• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Environment and Ecology Conference
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• autumn
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• pp.46-50
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• 2004

• FLOWER RESEARCH JOURNAL
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.119-125
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• 2011

Acorus calamus is an indigenous hydrophyte used as phytoremediation and water purification as well as medicinal herb. Irradiation of gamma ray was performed to investigate the effect on radioresistance of A. calamus on in vitro. Various doses (20-500 Gy) of gamma rays were irradiated to in vitro plantlets. The effect of irradiation was studied on survival rate, shoot formation and growth rate. The survival and multiplication rate was remarkably decreased with the increase of radiation dose. The growth of plantlets was significantly increased in comparison to the control at low doses. The hermetic effect of radiation was appeared in A. calamus. It was significantly decreased or interrupted above 250 Gy. The mean 50% lethal dose ($LD_{50}$) was extremely high as 240 Gy. We conclude that A. calamus had remarkably high radioresistance compared with other plant species.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.371-377
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• 2012

This study was conducted to investigate the physiological and structural damages to cadmium (Cd) in Acorus calamus var. angustatus as a native aquatic species in Korea. In addition to the physiological responses such as plant growth, photosynthesis, and root activity, the structural damages in leaf and root tissues were observed through light and scanning electronic microscopy. The five-leaf plants were treated with different Cd concentrations 0, 10, 25, and 50 ${\mu}M$ for 15 days. The plant damages to Cd were significant at 10-25 ${\mu}M$ Cd physiologically and at 25-50 ${\mu}M$ Cd structurally. The physiological damages in the shoot part (photosynthesis) started at 10 ${\mu}M$ Cd whereas those in root part (root activity) were serious above 25 ${\mu}M$ Cd. On the other hand, the structural damages began at 25 ${\mu}M$ Cd in the leaf and root tissues similarly, but the plant tissue destruction was more serious in the roots than in leaves. Based on the plant physiological and structural damages, 10 ${\mu}M$ was assumed to be the limited concentration for sustainable growth and landscaping ability in Acorus calamus var. angustatus to Cd.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.347-351
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• 2008

Rhizomes of Acorus gramineus Soland have been used as sedatives, analgesics, and stomachics in Korean medicine. Even though A. gramineus produced in Korea is known as having better efficacy of a remedy than that in China, its cultivation area has not increased because of the lack of seedlings. To solve this problem, seed propagation method was tested. Seeds were harvested and sowed three times in June, 2005. The best results showed at greenish yellow seed stage harvested in mid June, and its germination ratio was 90.7%. Seeds were well stored at $5^{\circ}C$ for 30 days. As for in vitro culture, multiple shoots were induced first in MS basal medium supplemented with $2.0mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ NAA plus $0.1mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ BA, and then roots were induced in MS basal medium containing $0.1mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ BA or $0.5mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ NAA plus $1.0mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ BA. Growth of A. gramineus seedlings in Wonyesangto, potting material sold in markets for horticultural plants, was superior to vermiculite.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2001.04a
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• pp.87-88
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• 2001

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2005.11a
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• pp.74-74
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• 2005

• Journal of Plant Biology
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.149-164
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• 1985

Intertidal algal community of Muchangpo in western coast of Korea was investigated qualitatively and quantitatively. Seasonal changes of algal occurrence, dominant species in cover, vertical zonation pattern and biomass were analysed. A total of sixty-four species of marine algae, one blue-green alga, three green algae, nineteen brown algae and forty-one red algae, were identified. The dominant species in cover were Sargassum thunbergii, Gelidium divaricatum and Pelvetia siliquosa throughout the year. Gloiopeltis furcata was abundant at upper and middle littoral zones and Corallina pilulifera at lower littoral zone. Classification by unweighted pair-group average method and ordination by reciprocal averaging based on the cover data indicated that, on the whole, the intertidal algal vegetation showed different patterns along tidal levels. Seasonal fluctuations of mean biomass were 57.2~92.8 g-dry/$m^2$, and the highest in summer and the lowest in spring season. Seasonal change of community structure was also discussed.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.195-200
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• 2018

Beta-asarone is the well-known active ingredient of Rhizoma acori graminei. In this study, we investigated and compared the binding affinity of mosquito oviposition pheromone (MOP; (5R,6S)-6-acetoxy-5-hexadecanolide) and beta-asarone on the A domain of the mosquito odorant binding protein 1 (CquiOBP1) by in silico computational docking studies. The three-dimensional crystallographic structure of CquiOBP1 was obtained from the PDB database (PDB ID: 3OGN). In silico computational auto-docking analysis was performed using PyRx, Autodock Vina, Discovery Studio Version 4.5, and the NX-QuickPharm option based on scoring functions. The beta-asarone showed optimum binding affinity (docking energy) with CquiOBP1 as -6.40 kcal/mol as compared to the MOP (-6.00 kcal/mol). Among the interacting amino acids (LEU76, LEU80, ALA88, MET89, HIS111, TRP114, and TYR122), tryptophan 114 in the CquiOBP1 active site significantly interacted with both MOP and beta-asarone. Amino acids substitution (mutation) from non-polar groups to the polar (or charged) groups of the CquiOBP1 dramatically changed the X, Y, Z grid position and binding affinity of both ligands. These results significantly indicated that beta-asarone could be a more potent ligand to the CquiOBP1 than MOP. Therefore, the extract of Rhizoma acori graminei or beta-asarone can be applied to the fields of insecticidal and repellant biomaterial development.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.36 no.11
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• pp.1451-1457
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• 2007

The physical and chemical characteristics of powders from hot air and freeze dried leaves and roots of Acorous calamus L. were investigated. Two parts, upper and lower, of leaves, and two kinds of roots, 4 and 6 years old, were dried at 30 and $40^{\circ}C$, freeze-dried, and ground to make powder. Contents of moisture, ash, crude fat, and crude protein in freeze dried powder of upper leaf were 4.87%, 6.73%, 2.22%, and 3.57%, respectively. Water absorption index (WAI) and water solubility index (WSI) in freeze dried powder of lower and upper leaves were 8.476 and 0.077 g/mL. Contents of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and total chlorophyll in freeze dried powder of upper leaves were 12.18, 16.86, and 29.11 mg/100 g, respectively. Contents of total and reducing sugar in freeze dried powder of 4 and 6 years roots were $111.89{\sim}119.21$ ppm and $5.02{\sim}5.22$ ppm, $109.92{\sim}114.65$ ppm and $5.21{\sim}5.32ppm$. Contents of total polyphenols and flavonoids in freeze dried powder of upper leaf were 125.02 and $21.02{\mu}g/mg$, respectively.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.25 no.9
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• pp.1000-1006
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• 2015

α-Asarone is the main component of Acorus gramineus, which is a widely used oriental traditional medicine. A. gramineus is known to have a variety of medicinal effects, such as anti-gastric ulcer, antiallergy and antioxidant activity. It is also known to inhibit the release of histamine. However, the mechanism of its action remains unclear in humans. In this study, the effects of α-asarone on matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) and its antioxidant effect in a cell-free system were examined in HT1080 cells. In an MTT assay, the effect of α-asarone on cell viability showed no cytotoxicity below 16 μM. In an antioxidant assay, α-asarone increased reducing power in a dose-dependent manner but not the scavenging activity of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals. In addition, α-asarone exhibited the protective effect against DNA oxidation induced by hydroxyl radicals produced by the Fenton reaction. Furthermore, in a gelatin disk assay, α-asarone enhanced collagenase activity. It also increased the activities of MMP-2 and MMP-9 stimulated by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) in a gelatin zymography. On the other hand, the activity of MMP-9 stimulated by phenazine methosulfate (PMS) but not that of MMP-2 was increased in the presence of α-asarone. These findings suggest that α-asarone could be a candidate for the prevention and treatment of pathological diseases related to oxidative stress and MMPs.