Cornus alba (CA) geographically distributes in Korea, Japan, Northeast China and Russia. The cornus species have been used traditionally as anti-inflammatory, hemostatic and diuretic in Korea. Previously, it was reported CA and its separated components have excellent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-prostate cancer efficacy. Present work, the validation and content determination was tried on the ellagitannin, cornusiin B which were isolated from the CA by using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). As a result, the content of cornusiin B were 3.07% in ethanolic extract of CA.

Zanthoxylum Peel is widely used as a common spice for a variety of foods. In the orient, it has also been used as traditional agents for treating diseases such as indigestion. Recently, Zanthoxylum Peel has been reported to have anti-cancer activity, anti-microbial activity, and anti-inflammatory activity. Chemical components are known sanshool compounds and xanthoxylin. In this study, we were carried out to investigate the constituents of inhibiting a drug metabolizing enzyme CYP3A4 from Zanthoxylum Peel. CYP3A4 is known as an enzyme involved in drug metabolism as monooxygenase containing the heme. As a result of experiment, we found that bergapten ($IC_{50}=18.21{\mu}M$) and quercetin ($IC_{50}=17.27{\mu}M$) isolated from EtOAc extract of Zanthoxylum Peel showed remarkable CYP3A4-inhibiting activities. Structures of the isolated active compounds were established by chemical and spectroscopic means.

Oregonin is known as a representative active substance of plants of the Alnus species. In this study, we will show the results of establishing a method for extracting trace amounts of useful substances in plants. Additionally, a variety of physiological activity studies were conducted with extracts containing high content of useful substances. In this study, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic activities of supercritical fluid residue 60% EtOH extracts of Alnus sibirica (ASCFR) were investigated in vitro. To explore anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory characteristics of supercritical extract, DPPH radical scavenging, and ABTS radical scavenging activity, inhibition of nitric oxide production in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells and ${\beta}$-hexosaminidase release in IgE-stimulated RBL-2H3 cells were examined, respectively. Results showed a concentration-dependent increase in DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activity. Cells stimulated with LPS produced more nitric oxide than normal control cells. However, cells treated with supercritical fluid residue 60% EtOH extract decreased production in a concentration-dependent manner. In anti-allergic activity studies, ASCFR showed concentration-dependentanti-allergic activity. Based on results and strong antioxidant activity, ASCFR has potential as basic research materials for development of therapeutic supplements-based medicines or functional cosmetics related to chronic inflammatory skin immunity diseases.

Mast cells are crucial as effector cells in the immediate-type allergic reaction. Lentinus edodes has been the popular edible mushroom in oriental countries and reported to have immunomodulatory, anti-tumor, anti-atherogenic, anti-viral, and anti-allergic activities. However, the roles of L. edodes in mast cell-mediated anaphylactic reaction have not been fully elucidated. In this research, we have demonstrated the effects of the methanol extract of L. edodes (MELE) on mast cell-mediated anaphylaxis-like and anaphylactic reactions. MELE suppressed systemic anaphylaxis-like reaction, plasma histamine levels, and ear swelling response in mice treated with compound 48/80. MELE also suppressed passive systemic and cutaneous anaphylaxis mediated by anti-dinitrophenyl IgE. In accordance with these findings, MELE dose-dependently decreased histamine release from RPMC evoked by compound 48/80 or the antigen-antibody reaction. To clarify the mechanism of degranulation system, intracellular cAMP levels as well as calcium influx in RPMC was evaluated. In compound 48/80-treated RPMC, MELE blocked calcium uptake into the cells. In addition, MELE elevated the intracellular cAMP content and significantly attenuated compound 48/80-induced cAMP reduction in RPMC. Taken together, we propose the clinical use of MELE in mast cell-mediated immediate-type allergic diseases.

Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease and gums pull away from the teeth and form spaces. The main goal of treatment is to control the infection and anti-inflammation. Eucommia ulmoides Oliv. Bark (EU) is a traditional Korean herbal used for the treatment of arthritis and hypertension. In the present study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory properties of EU in Porphyromonas gingivalis-LPS (LPS-PG) induced YD-38 epithelial cells. We observed significant inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) production and the expression of interleukin-8 (IL-8), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor alpha ($TNF-{\alpha}$), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in LPS-PG-induced YD-38 cells. These results support that EU has an anti-inflammatory effects for the treatment of periodontitis.

Sepsis, an infectious disease, is a life-threatening condition that arises when the response to infection causes injury to tissues and organs. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate whether ABHC-1 and ABHC-2, two functional extracts from herbal complex, have an anti-bacterial effect against Escherchia coli in vivo, in vitro experimental model. ABHC-1 and ABHC-2 showed the antibacterial activity against the bacteria by paper disc method. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was measured using alamar blue reagent. The MIC was shown at $60{\mu}g/ml$ from ABHC-1 and $500{\mu}g/ml$ from ABHC-2 against E. coli. We next examined the effect of ABHCs on the production of inflammatory cytokine, such as tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$ ($TNF-{\alpha}$), which is related to the induction of inflammation, in RAW 264.7 cell. ABHC-1 and ABHC-2 increased $TNF-{\alpha}$ production of RAW 264.7 cell in a dose-dependent manner while two extract decreased $TNF-{\alpha}$ production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 cell in a dose-dependent manner. At a dose of $1{\times}10^8$ E. coli. i.p., non-treated mice were succumbed, while most of mice treated with ABHC-1 were survived. Therefore, our results suggest that ABHC-1 has anti-bacterial activity and can be a novel therapeutic agent against infectious diseases.

A facile and convenient method was developed for the mass production of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) rich green tea extract (Er-GTE). The Er-GTE was successfully obtained from the crude water extract of green tea by the combination of two step purification, i.e., a simple adsorption process on the cation exchange resins (Trilite SCR-B) followed by the chromatography with Diaion HP-20 resins. The green tea extract produced by water extraction under $45^{\circ}C$ was subjected to adsorb on the strongly acidic cation exchange resin, Trilite SCR-B. The eluate passed through the resin was reabsorbed on Diaion HP-20 resin, which was subjected to elute with a mixture of water and alcohol by conventional chromatographical manner. The EGCG content in Er-GTE was estimated above 97% by HP-LC analysis and the newly developed method was regarded as the most suitable and appropriate process for the mass production of epigallocatechin gallate rich green tea extract (Er-GTE).

This study was conducted to investigate the toxicity symptoms and approximate lethal dose (ALD) of Oplopanax elatus (Nakai) Nakai hydrothermal extract powder by single oral dose toxicity and 4 weeks of repeated oral dose determination. The Sprague-Dawley (SD) male and female rats were treated with 1,250 (low- dosage group), 2,500 (medium- dosage group) and 5,000 (high- dosage group) mg/kg. In the single oral dose toxicity test, no dead animals and toxic symptoms were observed during the experiment. And there were no related with anomalies in normal weight changes and autopsy results. In the four-week repeated oral dose determination test, no death animals and toxicity symptoms were observed during the experiment, and there were no abnormal results in weight changes, feed and negative intake measurements. Results of eye examination, urinalysis, hematological values and serum biochemical values, gross findings and absolute organ were not of singularity. These result demonstrated that no toxic symptoms were observed by the test substance Oplopanax elatus (Nakai) Nakai hydrothermal extract powder under this test condition, and the non-toxic content is determined to be 5,000 mg/kg/day.

This study was done to examine immunomodulative effects of aged doraji (AD) in the immune-suppressed mice induced by cyclophosphamide. The immune-stimulating effects of ethanol AD extract in in vivo at 75 and 150 mg/kg body weight (BW) for AD and 2AD groups were evaluated and compared to the normal doraji group (2ND, 150 mg/kg BW) treated with a doraji without aging process. After the 10 days of oral supplement, body and immune related organ weights, serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) and cytokines levels, splenocytes proliferation rate, and splenic NK cell activity were measured as immune-related biomarkers. Body weight and serum IgG level increased in the 2AD group. But, the serum Th2 cytokine (IL-6, $TNF-{\alpha}$) levels were lower in the AD and 2AD groups, respectively. Splenic T cell and B cell proliferation and NK cell activity increased in the doraji groups and the significant increases were found only in the 2AD group. Thus, the aged doraji extract may affect body weight, serum IgG level, splenocytes proliferation, and splenic NK cell activity, and normalize the Th2 cytokine levels in the immune-suppressed mice. The results suggest that the aged doraji improves effectively immune system rather than the normal one.

Prunus yedoensis Matsum. (Rosaceae) has been used for cough, urticaria, pruritus, dermatitis, asthma and relaxation in traditional Korean medicine. In this study, naringenin, sakuranetin and prunetin were isolated from the barks of P. yedoensis and quantification were performed by using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method with diode array detector. The structures of naringenin and sakuranetin, prunetin were identified NMR spectroscopic data analysis. The content of each compound was analyzed by HPLC and the analytical method was validated through linearity, precision, accuracy and specificity test. The result showed that calibration curves of three compounds naringenin, sakuranetin and prunetin indicated great linearity with a correlation coefficient ($R^2$) of 1.00, 1.00 and 0.99. Intra and inter day measurement accuracy of the three compounds ranged from 92.70 ~ 112.70%, and showed precision was less than 3%. Therefore, the content analysis showed that naringenin ($0.132{\pm}0.016%$), sakuranetin ($0.108{\pm}0.023%$), and prunetin ($0.059{\pm}0.014%$).

Phytochemical study of Ganoderma lucidum (Polyporaceae) let to the isolation of five lanostane triterpenoid (1-5), along with two nitrogen derived phenolic compounds, N-phenylethylformamide (6) and N-acetylphenethylamine (7). The structures of the compounds were determined by 1D and 2D NMR, and MS experiments, as well as by comparison of their data with published values. Compounds 6 and 7 were isolated for the first time from the genus Ganoderma and this species. All the compounds were evaluated for cancer chemopreventive potential based on their ability to inhibit nitric oxide (NO) production induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in mouse macrophage RAW 264.7 cells in vitro. Among the isolates, compounds 2 and 3 showed moderate inhibitory activity against NO production.