Abstract
The content of phenols (TPC), and the antioxidative, antileukemic and anti-MMPs properties of Eleutherococcus spp. cultivated in Poland are reported. The highest TPC was found in the spring leaves (20.3 – 37.2 mg/g). The spring leaves and roots of E. divaricatus had the strongest anti-DPPH activity (EC50 1.2 and 1.2 mg/mL), whereas the greatest ability of iron (II) chelating was shown by autumn leaves of E. setchuensis (EC50 0.3 mg/mL), and the ethanolic extract of E. gracilistylus roots showed the strongest lipid antiperoxidation activity (EC50 0.7 mg/mL). The highest number of apoptotic cells was observed in the Jurkat 45 cell line after treatment with the ethanolic extract of E. sessiliflorus roots (27%). Only the chloroform extracts of roots of E. gracilistylus and E. divaricatus showed the inhibitory activity against MMPs. Most of the studied species have a significant biological activity that is probably due to the presence of phenols. To the best of our knowledge, neither detailed phytochemical nor biological studies have been performed for most of the investigated species.