• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.735-739
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• 2014

Ephedra sinica Stapf, known as a medicinal plant, inhibited not only syncytium formation, but also trafficking of viral glycoprotein, hemagglutinin-neuramidase (HN) to the cell-surface. Trafficking of viral glycoprotein to the surface of infected-cells results in syncytium formation in Newcastle disease virus (NDV)-infected baby hamster kidney (BHK) cells. Viral glycoprotein in the infected-cell is processed within the endoplasmic reticulum during routing into surface. The processing of viral glycoprotein like a N-linked oligosaccharide trimming by ${\alpha}$-glucosidase in cell is necessary for virus infection. Methanol extracts showed inhibitory activities ($IC_{50}$ $15{\mu}g/mL$) against ${\alpha}$-glucosidase. This suggested that E. sinica extracts inhibited the cell-surface expression of NDV-HN glycoprotein without significantly affecting HN glycoprotein synthesis in NDV-infected BHK cells.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.144-152
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• 2009

Background : Ephedra (Ephedra sinica) has been widely used to treat respiratory disease in traditional medicine of East Asia for over a hundred years. Despite safety concerns raised by some, the use of ephedra in traditional medicine is documented over more than 1,800 years. It is well established that ephedra is one of the central medicines in Korean 'Seseng constitution' medicine. In Sasang constitution medicine, all humans can be divided into one of four types: Soeumin, Soyangin, Taeumin or Taeyangin, and each constitution type has their own typical characteristics. Accordingly, it is hypothesized that the adverse effects of ephedra differ depending on the Sasang constitution classification. Objectives : The aim of this study was to determine adverse effects of ephedra which is classified as a Taeumin herb, and to observe whether the response differs or not. according to Sasang constitution classification. Methods : The study design was a double-blind randomized controlled trial. The subjects were healthy adults 20 - 50 years old who agreed to participate in this study. They were allocated through randomization to either ephedra group (N=55) or placebo group (N=24). where ephedra extract (6 g of dried ephedra) and placebo with similar opaque capsules were given twice for one day. To compare the adverse events of ephedra according to Sasang constitution classification, we analyzed blood pressure (systolic and diastolic), pulse rate, the morning questionnaire, and patient's global assessment scale score for well known adverse events: palpitation, headache, sweating, tiredness, dyspepsia, and dry mouth. Results : After ingestion of ephedra, the pulse rate had a significant increase in all constitution types. The changes of diastolic pressure in Soeumin and the changes of pulse rate in Soeumin, Soyangin and Taeumin had a significant increase in the ephedra over the control group. In the ephedra group, the palpitation and dyspepsia score of the patients' global assessment scale had a significant increase in Soeumin, with palpitation and sweating score increasing in Soyangin. Others observations were insignificant results. Conclusion : The results of this study may confirm that the physical responses or adverse effects of herbs differ for each type of Sasang constitution. Future studies using other herbs will be required to ascertain the herbal drug reaction of Sasang constitutions.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.341-348
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• 2018

The polyherbal drug Gyeongshingangjeehwan 18 (GGEx18) from Rheum palmatum L. (Polygonaceae), Laminaria japonica Aresch (Laminariaceae), and Ephedra sinica Stapf (Ephedraceae) has traditionally been used as an antiobesity drug in Korean local clinics. This study investigates the effects of GGEx18 on pancreatic fibroinflammation in high-fat diet (HFD)-fed obese C57BL/6J mice and the molecular mechanism involved in this process. After HFD-fed obese C57BL/6J mice were treated with GGEx18 (125, 250, and 500 mg/kg) for 12 weeks, variables and determinants of obesity, pancreatic inflammation, and fibrosis were measured using histology, immunohistochemistry, and real-time polymerase chain reaction. Administration of GGEx18 at 500 mg/kg/day to obese mice decreased body weight gain, mesenteric adipose tissue mass, and adipocyte size. GGEx18 treatment not only reduced mast cells and CD68-immunoreactive cells, but also decreased collagen levels and ${\alpha}$-smooth muscle actin-positive cells in the pancreas of HFD-fed mice. Concomitantly, GGEx18 decreased the expression of genes for inflammation (i.e., CD68 and tumor necrosis factor ${\alpha}$) and fibrosis (i.e., collagen ${\alpha}1$ and transforming growth factor ${\beta}$) in the pancreas of obese mice. These results suggest that GGEx18 may inhibit visceral obesity and related pancreatic fibroinflammation in HFD-fed obese mice.

• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.27-37
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• 2007

Background Clinical practice guidelines (CPG) are systematically developed statements to assist practitioners and patients on healthcare decisions. They provide recommendations for the average patient, which should take into account individual clinical judgment and the patient's values and expectations. Ephedra has sympathomimetic effect and has been used for weight loss worldwide. However, its safety is controversial especially in autonomic and cardiovascular systems. Therefore, the need of appropriate CPG for ephedra prescription in obesity was advocated in Korean Traditional Medicine. Methods The committee comprised of specialists of obesity, oriental herbology, oriental cardiology, constitutional medicine. The committee collected all relevant references about adverse effect and safety of ephedra in the forms of meta-analysis, systematic review, randomized controlled trial, case-control study and observational study from international and domestic databases and paper journals. 11 English- and 5 Korean-language references were gathered and categorized by PICO (Patient, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome) method. We could not complete strength of recommendation which should be clarified according to the evidence grade estimation. Result The first version of CPG for ephedra prescription in obesity was issued by Korean Oriental Association for Study of Obesity. It includes topics of introduction, pharmacokinetics, side effects and adverse events, constitutional aspect and recommendations for dose, indication and contraindication. Conclusion There should be periodic upgrade of this CPG from now on. Although there are some drawbacks in this version of CPG, it has significance as the first CPG in Korean Traditional Medicine.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.143-150
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• 2010

This study showed the increase of antitumor activities of water soluble E. sinica extract by nano-encapsulation process with lecithin. Five groups of lecithin only group (LO), lecithin nano-encapsulated E. sinica group (LE), E. sinica only group (EO), one negative control group (NCO) and positive control group (PCO) were set for several anticancer experiment and fed into Sarcoma-180 injected mice. The cytotoxicity of LE on the human normal kidney cell (HEK293) showed 14.8% lower than 19.2% of EO and 18.4% of LO. Growth of human liver carcinoma cell and human stomach carcinoma cell as representative of digestive system in vitro was inhibited up to about 85.1% and 87.3%, in adding 1.0 mg/$m{\ell}$ of LE, which values 15% higher than that from conventional EO. The survival rates of each mice group were 40%, 63%, 48%, 33% and 100%, respectively after 40 days of injecting Sarcoma-180. The increment of their body weights of the extract feeding groups was suppressed down to 10~15%, compared to the negative control. The nano-particles also reduced the hypertrophy of the internal organs such as spleen and liver down to 15~20%, compared to those as the other groups. Among them, LE effectively reduced the size of tumor form to 20%. From these results, in vitro and in vivo antitumor activities of E. sinica could be enhanced by using nano-encapsulation process with lecithin because of better permeation into the cancer cells by confocal observations.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.226-233
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• 2022

Ephedra herbs are defined as stem of Ephedra sinica , Ephedra intermedia and Ephedra equisetina in the Korean Pharmacopoeia. It is important to use pure herbs to derive the safety and efficacy of herbal medicine. However, the identification of these herbs by conventional taxonomic methods is difficult. Recently, many studies have applied these DNA barcoding for the identification of herbal medicinal species using standard DNA markers. In this study, we report a case study in which the identification of Ephedra species was done by DNA barcoding. For identification of Ephedra species, 17 samples were collected, and a reference DNA barcode library was developed using 6 markers (rbcL, matK, ITS2, ycf1, ycf3, and rpoC2). To develop KASP-SNP markers, we selected 4 markers (ycf1, ycf3, rpl2, and rbcL), which were able to distinguish three Ephedra species. In the result, the specific markers for each of the three Ephedra were clustered into FAM-positive section, whereas non-targeted plants were clustered either HEX-positive or negative section. Therefore, we have developed KASP assay that allow rapid and easy Ephedra species identification using three KASP markers.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.273-278
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• 2004

The anticancer activities of the extracts from Acanthopanax senticosus Harms, Ephedra sinica Stapf, Rubus coreanus Miq and Artemisia capillaris Thunb were compared according to extract systems. About 70% of the growth of human hepatocarcinoma cancer cell was inhibited in adding 1.0 mg/ml of the water extract from Rubus coreanus Miq with ultrasonification at $60^{\circ}C$. The growth of human normal lung cell was limited to 25% in adding the extracts with ultrasonification at $60^{\circ}C$. The effect of extracts obtained by only water and with ultrasonification on different of human promyelocytic leukemia cells was also observed.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.65-74
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• 2011

Objectives : This study was undertaken to verify the modulation mechanism of Gyeongshingangjeehwan18 (GGEx18) in ob/ob male mice. Methods : Eight-week old mice (wild-type C57BL/6J and ob/ob) were used for all experiments. Wild-type C57BL/6J mice were used as lean control and obese ob/ob mice were randomly divided into 5 groups : obese control, GGEx15 (Ephedra sinica Stapf + Rheum palmatum L.), GGEx16 (Ephedra sinica Stapf + Laminaria japonica Aresch), GGEx17 (Rheum palmatum L. + Laminaria japonica Aresch), and GGEx18 (Ephedra sinica Stapf + Laminaria japonica Aresch + Rheum palmatum L.). After mice were treated with several kinds of GGEx for 11 weeks, the mRNA expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) target genes and uncoupling protein (UCP) were measured. In addition, $PPAR{\alpha}$ and $PPAR{\beta}$ transactivation was examined in NMu2Li hepatocytes, C2C12 myocytes, and 3T3-L1 preadipocytes using transient transfection assays. Results : 1. Hepatic $PPAR{\alpha}$ target genes, such as ACOX and VLCAD mRNA levels were significantly increased by GGEx18 compared with obese controls. In skeletal muscle, LCAD mRNA expression was stimulated by GGEx16, GGEx17, and GGEx18, whereas MCAD mRNA expression by GGEx17 and GGEx18. $PPAR{\beta}$ target LPL mRNA levels were also increased by GGEx16, GGEx17, and GGEx18 in skeletal muscle, but adipose LPL mRNA levels were decreased. In addition, GGEx18 upregulated UCP mRNA expression in skeletal muslce. 2. $PPAR{\alpha}$ reporter gene expression was increased by GGEx18 in NMu2Li cells compared with vehicle. $PPAR{\alpha}$ and $PPAR{\beta}$ reporter activities were also increased by all GGEx treatments in C2C12 and 3T3-L1 cells. Conclusions : These results suggest that GGEx can act as $PPAR{\alpha}$ and $PPAR{\beta}$ activators, and that GGEx may regulate obesity by stimulating $PPAR{\alpha}$, $PPAR{\beta}$, and UCP activity. Of the 4 compositions, GGEx18 seems to be most effective in improving obesity and lipid disorders.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.346-351
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• 2003

The current studies investigated the therapeutic effects of Ephedra sinica Stapf (ES) herb-acupuncture on the inflammatory responses of rat arthritic joint, which was induced by the intradermal injection of heat-killed Mycobacterium tuberculosis emulsified in squalene to the base of the tail. The measurements of body weight and articular index were exploited as the assessment methods addressing arthritic symptoms, and the expression profiles of cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 in the rat joint were analyzed using RT-PCR. The articular indexes of arthritic rats were significantly restored after the treatment with ES herb-acupuncture. Although the clinical symptoms of arthritic rats were apparently alleviated by the ES treatments, their body weights were not recovered. It maybe due to the weight-loss and energy enhancement effects of ES extracts. The expression of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 genes, which were highly stimulated in the knee joints of arthritic rats, were restored to the levels of normal rats after the ES treatment. The therapeutic effect of ES herb-acupuncture was not observed in ES-treated, non-acupoint arthritic group as a sham control. The ES herb-acupuncture into an acupoint ST36 was found to be effective in alleviating the arthritic symptoms in adjuvant-induced arthritis rats as regards the body weight, joint appearance and the expression profiles of inflammatory cytokines.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.113-117
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• 2004

The effect of ultrasonification on immuno-stimulatory activities of the extracts from Ephedra sinica Stapf and Rubus coreanus Miq. was observed by the growth of human immune cells. The extraction yields from water extracts and water extract with ultrasonification at 40$^{\circ}C$, 60$^{\circ}C$ and 100$^{\circ}C$ were compared. The highest yield was observed enhancement ratio 2.34% in the extract at 40$^{\circ}C$ with ultrasonification. The growth of human T-cell was increased up to 13.8${\times}$10$^4$ viable cells/$m\ell$ in adding 1.0 g/L of the ultrasonification extracts. The treated extracts increased the specific secretion of TNF-${\alpha}$ up to 10.5${\times}$10$\^$-4/ pg/cell. It was suggested that of the extracts on water the extraction yield with ultrasonification compared improved the extraction with ultrasonification of low than.