개똥쑥(Artemisia annua L.)의 생리활성에 관한 연구로써 개똥쑥 잎과 줄기의 항산화 및 암세포 증식억제 활성을 측정하였으며, 이들의 활성과 밀접한 관련이 있을 것으로 추정되는 페놀 화합물을 HPLC를 이용하여 분석 동정하였다. 개똥쑥 잎과 줄기 추출물의 항산화 활성은 농도에 의존적이었으며, 대부분 줄기보다 잎에서 더 높은 경향이었다. 인체 자궁경부 상피암 세포인 HeLa 및 위암세포인 AGS에 대한 증식억제 활성은 줄기보다 잎 추출물에서 더 높았는데 특히, 잎 에탄올 추출물의 HeLa 및 AGS세포에 대한 증식억제 활성은 $500;{mu}g$/mL 농도에서 각각 61.07% 및 57.24%로 추출물 중 가장 높은 활성을 보였다. HPLC를 이용하여 페놀화합물을 분석한 결과, phenolic acid 및 catechin류는 줄기에 비해 잎 추출물에서 월등히 높게 정량되었다. Flavonol류는 잎에서만 동정되었으며, rutin 및 kaempferol은 잎 에탄올 추출물에서만 동정되었다. 개똥쑥 추출물의 항산화 및 암세포 증식억제 활성은 페놀 화합물에 대한 의존도가 높으나, 미지의 활성 물질이 관여하는 것으로 추정된다.
The antioxidant and anticancer activities of leaves and stems from Gaeddongssuk (Artemisia annua L.) were investigated. The leaves and stems were extracted with water and 80% ethanol, respectively. The antioxidant and growth inhibition activities toward cancer cells by the 4 kinds of extracts were tested. In addition, phenolic compounds from A. annua were identified through quantitative analysis using HPLC. Antioxidant activities significantly increased in a does-dependent manner, and those of water and ethanol extracts of the leaves were stronger than those of the stems. Growth inhibition activities of the leaf extracts on HeLa and AGS cells were higher than those of the stem extracts. In particular, the ethanol extract of the leaves had growth inhibition activities of 61.07% and 57.24% against HeLa and AGS cells, at the concentration of $500;{mu}g$/mL, respectively, which were the highest among all the extracts. Phenolic acid and catechin contents of the A. annua extracts as determined by HPLC were higher in the leaves than in the stems. Flavonols were identified only in the leaves. The data suggest that the antioxidant and anticancer activities of A. annua extracts were due to phenolic compounds as well as unknown biological compounds in A. annua.
