Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory Activities, and Neuroprotective Behaviors of Phyllanthus emblica L. Fruit Extracts

Phyllanthus emblica L. is traditionally used as both medicine and food in Taiwan. In this study, we evaluated the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotection bioactivities of P. emblica fruit. P. emblica fruit extracts had a high content of total phenol and flavonoids, and chlorogenic acids. For antioxidant capacity, 95% ethanol-extracted P. emblica had the best DPPH radical scavenging activity, ferrous ion chelating ability, and reducing power as compared with hot water, 50% ethanol, and commercial extracts, and showed the highest reducing power and lipid peroxidation inhibition. The present results have demonstrated that the P. emblica extracts can protect the oxidative degradation of lipids by inhibiting FeCl3-ascorbate-mediated lipid peroxidation. For anti-inflammatory activity, P. emblica fruit extracts showed dose-dependent inhibition of nitric oxide in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW264.7 cells and significantly high COX-2 inhibition. For neuroprotection bioactivity, P. emblica extracts had higher percentages of pheochromocytoma cell protection than commercial extracts. Hot water and ethanol extracts showed higher percentages of PC12 cell protection than commercial extracts. P. emblica hydroalcoholic extracts had a neuroprotective effect against oxidative damage, which could be due to their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. P. emblica extracts could be used in daily health beverages, foods, and cosmetic products.