Biological Activities of Water and Ethanol Extracts from Two Varieties of Rubus coreanus Miquel Fruits

Abstract

The potential biological activities of water and ethanol extracts from two varieties of Rubus coreanus Miquel fruits produced in the Gochang-gun (GR) and Hoengseong-gun (HR) regions of Korea were examined. The hydroxyl radical ( OH) scavenging activity, reducing power, lipid peroxidation inhibitory activity, and antiproliferative activity on cancer cells by these extracts were examined, and α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition assays were also performed. The EtOH extract from GR showed high hydroxyl radical scavenging activity (EC 50 =119.47±5.13 ㎍/mL), lipid peroxidation inhibitory activity (EC 50 =213.45±3.14 ㎍/mL) and a concentration dependence, with OD values ranging from 0.15 to 0.56 (50 to 200 ㎍/mL), for reducing power. The EtOH extract from GR has the highest antiproliferative activities on MDA-MB-231 and HepG2 cancer cells among four extracts. Meanwhile, all extracts showed certain α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition activities. These results indicate that extracts from two varieties of R. coreanus fruits have significant antioxidant, anti-diabetic and anti-tumorigenic activities, which suggest these extracts could be a potential source for pharmaceutical.