Free radical scavenging action of the medicinal herb Limonium wrightii from the Okinawa islands.

Free radical scavenging action of Limonium wrightii O. kunthe was examined in vitro and in vivo by using electron spin resonance spectrometer and chemiluminescence analyzer. A water extract of L. wrightii showed a strong scavenging action for the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl, or superoxide anion and moderate for hydroxyl radical. The extract also depressed production of reactive oxygen species from polymorphonuclear leukocytes stimulated by phorbor-12-mysistate acetate and inhibited lipid peroxidation in rat liver microsomes. When the extract was given intraperitoneally to mice prior to carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) treatment, CCl4-induced liver toxicity, as seen by an elevation of serum aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase activities, was significantly reduced. Gallic acid was identified as the active component of L. wrightii with a strong free radical scavenging action. Our results demonstrate the free radical scavenging action of L. wrightii and that gallic acid contributes to these actions.