## 5 Biological Activities
### Activity of Isolated Compounds  
Totarol, isolated from the outer bark methanol extract of _C. notokatensis_, shows medium antibacterial effects against _Mycobacterium tuberculosis_ H37 Rv with an MIC value of 16 \(\mu\)g/mL [124]. Cupressuflavone isolated from the leaves of _C. macrocarpa_ collected in Egypt exerts strong hepatotoxicity and nephprotective effects in mice against carbon tetrachloride poisoning. At the doses of 40, 80 and 160 mg/kg/day preventively administered per 5 days, it is able to significantly inhibit the CCl\({}_{4}\)-induced increase in the alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase, cholesterol, creatinine, uric acid, urea, and malondialdehydeehyde levels in a dose-dependent manner. Only at the doses of 80 and 160 mg/kg/day is it also able to decrease the total bilirubin levels in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, it also significantly increases the activity of glutathione and superoxide dismutase in a dose-dependent manner. These activities are also confirmed by histological observations [99]. Cupressuflavone isolated from the leaves of _C. macrocarpa_ collected in Egypt shows strong analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties in mice. According to the acetic acid induction, it is able to inhibit the writhing response in mice by 25, 48 and 62% at the doses of 40, 80 and 160 mg/kg, respectively, with the last dose showing results similar to those of diclofenac. In addition, it is able to increase the hot plate model reaction time, in a dose-dependent manner, with the best effect after 120 min. According to the carrageenan-induced paw edema model of inflammation, it inhibits the paw edema by 55, 60, and 64% at the doses of 40, 80, and 160 mg/kg, respectively. In addition, at the same doses, it is able to reduce the plasma pro-inflammatory mediators PGE2 (percentages of reduction at the three doses: 44, 54, and 58%, respectively), TNF-a (percentages of reduction at the three doses: 26, 37, and 53%, respectively), IL-1b (percentages of reduction at the three doses: 19, 33, and 41%, respectively) and IL-6 (percentages of reduction at the three doses: 32, 44, and 55%, respectively). At the highest dose, the results were very similar to those obtained with diclofenac sodium at the dose of 100 mg/kg [106]. Apigenin 7-O-rhammoside isolated from _Cupressus goveeniana_ var. _abramisiana_ was shown to be able to highly stabilize the membrane of human red blood cells in vitro, at the concentration of 100 mg/mL [75]. Terpinen-4-ol isolated from _C. macrocarpa_ leaves shows good antimicrobial effects on _Tribchyton rubrum_ SNB-TR1 with a MIC value of 64 mg/mL whereas sabinene, citronellol, \(\gamma\)-terpinene, citronellal, \(\alpha\)-terpinene and camphor are less active with MIC values 256-512 mg/mL [104]. Cupresins A, B and C acetylisocupressic acid, (\(-\))-matairesinol, arctigenin and (\(-\))-deoxy-podophyllotoxin isolated from the leaves of _C. macrocarpa_ possess strong antitumoral effects on HepG2, MDA-MB-231 and A549 cancer cell lines with IC\({}_{50}\) values ranging from 0.004 for (\(-\))-deoxy-podophyllotoxin against A549 to 19.9 mg/mL for cupresuin A against MDA-MB-231. In addition, (\(-\))-matairesinol exerts very strong inhibitory activity on superoxide anion generation and elastase release with IC\({}_{50}\) values equal to 2.7 and 6.6 \(\upmu\)M, respectively [113]. 3-Methyl-but-3-en-1-ol-O-\(\beta\)-D-glucopyranoside from the petroleum ether fraction of _C. macrocarpa_ leaves collected in Algeria is able to exhibit moderate acetylcholinesteraseinese inhibitory effects with an IC\({}_{50}\) value of 144.31 mg/mL [117]. From the leaves of _C. fuebris_, collected in China, 1,2-epoxy-1-(3\({}^{\prime}\)/4'-dihydroxyoxyphenyl)-)-3-(2\({}^{\prime\prime}\),\"3\",\"5\"-trihydroxyphenyl)-propane, katsumadin, isadicriesinol 9-O-\(\alpha\)-L-xylopyranoside and (\(+\))-cycloilivil possess stronger DPPH activity than _L_-ascorbic acid (IC\({}_{50}\) values of 33.98, 32.97, 32.07 and 33.30 uM, respectively, vs. 64.31 uM).