Plants of genus Dioscorea have long been served as important carbohydrate-stuffed foods in the tropical and subtropical regions, and utilized as traditional herb medicines to enhance digestive function, improve anorexia, and treat diarrhea in oriental countries. It is known that around 600 species of Dioscorea are distributed in the world including 107 species in Asia, but actually utilized Dioscorea species are restricted to small numbers. Phytochemical investigations for Dioscorea species have revealed a number of chemical components such as sapogenins, saponins, phenanthrenes, stilbenes, diterpenes and purine derivatives. According to recent pharmacological studies, Dioscorea species possess significant antioxidant, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activities as well as anticancer, antidiabetic, cholesterol-lowering and hypolipidemic effects. Here, seven Dioscorea species (D. batatas, D. japonica, D. bulbifera, D. opposita, D. tokoro, D. nipponica and D. alata), mainly distributed and used in Korea, China, and Japan, are reviewed to provide their botanical, phytochemical and pharmacological properties were described.

Korean folk medicine 'JoRitDae' has been used mainly to cure vomiting and cancer. With regard to the botanical origin of 'JoRitDae', it has been considered to designate the rhizome of Sasa species (Gramineae), but there was no pharmacognostical confirmation on it. To clarify the botanical origin of 'JoRitDae', the anatomical characteristics of the rhizome of Sasa species growing wild in Korea and Japan, Sasa borealis, S, kurilensis, S. quelpaertensis, S. charatacea and S. senanensis were studied. As a result, it was found the morphological criteria for the five Sasa species that could discriminate them by the number of cell layers in cortex, the ratio of thickness of cortex to rhizome radius, the number of cell layers in the vascular bundle sheath, the total number of vascular bundle and thickness of vascular bundle sheath. According to these criteria, it was clarified that the commercial folk medicine 'JoRitDae' was the rhizome of Sasa borealis.

'SogDan(續斷)' is one of the crude drugs used mainly as a tonic and analgesic. The botanical origin of the crude drug has never been studied pharmacognostically. To clarify the botanical origin of SogDan from Korea, the anatomical characteristics of Phlomis umbrosa Turcz. and Phlomis koraiensis Nakai were studied. As a result, it was clarified that SogDan from Korea was the root of Phlomis umbrosa.

This study was carried out to investigate the ecological characteristic of native Lithospermum erythrorhizon population in Korea. The survey quadrates were located in the middle of native L. erythrorhizon habitats. As the result of the research, the ecological patterns of native habitats were found to be divided into inclined plane type, ridge type, mountain-roadside type, and rock bed type. The research revealed 90 taxa in total, in which 37 families, 63 genera, 23 varieties, 6 forma, 1 sub-species and 60 species were checked in the flora of native L. erythrorhizon habitats.

Samultang is one of traditional medicine composed of Paeonia lactiflora, Angelica gigas, Rehmannia glutinosa and Cnidium officinale. To develop simultaneous determination of paeoniflorin, decursin and 5-HMF in Samultang, a high performance liquid chromatography with diode array detector was used. To separate three marker components, Dionex $C_{18}$ column (5 ${\mu}m$, 120 ${\AA}$, 4.6 mm${\times}$150 mm) was used with a gradient elution system of water and methanol. UV wavelength of detector set at 230 nm and 280 nm. This method was validated by linearity, precision test and recovery test. Calibration curves of three standard components were showed good linear regression ($R^2$>0.9973). LOD and LOQ ranged from 0.08 ${\mu}g$/ml to 0.38 ${\mu}g$/ml and 0.25 ${\mu}g$/ml to 1.16 ${\mu}g$/ml, respectively. The relative standard deviations (RSDs) of data of the inter-day and intra-day experiments were less than 0.54% and 0.89%, respectively. The measured results of recovery test were varied from 93.36 to 107.79 with RSD values 0.01~1.45%. The established method was applied for separation of bio-conversion Samultang sample and compared with control sample.

Essential oils of the musk from wild muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) were analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Fifty-six chemical components were separated, and 14 volatile compounds (78% of composition of total essential oil) of macrocyclic musk, mainly cyclopentadecanone, 12-hydroxy-14-methyl-oxa-cyclotetradec-6-en-2-one, cycloheptadecanone and 9-cycloheptadecen-1-one, were identified by the comparison of Wiley/NBS Library from the results of GC-MS. However, l-muscone, a compound reported by earlier workers in the musk from muskrat, was not detected using the spike test in this study. Interestingly, cyclohexadecanone, which has the same molecular weight (Mw 238) as l-muscone, was identified. In addition, it is considered that because of possessing much higher amounts of macrocyclic components compared to the original musk, muskrat has higher economic values in perfume and pharmaceutical industries.

Licorice(Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma) is recorded as the root of Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fischer or Glycyrrhiza glabra Linne or Glycyrrhiza inflata Bat.(Leguminosae) in Korean Pharmacopoeia $9^{th}$ edition (KP9) and Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2005(CP2005), Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fischer or Glycyrrhiza glabra Linne in Japanese Pharmacopoeia 2005(JP2005). It is established the content standard of Glycyrrhizin 2.5 % and liquiritin 1% in KP9 and CP2005. But, according to the reports, all Licorice species were not sufficient for content standard of liquiritin 1.0% for licorice in KP9 and CP2005. It shows different content of liquiritin among G. uralensis, G. glabra and G. inflata. Also, it was reported liquiritin, liquiritin apioside are transformed into liquiritigenin by human internal flora. Therefore, we have studied for the pre-treatment condition and analytical method of liquiritigenin; It was good efficinet in 2M HCl reflux(1 hr) for hydrolysis and in methylene chloride for solvent fractionation. And 1% acetic acid in DW(A) and acetonitrile(B) with gradient condition as a mobile phase was most effective in HPLC analytical condition. According to these experimental methods, we have anlayzed content of liquiritigenin about 77 Licorice sample. In this research, it was also examined the content of liquiritin and liquiritigenin for Glycyrrhizae Radix related growing area. According to the results, we suggested the content standard of glycyrrhizin more than 2.5%, liquiritigenin more than 0.7%(after hydrolysis) of licorice.

Three lignans were isolated from the fruit of Magnolia denudata (Magnoliaceae) through repeated column chromatography. Their chemical structures were elucidated as sesamin, kobusin and eudesmin, respectively, by spectroscopic analysis. These compounds were isolated for the first time from the fruit of Magnolia denudata.

Twelve compounds were isolated from the 70% ethanol extract of Lonicera Caulis (Caprifoliaceae) and their structures were identified as six triterpenoids [(24S)-cycloart-25-en-$3{\beta}$,24-diol (1), pomolic acid (7), ursolic acid (8), euscaphic acid (9), hederagenin (10), and 23-hydroxytormentic acid (12)] and six sterols [obtusifoliol (2), gramisterol (3), citrostadienol (4), ${\beta}$-sitosterol (5), ergosterol peroxide (6) and ${\beta}$-sitosterol glucoside (11)]. The chemical structures of these compounds were identified on the basis of spectroscopic methods and comparison with literature values. All the compounds were isolated from this plant parts for the first time.

Fourteen compounds were isolated from the 70% ethanol extract of Lonicera Caulis (Caprifoliaceae) and their structures were identified as seven aliphatic compounds [long-chain alcohols (1, 2), trilinolein (3), hexacosanol (4), fatty acids (6), 9,12,13-trihydroxyoctadeca-10(E),15(Z)-dienoic acid (10), and pinellic acid (11)] and seven phenolics [bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (dioctylphthalate, DOP) (5), coniferaldehyde (7), caffeic acid docosanoyl ester (8), caffeic acid (9), coniferyl aldehyde 4-O-glucoside (12), linarin (13), and coniferin (14)]. The chemical structures of these compounds were identified on the basis of spectroscopic methods and comparison with literature values. All the compounds except for caffeic acid (9) were isolated from this plant parts for the first time.

Six iridoids were isolated from the 70% ethanol extract of Lonicera Caulis (Caprifoliaceae) and their structures were identified as epialyxialactone (1), secologanin dimethyl acetal (2), sweroside (3), loganin (4), loganic acid (5) and demethylsecologanol (6). The chemical structures of these compounds were identified on the basis of spectroscopic methods and comparison with literature values. This is the first report of the iridolactone, epialyxialactone (1), from the Caprifoliaceae plants and loganic acid (5) and demethylsecologanol (6) from Lonicera Caulis.

Diabetic cataract is a major complication of diabetes mellitus. Excess accumulation of sorbitol plays an important role in the pathogenesis of diabetic complications such as cataract formation. In this study, we investigated the inhibitory effect of the extract of the aerial parts of Aster koraiensis (AK) on diabetic cataractogenesis. To examine this further, we evaluated sorbitol accumulation during cataract development using streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat, an animal model of type 1 diabetes. Diabetic rats were treated orally with AK (100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg body weight) once a day orally for 9 weeks. In vehicle-treated diabetic rats, lens opacity was increased, and lens fiber swelling and membrane rupture were observed. In addition, sorbitol accumulation in diabetic lens was markedly enhanced. However, AK treatment delayed the progression of diabetic cataract through the inhibition of sorbitol accumulation, and prevented lens fiber degeneration in a dose-dependent manner. These observations suggest that AK treatment can delay the progression of lens opacification in the diabetic rats during the early diabetic cataractogenesis.

Activity-guided fractionation of the EtOH extract of flowers of Bidens bipinnata L. have been furnished five flavonoids, sulfuretin(1), butein(2), 7,8,3',4'-tetrahydroxyflavanone(3), maritimetin(4) and okanin(5). All of the compounds showed significant activities on both linoleic acid peroxidation inhibition and DPPH radical scavenging effect. The evaluation for protective effect of isolated compounds against tacrine-induced cytotoxicity in human liver-derived Hep G2 cells was conducted. Compounds 1, 3, 4 and 5 showed significant protective effects with the $EC_{50}$ values of $36.1{\pm}0.9$, $23.3{\pm}0.7$, $41.0{\pm}1.0$ and $29.8{\pm}1.1{\mu}M$, respectively. Silybin, one of the well-known hepatoprotective agents, used as a positive control, and also showed protective effect with an $EC_{50}$ value of $84.3{\pm}0.7{\mu}M$.

Many isoquinoline alkaloids including berberine lower dopamine content by reducing tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) activity and aggravate L-DOPA-induced cytotoxicity in PC12 cells. In this study, the effects of berberine on 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced cytotoxicity in PC12 cells and on unilateral 6-OHDA-lesioned rat models were investigated. Berberine at 10-30 ${\mu}M$ did not affect cell viability in PC12 cells. However, berberine at concentrations higher than $50{\mu}M$ caused cytotoxicity at 24 h. Berberine (10-50 ${\mu}M$) also enhanced 6-OHDA (10-50 ${\mu}M$)-induced cytotoxicity at 24 h compared to 6-OHDA alone with an apoptotic process. In addition, treatment with berberine (5 and 30 mg/kg, i.p.) for three weeks showed a dopaminergic cell loss in substantia nigra of 6-OHDA-lesioned rats: 30 mg/kg berberine was more intensive cytotoxic. The levels of dopamine were also decreased by berberine (5 and 30 mg/kg) in the ipsilateral substantia nigra of 6-OHDA-lesioned rats. These results suggest that berberine aggravated 6-OHDA-induced cytotoxicity in PC12 cells and treatment with berberine (5 and 30 mg/kg) in 6-OHDA-lesioned rats also enhanced the degeneration of dopaminergic cell death and the decrease in dopamine levels in substantia nigra. Therefore, the long-term L-DOPA therapeutic patients with isoquinoline compounds including berberine may need to be checked for the adverse symptoms.

Phospholipids are crucially important in a cell membrane function and could thereby influence antibiotic susceptibility. In order to investigate the antifungal mechanism the total lipid was extracted from C. albicans treated with citronellol or thymol in concentration of their minimum inhibiting concentration and the changes in phospholipids composition were analyzed using ketoconazole as control. The cell growth and total lipid synthesis in cell walls of C. albicans were inhibited by treatment with citronellol. The levels of total lipids were decreased by 35.85% compared to the control. They also showed a significant decrease in the contents of phospholipid, phosphatidylcholine(PC), phosphatidyl ethanolamine(PE) and phosphatidylinositol(PI). As the result of GC assay for total fatty acid methyl esters of PC, PE and PI in C. albicans treated with citronellol, it was found that the major fatty acid composed of three phospholipid were palmitic acid, stearic acid and oleic acid. Moreover, the pattern of the fatty acid compositions of PC, PE and PI were changed by the oil. Based on the results, the anti-Candida mechanism of citronellol or thymol might be closely associated with disrupting the permeability barriers of the fungal cell wall composition or construction.

Six caffeoylquinic acids of Cacalia firma (Komarov) Nakai (Compositae) leaves were identified using standard compounds by HPLC. Each content of those compounds in dried weight was determined as follows: 3,4-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid (1.44${\pm}$0.04 mg/g of dried weight), 3,5-di-O-caffeoyl-muce-quinic acid (2.47${\pm}$0.12 mg/g), 3,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid (3.74${\pm}$0.24 mg/g), 5-caffeoylquinic acid (chlorogenic acid, 5.20${\pm}$0.09 mg/g), 3-caffeoylquinic acid (1.35${\pm}$0.01 mg/g) and 3-Op-coumaroylquinic acid (3.84${\pm}$0.25 mg/g). The total content of six caffeoylquinic acids in the plant material was calculated as 18.05${\pm}$0.69 mg/g while the percentage of the six compounds in the MeOH extract was calculated as 30.85${\pm}$1.18%. The $IC_{50}$ value of the MeOH extract scavenging peroxynitrite ($ONOO^-$) was shown as 3.22${\pm}$0.57 ${\mu}g$/ml.

Overproduction of peroxynitrite ($ONOO^-$) causes a variety of disease such as atherosclerosis, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes mellitus or obesity. Peroxynitrite scavenging activities and HPLC analysis on the five Oriental medicinal drugs belonging to the genus Citrus, Aurantium or Poncirus (Rutaceae family) and HPLC analysis were taken to evaluate flavanone glycosides with peroxynitrite scavenging activity. The $IC_{50}s$ of the five crude drugs were shown as follows: Aurantii nobilis Pericarpium (Jinpi, 18.3 ${\mu}g$/ml), Citrii unshiu Pericarpium (Chungpi, 7.50${\mu}g$/ml), Citrii unshiu Semen (Gyulhaek, >50.0${\mu}g$/ml), Aurantii Fructus (Jigak, 18.3${\mu}g$/ml), and Poncirii Fructus (Jisil, >50.0${\mu}g$/ml) where Korean crude drug's names are noted in the parenthesis. Peroxynitrite scavenging effect of flavanones or their glycosides usually contained in Citrus species were observed as follows: hesperetin (1.89 ${\mu}g$/ml), naringenin (7.77 ${\mu}g$/ml), hesperidin (8.44 ${\mu}g$/ml), poncirin (>50.0 ${\mu}g$/ml)and ponciretin(>50.0 ${\mu}g$/ml). The activities of naringin and poncirin with ${\alpha}$-L-rhamnopyranosyl($1{\rightarrow}2$)-${\beta}$-D-glucopyranosyl moiety were weak. HPLC analytical data revealed that Jinpi (the peels of mature fruits of Citrus unshiu) and Chungpi (the peels of immature fruits of C. unshiu) had high quantities of hesperidin as the value of 142.1${\pm}$0.21 and 104.51${\pm}$1.10 mg/g dried weight, respectively. Poncirin was clearly detected in only Jisil and naringenin and naringin were not observed on the HPLC chromatogram of the five crude drugs.

The compositional analysis and the peroxynitrite ($ONOO^-$) scavenging assay were undertaken to demonstrate beneficial dietary effect of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L., Compositae). Quinic acid derivatives of the seven cultivars were qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed by HPLC to lead to the finding of 3,4-di-O-caffeoyquinic acid and 3-O-p-coumaroylquinic acid and their contents ranged over 2.72-4.47 mg/g and 8.97-23.26 mg/g, respectively. A cultivar Hacheong had the highest quantity of quinic acid derivatives. The peroxynitrite scavenging effect of the five cultivars (Jangsu, Gosina 27, Gopung, Yeolpungjeogchima, and Mipungjeogchugmyeon) were ranged over 7.45-8.26${\mu}g$/ml as $IC_{50}s$ while those of Hacheong and Mihong had less effect ($IC_{50}$ >10 ${\mu}g$/ml).

Enhanced formation and accumulation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) have been implicated as a major pathogenesis process leading to diabetic complications, normal aging, atherosclerosis and Alzheimer's disease. In our ongoing project to discover novel treatments for diabetic complications from natural sources, we have investigated on the inhibitory activity of 67 ethanol extracts from 57 Korean herbal medicines against the formation of AGEs in vitro. Of these, 22 extracts were found to have a significant AGEs inhibitory activity ($IC_{50}$<50 ${\mu}g$/ml) compared with aminoguanidine ($IC_{50}$=75.98 ${\mu}g$/ml). Particularly, 6 extracts from 3 herbal medicines, Castanea crenata (flower, leaf, bark-twig), Acer tatarium subsp. ginnala (fruit) and Sapium japonicum (leaf, twig) showed (approximately 8-17 fold) stronger inhibitory activity than that of aminoguanidine.

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) have been implicated in the development of diabetic complications. The AGEs inhibitors or cross-link breakers attenuate various functional and structural manifestations of diabetic complications. In this study, 64 herbal medicines from China and Vietnam have been investigated with an in vitro evaluation system using AGEs inhibitory activity. Of these, eight herbal medicines ($IC_{50}$<50 ${\mu}g$/ml) were found to have strong AGEs inhibitory activity compared with aminoguanidine (14 days, $IC_{50}$=75.98 ${\mu}g$/ml; 28 days, $IC_{50}$=88.27 ${\mu}g$/ml). Particularly, four herbal medicines, Buddleja officinalis (whole plant), Syzygium cuminii (leaf), Eugenia caryophyllate (seed), and Paeonia suffruticosa (root) showed more potent inhibitory activity (approximately 5-6 fold) than the positive control aminoguanidine.

Aldose reductase (AR) is a critical enzyme in the development of the diabetic complications. AR, the first enzyme in the polyol pathway, catalyzes the reduction of the aldehyde form of glucose to sorbitol with concomitant conversion of NADPH to $NADP^+$. None of aldose reductase inhibitor (ARI) has achieved worldwide use because of limited efficacy or undesirable side effects. Therefore, evaluating natural sources for ARI potential may lead to the development of safer and more effective agents against diabetic complications. Forty eight Chinese herbal medicines have been investigated for inhibitory activities on AR. Among them, seven herbal medicines, Buddleja officinalis (whole plant), Lonicera japonica (leaf and flower), Polygonum aviculare (aerial part), Polygonum aviculare (whole plant), Salvia miltiorrhiza (root), Schisandra chinensis (stem), and Zanthoxylum armatum (leaf and stem) exhibited a significant inhibitory activity against AR. Particularly, L. japonica and P. aviculare showed two times more potent inhibitory activity than the positive control, 3,3-tetramethyleneglutaric acid (TMG).

The purpose of this study is to investigate hypotensive effect of BDR-29, new herbal preparation of Cassiae Semen, Prunellae Spica, Uncariae Ramulus et Uncus, and Tribuli Semen, in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR-SP). SHR-SP were treated with BDR-29 at a dose of 100, 200 mg/kg/day orally for 13 weeks. In the BDR-29 treat group, mean blood pressure and systolic blood pressure were significantly reduced (p<0.05). In phenylephrine-precontracted arota and carotid artery, BDR-29 induced endothelium-dependent vascular relaxation. Hematological findings and biochemical examination revealed no evidence of specific toxicity related to BDR-29. In addition, BDR-29 was markedly attenuated intima-media thickness of thoracic aorta with progression of atherosclerosis. SHR-SP were treated with BDR-29 were significantly increased eNOS expression in arota. These results indicated that BDR-29 improves blood pressure as well as initial atherosclerotic lesion.

This study was performed to investigate the anti-hyperglycemia effects of the Triticum aestivum wheat sprout (TAWS) water extracts in the diabetic mice. Diabetic experimental model was established by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin into male Balb/c mice. Mice were divided into five groups: normal (CON), diabetic control (DM), and three experimental groups (DM-100, diabetes with TAWS extracts 100mg/kg; DM-50, diabetes with TAWS extracts 50 mg/kg; DM-25, diabetes with TAWS extracts 25 mg/kg). TAWS extracts were administered orally in diabetic mice. Body weight, food intake, and blood glucose levels were recorded for 12 days and blood insulin levels were measured at the day 12. Oral administration of TAWS extracts reduced slightly food intake and induced a little body weight gain in DM-100 groups. The blood level of glucose was decreased in the dose-dependent manner; 55% in the DM-100 group and 39.7% in the DM-50 group. The blood level of insulin also was improved 10 folds in the DM-100 group and 3.6 folds in the DM-50 group compared to the DM group. The contents of total phenolic compounds and total flavonoids in 1 g dry mass of TAWS extracts were 6.6 mg of tannic acid equivalents and 1.0 mg of 8-hydroquinolline equivalents, respectively. In addition, the antioxidant and DPPH radical scavenging activity of TAWS extracts were 1.2 mM and 1.8 mM ascorbic acid equivalents, respectively. These results suggest that TAWS water extracts could contribute to attenuate clinical symptoms of diabetes mellitus.