The Acer tegmentosum (3 kg) were extracted with boiled water and the freeze dried extract powder was partitioned with $CH_2Cl_2$, EtOAc, n-BuOH and $H_2O$, successively. From the EtOAc and n-BuOH fraction, six phenolic compounds were isolated through the silica gel, octadecyl silica gel and sephadex LH-20 column chromatography. On the basis of spectroscopic methods, such as $^1H$-NMR and $^{13}C$-NMR, and LC/MS, the chemical structures of the compounds as feniculin (1), avicularin (2), (+)-catechin (3), (-)-epicatechin (4), salidroside (5) and 6'-O-galloylsalidroside (6). In this study, compounds 1 and 2 have been first isolated from the A. tegmentosum. To provide insight into the effects of six compounds isolated from A. tegmentosum on inflammation, we investigated its effect on nitric oxide (NO) production in RAW 264.7 cells using lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation. Compounds 1 and 6 slightly repressed NO production. Also, compounds 3 and 4 inhibited NO secretion with statistical significance. However, compounds 2 and 5 did not show any inhibitory effect on NO production.

Marine-derived microbes have yielded a variety of metabolites so far. In the course of the project to find metabolites from marine microbes, an isolate of Penicillium glabrum (SF 5317) was selected for chemical investigation. A large scale culture of this strain in PDA media was extracted with an organic solvent and the extract was subjected to a serious of chromatography, which led to six metabolites. Their chemical structures were elucidated as sulochrin (1), questin (2), questinol (3), ergosterol (4), 3-methyldesmethoxyyangonin (5), and hydroxysulochrin (6) on the basis of spectroscopic data. To the best of our knowledge, this is the second isolation of compounds 5 and 6 in nature and especially 6 is isolated from Penicillium sp. for the first time.

The purpose of this study is to develop a new preparation process of American ginseng (Panax quinquefolium) extract featuring high concentration of ginsenoside $Rg_3$, $Rg_5$, and $Rk_1$, Red ginseng special components. Chemical transformation from ginseng saponin glycosides to prosapogenin was analyzed by the HPLC. Extracts of American ginseng were processed under several treatment conditions of microwave and vinegar (about 14% acidity). The results showed that the quantity of ginsenoside $Rg_3$ increased by over 0.9% at the 20 minutes of the pH 2~4 vinegar and microwave American ginseng ethanol extract compared with other process times. The result of MAG-20 indicates that the American ginseng microwave and vinegar-processed American ginseng extracts (about 14% acidity) treated for 20 minutes produced the highest amount of ginsenoside $Rg_3$ (0.969%), $Rg_5$ (1.071%), and $Rk_1$ (0.247%). Besides, MAG-15 indicates that the microwave - and vinegar-processed American ginseng extracts (about 14% acidity) treated for 15 minutes produced the highest amount of ginsenoside $Rg_3$ (0.772%), $Rg_5$ (1.330%), and $Rk_1$ (0.386%). This indicates that American ginseng treated with microwave and vinegar had the quantity of the ginsenoside $Rg_3$ over 32 times the amount of the ginsenoside $Rg_3$ (which was not found in raw and American ginsengs) in the average commercial Red ginseng.

Generally, Gwakhyangjeonggi-san has been used for treatment of diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome. In this study, an ultra-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometer method was established for the simultaneous quantification of marker compounds 1-20 in Gwakhyangjeonggi-san water extract. All analytes were separated by gradient elution using two mobile phases on a UPLC BEH $C_{18}$ ($100{\times}2.1mm$, $1.7{\mu}m$) column and maintained at $45^{\circ}C$. The injection volume was $2.0{\mu}L$ and the flow rate was 0.3 mL/min with detection at mass spectrometer. Regression equations of the compounds 1-20 were acquired with $r^2$ values ${\geq}0.9950$. The values of limit of detection and quantification of all analytes were 0.01-2.79 ng/mL and 0.03-8.37 ng/mL, respectively. The amounts of the compounds 1-20 in Gwakhyangjeonggi-san water extract were not detected $-3,236.67{\mu}g/g$. The established LC-MS/MS methods will be valuable to improve quality control of traditional herbal formula, Gwakhyangjeonggi-san.

In order to observe the change of ginsenosides, two simplified decoctive conditions are set up aqueous citric acids (0, 12.5, 25, 50, 75, and 100 mM) with ginseng powder (3 g) and Schisandrae Fructus (0, 1, 2, 3 g) with ginseng powder (3 g). Decoctive temperature and duration are $95^{\circ}C$ and 1.5 h. The contents of major ginsenosides are decreased by increasing concentration of citric acid. But the contents of converted ginsenosides have not been a noticeable increase. In the decoctive condition with Schisandrae Fructus, the contents of major protopanaxdiol ginsenosides seriously decreases that compared with major protopanaxtriol ginsenosides. Therefore, Schisandrae Fructus provides the condition that predominantly converts protopanaxdiol ginsenosides in ginseng decoction.

A great interest is emerging about green tea as a tool against human cancer proliferation or inflammation, as pointed out by recent reports describing the inhibitory action of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) on angiogenesis, urokinase, metalloproteinases, and induction of inducible nitric oxide synthase. We proposed that EGCG may regulate a multi target signaling having wider spectra of action than those actions of single enzymes. CSK (c-terminal Src kinase) protein is a non-receptor tyrosine kinase involved in the cross-talk and mediation of many signaling pathways that promote cell proliferation, adhesion, invasion, migration, and tumorigenesis. Based on the knowledge that CSK activation is important for cancer proliferation we hypothesized that CSK could be a target of EGCG. Here we showed that EGCG effectively suppressed the growth of CSK MEF cell when compare with CSK knockout MEF cell growth. These results indicate that EGCG could be used as a chemoprevention to modulate CSK signal pathway in inflammatory processes and tumor formation.

A simple and reliable reverse phase HPLC method was developed to determine pharmacologically active marker compounds of Epimedii Herba, Atractylodis Rhizoma Alba, and Polygalae Radix. The stability test of water-extracts of the three natural medicines has been evaluated for six months. However, no significant changes in the content of the marker compounds of each extract were observed during the time of investigation.

In this study, we investigated on antioxidative activities and tyrosinase inhibitory activities of methanol extract and its fractions from roots of Arctium lappa. The total phenolic compound and flavonoid content of the ethylacetate fraction was found to be 818.29 mg/g and 360.59 mg/g as the highest content. In the measurement of DPPH radical scavenging ability and tyrosinase inhibitory activity, the ethylacetate fraction was higher than the other fractions and the extract. In addition, comparative analysis of phenolic compounds by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (MS)/MS system under the multiple-reaction monitoring (MRM) with negative-ion electrospray ionization mode. The main phenolic compounds in the extract and fractions of roots from Arctium lappa were cynarin and chlorogenic acid. The main phenolic compound of the ethylacetate fraction was cynarin. n-Butanol fraction had a significantly higher chlorogenic acid content than other samples. In conclusion, DPPH radical scavenging ability and tyrosinase inhibitory activity of the cynarin-riched ethylacetate fraction showed the highest activity.

This study was focused on the evaluation of radical scavenging effect and the protective activity against oxidative stress of the extract and fractions from Petasites japonicus. P. japonicus was extracted with methanol and then fractionated into 4 fractions [n-butanol, ethyl acetate (EtOAc), methylene chloride, and n-hexane]. The extract and fractions showed strong 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity. Among all the fractions, particularly, the EtOAc fraction showed the strongest effect with the $IC_{50}$ value of $0.02{\mu}g/ml$. In addition, the fractions also showed strong hydroxyl radical scavenging activity and nitric oxide scavenging activity as well. Furthermore, cell viability generated by the P. japonicus extract and 4 fractions were examined under C6 glial cellular model. The C6 glial cells showed high generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and decrease in cell viability by the treatment generator of hydrogen peroxide. However, the production of ROS formation was decreased by the treatment of the fractions of P. japonicus and also founded that the EtOAc fraction led to significant increase in the cell viability at concentration $100{\mu}g/ml$. Results from this work indicated that P. japonicus showed protective effects against oxidative stress and its EtOAc fraction may be served as a useful natural antioxidant.

The aim of this study was to determine the incidence and contamination levels of aflatoxin in Medicinal Herbs for Food and Medicine at Yakyeang market in seoul. 191 Samples 11 items medicinal herbs for food and medicine were evaluated for the aflatoxin contamination. in result 41 samples 10 items (21.5%) were detected in the alfatoxin, a high incidence of aflatoxins items are cassiae semen (50.0%), testudinis plastrum (43.8%) and Batryticatus Bombyx (40.0%), Polygalae Radix (31.2%), Zizyphi Semen (23.5%), Dolichoris Semen, Myristicae Semen (20.0%), Nelumbinis Semen (15.8%), Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma (7.4%), Hoveniae Semen Cum Fructus (4.3%). AFB1 were detected 27 cases (14.1%), AFB2, AFG1 and AFG2 were detected 18cases (9.4%), 16cases (8.4%) and 5cases (2.6%). The excess cancer risk estimated using the cancer potency of aflatoxin B1 (7(mg/kg/day)-1 for HBsAg-and 230(mg/kg/day)-1 HBsAg+) was N.D ~ $3.79{\times}10^{-6}$ for hepatits B surface antigen negative (HBsAg-) and N.D ~ $9.68{\times}10^{-5}$ hepatits B surface antigen positive (HBsAg+) respectively.

Ganoderma lucidum L. (GL) is a traditional oriental medicine that has been widely used as anti-inflammatory, antitumor and anti-oxidant in Korea and other Asian countries. In this study, we investigated the ethanol extract of GL has neuroprotective effects in murine hippocampal HT22 cells. GL ethanol extract has the potent neuroprotective effects on glutamate-intoxicated cells by inducing the expression of heme oxygenase (HO)-1 in HT22 cells. GL ethanol extract increased JNK phosphorylation. Obviously, When we treated the GL extract with c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) inhibitor (SP600125), HO-1 expression was reduced. Moreover, we found that GL treatment caused the nuclear accumulation of Nrf2. In conclusion, the ethanol extract of GL significantly protects glutamate-induced oxidative damage by induction of HO-1 via Nrf2, JNK pathway in mouse hippocampal HT22. These results suggest that GL ethanol extract would be a good source for taking active compounds and may be a potential pharmaceutical products for brain disorder induced by neuronal damage and oxidative stress.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-helicobacter activity of the ethanol extract of Sohamhyoongtang (Coptidis Rhizoma, Pinelliae Tuber and Trichosanthis Semen) and Coptidis Rhizoma total alkaloids, which is one of the components of Sohamhyoongtang. Crude ethanol extract of Sohamhyoongtang (ESHHT) and Coptidis Rhizoma total alkaloids (CRTA) were used for this experiment. Five different types of H. pylori (including H. pylori 26695) were used as test strain. To determine anti-helicobacter activity, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined by agar dilution method. The effect of ESHHT and CRTA on the gene expression of H. pylori was investigated by quantitative realtime-PCR (qRT-PCR). MICs of ESHHT against five H. pylori strains were $250{\sim}500{\mu}g/ml$ and MICs of CRTA against five H. pylori strains were $50{\sim}200{\mu}g/ml$. Four representative virulence genes of H. pylori, cagA, ureA, ureB and ureI were tested as target genes for qRT-PCR. According to the qRT-PCR results, both ESHHT and CRTA markedly repressed the expression of cagA gene of H. pylori 26695 (6.91 and 20 folds respecively). These results showed that the ESHHT and CRTA demonstrated antihelicobacter properties, suggesting their potential use in gastritis or duodenal ulcer.

D-Pinitol, an anti-diabetic substance, is a naturally occurring compound found in legumes. In this study, we investigated the inhibitory effect of D-pinitol on growth and recurrence of breast cancer. When D-pinitol was treated on MDA-MB-231 or MCF-7 breast cancer cells, it was observed that the viability of the two cancer cell lines was reduced in MTT assay. In order to examine the effect on the growth of breast tumor, mouse xenograft assay was carried out. On day 0, nine millions cells of MDA-MB-231 were injected subcutaneously into nude mouse and D-pinitol was administered orally at the dose of 500 mg/kg or 1000 mg/kg body weight for consecutive 45 days. Tumor size was reduced in dose-dependent manner upto 95.4% in 1000 mpk-treated group, compared with the non-treated control group. When D-pinitol was co-administrated with $4{\mu}g$ of doxorubicin, recurrence of breast tumor was delayed by two weeks, compared with the mouse group of doxorubicin monotherapy. Consistent with this data, it was observed that the population of cancer stem cells (CSCs), responsible for recurrence of cancer, within tumor mass was significantly reduced. Taken together, D-pinitol inhibits the growth of breast cancer and relapse of the tumor by suppressing the proliferation of CSCs.

This study was carried out to investigate the acute toxicity of the bark of Diospyros kaki (Ebenaceae) in mice. The aqueous extract of the bark of Diospyros kaki (AEDK) was administered orally at a doses of 5 mg/kg, 50 mg/kg, 300 mg/kg and 2,000 mg/kg. In this study, number of deaths, clinical signs, body weights and pathological examinations were investigated after administration of AEDK. There were neither dead animals nor significant changes of body weights during the experimental period. In addition, no differences were found between control and AEDK treated groups in clinical signs, organ weights and gross pathological findings. AEDK did not show any toxic effect in mice.