Abstract

Impatiens textori Miq is an annual plant used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat superficial infections and fingernail inflammation. In the present study, methanol extract and fractions of I. textori Miq were investigated for their antioxidant properties, α-glucosidase inhibitory activities, and antiproliferative activities against human gastric (AGS), human cervical (HeLa), human non-small lung (A549), and human colon adenocarcinoma (HT-29) cancer cell lines. Results showed that the ethyl-acetate fraction had high total phenolic and total flavonoid contents of 141.39 ± 1.54 mg GAE/g and 125.93 ± 7.60 mg QE/g, respectively, high 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity with an IC₅₀ of 9.80 ± 0.08 μg/ml, and significant reducing power among all the extracts and fractions, suggesting that I. textori Miq is an exceptional source of natural antioxidants. In addition, the ethyl-acetate fraction possessed significant α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. The antiproliferative activity of the ethyl-acetate fraction was higher than that of the methanol extract and others fractions. These findings suggest the potential use of this plant as an antitumor agent.

Key words: Impatiens textori Miq, antioxidant, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), reducing power, antitumor, α-glucosidase.