Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antiproliferative properties of sixteen water plant extracts used in the Limousin countryside as herbal teas

The present paper presents the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antiproliferative capabilities of 16 plants. These plants can be found in the Limousin countryside and most of them are used in popular medicine as herbal tea. The biological properties of the water-soluble fractions were measured. Antioxidant properties were evaluated by the ESR method in order to visualize the inhibition of the DPPH, superoxide and hydroxyl radicals. Some extracts were good antioxidants by comparison with reference molecules, e.g. vitamin E and quercetin. Antioxidant effects were correlated with the total amount of phenolic compounds contained in the extracts. Also measured were the anti-inflammatory activities of the 16 water-soluble fractions, by evaluating inhibition of lipoxygenase activity. Finally the effects of these plants on the proliferation of melanoma B16 cells were studied.