• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.347-353
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• 2020

Background: Fermentation of medicinal plants increases their absorption rate and bioavailability in the body. Astragalus membranaceus has been used as a raw material, but research in its use as a food ingredient is lacking. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify the physicochemical characteristics and anti-inflammatory effect of fermented Astragalus membranaceus. Methods and Results: Astragalus roots were fermented using Aspergillus awamori for 4 days and their extracts prepared using hot water. The pH, total acidity (%), and reducing sugar (%) of the extracts were then investigated. The pH and total acidity decreased during fermentation. After fermentation, the pH and total acidity decreased, whereas the reducing sugar level increased. The active ingredients in fermented Astragalus were calycosin-7-O-ßd-glucoside, ononin, calycosin and formononetin. The calycosin contents was highest in the hot-water extracted samples fermented for 4 days. The other components were similar to those in control. Nitric oxide level was lower in the hot-water extracted samples fermented for 4 days than in lipopolysaccharide control group. The sample fermented for 4 days was confirmed to inhibit the production of tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1β. Conclusions: Our results showed the physicochemical properties and anti-inflammatory effects of A. membranaceus after fermentation using Aspergillus awamori. These results indicated that fermented Astragalus membranaceus can be used as a functional food.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.151-156
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• 2014

This study was conducted to inhibit the browning of fresh-cut lotus roots by blanching in a Glycyrrhiza glabra L. and Astragalus membranaceus Bunge extract solution (0.5%). Lotus roots were cut to 1 cm using a knife. The fresh-cut lotus roots were blanched at $50^{\circ}C$ in distilled water (DW, Cont), Glycyrrhiza glabra L. extract solution (GE), and Astragalus membranaceus Bunge extract solution (AE). After treatment, they were packaged with 0.04 mm PE bags and were stored at $10^{\circ}C$ for 12 days. Their color, hardness, DPPH radical scavenging activity, pH, and total soluble solids were then investigated. During storage, the samples treated with GE and AE had high $L^*$ values. They were also found to have higher values compared to the control group in the analysis of the browning index. No difference was found, however, in the hardness analysis. With regard to the DPPH radical scavenging activity, the sample treated with Glycyrrhiza glabra L. extract had the highest activity. In the pH analysis, all the groups were found to have a decrease tendency for all the storage periods. The total soluble solids decreased in the control group and slightly increased in the AE and GE groups. These results show that blanching in Glycyrrhiza glabra L. or Astragalus membranaceus Bunge extract is effective for preventing the browning of fresh-cut lotus roots.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.394-399
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• 2013

Astragalus membranaceus Bunge is used in herbal medicine in Eastern Asian countries including Korea. In this study, we assessed the effects of A. membranaceus extract (AM) on the aquaporin-3 (AQP3) protein expression in HaCaT cells. AM did not affect viability of HaCaT cells. AQP3 expression and cell migration seem to be maximal at $100{\mu}g/mL$ concentration. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) kinase inhibitor, PD153035, blocked AM-induced AQP3 expression and cell migration. In addition, an 80% ethanol extracts of herbal prescription, SinhyoTakleesan (ST), which is composed of A. membranaceus, Angelicae gigantis, Glycyrrhiza glabra Linne, and Lonicera japonica Flos also induced AQP3 expression at $20{\mu}g/mL$ in HaCaT cells. Collectively, these results suggest that AM induce AQP3 expression via EGFR pathway.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.371-378
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• 2020

Background: In this study, the radix of Astragalus membranaceus Bunge extract fermented by Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Weissella cibaria, and Pediococcus pentosaceus to increase the levels of isoflavonoid aglycone contents. Methods and Results: In order to change the in isoflavonoids, we fermented the radix of A. membranaceus extracts with microorganisms that have β-glucosidase activity. Besed on the β-glucosidase activity, we selected three strains, Weissella cibaria, Pediococcus pentosaceus, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. HPLC analysis revealed that the levels of isoflavonoid aglycones were increased in all fermentation cases, and the extracts fermented by S. cerevisiae showed the highest levels of isoflavonoid aglycones. We evaluated the antioxidant activity, anti-wrinkle effects and whitening effects of the S. cerevisiae-fermented extracts using the DPPH assay, tyrosinase inhibition activity assay, and collagenase inhibition activity assay. We confirmed higher activity in S. cerevisiae-fermented extracts than in control, with the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) value of 565.1 ± 59.1 ㎍/㎖ in DPPH radical scavenging activity, tyrosinase inhibition rate of 78.4 ± 0.9%, and collagenase inhibition rate of 83.8 ± 1.1%. Conclusions: We selected three stains of microorganisms showing high β-glucosidase activity, W. cibaria, P. pentosaceus and S. cerevisiae. Isoflavonoid glycones in the radix of A. membranaceus were converted to isoflavonoid aglycones by fermentation. In addition, the fermented radix of A. membranaceus exhibited antioxidant activity, anti-wrinkle effect, whitening effect and radical scavenging activity.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.276-288
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• 2014

The six polysaccharide fractions were prepared by chromatographic procedure from the hot water extracts of the aboveground parts of Astragalus membranaceus. These six polysaccharides from aboveground parts of Astragalus membranaceus Bunge were tested for gut-mucosal immune activity and acute toxicity. In a view of molecular weight, the six fractions were estimated to be 75000, 88000, 129000 and 345000 Da, respectively. Component sugar analysis indicated that these fractions were mainly consisted of galactose (46.3 ~ 11.8%) and arabinose (35.4 ~ 9.9%) in addition to glucose, rhamnose, fucose, arabinose, xylose, mannose, glucuronic acid and galacturonic acid. Among the six major purified polysaccharides, AMA-1-b-PS2 showed highest bone merrow cell proliferation and lymphocyte of Peyer's patch stimulating activity. It may be concluded that intestinal immune system modulating activity of aboveground parts from Astragalus membranaceus Bunge is caused by polysaccharides having a polygalacturonan moiety with neutral sugars such as arabinose and galactose. In single oral dose toxicity study, no differences were observed between control and treated groups in clinical signs. The results indicated that lethal dose 50 ($LD_{50}$) of water extracts from Astragalus membranaceus-aboveground parts was found to be higher than 5000 mg/kg/day in this experiment. From the above results, we may suggest that Astragalus membranaceus-aboveground parts might have useful as a safe material for functional food and pharmaceutics.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.428-434
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• 2020

Background: This study aimed to investigate the quality characteristics of Astragalus membranaceus Bunge leaf (AMBL) fermented with lactic acid bacteria and the applicability of its biologically active compounds. Methods and Results: An assessment of physicochemical properties such as pH, total acidity, free sugars, and isoflavonoid (calycosin-7-o-β-d-glucoside, ononin, calycosin, and formononetin) was conducted. Furthermore, the levels of antioxidant compounds, including polyphenols and flavonoids, and radical scavenging activities of the extracts using 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate and 2,2-Azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) were investigated. The calycosin content in the water extract of AMBL fermented with Leuconostoc mesenteroides increased by approximately twice as much as the control. Conclusions: These results indicate that L. mesenteroides can be used to improve biological activity through fermentation, and that AMBL can be used as a functional materials and edible resource in industrial areas.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.8-13
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• 2007

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of mycelia of Lentinus edoes mushroom-cultured Astragalus membranaceus Bunge (LAM) on proliferation of cancer cell lines (Hep3B, MCF-7 and HeLa), sarcoma 180 (S-180), and anti-allergy. In an anti-cancer test using Hep3B (hepatic cancer cell), MCF-7 (breast cancer cell) and HeLa (uterine cancer cell), LAM extract showed higher antiproliferating effect than that of Astragalus membranaceus Bunge (AM) extract. In an anti-cancer testing using Hep3B cells and MCF-7 cells, LAM extract showed growth-inhibitory effect of 65.23% at 3 mg/mL and 69.23% at 5 mg/mL, respectively. In an anti-cancer testing using HeLa cells, LAM extract showed growth-inhibitory effect of 42.01% at 5 mg/mL. In addition, LAM showed the tumor suppressive effect in mice injected with S-180 cells. The growth-inhibitory rates against tumor cells were 47% for LAM and 37% for AM. LAM inhibited histamine release from rat peritoneal mast cells activated by compound 48/80. These results suggest that Lentinus edodes mushroom-cultured herb has an antiproliferating effect against cancer cell lines (Hep3B, MCF-7 and HeLa), S-180 tumor and will be beneficial in the treatment of allergic reaction.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.23-31
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• 2002

The antioxidative activity was measured on the substances of water and ethanol soluble extract from Astragalus membranaceus Bunge, Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat, Lycium chinensis Miller, Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fischer, Angelica gigas Nakai, Zizyphus jojoba Miller, Paeonia lactiflora Pallas, Cnidium officinale Makino by four different in vitro experimental models of DPPH (a,a'-diphenyl-$\beta$-picrylhydrazyl) method, superoxide dismutase like activity, thiocyanate method, and TBARS (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances) method. The Lycium chinensis Miller contained the highest amount of polyphenolic compounds. The electron donating ability of water extract from Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fischer and ethanol extract from Chrysanthemum were higher than those of the others. The superoxide dismutase-like activity of water extract from Astragalus membranaceus Bunge was the highest among those of all the others. The water extract from Zizyphus jujuba Miller showed the highest antioxidative activity determined by TBARS method. Compared to the control, the inducing period associated with the oxidation degree was delayed up to 8 days in both the water extract from Chrysanthemum, Lycium chinensis Miller, Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fischer, and Paeonia lactiflora Pallas and the in ethanol extract from Chrysanthemum and Glycyrrhiz uralensis Fischer. These results support that water and ethanol extracts from 8 kinds of medicinal herbs contain antioxidative compounds.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.658-662
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• 2013

Rubus coreanus and Astragalus membranaceus Bunge have been used as a traditional medicine with various pharmacological properties for a long time in Asia. We investigated the proliferative and differentiative effects on osteoblastic cells, MG-63 in various mixture ratios of immature fructus extracts of R. coreanus and root extracts of A. membranaceus. With preliminary in vivo ovariectomized mice, we confirmed the effects of the supplementation of various mixture on alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity in serum. The ratio of 7:3 is considered as the most effective ratio for the proliferation of osteoblastic cells as they increased by 56.8% similar to estradiol. ALP activity in osteoblast increased by the combination of R. coreanus and A. membranaceus and peaked in the ratio of 72:28 and 68:32 respectively. These results indicate that the optimal combination of R. coreanus and A. membranaceus in 7:3 has the most beneficial effects on the activation of osteoblast cells, and give further possibilities that it can be used clinically in the treatment of osteoporosis.

• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.263-266
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• 2003

Dental caries suppression effect of herb extracts were measured in comparison with sucrose. The result of susceptibility test for dental caties by using Streptococcus mutans KCTC 3065, Streptococcus cricetus KCTC 3292, Streptococcu rattus KCTC 3294, Actinomyces naeslundii KCTC 9013 indicated that Astragalus membranaceus BUNGE was effective than another herbs.