• Journal of Life Science
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• v.25 no.12
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• pp.1370-1376
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• 2015

The 1, 1- diphenyl 2-picrylhyorazyl (DPPH) is a well-known radical and a trap (scavenger) for other radicals. Hyaluronidase (HAase) is an enzyme that depolymerizes the polysaccharide hyaluronic acid (HA) in the extracellular matrix of connective tissue. Lipoxygenase (LOX) enzyme was reported to convert the arachidonic, linoleic and other polyunsaturated fatty acid into biologically active metabolites involved in the inflammatory and immune responses. The purpose of the present study is to evaluate plant extracts as sources of natural antioxidants and to examine whether Achyranthes japonica having significant DPPH, HAase and LOX inhibitory activity. The inhibitory effect of HAase by A. japonica was assayed using a Morgan microplate assay. The antioxidant activity of the A. japonica extracts was measured on the basis of the scavenging activity of the stable 1, 1- diphenyl 2-picrylhyorazyl (DPPH) free radical. DPPH scavenging activity of matured roots of A. japonica was evaluated at 4.0 mg/ml was 87.8% and that of young roots was 86.2% at same concentration. The roots of A. japonica showed maximum inhibition of HAase activity (IC₅₀ = 27.7 μg/ml). The highest LOX inhibition was recorded in the root extract among three vegetative parts. Inhibition of HAase activity of roots may contribute towards the development of herbal medicines. Although percent inhibition of lipoxygenase by Achyranthes japonica for all young and matured groups for leaves, stems, and roots at different concentrations, there were not show a statistically significant difference (p<0.05).

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.201-204
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• 2008

We've been involved in collection and domestication of Agrimonia pilosa from 2005 to 2007. We observed agrimony powdery mildew caused by Sphaerotheca aphanis. The powdery mildew developed twice a year, in May to June and mid August to September on whole plants of A. pilosa plants, that is, leaves, stem and floral part. We sprayed the Cooking Oil & Yolk mixture (COY) to control the agrimony powdery mildew. When COY was single-sprayed to control agrimony powdery mildew, its control value was 26.9%. However when it was double-sprayed and triple-sprayed at seven days interval, its control value increased up to 80.8 and 82.7%, respectively. Upon the first spray, symptoms of powdery mildew disappeared within three days and suppressive effect of COY was persisted for only seven days. Thereafter, powdery mildew was relapsed to develop. However, on double to triple sprays, powdery mildew was suppressed more than 28 days after final treatment. Therefore, it is concluded that double spray of COY at seven days interval can control effectively agrimony powdery mildew.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.97-104
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• 2005

Plant epidermis consists of relatively unspecialized cells and more specialized cells of various structure and function. Trichomes are specialized cells originated from the epidermis and much attention has been paid to the plants developing trichomes with peculiar structure and function. The present study has been undertaken to examine the trichome type noticed in the leaf epidermis of Althaea rosea using scanning electron microscopy. Four types, namely simple, short-and long-tufted, and glandular hairs, were detected in their epidermis. Their Distribution, frequency and structure varied by the development and epidermal surface. The most frequently distinguished type was the tufted ones growing in young leaves of the abaxial epidermis, while the simple hairs were rare throught the examination. The short-tufted hairs branched up to seven times having each branchlet about $160{\sim}210{\mu}m$ in length at maturity. The long-tufted hairs exhibited up to ten branchlets, where branchlets could reach up to $900{\sim}1,000{\mu}m$ long when fully expanded. Glandular trichome was the peltate type comprising $1{\sim}2$ secretory head cells, 2 stalk cells and a basal cell. The short peltate glandular hairs, usually not exceeding $40{\mu}m$, differentiated more along the areoles in the adaxial epidermis. The function of these trichomes in A. rosea has been still obscure, but it has been speculated that they probably play a role in protection; non-glandular ones possibly providing a defense against insects and secretory glandular type participating in chemical defense. Structural features of these trichomes at cellular level will be discussed in the following study of transmission electron microscopy.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.26-31
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• 2016

Toxoplasmosis is an important cause of foodborne, inflammatory illnesses, as well as congenital abnormalities. Currently available therapies are ineffective for persistent chronic disease and congenital toxoplasmosis or have severe side effects which may result in life-threatening complications. There is an urgent need for safe and effective therapies to eliminate or treat this cosmopolitan infectious disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the in vitro anti-Toxoplasma activities of Plantago asiatica L., one of the herbal extracts, using tachyzoit of T. gondii RH strain infected HeLa cells. As the results, the selectivity of Plantago asiatica L. extract was 4.5, which was higher than Sulfadiazine selectivity (0.4). Also, we perfomed the cell proliferation inhibition test and the morphological study to evaluate the anti-T. gondii activity of Plantago asiatica L. extract with HeLa cells. As the results, the inhibition rate of the Plantago asiatica L. extract was high inhibition rate. This indicates that the Plantago asiatica L. extract may be used for new anti-T. gondii agent.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.86-92
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• 2020

This study was conducted to analyze ripening characteristics of the seed according to days after flowering. The seeds were harvested on land located in the Department of Herbal Crop Research in Rural Development Administration in 2019. Seed weight and germination rate were investigated according to days after flowering and the embryo:seed ratio was examined during the fruiting process. The results showed that the weight increased significantly by the days after flowering at each inflorescence and the seed began to germinate at different time. Further, given the embryo:seed ratio, we found that embryo continue to grow in the seed. Because Angelica acutiloba (Siebold & Zucc.) Kitagawa bloom in various inflorescences, the stage of embryonic development of the seeds can affect the germination of seed. Based on our results, the key seed harvest period for good seed is 50 to 70 days after flowering.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.456-461
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• 2012

The leaves of $Stevia$ $rebaudiana$ are well-known in Japan, Korea, and China as a natural sweetener. Medicinal uses of this plant originated in Paraguay and Brazil in the form of aqueous decoctions of the leaves used as a contraceptive agent and for the treatment of hyperglycemia. In the present study, the antioxidant, anti-hypertension, and anti-inflammatory activities of $S.$ $rebaudiana$ extracts are investigated for their use in food. The biologically-active compound was isolated and purified from $S.$ $rebaudiana$. The isolated compound was identified as austroinulin ($C_{20}H_{34}O_3$; molecular weight 322) by mass, IR spectrophotometry, 1D, and 2D-NMR. Austroinulin was characterized as a diterpenoid possessing a 3-methylpenta-2,4-dienyl at C-9. When subjected to an inflammatory mediator inhibitory assay from lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated macrophages, the austroinulin inhibited the enhanced production of nitric oxide (NO) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression (10 ${\mu}g$/mL＝67.9 and 45.1%, respectively). This was significant and dose-dependent. The results suggest that austroinulin from $S.$ $rebaudiana$ inhibited the NO and iNOS in RAW 264.7 cells.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.212-217
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• 2003

This study was conducted to search for possible cultivation area of Rhodiola sachalinensis as well as to obtain the basic information of growth characteristics. One­year old nursery plants of Rhodiola sachalinensis were collected from Yonbyeon Hongkyungcheon development society in China This expriment was evaluted in three areas according to sea level such as plain region in Cheongwon(50m at sea level), mid­mountainous region in Jecheon(350m at sea level) mountainous region in Banyans(650m at sea level). The growth status Rhodiola sachalinensis showed wide range of variation in there areas. Plant height showed from 8.1cm to 15.8cm, number of branch showed from 3.1 eachs to 4.6 eachs and rate of withering showed from 76％ to 94％, respectively. It was increased rapidly at the early August caused by summer depression. Flowering period of Rhodiola sachalinensis was shown at around middle and late June, total duration of flowering showed from 12 to 13 days and flower colors were various as brown, dark purple, yellow green and brown red color.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.14-23
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• 2012

This study was performed to investigate the effects of storage, temperature, and pre-treatments on the germination of Melia azedarach seeds collected from Buan, Jeonju, and Jeju provenance. M. azedarach seeds stored with or without pericarp in the ground, which collected from Buan provenance evidenced the highest germination percentage (PG, %) and the shortest time to first germination (days). The seeds collected from Jeonju and Jeju provenance were placed at both six continuous temperatures (15, 20, 25, 30, 35, and $40^{\circ}C$) and two alternating temperatures ($20{\leftrightarrow}30^{\circ}C$ and $25{\leftrightarrow}35^{\circ}C$) for seed incubation. The results showed a significant effect for temperature of seed incubation. The seeds incubated at $35^{\circ}C$ had the highest PG among the continuous temperatures and germinated significantly more at the two alternating temperatures than at $35^{\circ}C$. Concerning mean germination time (MGT), the seeds incubated at $35^{\circ}C$ evidenced the shortest germinations among the continuous temperatures while those at the alternating temperatures germinated for a shorter period than those at $35^{\circ}C$. The germination rate (GR) and germination performance index (GPI) were similar to PG. The seeds collected from Jeonju provenance were treated using five pre-sowing treatments (scarification, scarifcation+$GA_3$, scarification+$KNO_3$, $GA_3$, and $KNO_3$) prior to the germination experiments. Compared with the intact seeds (control), most of the pre-treatments were significantly (especially scarification+$GA_3$ 100 ppm and scarification+$KNO_3$ 1.0%) higher in PG, GR, and GPI, as well as shorter in MGT.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.229-235
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• 2014

Gastrodia elata Blume, an achlorophyllous orchid plant, has been used in traditional medicine and harvests in spring and fall. Here we investigated the quantitative changes of amino acids in G. elata by harvest times and seed tubers. In the results, we found that there was not big difference in contents of total amino acids but the distribution of amino acids differed depending on harvest times. 19% of total amino acids were asparagin and valine, an essential amino acid, occupied 10% within total amino acids in the tubers harvested in October. Among amino acids in the tubers harvested in April, serine occupied 23% and arginine, an essential amino acid, occupied 10% within total amino acids in tuber. Interestingly, the use of sexually propagated seed tubers produced high concentration of total amino acids compared to vegetatively propagated seed tubers. As for sexually propagated seed tubers, essential amino acids contents similar to the tubes harvested in October and nonessential amino acids contents similar to the tubers harvested in April. In this study, we found that amino acids contents in G. elata tubers altered depending on various cultivation practices. Therefore if these results can be applied to food industry, the value of G. elata as a natural food resource will be enhanced to a great extent.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.17 no.12
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• pp.1610-1615
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• 2007

Genus Sorbus is a long lived woody species that is primarily distributed throughout Asia and Europe. This species is regarded as very important herbal medicines in Korea and China. Sorbus commixta is primarily distributed throughout Europe. We evaluated a representative sample of the four taxa with nuclear ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer sequences (ITS) to estimate genetic relationships within genus. Aligned nucleotide sequences of the length of ITS1 were nearly constant within genus Sorbus varying from 219 in S. aucuparia to 218 in the rest species. Especially, the 5.8S subunit of all taxa of Sorbus was found to constant of 165 bp nucleotides. However, aligned nucleotide sequences of the length of ITS2 vary from 240 in S. sambucifolia var. pseudogrcilisto 245 in S. aucuparia. Total alignment length is 629 positions, of which 35 are parsimony-informative, 32 variable but parsimony-uninformative, and 552 constant characters. The base furtherance showed the difference to the by a total taxon: an average A and T are 17.7% and G and C are 30.4%, 34.2%, respectively. All the four taxa beginning with conserved base paired triplets emerging from single strand regions (domain I). Noteworthy, in the RNA secondary structure proposed for the three Korean Sorbus taxa RNA transcript ITS2, which shows a remarkedly well-conserved folding (domain II). When compared to the European Sorbus (S. aucuparia) of ITS2. ITS analysis may be useful in germ-plasm classification several taxa of genus Sorbus.