• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.177-182
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• 2016

Background: Many Taraxacum spp. plants are widely used in medicine, but some of them have propagation problems, such as strong dormancy and poor germination rates. This study investigated the effects of temperature, gibberellic acid ($GA_3$), and potassium nitrate ($KNO_3$) on seed germination in Taraxacum ohwianum. Methods and Results: The seeds (NIBRGR0000135524) were exalbuminous, and their length and width were $4.54{\pm}0.032mm$ and $0.97{\pm}0.029mm$, respectively. Various germination temperatures were tested (15, 20, 25, and $30^{\circ}C$), the optimum temperature for germination was found to be $20^{\circ}C$ (31.3%). High temperature ($30^{\circ}C$) resulted in non-typical seedlings (thickened and crumpled cotyledons, with a restricted root system). To increase the germination capacity, $GA_3$ (200, 500, and $1,000mg/{\ell}$) or $KNO_3$ (20, 50, 100, 200, and $500mg/{\ell}$) solutions were used as pre-soaking solutions instead of water. The $GA_3$ treatments increased the germination percentage and rate, but germination percentage was higher with the $KNO_3$ treatments. Under the $50-200mg/{\ell}\;KNO_3$ treatments, the germination percentage exceeded 80% after 12 days, and $50mg/{\ell}\;KNO_3$ was notably effective (91.2% after 15 days). Conclusions: T. ohwianum seeds showed improved germination at low temperatures. The best method for germination was presoaking in $50mg/{\ell}\;KNO_3$ for 24 h, in the dark at $4^{\circ}C$, and then incubating the germinated seed at $20^{\circ}C$ for 15 days.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.437-443
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• 2016

Background: Previous phytochemical studies of whole Vernonia cinerea L. plants have identified sesquiterpene lactones, sterols, and triterpenes, which possess anticancer, antifeedant, and antimalarial activities. However, there are no reports of other types of bioactive metabolites. Therefore, the present study aimed to identify phenolic compounds with anti-inflammatory activity in the aerial parts of the plant. Methods and Results: Compounds were isolated from the aerial parts of V. cinerea using a silica and C-18 gel columns and semi-preparative HPLC instrument, and the structures of the compounds were determined using one- and two- dimension nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and mass spectroscopy. The chloroform soluble extracts and isolated compounds were evaluated for their anti-inflammatory potential based on their ability to inhibit nitric oxide production and $TNF-{\alpha}$ induced $NF-{\kappa}B$ activity. Conclusions: Phytochemical study of the aerial parts of V. cinerea led to the isolation of six phenolic compounds. Compound 1 was a major metabolite, and to the best of our knowledge, compounds 2 - 6 were isolated from V.cinerea for the first time. Among the isolates, compounds 1 and 3 exhibited $TNF-{\alpha}$-induced $NF-{\kappa}B$ activity with $IC_{50}$ values of 7.5 and 11.5 M, respectively, and the inhibitory activity of phenyl propanoid compound 3 on $TNF-{\alpha}$-induced $NF-{\kappa}B$ was evaluated for the first time.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.139-145
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• 2017

Background: Invasion of these invasive plants in the ecosystem threatens the habitat of endemic species, reduces biodiversity, and causes a disturbance in the ecological system. Hypochaeris radicata L. (Asteraceae), the most invasive plant in Korea, particularly in Jeju Island, invades farmlands, and autochthonous forests, resulting in the establishment of monocultures and modification of the ecosystem structure. Methods and Results: In this study was, we evaluated the biological activity of 70% ethanolic extracts from different parts of Hypochaeris radicata L. The biological activities of 70% ethanolic extracts of different parts, such as flower, leaf, stem, and root, of H. radicata were investigated. The total polyphenol content was highest in flower extracts ($50.82{\pm}3.16mg{\cdot}QE/g$). In addition, the highest flavonoid content was observed in flower extract ($15.19{\pm}2.03mg{\cdot}QE/g$). The flower extract of H. radicata exhibited stronger DPPH radical-scavenging activities, ABTS radical scavenging activities, and reducing power than the other parts. The flower extract of H. radicata was observed to have the highest tyrosinase and ${\alpha}-glucosidase$ inhibitory activities. Conclusions: The flower extracts of H. radicata exhibited remarkable antioxidant activity as well as tyrosinase and ${\alpha}-glucosidase$ inhibitory effects. These activities might be related to the phenolic compounds present in the H. radicata flower extract.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.30-42
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• 2018

Background: The southern and eastern parts of the Gobi Desert area are a unique dry ecosystem with a diverse regional desert, semi-desert, and mountain dry steppe flora. This area habitat is located at the overlap of different floristic regions; on its northeast side, Central Asian desert flora is dominating, and on the eastern side, East Asian flora is observed. The comprehensive survey was carried out to find the floral diversity of the medicinal plants on the region. Methods: All recorded species in this study were based on the collected voucher specimens between June and August in the year 2017. Results: We recorded 23 families, 57 genera, and 78 species of vascular plants. The families Asteraceae (15 species), Fabaceae (10 species), and Amaranthaceae (10 species) were represented most in the study area, while Caragana (5 species), Salsola (4 species), and Arnebia (3 species) were the most common genera found. Conclusion: Conservation status for remarkable species was also reviewed based on the literature. Around the study area, 24 species as "sub-endemic," 10 species as "very rare," 4 species as "rare," 1 species as "alien," 13 species as "relict," 10 species as "Red Book," 2 species as "endangered (EN)," 3 species as "vulnerable (VU)," 3 species as "near threatened (NT)," and 2 species as "least concern (LC)" plants are growing.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.153-156
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• 2010

The somatic chromosome number of four Korean species of Leontopodium were investigated. The chromosome number of L. leiolepis (2n = 24) is reported here as for the first time. The chromosome number of L. japonicum (2n = 28) is not varied among the 3 populations on the Korean Peninsula, but that condition is different from the previous reports for Korea (2n = 26) and Japan (2n = 21, 26). L. hallaisanense and L. japonicum, both of which are in sect. Nobilia and similar to each other in gross morphology, have the same chromosome number of 2n = 28. On the other hand the chromosome number of Korean L. leontopodioides (2n = 24) is different from that in Russian reports (2n = 26). The chromosome numbers of all Korean species of the genus Leontopodium could be inferred as tetraploid or aneuploid.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.441-455
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• 2015

This study was carried out to investigate the flora of Mt. Byeollipsan (Ganghwa-gun). The vascular plants from 13 field surveys were revealed to total of 574 taxa; 116 families, 355 genera, 505 species, 8 subspecies, 52 varieties, 7 forms and 2 hybrids. A high plant diversity were Asteraceae (12.3%), Poaceae (10.6%), Cyperaceae (6.1%), Fabaceae (4.5%) and Rosaceae (4.2%) in regular order. The seven taxa of Korean endemic plants such as Clematis brachyura, Viola seoulensis, Populus × tomentiglandulosa, Salix koriyanagi, Ajuga multiflora f. rosea, Hemerocallis hakuunensis and Polygonatum infundiflorum were collected. The red data of vascular plants according to IUCN valuation basis were examined five taxa; Least Concern (LC) species of both Phacelurus latifolius and Belamcanda chinensis, Not Evaluate (NE) species of Lithospermum arvense, Scorzonera austriaca ssp. glabra and Polygonatum infundiflorum. The floristic regional indicator plants found in this area were 34 taxa comprising one taxa of degree IV, six taxa of degree III, 11 taxa of degree II, and 16 taxa of degree I. In addition, the naturalized plants were identified as 46 taxa and the percent of naturalized index (NI) was 8.0%, Urbanization Index (UI) was 14.3%, respectively.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.304-310
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• 2007

Saussurea costus (Falc.) Lipchitz syn S. lappa C. B. Clarke (commonly known as 'Kuth') belonging to the family Asteraceae is a well known medicinal plant which finds wide usage in different indigenous systems of medicine of India, China, Korea & Tibet. In different folk medicines the roots of S. costus are used to treat various disorders like ulcer, stomachache, malaria, leprosy, dysentery and toothache. However due to over exploitation, it has become endangered and has become the concern of different governmental bodies in India. The increasing demand of this endangered Himalayan species has resulted in a situation where it is often substituted, knowingly or unknowingly, by other morphologically similar species. Arctium lappa, belonging to the same family, is one such plant that has often been found to be present in the market samples of 'Kuth'. The present study was thus carried out and morphoanatomical characters, physicochemical as well as chemical parameters were developed for proper identification of roots of S. costus and its differenciation from A. lappa as well as authentication of the commercial market samples. The detailed morphoanatomical studies revealed that roots of S. costus can be distinguished from A. lappa on the basis of some important microscopial characters eg. the schizogenous resin ducts observed in roots of S. costus, were absent in A. lappa.. Besides, the HPTLC fingerprint profile showed a distinct band at Rf. 0.72 in S. costus, which was totally absent in A. lappa and a band at $R_f$ 0.64 in A. lappa which was absent in S. costus Chlorogenic acid, used as a chemical marker for HPTLC analysis, was estimated to be 0.077% in S. costus as compared to 0.107% in A. lappa. Thus these detailed pharmacognostical parameters can be successfully used to distinguish between roots of S. costus and A. lappa.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.151-156
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• 2010

Obesity has become one of the main public health problems. Saussurea lappa (Asteraceae), syn Aucklandia lappa and Saussurea costus, is a well-known herbal medicine that has been used for treating various ailments, such as inflammatory and gastrointestinal diseases. The present study examined the anti-obesity effect of S. lappa extract (SLE) in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and high fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mouse model. SLE significantly inhibited the differentiation from preadipocytes to adipocytes of cultured 3T3-L1 in dose-dependent manner. In addition, SLE significantly decreased the body weight gain and the food efficiency ratio of mice fed HFD during 9 weeks. Further study must be performed for the pharmacological mechanism and safety of SLE as well as the identification of active compound in SLE. Our results revealed that S. lappa suppresses the adipogenesis in cultured cells and the obesity in rodent models. Therefore, S. lappa may be useful toward the development of new potent anti-obesity drugs.

• Weed & Turfgrass Science
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.152-158
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• 2013

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) is a member of family Asteraceae that grows all over the Korea. Recently, dandelion was cultivated for medicinal crops because of its positive medicinal effects. However, dandelion is considered as a troublesome weed in grass lawns of golf course and orchards. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of plant growth regulators [gibberellins ($GA_3$); kinetin; salicylic acid (SA); ethephon)] with different concentration on seed germination control of dandelion. Seed germination rates were increased in all concentration of $GA_3$ and kinetin treatment compared to control. In the 0.5 mM of ethephon application, seed germination rate was more increased than that of control while seed germination rate was reduced in 1.0 and 1.5 mM of ethephon treatments. Seed germination rate was significantly decreased with different SA dilutions compared to control. The germination rate was more reduced when SA was applied in combination with $GA_3$ than only SA treatments.

• Proceedings of the National Institute of Ecology of the Republic of Korea
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.170-179
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• 2021

Hulunbuir steppe, one of the four largest steppes in China, has experienced rapidly progressing desertification partly due to overgrazing by livestock. The objective of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of various vegetation recovery methods, including the selection of unpalatable plants less affected by grazing livestock. To determine livestock grazing preferences at Hulunbuir restoration sites, we used DNA barcoding methods to analyze fecal materials of horses and cattle grazing on four restored plants: two trees (Pinus sylvestris L. var. mongolica and Populus canadensis) and two shrubs (Caragana microphylla and Corethrodendron fruticosum). Neither of the two tree species were detected in livestock feces, whereas both shrub species were detected at lo w frequencies. There were no significant differences in compositions of species consumed by horses and cattle except that Asteraceae species were more often consumed by cattle. Our results showed that the four plants used for restoration may be classified as unpalatable or less palatable species in the Hulunbuir restoration area. Our results may help inform restoration strategies implemented in restoration areas, especially regarding negative effects of livestock grazing during the initial stage of restoration in Hulunbuir.