Antioxidative and Antimicrobial Activities of I (Igusa, Juncus effusus L. var. decipiens Buch.)

Samples were extracted from igusa with acetone, ethanol and ethyl acetate and assessment was made of antioxidative and antimicrobial activity. Determination was also made of color, α-tocopherol content and absorption spectra. The following results were obtained ; α-tocopherol content was 340 mg in the acetone extract, 54 mg in the ethyl acetate extract and 8.9 mg in the ethanol extract from igusa of 100 g. Thin layer chromatography (solvent system, chloroform : ether : acetic acid at 97 : 2.3 : 0.5, vol/vol) indicated the presence of 9 components in the acetone and ethanol extracts and 7 components in the ethyl acetate extract. The strongest antioxidative activity from igusa was noted for the ethyl acetate extract. Among the fractions in the ethyl acetate extract the fractions 6 and 7 show strong activity. Antimicrobial activity from igusa was observed to have the order, ethyl acetate extracts>acetone extracts>ethanol extracts, the strongest antimicrobial activity being that for fraction 3 in the ethyl acetate extract.