Alpinia oxyphylla Miq. bioactive extracts from supercritical fluid carbon dioxide extraction

In this study, supercritical fluid carbon dioxide extraction technology was developed to gain the active components from a native plant, Alpinia oxyphylla Miq. We studied the biological effects of A. oxyphylla extracts via multiple assays and demonstrated bio-functions at various concentration ranges. Investigations of A. oxyphylla extracts indicated that anti-oxidative properties in dose-dependant manners on radical scavenging activities, reducing power and metal chelating power. The cultured human normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were used to test the properties of the extracts in inflammatory cytokine release, and the data did not induce inflammatory molecule releases from un-stimulated PBMCs. A. oxyphylla extracts were able to induce Th1 cytokine IFN-gamma released, but not Th2 cytokine IL-13, showing an enhanced anti-bacterial/viral immune function without possible allergic response mediated by IL-13. The extracts also had in vitro mushroom tyrosinase inhibition and cellular tyrosinase melanin decreasing activities in B16F10 cells. In addition, the cell proliferation assay illustrated anti-growth and anti-migration effects in dose-dependent manners of the extracts on human skin melanoma cells, A375 and A375.S2, indicating that the extracts exerted the anti-cancer properties. To our knowledge, this was the first report presenting these bioactivities on A. oxyphylla extracts including antioxidant, anti-inflammation, de-pigmentation and anti-melanoma (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.