Abstract:

The in vitro and in vivo antioxidant activities of Hainnan areca nut extract with 70% methanol aqueous solution (crude extract) and petroleum ether soluble fraction (fraction I ), chloroform soluble fraction (fraction II), ethyl acetate soluble fraction (fraction III) and water soluble fraction (fraction IV) of this extract and were investigated by measuring hydroxyl radical scavenging capacity and white mouse experiment. The results showed that the crude extract, fraction III and fraction IV present higher hydroxyl radical scavenging activity and the scavenging rates are all above 53%. In in vivo study, these three extracts are able to increase serum SOD levels at the doses of 1.0 mg/ml (low dose), 3.0 mg/ml (medium dose) and 5.0 mg/ml (high dose) by 0.1 ml/10 g bw (p<0.05), and except for the high dose of fraction III, decreases in the serum MDA content are found in mice administrated with these three extracts. In conclusion, these three extracts of areca nut have strong antioxidant activity both in vitro and in vivo.

Key words: areca nut extract, hydroxyl radical, antioxidant activity, SOD, MDA