Korean Journal of Agricultural Science ISSN:2466-2402(Print) 2466-2410(Online) 농업과학연구

Balance between reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and ROS quenching is important in all living organisms. If the balance is broken, the ROS consecutively generate other reactive species with toxic impact and cause oxidative stress, which is associated with chronic degenerative diseases including cancer and metabolic, cardiovascular, and neurodegenerative diseases. Therefore, natural materials as ROS scavengers are required and necessary to stabilize the ROS balance in the body. The aim of this study was to demonstrate and compare the antioxidant properties in ethanol extract and four different fractions (n-butanol, ethyl acetate, chloroform, n -hexane) of Cirsium japonicum var. maackii flower under in vitro assay. Cirsium japonicum var. maackii was extracted with ethanol and then partitioned with n-butanol, ethyl acetate, chloroform, and n-hexane. The antioxidant capacities of the ethanol extract and four fractions were investigated based on the ability to quench several free radicals including 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), hydroxyl, superoxide anion radicals, and nitric oxide. All of the ethanol extract and fractions from Cirsium japonicum var. maackii flower exerted high antioxidant activities. These results suggest that the ethyl acetate fractions of ethanol extract from Cirsium japonicum var. maackii flower could provide antioxidant potential as free radical scavengers.