Improving antioxidant and antiproliferative activities of colla corii asini hydrolysates using ginkgo biloba extracts

Colla corii asini hydrolysates (ACCH) and ginkgo biloba extracts (EGb) possess more potent antioxidant effects when used in combination than when used alone. The mixture of ACCH and EGb at a dose ratio of 20:4(w:w) showed the highest radical scavenging activity with IC ₅₀ of 0.17 ± 0.01, 0.43 ± 0.02 and 1.52 ± 0.07 mg/ml against DPPH, ABTS and HO ^· free radicals, respectively. Furthermore, the inhibition of breast cancer cells MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 proliferation increased when these cell lines were treated with a combination of ACCH and EGb for 72 hr, with IC ₅₀ of 4.32 ± 0.12 mg/ml and 0.39 ± 0.01 mg/ml, respectively. The findings indicated that the mixtures of ACCH and EGb could be used to prevent and treat some diseases caused by the excessive free radicals, especially cancer. Therefore, the mixtures of ACCH and EGb might serve as a natural source of desirable antioxidant and anticancer agents for the nutraceutical and pharmaceutical industries.