• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.51-55
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• 2017

Aralia continentalis Kitagawa (Araliaceae), known as "Dokwhal" in Korea, has been widely used in traditional Korean medicine for analgesia, neuralgia, sweating, and rheumatism. The biological activity was estimated with methanol extracts of from cultivated roots and adventitious roots of A. continentalis. DPPH and ABTS activities showed the highest activity in methanol extract of adventitious roots at 175.6 and $279.7{\mu}g/mL$ ($RC_{50}$), respectively. Antioxidant activity of methanol extract of the adventitious roots was higher than other samples. In the antibacterial activity assay (paper disc method), the methanol extract of adventitious roots showed activity against S. aureus, S. epidermidis, B. subtilis, and S. enterica. This study demonstrated that adventitious roots of A. continentalis, which was produced for the first time in the roots of A. continentalis, can be used as a natural antioxidant and antibacterial agents.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.46-55
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• 2017

In this study, extracts of gamma-irradiated Aralia continentalis for health and beauty food resources were examined on antioxidant activities and increasing extraction yield. In photostimulated luminescence analysis, non-irradiated (0 kGy) sample showed an intermediate result of 891.00 photon counts (PCs), whereas irradiated (5 and 10 kGy) samples showed positive results of 79,956.67 and 282,498.67 PCs, respectively. The thermoluminescence ratio of non-irradiated samples was 0.018, whereas the values of irradiated samples (5 and 10 kGy) were 0.395 and 0.464, respectively. Electron spin resonance (ESR) analysis as a physical technique for irradiation identification of Aralia continentalis showed a pair of peaks on a space of 6.0 mT in the symmetric ESR spectrums. For phenolics of gamma-irradiated Aralia continentalis, water extracts had the highest amounts of 7.61 mg/g at non-irradiated condition (0 kGy) while 50% ethanol extracts had the highest amounts of 6.86 mg/g at 10 kGy irradiation. 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl scavenging activity of water and 50% ethanol extracts from non-irradiated and irradiated Aralia continentalis were very high (94.99~100.00%). 2,2'-Azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) radical cation inhibitory activity was over 95.00% at $200{\mu}g/mL$ phenolics. Antioxidant protection factor (PF) showed a very high level of activity (1.38~2.51 PF). Thiobarbituric acid reactive substance inhibitory activity was high (70% and 95%, respectively). Thus, treatment of gamma irradiation can be used as a method of storage for long-term preservation of Oriental medicine.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.177-184
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• 2010

In our present study, we investigated the effects of continentalic acid on Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) biofilm. Methanol extract of Aralia continentalis (A. continentalis) was suspended in water and sequentially partitioned with CHCl3, ethyl acetate (EtOAc), and n-butanol (n-BuOH). The CHCl3 fraction showed the highest activity and an antibacterial compound against S. mutans was isolated from this preparation through various chromatography methods by bioassay guided fractionation. MS, $^1H-NMR$ and $^{13}C-NMR$ analysis showed that the active principle was continentalic acid which was confirmed to show significant inhibitory effects against S. mutans biofilm. These results may provide some scientific rationale for the traditional use these extracts for the treatment of dental diseases.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.70-75
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• 2007

In the present study, we has been isolated the anti-cariogenic component, stigmasterol, from Aralia continentalis (A. continentalis) and identified by MS, $^1$H-NMR and $^{13}$C-NMR and also investigated the anti-cariogenic properties of stigmasterol. The methanol extract of ,A. continentalis showed concentration-dependent inhibitory activity against the growth and acid production of S. mutans. The MeOH extract was suspended in H$_2$O and sequentially partitioned with n-hexane, CHCl$_3$, EtOAc, and n-BuOH. The CHCl$_3$ fraction showed remarkable antibacterial activity against S. mutans. The anti-cariogenic compound, stigmasterol, has been isolated successively through the screening system and various chromatography methods. Anti-cariogenic properties of stigmasterol were also investigated. From this active chloroform subfraction, isolation and identification finally gave (24E)-stigmasta-5,22-dien-3${\beta}$-ol (stigmasterol) {[a]$_D\;^{25}$ -48.33$^{\circ}C$(C 0.28, CHCl$_3$)} by spectroscopic methods (MS, $^1$H-NMR and $^{13}$C-NMR) as an active principle. The compound, stigmasterol, showed significant growth, acid production, adhesion and water-insoluble glucan synthesis inhibitory effect against S. mutans. These results suggest that stigmasterol from ,A. continentalis may inhibit cariogenic properties of S. mutans and these properties may provide some scientific rationales that the local inhabitants used the extracts for treatment of dental diseases.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.87-91
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• 2005

Dental plaque is a film of microorganisms on the tooth surface that plays an important part in the development of caries and periodontal diseases. Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) is present in almost all types of dental plaque. Teeth and their supporting structure, the gums (gingiva) are subjected to infection by S. mutans that causes cavities and pyorrhea which, if left untreated, can eventually lead to gingivitis. Various chemical agents have been evaluated over the years with respect to their antimicrobial effects in the oral cavity; however, all are associated with side effects that prohibit regular long-term use. The present study was designed to investigate the effect of Aralia continentalis (Araliaceae) extracts on the growth, acid production, adhesion, and insoluble glucan synthesis of S. mutans. The methanol extract of A. continentalis showed concentration dependent inhibitory activity against the growth and acid production of S. mutans, and produced significant inhibition at the concentration of 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2 and 4 mg/ml compared to the control group. The extracts markedly inhibited S. mutans adherence to HA treated with saliva, and cell adherence was repressed by more than 60% at the concentration of 0.25 mg/ml and complete inhibition was observed at the concentration of 4 mg/ml. On the activity of glucosyltransferase which synthesizes water insoluble glucan from sucrose, methanol extract of A. continentalis showed more than 10% inhibition over the concentration of 0.25 mg/ml. The synthesis of insoluble glucan was decreased in the presence of 0.25 - 4 mg/ml of the methanol extract of A. continentalis. Hence, we conclude that A. continentalis might be a candidate of anticaries agent.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.32 no.2 s.125
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• pp.168-174
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• 2001

Induction of phase II enzymes is a major mechanism of chemoprevention. The induction levels of quinone reductase (QR) activity in cultured murine hepatoma (Hepa 1c1c7) cells by 80%-methanol extracts of traditional medicinal plants were measured. Among the tested 81 plants, the extracts of Aralia continentalis, Magnolia obovata, and Viscum album were found to induce QR activities over 250%. The maximum induction levels obtained were 401.9%, 270.5%, and 301.8% by treatments of the extracts of A. continentalis $(318\;{\mu}g/ml)$, M. obovata $(53.8\;{\mu}g/ml)$ and V. album $(80.6\;{\mu}g/ml)$, respectively. These QR induction activities were more potent than those of the known QR inducers, t-butylhydroquinone (170.1%) and ${\beta}-naphthoflavone$ (320.0%).

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.33 no.7
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• pp.538-548
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• 2023

The research has been conducted on the isolation of antimicrobial compounds from plant natural extracts and their potential application in oral health care products. This study aimed to investigate the antimicrobial mechanism by analyzing the changes in gene expression of Streptococcus mutans, a major oral pathogen, in response to complex compounds extracted from Aralia continentalis and Arctii Semen using organic solvents. Transcriptome analysis (RNA-seq) revealed that both natural extracts commonly upregulated or downregulated the expression of various genes associated with different metabolic and physiological activities. Three genes (SMU_1584c, SMU_2133c, SMU_921), particularly SMU_921 (rcrR), known as a transcription activator of two sugar phosphotransferase systems (PTS) involved in sugar transport and biofilm formation, exhibited consistent high expression levels. Additionally, component analysis of the A. continentalis extract was performed to compare its effects on gene expression changes with the A. Semen extract, and two active compounds were identified through gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of the active fraction. The n-hexane fraction (ACEH) from the A. continentalis extract exhibited antibacterial specificity against S. mutans, leading to a significant reduction in the viable cell counts of Streptococcus sanguinis and Streptococcus gordonii among the tested multi-species bacterial communities. These findings suggest the broad-spectrum antibacterial activity of the A. continentalis extract and provide essential foundational data for the development of customized antimicrobial materials by elucidating the antibacterial mechanism of the identified active compounds.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.479-486
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• 2019

This study investigated the anti-inflammatory effects of mixed extracts of Achyranthes japonica Nakai (Aj) and Aralia continentalis Kitagawa (Ac) (ratios of 1 : 2, 1 : 3, 1 : 5, 2 : 1, 3 : 1 and 5 : 1) on RAW264.7 macrophages. Cell toxicity was determined using a cell counting kit (CCK) assay. We evaluated anti-inflammatory effects of the mixed extracts of Aj and Ac by measuring interleukin $(IL)-1{\beta}$, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor $(TNF){\alpha}$ using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit assay. The mixed extracts of Aj and Ac inhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced $IL-1{\beta}$ and $TNF{\alpha}$ in LPS-stimulated macrophages. Comparing different ratios of the mixed extracts, the 2 : 1 ratio of Aj and Ac has much more potency and inhibited the production of $TNF{\alpha}$ in LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells. The results of the present study showed that the mixed extracts of Aj and Ac have potential anti-inflammatory effects on RAW264.7 macrophages. Therefore, these extracts may be used as a good source of functional foods for the protection against inflammatory diseases.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.12
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• pp.1438-1447
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• 2018

We investigated the anti-inflammatory activities of various organic solvent extracts with and without Lactobacillus plantarum fermentation of Aralia continentalis Kitagawa which has hypotensive effects in addition to excitatory effects on the central nervous system. It has been used to treat arthritis, colds, neuralgia, rheumatism, and itchy skin. Our extracts were tested for their anti-inflammatory potential on NO production and the expression of inflammatory factors in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages. Extracts with and without L. plantarum fermentation were prepared using water, ethanol, hexane, ethyl acetate, and butanol. The RAW264.7 cells were tested for toxicity and the anti-inflammatory activity of each extract was determined at a concentration with no toxicity to the cells. The extracts used in this study significantly inhibited both the production of NO and the mRNA expression of COX-2 and iNOS, the major inflammatory factors. The production of inflammation-related cytokines $IL-1{\beta}$, IL-6, and $TNF-{\alpha}$ was also significantly reduced. These results suggest that the extracts involving fermentation by L. plantarum can inhibit cytokines by controlling the expression of inflammatory cytokine genes. It is considered that the water, ethanol, and butanol extracts after fermentation with L. plantarum could be useful as functional natural materials with anti-inflammatory effects.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.617-622
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• 2006

In the present study, we investigated the anticariogenic compounds from Aralia continertalis (A. continnentalis) has been isolated and identified by MS, $^1H-NMR$ and $^{13}C-NMR$. The MeOH extract was suspended in $H_2O$ and sequentially Partitioned with $CHCl_3$, EtOAc, and n-BuOH. The $CHCl_3$ fraction showed remarkable antibacterial activity against S. mutans. The antibacterial activity compounds against 5. mutans by MIC was isolated successively through the screening system and various chromatography methods. From this active chloroform subfraction, isolation and identification finally gave continentalic acid by spectroscopic methods (MS, $^1H-NMR$ and $^{13}C-NMR$) as an active principle. The compound, continentalic acid, showed significant growth, acid production, adhesion and water-insoluble glucan synthesis inhibitory effect against 5. mutars. These results suggest that continentalic acid from A. continentalis may inhibit cariogenic properties of S. mutans and these properties may provide some scientific rationales that the local inhabitants used the extracts for treatment of dental diseases.