Search

A series of 38 plants (55 plant extracts) from New Caledonia and 22 plants (40 plant extracts) from Vanuatu (Efate and Erromango islands) were screened for xanthine oxidase (XOD) and elastase inhibitory activity. Of the crude extracts 82% were found to possess xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity, and 23% were active against elastase, at a concentration of 50 µ g/ml. The methanol extracts of Cunonia montana Schlechter (Cunoniaceae) and Amyema scandens Danser (Loranthaceae), bark and leaves, respectively, exhibited the highest activity in both the assays. C. montana bark extract at 50 µ g/ml exhibited 85 and 84% inhibition of XOD and elastase, respectively. IC[sub 50] values were 23 ± 0.82 and 41 ± 3 µ g/ml, respectively, for XOD and elastase. A. scandens leaf extract, at 50 µ g/ml, exhibited 88 and 71% inhibition of XOD and elastase, respectively. IC[sub 50] values were 13 ± 0.48 and 44 ± 2.2 µ g/ml respectively, for XOD and elastase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]