• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.45-54
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• 2004

Objective: To evaluate the effect of Ephedra Sinica and Evodia Rutaecarpa on resting metabolic rate(RMR), weight and body composition in obese women during low-calorie diet. Methods: We recruited 90 healthy premenopausal women$(body\;mass\;index{\geq}25kg/m^2)$ and randomly assigned to three groups(ephedra group, evodia group and placebo group). Subjects were administered Ephedra Sinica(6g twice a day) or Evodia Rutaecarpa(6g twice a day) or placebo in a double-blind fashion and participated in low-calorie diet for 8 weeks. Resting metabolic rate and body composition were measured at baseline, 4 and 8 weeks. Results: RMR change for 4 weeks was significantly higher in the ephedra group compared with the placebo group(p<.05). But the change for 8 weeks was not significant and the Evodia group showed no significant RMR change. Weight and percent body fat changes for 4 weeks and 8 weeks were significantly higher than the placebo group in the ephedra group(p<.05), but the Evodia group didn't show significant level. Conclusions: This study supports and emphasizes the benefits of herbal medicine in maintaining or increasing RMR during low-calorie diet. Especially Ephedra treatment was effective on significant maintainment of RMR, loss of weight and percent body fat(P<.05).

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.7 no.1 s.12
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• pp.87-100
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• 2004

Objective : This research was performed to investigate the effect of herbal acupuncture(Atratylodes japonica, Coix lachrymajobi, Ephedra sinica, Atratylodes japonica mixed with Coix lachrymajobi and Ephedra sinica mixed with Green tea) at Pungnyung(ST40) and Umnungchon(SP9) on weight gain, food intake, food efficiency, serum of lipid concentrations, liver function and HDL to total cholesterol ratio of rats fed high fat diet for 5weeks. Method : Experimental groups were divided into normal group(Normal), high fat diet group(Control), high fat diet and Atractylodes japonica-herbal acupuncture group(AJ), high fat diet and Coix lachrymajobi-herbal acupuncture group(CL), high fat diet and Ephedra sinica-herbaI acupuncture group(ES), high fat diet and Atractylodes japonica+Coix lachrymajobi-herbal acupuncture group(AJ+CL), Ephedra sinica+Green tea-herbal acupuncture group(ES+GT). Herbal acupuncture was bilaterally treated at the level of 132.5mg/kg body weight per 2day. Results : Body weight and food efficiency were decreased in AJ, ES, AJ+CL, ES+GT. The level of serum total cholesterol, triglyceride and free fatty acid were increased in AJ, ES, ES+GT. That of serum HDL-cholesterol was increased in AJ. The change of food intake, the level of serum phospholipid and ALP were not significant. The HDL to Total cholesterol ratio was increased in AJ and ES. Conclusion : Atractylodes japonica-herbal acupuncture in ST40 SP9 is effective on Body weight, food efficiency ratio, the level of serum lipid, protection of liver function and prevention cardiovascular risk by obesity induced by high fat diet. Herbal acupuncture mixed Ephedra sinica with Green tea can control the body weight, food efficiency ratio and the level of serum lipid.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.54-55
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• 1994

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.101-113
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• 2014

Objective : Ephedra Herba has been widely used for patients with common cold, asthma in eastern countries, especially china japan and korea. Recently it has been also used for obesity in clinic with high frequency. This study was designed to investigate the effects of Ephedra Herba ethyl-acetate fraction (EEAF) on hyperlipidemic mice. Method : Effects on total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triglyceride, AST, ALT, fasting blood glucose in serum were measured in this experiment, and in addition, histopathological and gene expression changes in liver tissue was also observed. Results : In our study, EEAF did not affect weight gain in hyperlipidemic mice. Oral administration of EEAF lowered levels of total cholesterol which were elevated by induction of hyperlipidemia. And administration of EEAF lowered fasting blood glucose significantly. By carrying out ontological analysis, large numbers of genes were identified in up or down regulated genes. The expression of the genes that were altered in response to high-fat diet was restored to normal levels in EEAF treated mice, with a recovery rate of 49%. And it was considered that fatty acid metabolism was one of important key pathway of the recovery. Conclusion : Results in our study suggest that EEAF can prevent obese and through regulation of dyslipidemia and hyperglycaemia.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.297-300
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• 2010

To evaluate whether active components produced by solid fermentation of Phellinus baumii and Ephedra sinica have potential in ameliorating allergic symptoms in mice, we tested anti-allergic activities in a dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB)-induced allergic mouse model. DNFB-induced allergic symptoms werereduced to about 50% of control levels by active components produced by solid fermentation of Phellinus baumii and Ephedra sinica, as evaluated by measuring the width of epidermal swelling. H&E staining also revealed that these active components markedly reduced allergic symptoms in the epidermis of the ear. The results indicate that active components produced by solid fermentation of Phellinus baumii and Ephedra sinica have the potential to ameliorateallergic symptoms, and may be useful biomaterial(s) in the neutraceutical or cosmeceutical industry.

• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.28-41
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• 2023

Objectives: This study was aimed to evaluate the hemodynamic feasibility using pulse parameters as a way to establish safe dose guidelines for herbal prescription containing Ephedra herb (Ephedra intermedia Schrenk & C.A.Mey) on weight loss, and to provide a foundation for developing evidence-based guidelines for clinical use. Methods: Forty-two volunteers were recruited to participate in a study examining the changes in pulse wave characteristics following the ingestion of Gambi-hwan, a herbal prescription containing ephedra, over a period of 4 weeks, and pulse wave measurements were taken before and after the administration. Pulse wave parameters were measured in this study using a 3-dimensional radial pulse tonometry device (DMP-Lifeplus). In addition, questionnaire, blood pressure, temperature, and body composition were also measured as secondary measures. Results: Fifteen minutes after administration of Gambi-hwan, the non-adverse event group (non-AE) exhibited a statistically significant increase in several power and pressure-related parameters, including h1, h5, systolic area, pulse area, and pulse width, while the AE group showed a trend of decreasing stroke volume and increasing Radial Augmentation Index (RAI), w, and w/t. After 4 weeks of administration, both groups exhibited significant changes in pulse rate, w/t, RAI, t3/t, stroke volume (SV), and stroke volume Index (SVI). Notably, there are significant differences between AE group and non-AE group in w/t, SV, and SVI. Conclusions: These findings suggest that pulse parameters may be a useful way to establish safe dosing guidelines for weight loss herbal prescription containing ephedra. Further research is needed to confirm these results and to develop evidence-based guidelines for clinical use.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.95-99
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• 2008

In a project to study the hepatroprotective effect of some plant extracts four plants Ephedra foliate Boiss, Alhagi maurorum Medikus, Capsella bursa-pastoris (L.) Medik. and Hibiscus sabdariffa L. were studied. The ethanol extract of the aerial part of the first three plants and the flowers of H. sabdariffa were subjected to hepatoprotective assays using Wistar albino rats. Liver injury induced in rats using carbon tetrachloride. The biochemical parameters; serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (SGOT), serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (SGPT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and total bilirubin were estimated as reflection of the liver condition. Based on the good results of the biochemical parameters measurements, histopathological study was performed on the liver of rats treated with E. foliate. The normal appearance of hepatocytes indicated a good protection of the extract from carbon tetrachloride hepatotoxicity. All the results were compared with silymarin, the reference hepatoprotective drug.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.133-137
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• 1999

This study was undertaken to test for anti-Hepatitis B virus (HBV) activity of the aqueous extracts prepared from Eugenia caryophyllate, Ephedra sinica, Cinnamomum cassia. Aqueous extracts were assayed for the inhibition of HBV replication by measurement of HBV DNA and surface antigen (HBsAg) levels in the extracellular medium of HePG2 2.2.15 cells. All extracts decreased the levels of extracellular HBV virion DNA at concentrations ranging from 128 to 256 $\mu$g/ml and inhibited the production of HBsAg dose-dependently. Our findings suggest that these three hebal medicinal plants may have potential to develop as specific anti-HBV drugs in the future.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.259-263
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• 2000

This study was designed to evalulate the biological activity, particularly induction of IgA in primary Peyer's patches cells, of herbal medicines for a long time in Asia. Among fifty four herbal medicines tested, Ephedra sinica, Magnolia officinalis, Lonicera japonica and Lithospermum erythorhizon induced IgA production. The polar and high molecular weight component in Ephedra sinica was capable of inducing IgA in primary Peyer's patches cells. Therefore, we suggest that some herbal medicines could use for the treatment of food allergy.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.219-222
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• 1996

Ephedra olistachya cultures have been known to accumulate $rho-coumaroylamino$ acids by elicitor treatment. Based on their chemical structures, the biosynthetic pathway of$rho-coumaroylamino$acids was postulated and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), cinnamic acid 4-hydroxylase (4-CH) and p-coumaroyl CoA: D-Ala p-coumaroyltransferase ($rho-CT$) were supposed to be involved in the pathway. The time course inductions of these enzymes were investigated after treatment of yeast extract, yeast-derived mannan glycopeptide and D-Ala. They were detectable at only 4 hours and reached to their maximum level at 9 hours after onset of elicitor treatment. The activities of PAL and 4-CH were almost disappeared within 24 hours, however, that of $rho-CT$was remained up to 48 hours irrespective of the kind of elicitors. $rho-CT$ showed substrate specificity to D-Ala at crude enzyme extract level.