J Ethnopharmacol. 1995 Jun; 46(3): 175-81.

Scavenging effects of Mallotus repandus on active oxygen species.

Lin JM, Lin CC, Chen MF, Ujiie T, Takada A.

Graduate Institute of Natural Products, Kaohsiung Medical College, Taiwan, R.O.C.

The active oxygen species scavenging potencies of Mallotus repandus (Willd.) Muell.-Arg. extracts were evaluated by the electron spin resonance (ESR) spin-trapping technique. Superoxide radical (O2.-) and hydroxyl radical (OH.) were supplied enzymatically from hypoxanthine-xanthine oxidase (HPX-XOD) reaction and hydrogen peroxide-ferrous sulfate (Fenton reaction), respectively, to the assay system. The ethyl acetate fraction of Mallotus repandus (stem) showed the greatest superoxide radical scavenger activity and the n-hexane fraction of Mallotus repandus (stem as well as root) the greatest hydroxyl radical scavenger activity.