• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.395-408
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• 2007

This study reports the analgesic, anti-inflammatory and membrane-stabilizing property of alcoholic extract of Ophiorrhiza nicobarica (ON), a wild herb, used as an anti-infective ethnomedicine of Nicobarese and Shompen tribes of Great Nicobar Island, India. We for the first time investigated the analgesic and antiinflammatory potential of this herb in acute, subacute and chronic model of inflammation in Swiss albino mice and Wistar albino rats, along with sheep RBC-induced sensitivity and membrane stabilization. The acetic acid induced writhing, tail flick and tail immersion tests are used as a model for evaluating analgesic activity; while the carrageenin-induced paw oedema was used as the model for acute inflammation, dextran-induced oedema as sub-acute and cotton-pellateinduced granuloma as chronic inflammatory model. The probable mode by which ON mediate its effect on inflammatory conditions was studied on sheep RBC-induced sensitivity and membrane stabilization. The in vitro results revealed that the ON extract possesses significant (P < 0.05) dose dependent analgesic and antiinflammatory activity at 200 and 300 mg/kg and its fractions at 50 mg/kg, p.o. respectively, compared to the control groups. However, the extract failed to exhibit membrane-stabilizing property as it unable to reduce the level of haemolysis of RBC exposed to hypotonic solution. The acute toxicity studies of ON extract in rats and mice revealed that the extract was nontoxic even up to 3.0 g/kg body weight of the animals, with a high safety profile. We have isolated ursolic acid, ${\beta}$-sitosterol and harmaline respectively, from the bioactive part of the extract. The results indicated that the O. nicobarica is indeed beneficial in primary health care, and suggest that its anti-inflammatory activity may not be related to membrane-stabilization.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.231-238
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• 2013

Perilla frutescens, which comprises var. frutescens and var. crispa, has been cultivated traditionally in Asian countries as an edible oil, leaf vegetable, and medicinal crop. To evaluate the lipophilic phytonutrient properties of P. frutescens, we selected 54 Perilla accessions [19 landraces of var. frutescens (FL), 22 weedy type var. frutescens (FW), 9 weedy type var. crispa (CW), 2 cultivars of var. frutescens widely cultivated for seed oil (FCS), and 2 cultivars of var. frutescens cultivated as a leaf vegetable (FCL)] and analyzed their seeds and leaves for vitamin E, squalene, and phytosterols. Among the four vitamin E isomers analyzed, ${\gamma}$-tocopherol was the major form of vitamin E in seeds, whereas ${\alpha}$-tocopherol was the major form in leaves of all types of P. frutescens. The highest total vitamin E content in seeds was present in FL ($170.0mg{\cdot}kg^{-1}$), whereas that in leaves was highest in FCL ($358.1mg{\cdot}kg^{-1}$). The highest levels of squalene in seeds and leaves were in FL ($65.5mg{\cdot}kg^{-1}$) and CW ($719.3mg{\cdot}kg^{-1}$), respectively. Among the three phytosterols, ${\beta}$-sitosterol occurred in the highest amount in both leaves and seeds of all of the crop types. Phytonutrient contents were comparatively higher in leaves than in seeds of all crop types. All of these results suggest that the consumption of leaves and seeds of Perilla crops could be beneficial to human health, as Perilla possesses considerable amounts of various lipophilic compounds.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.29 no.8
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• pp.617-623
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• 2006

In our ongoing search for bioactive compounds originating from the endemic species in Korea, we found that the hexane and EtOAc fractions of the MeOH extract from the root of Dystaenia takeshimana (Nakai) Kitagawa (Umbelliferae) showed cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and 5- lipoxygenase (5-LOX) dual inhibitory activity by assessing their effects on the production of prostaglandin $D_2\;(PGD_2)$ and leukotriene $C_4\;(LTC_4)$ in mouse bone marrow-derived mast cells. By activity-guided fractionation, five coumarins, viz. psoralen (2), xanthotoxin (3), scopoletin (4), umbelliferone (5), and (+)-marmesin (6), together with ${\beta}-sitosterol$ (1), were isolated from the hexane fraction, and two phenethyl alcohol derivatives, viz. 2-methoxy-2-(4'-hydroxyphenyl)ethanol (7) and 2-hydroxy-2-(4'-hydroxyphenyl)ethanol (8), three flavonoids, viz. apigenin (9), luteolin (10), and cynaroside (11), as well as daucosterol (12) were isolated from the EtOAc fraction using silica gel column chromatography. In addition, D-mannitol (13) was isolated from the BuOH fraction by recrystallization. Two of the coumarins, scopoletin (4) and (+)- marmesin (6), the two phenethyl alcohol derivatives (7, 8) and the three flavonoids (9-11) were isolated for the first time from this plant. Among the compounds isolated from this plant, the five coumarins as well as the three flavonoids showed COX-2/5-LOX dual inhibitory activity. These results suggest that the anti-inflammatory activity of D. takeshimana might in part occur via the inhibition of the generation of eicosanoids.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Postharvest Science and Technology of Agricultural Products Conference
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• 2002.08a
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• pp.64-71
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• 2002

Rice(Oryza stiva L.) is a major cereal food providing nourishment to over half of the world's populations and was considered only as a source of energy. However, The recent many researches have been made to suggest that rice may relate to prevention chronic disease and health-promoting properties such as postprandial glucose response, hypocholesterolemic effect and blood pressure-lowering effect. There has been numerous observation supporting that rice has hypocholesterolemic effect. Rice, rice bran, rice bran oil and unsaponifiable matter of rice bran oil reduced plasma cholesterol in rat, hamster as well as human. Components of rice showing hypocholesterolemic effect include dietary fiber(hemicellulose, phytic acid). protein, ${\gamma}$-oryzanol, $\beta$-sitosterol, and tocotrienols. Crapo et al has been studied that the effect of various of starchy foods on the postprandial blood glucose and insulin responses in healthy and diabetic humans. The results showed that rice had lower blood glucose and insulin responses compared to potato, bread and dextrose. The different physical forms in the same starch also produce the different postprandial glucose and insulin responses. In recent years, several studies have shown that some components of rice have potent antioxidant activity against Fe$^{2+}$ -ascorbate induced lipid peroxidation in rat liver microsomal membranes. Cell culture and animal studies have shown that some components of rice have inhibitory effect on the growth and proliferation of several types of human cancer cell. It was also reported that the methanol extract of brown rice has antimutagenic activity against various mutagens. In addition, the pepsine hydrolysate from rice protein is reported to inhibit angiotensin converting enzyme activity. GABA (${\gamma}$ - aminobutyric acid) and GABA enriched rice germ is also effective for lowering blood pressure and triglyceride levels.s.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.330-335
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• 2004

Changes in functional constituents of rice germ prepared using three different heat pretreatments: roasting, steaming and microwave heating, were determined and compared with those of non-treated rice germ. The yield of rice germ oil increased generally and then decreased with increasing time for all three heat pretreatments, although the yields of rice germ oil varied among the three heat pretreatments. There were no major differences in fatty acid compositions among the rice germ oils subjected to the three different heat pretreatments. Levels of $\alpha$-tocopherol in rice germ oil increased up to about 1.5 times at 3 min of roasting and microwave heating, compared to control, and then decreased with increasing treatment time, but $\alpha$­tocopherol concentrations in rice germ oil gradually decreased with increasing steaming time. The contents of three phytosterols ($\beta$-sitosterol, stigmasterol and ergosterol) decreased progressively with increases in roasting and steaming time, while concentrations of the three phytosterols increased up to - 15$\%$ with 3 min of microwave process as compared to control, and then decreased thereafter. Levels of $\gamma$-oryzanol in rice germ oil decreased gradually with increasing time during all three different heat pretreatments. However, levels of $\gamma$ -aminobutyric acid (GABA) in rice germ decreased gradually with increasing roasting time, while those of GABA increased greatly up to about 2 times after 10 min of steaming process, and then decreased slowly thereafter. During microwave heating, the contents of GABA increased at 3 min of treatment time and then decreased. These results suggest that microwave heating may be the most suitable processing method to preserve functional constituents in rice germ.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.468-474
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• 2013

Ginseng seed oil was prepared using compressed, solvent, and supercritical fluid extraction methods of ginseng seeds, and the extraction yield, color, phenolic compounds, fatty acid contents, and phytosterol contents of the ginseng seed oil were analyzed. Yields were different depending on the roasting pretreatment and extraction method. Among the extraction methods, the yield of ginseng seed oil from supercritical fluid extraction under the conditions of 500 bar and $65^{\circ}C$ was the highest, at 17.48%. Color was not different based on the extraction method, but the b-value increased as the roasting time for compression extraction was increased. The b-values of ginseng seed oil following supercritical fluid extraction were 3.54 to 15.6 and those following compression extraction after roasting treatment at $200^{\circ}C$ for 30 min, were 20.49, which was the highest value. The result of the phenolic compounds composition showed the presence of gentisic acid, vanillic acid, ferulic acid, and cinnamic acid in the ginseng seed oil. No differences were detected in phenolic acid levels in ginseng seed oil extracted by compression extraction or solvent extraction, but vanillic acid tended to decrease as extraction pressure and temperature were increased for seed oil extracted by a supercritical fluid extraction method. The fatty acid composition of ginseng seed oil was not different based on the extraction method, and unsaturated fatty acids were >90% of all fatty acids, among which, oleic acid was the highest at 80%. Phytosterol analysis showed that ${\beta}$-sitosterol and stigmasterol were detected. The phytosterol content of ginseng seed oil following supercritical fluid extraction was 100.4 to 135.5 mg/100 g, and the phytosterol content following compression extraction and solvent extraction was 71.8 to 80.9 mg/100 g.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.59-72
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• 2024

To investigate the mechanism of Wenshen Xuanbi Decoction (WSXB) in treating osteoarthritis (OA) via network pharmacology, bioinformatics analysis, and experimental verification. The active components and prediction targets of WSXB were obtained from the TCMSP database and Swiss Target Prediction website, respectively. OA-related genes were retrieved from GeneCards and OMIM databases. Protein-protein interaction and functional enrichment analyses were performed, resulting in the construction of the Herb-Component-Target network. In addition, differential genes of OA were obtained from the GEO database to verify the potential mechanism of WSXB in OA treatment. Subsequently, potential active components were subjected to molecular verification with the hub targets. Finally, we selected the most crucial hub targets and pathways for experimental verification in vitro. The active components in the study included quercetin, linolenic acid, methyl linoleate, isobergapten, and beta-sitosterol. AKT1, tumor necrosis factor (TNF), interleukin (IL)-6, GAPDH, and CTNNB1 were identified as the most crucial hub targets. Molecular docking revealed that the active components and hub targets exhibited strong binding energy. Experimental verification demonstrated that the mRNA and protein expression levels of IL-6, IL-17, and TNF in the WSXB group were lower than those in the KOA group (p < 0.05). WSXB exhibits a chondroprotective effect on OA and delays disease progression. The mechanism is potentially related to the suppression of IL-17 and TNF signaling pathways and the down-regulation of IL-6.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.50
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• pp.137-141
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• 2023

The root of Adenophora triphylla is a highly valued medicinal resource that is used to prevent human obesity, cancer, and inflammation, whereas young leaves or sprouts of A. triphylla are used as food ingredients. In this study, we compared the antioxidant and anticancer activities of 70% ethanol extracts of A. triphylla roots and leaves. The leaf extract exhibited stronger 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH)-radical scavenging activity, reducing power, and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) than the root extract. Furthermore, the leaf extract was observed to be a potent source of anticancer compounds that were effective against A549 (lung cancer), LNcaP (prostate cancer), SKOV3 (ovarian cancer), and Caco-2 (colorectal cancer) cells. These results indicate that not only the roots but also the leaves of A. triphylla can serve as valuable sources of functional materials in the pharmaceutical industry.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.247-261
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• 2024

Objectives : Zuojin Pill, recognized as an effective herbal remedy, has undergone investigation for its potential in alleviating symptoms like indigestion, vomiting, and abdominal distension. The purpose of this study was to investigate the mechanism of digestive function activation through network pharmacology, particularly focused on improving functional dyspepsia. Methods : The two components, Coptidis Rhizoma and Evodiae Fructus, constituting Zuojin Pill were analyzed based on broad information on chemical and pharmacological properties, confirming 40 active compounds and 115 digestive-related molecular targets. Concentration analysis revealed impacts on various pathways related to digestive functions. Results : According to network pharmacological analysis of Zuojin Pill, quercetin and beta-sitosterol were exhibited relatively numerous targets, suggesting their potential significance in the therapeutic activity of Zuojin Pill and by a Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI) network, JUN, RELA, MAPK1, HSP90AA1, TP53, TNF, AKT1, IL6, MAPK14, ESR1, FOS, MYC were identified. Also, berberine exhibited the highest contribution index (92.58%), indicating that this compound may be a major contributor to the digestive activity of Zuojin Pill. Additionally, functional interaction analysis by GeneMANIA indicated that targets of Zuojin Pill could functionally interact through various mechanisms, implying similarities in pharmacological roles. Conclusions : These findings contribute valuable insights into the digestive function activation mechanism and highlight the therapeutic potential of Zuojin Pill in improving functional dyspepsia.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.671-678
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• 2019

Antibacterial and antioxidant activities of plant sources have attracted a wide range of interest across the world over the last decade. This is due to the growing concern for safe and alternative sources of antibacterial and antioxidant agents. In this study, we focused on the antibacterial and antioxidant activities and the chemical composition of a methanol extract from Viburnum sargentii seeds. The chemical composition was determined by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS), and the antibacterial activity was screened by a disc diffusion assay. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were determined using the microbroth dilution and spread plate method, respectively. The V. sargentii extract showed growth inhibition activity on all tested Gram-positive (Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, and Staphylococcus saprophyticus) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas putida, and Proteus vulgaris) pathogenic bacteria. The MIC and MBC ranged from 0.156~1.25 mg/ml for Gram-positive and 0.625~5.0 mg/ml for Gram-negative tested bacteria. The GC-MS results revealed the presence of several phytochemicals such as ${\beta}-sitosterol$ and vitamin E, which are known for their pharmacological applications. The antioxidant activities of V. sargentii extract were investigated by three different methods: the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl free radical scavenging assay, the reducing power assay, and the total antioxidant capacity assay. The results showed a concentration-dependent antioxidant potential for all three used methods. In sum, our findings suggest that the methanol extract of V. sargentii seeds has the potential to inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria and provide antioxidant compounds, making it therefore worthy of further investigation.