Abstract

Saposhnikovia divaricata, Peucedanum japonicum, and Glehnia littoralis of the family Umbelliferae, have long been used as traditional herbal medicine in Asian countries. This study is the first to compare and analyze the relationship between antimicrobial activity, antioxidant activity, and total polyphenol content of Saposhnikovia divaricata, Peucedanum japonicum, and Glehnia littoralis. The four fractions of hydro-methanol extract of these 3 plants were evaluated using the disc diffusion method to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration against 5 different bacterial strains. The ethyl acetate fraction was the most effective against the bacterial strains investigated. The 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl free radical scavenging activity was evaluated to measure antioxidant activity. The antioxidant activity of the ether and ethyl acetate fractions was in the order of Saposhnikovia divaricata>Peucedanum japonicum>Glehnia littoralis. The total polyphenol content of Saposhnikovia divaricata was greater than that of Peucedanum japonicum and Glehnia littoralis. Even though the 3 plants belong to the same family and are used for similar medical purposes, their antimicrobial activity, antioxidant activity, and total polyphenol content was different. This study would help researchers to uncover the critical aspects of the activities possessed by plants.