• Journal of Ginseng Culture
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• v.4
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• pp.59-102
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• 2022

Since there were only few countries that could find wild ginseng grown in nature, the culture of digging wild ginseng was only developed in a small number of countries. In a time when the orthodox head-Simmemani has disappeared, the tangible and intangible culture of Simmemani (wild ginseng digger) is disappearing more and more with the passage of time. So far, the conducted research on wild ginseng diggers was very partial and simplistic as follows: ① Research on the argot of Simmemani, ② Research on the customs of Simmemani, ③ Research on the change of customs of Simmemani, ④ Additional records through interview with Simmemani. Accordingly, no comprehensive study on the Simmemani culture has been done yet. This study supplements the historical materials that were not reflected in previous studies, and discuss on diverse subjects including the definition and classification of wild ginseng, the distribution of wild ginseng and Simmemani, interpretation of wild ginseng digging from a legal and social point of view, the organization responsible for the digging, determination of the date of entering the mountain, preparations, taboos, departure and entry into a mountain, religious events, psalmbook, dream interpretation, search and discovery of wild ginseng, digging, profit sharing, the amount of harvested wild ginseng, and the price of wild ginseng. In addition, Korean wild ginseng digging culture was comprehensively studied by attaching the photos and illustrations of historical documents with the psalmbook of the head-Simmemani.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.206-211
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• 2006

To investigate mycorrhizal infection by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi(AMF), samples of fine lateral roots were taken from the wild ginseng(Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer) naturally growing at various locations in Korea. Mycorrhiazal infections were studied by cleaning the root samples and staining fungal hyphae with frypan blue. Wild ginsengs for this study were graded by an appraisal committee consisting of 12 experts of Korea Mountain Ginseng Association. Following five quality groups were recognized: Heaven group(pure natural), Earth group (from seeding of wild ginseng), Man group(from seeding or seedlings of wild ginseng with slight environmental modification), unmarketable, and imported wild ginseng. Morphology of AMF was typical Paris-type which shows intracellular hyphal coils with rare vesicles and lack of arbuscules. Average infection rate of individual wild ginsengs was 58.3% and showed no differences among five quality groups. When portions of fine roots were quantified for mycorrhizal infection, 18.7% of the total length of the primary and secondary roots were infected by AMF. Wild ginsengs from Gyeonggi Province(84.2%), and from mountains lower than 1,200 meters above sea level(about 70%) showed higher infection rate, while the ginseng from Gyeongbuk Province(27.8%) had lower rate. Wild ginsengs at older age showed lower infection rates.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.30 no.3 s.47
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• pp.377-383
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• 2004

This study reviewed the application of an extract from mountain ginseng adventitious roots which had been grown through tissue culture as a cosmetic ingredient. The mountain ginseng adventitious roots were derived from mountain ginseng callus that was induced from mountain ginseng root whose origin is estimated to date back about one hundred years ago. The adventitious roots were separated from callus and grown in a 20 L bioreactor. In order to proliferate the adventitious roots, they were cultured for 5 weeks in bioreactor. Then the harvested mountain ginseng adventitious roots were dried and extracted. For verifying skin whitening effect of an extract from the tissue-cultured mountain ginseng adventitious roots in vivo, we performed the clinical test of it. The research showed the significant skin whitening effect of a mountain ginseng adventitious roots extract and the statistical analysis showed a significant difference (p<0.0001) between sample ($2\%$ mountain ginseng adventitious roots extract) and placebo. But, some saponins showed below $10\%$ inhibitory effect of tyrosinase and melanin synthesis in B-16 melanoma. The extracts of red ginseng and ginseng which were the same concentration as the tissue-cultured mountain ginseng adventitious roots extract's showed little inhibitory effect of tyrosinase and melanin synthesis in B-16 melanoma. In DPPH test, Anti-hydroxyl radical activity of $0.5\%$ the tissue-cultured mountain ginseng adventitious roots extract was $86\%.$.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.45-56
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• 2001

Korea mountain ginseng known as oriental miracle drug is an important medicinal plant. The effect of mountain ginseng adventitious roots extract has been described. The valuable root of mountain ginseng contained several kinds of ginsenosides that have been confirmed to have many active functions for the human body. However, the study of mountain ginseng has a limit because the price of wild ginseng is very expensive and rare. The mountain ginseng adventitious roots were derived from mountain ginseng callus that were induced from mountain ginseng roots. Adventitious roots were separated from callus and grown in solid media(Murachige and stoog media). It was cultured in a 20L bioreactor. After culturing for 40days, adventitious roots were harvested. Afterwards the harvested mountain ginseng adventitious roots were dryed and extracted. We examined the effect on melanogenesis of mountain ginseng adventitious roots extract. Here, we report the inhibitory effect of melanin biosynthesis on the adventitious roots extract of In vitro test. Also, we assessed the safety of adventitious roots extract. In vitro, cytotoxicity of adventitious roots extract was assessed in mouse fibroblast using two method: The neutral red uptake assay and the MTT assay. In vivo, the allergic and irritant were Patch teated in 30 patients. Consequently, extract of mountain ginseng adventitious roots have inhibitory effect on melanin biosynthesis in B-16 melanoma cell test, tyrosinase inhibitory test and DOPA auto-oxidation test. There were decreased 86%(0.5% concentration), 45%(1% concentration) and 61%(1% concentration), respectively.

• Journal of Ginseng Culture
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• v.5
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• pp.77-96
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• 2023

This study looks at the origin of a wild-ginseng, Korean ginseng, and traces the origin of associated wild-ginseng digging customs back to the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty. These historical customs helped Korea gain control over its wild ginseng resources following Japanese colonization acts, Korea's present-day forest laws, and Korean Civil Law. Prior to Japanese colonial rule in Korea (1910-1945), ginseng digging was a common custom, but Imperial Japan distorted Korea's own legal principles of the public rights of wild-ginseng digging during this colonial period. Distorted legal principles concerning digging customs continued after Korea's liberation from Japanese rule and were maintained until the enforcement of the Korean Civil Law in 1960, when legal principles of the right of common were changed to special servitude. The origin of the right of common can be found in the Sichojang of the Joseon Dynasty. The Sichojang, a place where local residents jointly collected firewood and fed livestock, was the minimum right to life and interest at the time. Since the right of common was the right to life, Imperial Japan attempted to abolish it, but it was never successful. In addition, distorted legal principles have been maintained in present-day forestry-related laws and regulations. Over 75 years since the liberation from Japanese rule in 1945, it is imperative to break away from the distorted legal principles and acknowledge that digging custom rights have changed from common customs to a special servitude under Korean Civil Law. Hence, an organization of wild-ginseng diggers is an unincorporated association, and their wild-ginseng digging customs can be constituted as a special servitude. Hence, their practices should be considered valid under customary law. Through this, it will be possible to clarify the legal nature and grounds for ginseng-related wild-ginseng digging activities, as well as the civil responsibility for the activities of wild-ginseng diggers.