• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.3909-3919
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• 2013

The aim of the present investigation was to evaluate the effect of A ferruginea extract on Dalton's lymphoma ascites (DLA) induced tumours in BALB/c mice. Experimental animals received A ferruginea extract (10 mg/kg.b.wt) intraperitoneally for 14 consecutive days after DLA tumor challenge. Treatment with extract significantly increased the life span, total white blood cell (WBC) count and haemoglobin (Hb) content and decreased the level of serum aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), gamma glutamyl transferase (${\gamma}$-GT) and nitric oxide (NO) in DLA bearing ascites tumor models. In addition, administration of extract significantly decreased the tumour volume and body weight in a DLA bearing solid tumor model. The levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-${\alpha}$), interleukin-1 beta (IL-$1{\beta}$), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and granulocyte monocyte-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), as well as pro-angiogenic growth factors such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) were elevated in solid tumour controls, but significantly reduced by A ferruginea administration. On the other hand, the extract stimulated the production of interleukin-2 (IL-2) and interferon-gamma (IFN-${\gamma}$) in animals with DLA induced solid tumours. Increase in $CD4^+$ T-cell population suggested strong immunostimulant activity for this extract. GC/MS and LC/MS analysis showed quinone, quinoline, imidazolidine, pyrrolidine, cyclopentenone, thiazole, pyrazole, catechin and coumarin derivatives as major compounds present in the A ferruginea methanolic extract. Thus, the outcome of the present study suggests that A ferruginea extract has immunomodulatory and tumor inhibitory activities and has the potential to be developed as a natural anticancer agent.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.21 no.5_1
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• pp.435-448
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• 1998

The phytosociological investigation was carried out at 32 sites of the riparian vegetation in Musim-Chon stream passed through Choengju-City, Chungcheongbuk-Province by Braun-Blanquet's method from August to October, 1997. The flora of vascular plants in this survey was 202 species. The riparian vegetation was classified into 25 communities as follows. The submerged hydrophytes are Potomogeton malaianus var. latifolius community, Potomogeton crispus community, Myriophyllum verticillatum community-Hydrilla verticillata community and Ceratophyllum demersum community. The floating-leaved hydrophyte is Trapa japonica community. The emerged hydrophytes are Phragmites communis community, Perzicaria thunbergii community, Phragmites japonica community, Oenanthe javanica community, Zizania latifolia community and Persicaria hydropiper community. The herbaceous vegetation of floodplain are Artemisia montana community, Humulus japonicus community, Miscanthus sacchariflorus community, Erigeron anmus community, Impatiens balsamina community, Bidens frondosa community, Setaria viridis community, Ambrosia artemisiifolia var. elatior community and Eragrostis ferruginea community. The woody vegetation of floodplain are Robinia pseudo-acacia community, Stephanandra incisa community and Clematis apiifolia community. The species diversity was low in the upper and down stream, while the diversity was high in the mid stream situated at the center of Choengju-City because of frequent disturbance by citizens. These results suggested that distribution of communities and species diversity was closely related to the disturbance.