Comparative Study on the Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Ten Forest Resources

Oxidative stress, caused by excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), is a major contributor to cellular damage and chronic inflammation. Natural products derived from forest resources are gaining attention as safer alternatives to synthetic antioxidants. This study aimed to evaluate and compare the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of ethanol extracts from ten native forest resources traditionally used in Korea: Ginkgo biloba Linné, Thuja orientalis Linnaeus, Rhynchosia volubilis Lour, Diospyros kaki Linnaeus, Orostachys japonicus A. Berger, Agrimonia pilosa Ledebour, Potentilla chinensis Seringe, Gleditsia japonica Miquel, Citrus unshiu Markovich, and Rosa rugosa Thunberg. Total polyphenol and flavonoid contents were determined, along with antioxidant capacities assessed by DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging assays and FRAP analysis. Furthermore, cellular antioxidant effects were evaluated using LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages by measuring intracellular ROS levels. The results showed that Rosa rugosa, Agrimonia pilosa, Potentilla chinensis, and Diospyros kaki demonstrated strong antioxidant activities across multiple indicators, with Rosa rugosa showing the highest overall performance. These extracts also significantly inhibited ROS production in activated macrophages without cytotoxicity. This comprehensive evaluation suggests that selected native forest resources possess promising potential as functional food ingredients or natural antioxidant agents. Further studies to isolate active compounds and elucidate their mechanisms of action are warranted to support their development for pharmaceutical or nutraceutical applications.