• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.215-222
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• 2011

Various aneuploidy and polyploidy have been reported in the genus Aconitum L. (ca. 300 species worldwide, Ranunculaceae), and there is a demonstrated association between major lineage diversification and polyploidy. This study reports chromosome counts of eight Aconitum from Korea, including the first counts for A. japonicum Thunb. subsp. napiforme ($H. L{\acute{e}}v.$ & Vaniot) Kadota (2n = 32) and A. longecassidatum Nakai (2n = 16). The study also includes chromosome numbers for two taxa on the Critically Endangered species list in Korea. Among Korean native species, chromosome numbers in Aconitum subgenus Aconitum range from 2n = 16 to 2n = 64 with diverse levels of polyploidy (2x, 4x, and 8x), whereas Aconitum subg. Lycoctonum exhibits only diploids (2n = 16). Greater chromosome number diversity in subg. Aconitum than subg. Lycoctonum might explain higher species diversity within the former subgenus (more than 250 species worldwide). Investigating chromosome number diversity of Aconitum in a phylogenetic framework will be a critical step to understand species richness of the genus.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.231-237
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• 2017

Background: Cisplatin is one of the most extensively used chemotherapeutic agents for the treatment of cancer, including bladder, and ovarian cancers. However, it has been shown to induce nephrotoxicity, despite being an outstanding anti-cancer drug. In this study, we investigated the protective effect of dopaol ${\beta}$-D-glucoside (dopaol) on cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity. Methods and Results: To confirm the protective effect of dopaol on cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity, HK-2 cells were treated with $20{\mu}M$ cisplatin and $80{\mu}M$ dopaol. Cisplatin increased apoptosis, caspase-3 activity and mitochondrial dysfunction; however pretreatment with $80{\mu}M$ dopaol successfully attenuated apoptosis, caspase-3 activity and mitochondrial dysfunction. To evaluate the protective effect dopaol on cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity in vivo, we used an animal model (balb/c mice, 20 mg/kg, i.p. once/day for 3 day). The results were similar to those obtained using HK-2 cells; renal tubular damage and neutrophilia induced by cisplatin reduced following dopaol injection (10 mg/kg, i.p. once/day for 3 day). Conclusions: These results indicate that dopaol treatment reduced cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity in vitro and in vivo, and can be used to treat cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity. However, further studies are required to determine the toxicity high dose dopaol and the signal pathways involved in its mechanism of action in animal models.