In vitro antioxidant activity and α-glucosidase and pancreatic lipase inhibitory activities of several Korean sanchae

This study evaluated in vitro antioxidant activity, antioxidant content, and α-glucosidase and pancreatic lipase inhibitory activities of ethanol extracts of samnamul (shoot of Aruncus dioicus), miyeokchwi (Solidago virgaurea), daraesoon (shoot of Actinidia arguta Planchon), and bangpungnamul (leaves of Ledebouriella seseloides), as muknamul, and fresh chamnamul (Pimpinella brachycarpa). Tocopherol content (4.8-78.3 mg/100 g) of sanchae was lower than polyphenols (4.4-12.2 g/100 g). Daraesoon with high tocopherol contents showed high antioxidant activity and α-glucosidase and pancreatic lipase inhibitory activities. Samnamul had the highest levels of polyphenols and flavonoids, the highest antioxidant activity, and α-glucosidase inhibition. Antioxidant activity was correlated with flavonoid content (r²=0.8895), but was not correlated with the levels of other antioxidants tested, suggesting that polyphenol content in samnamul, miyeokchwi, daraesoon, bangpung, and chamnamul might not be critical determinant of antioxidant activity. Our results strongly suggest that samnamul and daraesoon could be useful in the treatment of diabetes and obesity.