Protective effects of luteolin-7-O-beta-D-glucuronide methyl ester from the ethyl acetate fraction of Lycopi Herba against pro-oxidant reactive species and low-density lipoprotein peroxidation.

In this study the potent scavenging activity of "Lycopi Herba" (LH) extract was studied using the following: evaluation of the total phenolics, measuring the antioxidant activity by Trolox equivalent antioxidant concentration, measuring the scavenging effects on reactive oxygen species, on reactive nitrogen species, and measuring the inhibitory effect on Cu(2+) induced human low-density lipoprotein oxidation in vitro. The ethyl acetate fraction from the LH extracts were found to have a potent scavenging activity against all of the reactive species tested, as well as an inhibitory effect on LDL oxidation. Therefore, we isolated and identified luteolin-7-O-beta-D-glucuronide methyl ester as the major compound from the ethyl acetate fraction of LH and their antioxidant activities were evaluated.