Antioxidative effect and anti-apoptosis effect of extract from Betula platyphylla var. japonica

The antioxidant and anticancer properties of a medicinal plant, Betula platyphylla var. japonica were investigated. The total methanol extract of B. platyphylla var. japonica had protective effects against hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$) in the Chinese hamster lung fibroblast (V79-4) cell line and induced apoptotic cell death in human promyelocytic leukemia (HL-60) cells, a cancer cell line. B. platyphylla var. japonica extract significantly increased cell viability against $H_2O_2$. The extract also showed high 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity ($IC_50$ 2.4 mg/ml) and lipid peroxidation inhibitory activity ($IC_50$ below 4.0 mg/ml). (omitted)