To identify potential gastrointestinal prokinetic agents, water and 70% ethanol extracts and isolated compounds from 41 different traditional medicinal herbs were evaluated for the stimulation of gastrointestinal (GI) motility in vivo. Of the 41 water and 70% ethanol extracts, 12 extracts were found to enhance GI motility activity in mice by more than 10%. The 12 extracts are as follows: Atractylodes japonica (root), Crataegus pinnatifida (flower), Aucklandia lappa (root), Inula helenium (root), Cynanchum wilfordii (root), Chinese Liriope platyphylla (root), Codonopsis pilosula (root), Glehnia littoralis (root), Pinellia ternate (tuber), Agastache rugosa (aerial part), Angelica decursiva (whole plant), and Peucedanum praeruptorum (whole plant). In particular, the extracts from Atractylodes japonica (root), Cynanchum wilfordii (root) and Angelica decursiva (whole plant) have demonstrated the highest GI motility activity. In addition, 26 isolated compounds from the medicinal herbs were tested, and 8 isolated compounds were found to be active. They are ${\alpha}$-ionone, ${\beta}$-ionone, trans-caryophyllene, cedrol, methyl-3,5-di-O-E-caffeoyl-quinate, lobetyolin, oleoyllinoleoylolein and cis-jasmone. ${\beta}$-ionone from Aucklandia lappa (root) showed the most potent GI motility activity. The active traditional medicinal herbs and isolated compounds might be therapeutically advantageous in the treatment of GI motility disorders.

The roots of Paeonia lactiflora (PL) has been traditionally used as analgesic, spasmolytic and tonic in Korea, China, and Japan. As part of a search for herbal medicine to treat diabetes and obesity, we confirmed hypoglycemic effect of PL through high fat diet-induced obese and diabetic mice experiments in vivo. Treatment of ethanolic extract from PL led to a significant decrease in glucose level, which is comparable to that of an antidiabetic drug metformin. In addition, PL selectively stimulates the transcriptional activities of both peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor $(PPAR){\alpha}$ and ${\gamma}$, and inhibits enzymatic activity of protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B), which are predicted to be therapeutic target in treatment of type2 diabetes and obesity. Especially, the n-hexane fraction (Hx) from PL ethanol extract showed more potent activities on $PPAR{\alpha}$ and than others and exihibited moderate inhibitory activity against PTP1B.

In this study, we performed quantification determination of four major components including aurantio-obtusin, emodin, chrysophanol, and physcion in the 70% ethanol extracts of non-processed Cassiae Semen and processed Cassiae Semen using a high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with photodiode array detector. The analytical column for separation of the 4 constituents used a Gemini $C_{18}$ column kept at $40^{\circ}C$ by the gradient elution with 1.0% (v/v) acetic acid in water and 1.0% (v/v) acetic acid in acetonitrile as mobile phase. The flow rate was 1.0 mL/min and the injection volume was $10{\mu}L$. The amount of aurantio-obtusin, emodin, chrysophanol, and physcion in non-processed Cassiae Semen were 0.07%, 0.02%, 0.25%, and 0.10%, respectively. The amount of aurantio-obtusin, emodin, chrysophanol, and physcion in processed Cassiae Semen were 0.04-0.14%, 0.01-0.03%, 0.02-0.42%, and 0.01-0.24%, respectively. Consequently, the optimal processing condition of Cassiae Semen for the improvements of amounts of four anthraquinone compounds was obtained by roasting at $240^{\circ}C$ for 15 min.

The anti-melanogenic substance was isolated from the root of Angelica gigas Nakai by silica gel column chromatography, preparative HPLC and TLC. As a result of the structure analysis by mass, $^1H$-NMR, and $^{13}C$-NMR spectrometry, the compound was identified as demethylsuberosin. Demethylsuberosin reduced melanin contents of B16F1 melanoma cells in a dose-dependent manner and decreased to about 74% at a concentration $5{\mu}g/ml$. Demethylsuberosin inhibited the expression in microphthalmia associated transcription factor (MITF), tyrosinase, tyrosinase related protein-1 (TRP-1), and tyrosinase related protein-2 (TRP-2) in melanocytes. These results suggest that the whitening activity of demethylsuberosin may be due to the inhibition of the melanin synthesis by down-regulation of MITF, tyrosinase, TRP-1 and TRP-2 expression. Thus, our results provide evidence that demethylsuberosin might be useful as a potential skin-whitening agent.

Artemisia apiacea is a traditional herbal medicine using treatment of eczema and jaundice in Eastern Asia including China, Korea, and Japan. In this study, the three phytosterol constituents were isolated and identified from the hexane fraction of 80% aqueous methanol extract of A. apiacea. Compounds were isolated using open column chromatography (silica gel). Their chemical structures were also established using $^1H$-NMR and $^{13}C$-NMR. Moreover, neuroprotective activity of each compound against glutamate-induced neurotoxicity in hippocampal HT-22 cell line was evaluated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Furthermore, Inhibition of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and calcium ion ($Ca^{2+}$) accumulation were measured for elucidation of neuroprotective mechanism of isolated compounds. They showed that stigmasterol had neuroprotective activity against the glutamate-induced toxicity by inhibition of ROS and $Ca^{2+}$ production. In conclusion, isolated compound of A. apiacea might be useful for therapeutic agent against neurodegenerative diseases.

Diospyros lotus has been cultivated for its edible fruits and leaves which are considered for its medicinal importance. The aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-melanogenesis of ethyl acetate (EA) fractions from D. lotus leaves in B16 cells. The order of the total polyphenol content with regard to the different solvent fractions from D. lotus leaves was EA>butanol>metahanol>chloroform>n-hexane. The major compounds of EA fraction from D. lotus leaves by HPLC analysis were myricitrin and myricetin. Cellular TYR activity and melanin content in response to treatment with 100 mg/mL of EA fraction was inhibited more strongly than group treated with arbutin. Further, EA fraction exhibited significant anti-melanogenesis effects by reducing the levels of microphthalima-associated transcription factor (MITE), inhibiting the synthesis of TYR, tyrosinase-related protein-1 (TRP-1) and TRP-2. Therefore, EA fractions from D. lotus leaves may be a good source of skin-whitening agents in the future development of medicine-based trouble skin therapy.

The seed of Vigna angularis (Ohwi) Ohwi & Ohashi (= Phaseolus angularis W. F. Wight, Leguminosae) is one of well-known folk foodstuffs in Korea, China and Japan. In the course of screening for antioxidants from natural plants in Korea by measuring the radical scavenging effect on 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) a methanol extract of the seeds of V. angularis were found to show a potent antioxidant activity. And the ethyl acetate soluble fraction of V. angularis (VAEA) showed the most potent DPPH radical scavenging and superoxide quenching activities. To reveal the effect of antioxidant activities of VAEA, we tested the thermal and oxidative stress tolerances, activities of SOD and catalase, and intracellular ROS level in Caenorhabditis elegans. Consequently, VAEA-fed worms lived longer than control worms under the thermal and oxidative stress conditions. And VAEA elevated SOD and catalase activities of worms, and reduced intracellular ROS accumulation in a dose-dependent manner.

We evaluated the benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) with Yacon pill, the preparation composed of Smallanthus sonchifolius, Torilis japonica and Acorus gramineus. A total of 45 rats were divided into five groups. One group was used as a control and the other groups received subcutaneous injections of testosterone for 4 weeks to induce BPH. Yacon pill extract (200 or 400 mg/kg) was administered daily for 4 weeks to two groups by oral gavage concurrently with testosterone. The rats euthanized, the prostate and body weights were recorded, and tissues were subjected to hormone assay. In addition, we investigated proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) expression in the prostate using immunoblotting. Rats with BPH showed significantly increased prostate weights, increased dihydrotestosterone (DHT) levels in the serum and increased PCNA expression in the prostate; however, Yacon pill extracts treated rats showed significant reduction of prostate weights, DHT levels and PCNA expression compared with the BPH group. Conclusively, Yacon pill showed the possibility as ameliorable agents of BPH symptoms.

Gyejibokryeong-hwan (GJBRH) has been used for treatment of patients with climacteric syndrome. In this study, an ultra-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometer (UPLC-ESI-MS) method was established for the simultaneous quantification of seven marker compounds in GJBRH extract. In addition, we assessed the antioxidant effects of GJBRH. All analytes were separated by gradient elution using two mobile phases on a UPLC BEH $C_{18}$ column and maintained at $45^{\circ}C$. The antioxidant activities of GJBRH were evaluated by measuring free radical scavenging activities on 2,2'-azinobis-3-ethyl-benzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) and 1-1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). The inhibitory effects on low-density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation were evaluated by the formation of thiobarbituric acid relative substances (TBARS) and relative electrophoretic mobility (REM). Regression equations of the seven compounds were acquired with $r^2$ values ${\geq}0.9988$. The amounts of the seven compounds, amygdalin, albiflorin, paeoniflorin, coumarin, cinnamic acid, cinnamaldehyde, and paeonol in GJBRH water extract were 21.71, 2.16, 17.17, 1.97, 0.40, 0.78, and 3.42 mg/g, respectively. The GJBRH showed the radical scavenging activity in a dose-dependent manner. The concentration required for 50% reduction ($RC_{50}$) against ABTS and DPPH radicals were $54.18{\mu}g/mL$ and $79.53{\mu}g/mL$. Furthermore, GJBRH reduced the oxidation properties of LDL induced by $CuSO_4$.

This study compared Bojungikgi-tang (BIT) and Yukmijihwang-tang (YJT) decoctions produced using the extractors made of various materials, such as glass, earthenware, and stainless steel, for 60, 90, and 120 min. The extraction yield was measured and the amounts of marker compounds in decoctions were determined by quantitative analysis using high performance liquid chromatography. The extraction yields of BIT decoctions produced by three extractors were not significantly different, whereas the extraction yield of YJT produced using glass extractor was significantly higher than that of YJT produced using earthenware extractor after 90 min. The amounts of most marker compounds were highest in BIT decoctions produced using glass extractor. However, variations of the amounts of marker compounds were observed in YJT decoctions and the volatile compound was not easily vaporized in YJT decoction produced using earthenware extractor. This study suggests that the extractor made of various materials may affect the extraction efficiency and the contents of marker compounds, especially in the decoction produced using earthenware extractor, although the results were dependent on the characteristics of herbal formula.

Bee venom (BV) therapy has been used as a traditional medicine to treat a variety of conditions, such as arthritis, back pain, cancerous tumors, and skin diseases. However, regulatory effects of BV on tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$-induced HaCaT cell migration or anti-inflammatory have not been explored. In the present study, we investigated the effects of BV on HaCaT cell migration and anti-inflammation. HaCaT cell migration was evaluated by wound-healing assay. The pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-${\alpha}$, interleukin (IL)-$1{\beta}$, and IL-8 were examined by ELISA or Western blotting. BV treatment led to an increase in migration of HaCaT cells for 24 and 48 h. Especially, 10 ng/ml of BV were significantly increased HaCaT cell migration. Also, BV suppressed the secretion of TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-$1{\beta}$, and IL-8 in culture medium with HaCaT cells. In addition, Western blot results demonstrate that BV suppressed the expression of TNF-${\alpha}$ and IL-$1{\beta}$, in HaCaT cells. Especially, 1 or 10 ng/ml of BV markedly decreased the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines. These results demonstrate the potential of BV for the prevention of skin inflammation induced by TNF-${\alpha}$.

Royal jelly composes of many components, especially protein. Protein is a major factor which cause allergy. We focused on water soluble royal jelly (WSRJ) that was removed allergy - inducing protein. 10-hyroxy-2-decenoic acid content of WSRJ is 2.42 g/100 g, which is double compared to that of lypophilized RJ. To further access WSRJ as a cosmetic ingredient and potential external treatment for topical use, we investigated its ability to inhibit tyrosinase activity and melanin biosynthesis on melanogenesis in B16F1 melanoma cells. We found that WSRJ increased the cell viability in B16F1 melanoma cell and WSRJ (1~10 mg/ml) inhibited melanin synthesis in with 10 nM ${\alpha}$-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (${\alpha}$-MSH) for 48 h. WSRJ inhibited direct tyrosinase activity, which decreased melanin synthesis in ${\alpha}$-MSH stimulated B16F1 melanoma cells. Thease findings suggest that WSRJ induces the down regulation of melanogenesis by inhibiting tyrosinase activation.

The aim of this study is to explore the potent phosphodiesterase 4 and 7 inhibitor from various herbal medicines for atopy treatment. In this study, 51 kinds of each herbal medicine, which were extracted with ethanol, was carried out the screening of PDE 4 and 7 inhibition using enzyme inhibitory assay. Of these, 8 species of herbal medicines, Rubus coreanus, Duchesnea chrysantha, Alisma orientale, Rehmannia glutinosa, Angelica dahurica, Thuja orientalis, Astragalus membranaceus and Perilla frutescens were screened as potential inhibitor against PDE 4 and 7. Among 8 species, Duchesnea chrysantha showed poteinial anti-atopic effect on DNCB-induced atopic model. Duchesnea chrysantha extract decreased serum IgE and histamine release significantly.