한국산 옻나무의 메탄올추출물과 유기용매 분획의 항산화 효과를 조사하였다. 항산화 효과는 수소공여 억제능,과산화지질 형성 억제능, xanthine oxidase 저해 활성과 아질산염 소거능으로 측정한 결과, ethyl acetate 분획이 가장 뛰어난 효과를 나타내었다. 이 분획의 생리활성 물질을 분리하기 위하여, rotatory locular counter current chromatography(RLCCC), Sephadex LH-20 column chromatograpy와 HPLC등의 방법을 사용하여, 1,2,3-thihydroxybenzene, methyl 3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoic acid를 분리하였다. 이중 methyl3,4,5,-trihydroxybenzoate는 butylated hydroxyanisole(BHA)이나 butylated hydroxytoluene(BHT)보다도 강한 항산화 효과를 나타내었다. 그러나 세포독성 실험에서는 이들 물질들이 암세포주에 대하여 활성이 높지 않았다. 이상의 결과로 methyl 3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoate은 뛰어난 항산화 효과를 지닌 식품첨가물로서의 이용 가능성을 제시할 수 있다.

Antioxidative activities of solvent fractions obtained from Korean Rhus vernicifera, being used in food industry and as a traditional medicine, were examined by the methods of DPPH scavenging activity, inhibitory effect on autooxidation of linoleic acid, nitrite scavenging activity and the inhibitory effect on xanthine oxidase activity. Ethyl acetate fraction showed potent antioxidative activities. Three compounds were isolated from the ethyl acetate fraction by rotatory locular counter current chromatography(RLCCC),Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography and HPLC. The isolated compounds were 1,2,3-thihydroxybenzene, methyl 3,4,5-trihydroxybenzote and 3,4,5-thihydroxybenzoic acid determined by GC/MS and 1^H and 13^C NMR. Among the isolated compounds, methyl trihydoxybenzoate showed the strongest antioxidative activity than artificial antioxidants, BHA and BHT in various methods. However, these isolated compounds did not show cytotoxicity effects on the human cancer lines. Therefore, we may suggest that methyl 3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoate can be used as a food additive possessing the potent antioxidative activity.