In vitro and in vivo antioxidant activity of Pinus koraiensis seed extract containing phenolic compounds

A polyphenolics extract from Pinus koraiensis seed (PKS) has been investigated for its in vivo and in vitro antioxidant activity. The total phenolic content of PKS extract was 264 mg of gallic acid equivalents/g dry material. The extract was found to show remarkable scavenging activity on 2,2-diphenyl-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) (EC50 0.023 ± 0.004 mg/ml), OH (EC50 0.391 ± 0.055 mg/ml), O2- (EC50 4.37 ± 0.19 mg/ml), as well as a high and dose-dependent reducing power. The extract also showed strong suppressive effect on rat liver lipid peroxidation and erythrocyte haemolysis. Ageing and radiation models were used to evaluate the antioxidant effect in vivo. PKS extract highly inhibited oxidative damage induced by d-galactose and γ-ray. The results have indicated that intragastric administration of the extract can increase levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione (GSH), and decrease malondialdehyde (MDA) content.