This study validated the medicinal potential of M. alba L. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the aqueous and ethanolic extracts (leaves, stems and fruits) from Morus alba L., a traditional Chinese medicine, were evaluated for their antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. Ethanolic extracts showed higher contents of both total phenolics and flavonoids than aqueous extracts. The total phenolic content was in the order of: leaf extracts > fruit extracts > stem extracts, whereas the total flavonoids was: leaf extracts > stem extracts > fruit extracts. Using DPPH assays, the concentrations providing 50% inhibition (IC50) values of aqueous extracts from leaves, stems and fruits were 7.11 ± 1.45 mg/ml, 86.78 ± 3.21 mg/ml and 14.38 ± 2.83 mg/ml, respectively, whereas the IC50 values of ethanolic extracts were 3.11 ± 0.86 mg/ml, 14.62 ± 2.45 mg/ml and 12.42 ± 2.76 mg/ml, respectively. In sum, the antioxidant activities of ethanolic extracts from M. alba L. were stronger than the aqueous extracts, and in the order of: leaf extracts > fruit extracts > stem extracts. The ethanolic extracts exhibited moderate antimicrobial activities, whereas the aqueous extracts showed poor antimicrobial properties in our test system. This study validated the medicinal potential of M. alba L. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phellodendron amurense Rupr. bark extracts were examined for antioxidant activity, antimicrobial activity and antiviral activity on herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1). Ethanol extract showed higher content of both total phenolic and flavonoid than aqueous extract. In DPPH (2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) assay, the concentration providing 50% inhibition (IC50) values were 6.73 ± 0.87 mg/ml and 4.26 ± 0.59 mg/ml for aqueous and ethanol extracts respectively. Ethanol extract had a much higher antimicrobial activity than aqueous extract. Furthermore, the antiviral activity of the ethanol extract on HSV-1 was also tested. The maximum noncytotoxic concentration was 44.12 μg/ml for RC-37 cells. Plaque formation was inhibited by 74±6% when HSV-1 was pretreated with the extract prior to adsorption, whereas pretreatment of the cells with the extract, added during adsorption or after the adsorption only exhibited above 10% antiviral effect. This study has to some extent validated the medicinal potential of P. amurense bark. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water decoctions from the leaves of Taxus cuspidata are used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat cancer, suggesting that water soluble constituents from these leaves may possess anticancer properties. Interestingly, hydrophilic paclitaxel derivatives, as opposed to paclitaxel itself, can be detected by high pressure liquid chromatography in water decoctions from these leaves. The remainder extracts, which are free of paclitaxel and hydrophilic paclitaxel derivatives, from the T. cuspidata leaves were investigated for antitumor activity in vivo and in vitro for the first time in this study. EE80B, 7-xylosyl-10-deacetylpaclitaxel and 7-xylosyl-10-deacetylpaclitaxel C displayed the most antitumor activity in vivo. However, in vitro studies with tumor cell lines showed that EE80B had a significantly smaller antitumor effect than paclitaxel. We hypothesize that water decoctions from T. cuspidata leaves exhibit antitumor effects in vivo, which may be aided by the activation of specific host mechanisms (e.g. stimulation of antitumor immunity) which are not present in vitro. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]