• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.356-362
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• 2009

The objective of this study was to investigate the biological activities of fermented mugworts and their effects on the lipid metabolism in hyperlipidemia-induced rats. The proximate compositions of two kinds of mugwort, Artemisia capillaris Thumberg and Artemisiae asiaticae Nakai, were compared before and after fermentation. In both types of mugwort crude protein and amino nitrogen contents markedly increased with fermentation. Thrombolytic activity determined from the size of the clear zone on a fibrin plate was higher for the Artemisiae asiaticae Nakai, especially in the fermented sample. Antioxidative activity according to DPPH(1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging effects was higher for Artemisia capillaris Thumberg but no significant differences were found between the samples after fermentation. The body weights of hyperlipidemia-induced rats that were fed the mugworts for 4 weeks were lower than those of the control group. In all the mugwort-fed rats serum total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol levels remarkably decreased. Furthermore the fermented mugworts were found to be more effective at decreasing triglyceride (TG) levels. It is also noteworthy that the highest HDL-cholesterol levels were observed in the rats treated with the fermented Artemisiae asiaticae Nakai. And fatty liver weights were higher in the rats fed Artemisia capillaris Thumberg. In conclusion the feeding of fermented Artemisiae asiaticae Nakai was effective for increasing thrombolytic activity and HDL-cholesterol levels as well as reducing TG levels in rats.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.36-42
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• 2004

The immune activation and anticancer activities of the water and ethanol extracts from Artemisia capillaris Thunb. were studied. The growth of human hepatocarcinoma and human gastric cancer cell was inhibited by the addition of $1.0\;mg/m{\ell}$ of the water extract, by about 77% and 95%, respectively. The growth of human breast cancer cells was also inhibited by addition of $0.5\;mg/m{\ell}$ of both water and ethanol extracts by 88%. The growth of human normal lung cell, HEL299 was inhibited by 15% indicating very low cytotoxicity of both extracts. Overall selectivity of the both extracts on several human cancer cell line was over 2.5. The growth of both human B and T cells was enhanced up to 1.6 to 2.1 times by adding the ethanol extracts. The secretion of cytokines, $TNF-{\alpha}$ and IL-6, from human B cells was also increased showing $68\;pg/m{\ell}$ and $67\;pg/m{\ell}$, respectively, compared to $35{\sim}40\;pg/m{\ell}$ of the control. In terms of the immune activity, there was not much difference between water and ethanol extracts of Artemisia capillaris Thunb. It implies that the extraction solvent could not differ the biological activities of the extracts. Based on these results, Artemisia capillaris Thunb. can be developed into a potentially useful cancer chemoprentive agent.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.96-100
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• 1996

The extracts of aerial parts of Artemisia princeps var. orientalis, A. argyi, A. capillaris, A. rubripes and A. laciniata were investigated on the antimutagenic effect againt aflatoxin $B_1$ $(AFB_1)$. The methanolic extracts of 5 Artemisia species reduced the mutagenicity of $AFB_1$. And also 4,5-O-dicaffeoylquinic acid isolated from A. princeps var. orientalis revealed the antimutagenic activity.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2009

The Artemisia capillaris THUNB is a perennial herb that belongs to the family Compositae spp and probably the most common plant among the various herbal folk remedies being used in the treatment of abdominal pain, hepatitis, chronic liver disease, jaundice and coughing in Korea. Recently the biological and pharmacological actions of herb have been studied well such as antibacterial, antidiabetic and antitumor activities. This experiment was conducted to investigate antitumor and immunomodulatory effects of Artemisia capillaris extracts against Hepa-1c1c7 and Sarcoma 180 cancer cells in in vivo experimental tests. In in vivo experimental tests using 210 ICR mice, based on flow cytometry, CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ and TNF-${\alpha}+$ splenocytes were significantly (p<0.05) reduced in the Hepa-1c1c7 and Sarcoma 180 inoculated vehicle controls, HP and SP, compared to those of the intact vehicle control on both the $28^{th}$ day and the $42^{nd}$ day, respectively. These decreases of CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ and TNF-${\alpha}+$ cells induced by tumor inoculations were significantly (p<0.05) inhibited by mACH treatment regardless of the type of experiments and tumor cells inoculated. The results suggest that Artemisia capillaris methanol extracts have prominent antitumor effects on the cancer cell lines Hepa-1c1c7 and Sarcoma 180.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.331-336
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• 2000

The antimutagenic activity of the extract of Artemisia capillaris THUNB on the mutagenicity induced by benzo(a)pyrene [B(a)P] in the presense of S9 mixture was studied using bacterial mutagenic assay system. Samples harvested in summer and autumn were extracted using ethanol and hot water. Among these extracts the water extract of summer sample had the strongest inhibitory effect against the mutagenenicity of B(a)P, The water extract of Artemisia capillaris THUNB was separated again into ethanol soluble and insoluble parts. The ethanol insoluble part(El) of water extract exhibited higher inhibition effects than the ethanol soluble part against the mutagenic activity of B(a)P. El showed dose-dependent activity on the mutagenicity of B(a)P in SOS Chromotest and Ames test. The 50% inbibition concentraction $(IC_{50}$ of El were $200{\mu}g/assay$ $600{\mu}g/plate$ and $800{\mu}b/plate$ in E. coil PQ37 S. typhimurium TA100 and TA98 respectively. El were showed desmutagenic effect but had no effect on the DNA repair system for B(a)P-induced mutagenesis. HPLC analysis showed that the formation of aflatoxin M1 by cytochrome P-450 1A1 known as playing an impotant role on B(a) P-induced mutagenicity was highly inhibited by El. Therefore we encluded that B(a)P-induced mutagencity can be reduced possible due to the interference of el with cytochrome P-450 1A1-dependent bioactivation.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.1 no.4
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• pp.115-118
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• 1970

Antihepatotoxic effect of dimethyl-esculetin, the major constituent of herbal drug Artemisia capillaris $T_{HUNBERG}$ (Compositae) which has long been used as folk medicine for gall stone and hepatitis in Asian country (China and Japan, except Korea) was investigated on the rabbit intoxicated with carbon-tetrachloride. Ten rabbits were divided into two parts, group A and B in five each. The group A was injected with carbon-tetrachloride, 0.1ml per kg at begining of the experiments for control. The group B was injected with carbon-tetrachloride soon after 7 days treatment of dimethyl-esculetin, 30mg per day. The results obtained in this experiment were as follows.: 1) Antihepatotoxic activity of dimethyl esuletin on the rabbits intoxicated with carbon tetrachloride has shown the serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase activity and serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase activity decreased respectively. 2) The component of Artemisia capillaris, dimethyl-esculetin, has shown remarkable antihepatotoxic effect.

• Mycobiology
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.94-99
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• 2013

In this study, ethanolic extracts from Hericium erinaceum cultivated with Artemisia capillaris (HEAC) were assessed for their ability to lower the cholesterol levels of male Sprague-Dawley rats fed a high-fat diet. Rats were randomly subdivided into seven test groups. Each group contained eight rats fed a high-fat diet during a growth period lasting 4 wk. Supplementation with the extracts was performed once a day for 2 wk after the high-fat diet. The control group (rats fed a high-fat diet) showed a high efficiency ratio (feed efficiency ratio) value compared to the normal group. Biochemical parameters, including total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-c), and triglyceride (TG) levels dramatically increased in the control group compared to the normal group. High-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-c) content in the control group was also significantly lower relative to the normal group. Two positive control groups, treated with simvastatin and atorvastatin, had lowered TC, LDL-c, and TG levels, and increased HDL-c content compared to the control group. Treatment with the tested extracts, including HEAC, ethanolic extracts from Hericium erinaceum, and ethanolic extracts from Artemisia capillaris reduced TC, LDL-c, and TG levels and elevated HDL-c content in the hyperlipidemia rats. The atherogenic index and cardiac risk factor values for the HEAC-treated group were 0.95 and 1.95, respectively. Simvastatin- and atorvastatin-treated groups showed atherogenic index values of 1.56 and 1.69, respectively, and cardiac risk factor values of 2.56 and 2.69, respectively. These results show HEAC possesses an ability to cure hyperlipidemia in rats and may serve as an effective natural medicine for treating hyperlipidemia in humans.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.295-299
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• 2004

This study was carried out to examine seed characteristics of Artemisia capillaris and the effects of different temperature and light on its seed germination, and of sowing date on its growth and yield. A seed of A. capillaris, 0.79 mm in length diameter, 0.39 mm in width diameter and 0.054 g in thousand-kernel weight, was extremely small, vertical pinstripes in the surface of seed, and long oval of dark brown in shape, and its maturity occurred September to October. A germination rate was superior at light conditions and 20 to $25^{\circ}C$ in temperature. Although its germination became shorter as the higher temperature. Its emergence rate was the highest in sowing at March 30. But the growth and yield potential was the best when sowed at March 20. The earlier the sowing date, the higher yield.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.342-347
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• 2011

In the present study, the anticonvulsant effects of Artemisia capillaris Herba (AC) and its major constituent, esculetin (ECT), were tested and the mechanism studied. Locomotion, Myorelaxation, motor coordination and electroshock seizure experiment were conducted in mice. To identify the anticonvulsant mechanism effect of this drug, chemical-induced seizure in mice and the ionic movement in neuroblastoma cells were also observed. The ethanol extract of AC was orally administered to mice 30 min. prior to testing and ECT was intraperitoneally injected. AC and ECT treatment did not change locomotor activities as well as activities on the rota-rod, which indicates that they did not cause a sedative and myorelaxation effect. AC and ECT treatment increased threshold of convulsion induced by electroshock. AC treatment also inhibited convulsion induced by pentylenetetrazole. In the case of strychnine however, only high dose of AC treatment inhibited convulsion. AC and ECT treatment increased the $Cl^-$ influx into the intracellular area in a dose-dependent manner. On the other hand, bicuculline, a GABA antagonist, inhibited the $Cl^-$ influx induced by AC and ECT. These results indicate that ECT induces the anticonvulsive effect of AC extract through the GABAergic neuron.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.207-217
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• 2013

This study was conducted in order to investigate the effects of Artemisia capillaris (AC) extract on disorders of hepatic functions and lipid metabolism induced by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), an endocrine disrupter, using male rats (SD, five weeks old) for a period of three weeks. These 37 animals were divided into four groups. AC extract was added as 1.5% or 3% levels to basal diets, respectively. TCDD (40 ug/kg B.W) was administered by intraperitoneal injection into rats after a week from the beginning of the experiment. AC extract alleviated the increase of rat's relative liver weights induced by TCDD. Thymuses of all rats treated with TCDD were apparently shrunken by approximately 80%. Levels of white blood cells (WBC), red blood cells, hemoglobin, and hematocrits were significantly increased by treatment with TCDD, however, WBC tended to decrease by AC extract diets. In hepatic function, the elevation of glutamic oxalacetic transaminase activities by TCDD treatment was diminished by AC extract diets. Serum HDL-cholesterol levels were significantly elevated by AC extract diets. The apparent increase of triglyceride levels of rat livers induced by TCDD was significantly suppressed in the AC extract diet groups. Hepatic cytosolic catalase activities significantly decreased by treatment with TCDD showed a recovering trend by AC extract diets. In histochemical observation, the fat droplets and apoptosis of hepatocytes treated with TCDD were markedly alleviated by AC extract diets. These results indicated that AC could exert recovering effects on some disorders of hepatic functions, lipids metabolism, and antioxidant activities resulting from TCDD treatment.