• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.39 no.11
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• pp.1604-1610
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• 2010

We investigated the anti-obesity effects of Foeniculum fructus water extract on body weight, epididymal adipocyte size, plasma lipid levels and activities of key enzymes such as lipoprotein lipase (LPL), acyl-CoA synthetase (ACS) in high fat diet-induced obese mice. Experimental groups were normal diet group (ND), high fat diet group (HFD), high fat diet with 0.05% orlistat group (HFDO), and high fat diet with 0.5% Foeniculum fructus group (HFDF). Eleven-weeks feeding with HFD resulted in significant increase in lipid levels, body weight, liver and epididymal adipose tissue weight, compared with the ND group. Diet containing Foeniculum fructus water extract significantly reduced plasma total cholesterol, triglyceride and glucose concentrations as well as body weight, liver and epididymal adipose tissue weights. Plasma LDL cholesterol levels were significantly lower in the HFDF group than those in HFDO group. LPL activities elevated by a high fat diet were significantly decreased by Foeniculum fructus water extract administration. ACS activities decreased in the high fat diet group and markedly increased in the Foeniculum fructus water extract administered group. All things considered, Foeniculum fructus water extract efficiently inhibits the inflow of fatty acid into the cell, and activates metabolic process that uses fatty acids flowing as an energy source. Thus, Foeniculum fructus water extract may have great potential as a novel anti-obesity agent.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.113-117
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• 2012

The fruits of Foeniculum vulgare (Foeniculi Fructus) have been widely used in Chinese medicine as an antiemetic, ameliorating stomach ailments and as an analgesic. In order to establish its potential for antiallergic use, inhibitory actions of the fruit on 5-lipoxgenase (5-LOX) and ${\beta}$-hexosaminidase release were evaluated. The 70% ethanol extract of this plant material (FR) considerably inhibited 5-LOX-catalyzed leukotriene production from A23187-induced rat basophilic leukemia (RBL)-1 cells. The $IC_{50}$ was $3.2{\mu}g/ml$. From this extract, 12 major compounds including sabinene, fenchone, ${\gamma}$-terpinene, ${\alpha}$-pinene, limonene, p-anisylacetone, panisylaldehyde, estragole (4-allylanisole), trans-anethole, scopoletin, bergapten and umbelliferone were isolated. And it was found that several terpene derivatives including ${\gamma}$-terpinene and fenchone as well as phenylpropanoid, trans-anethole, showed considerable inhibitory action of 5-LOX. In particular, the $IC_{50}$ of trans-anethole was $51.6{\mu}M$. In contrast, FR and the isolated compounds did not show considerable inhibitory activity on the degranulation reaction of ${\beta}$-hexosaminidase release from antigen-treated RBL-2H3 cells. Against arachidonic acid-induced ear edema in mice, FR and trans-anethole showed significant inhibition by oral administration at doses of 100-400 mg/kg. In conclusion, FR and several major constituents are 5-LOX inhibitors and they may have potential for treating 5-LOX-related disorders.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.400-405
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• 2015

Background : As the characterization of medicinal plants is an important aspect of traditional Asian herbal medicine, this study examines the morphological and anatomical characteristics in four fructus form medicinally important plants belonging to the family Apiaceae. Methods and Results : Fruit morphology of four genera was examined using microtome sections and light microscopy. The Anethi Fructus, Anethum graveolens (Siraja) has unique wing-like and membranous lateral ribs that are, approximately $500{\mu}m$ wide. The Coriandri Fructus, Coriandrum sativum (Hoyuja) does not have oil ducts at the dorsal region of the mericarp and differs in the development of the dorsal ribs. The ribs appear upon drying and therefore, consist of primary and secondary ribs. The Foeniculi Fructus, Foeniculum vulgare (Hoehyang) characteristically develops three dominant dorsal ribs and has a strong aromatic fragrance. Finally, the Cnidii Fructus, Torilis japonica (Sasangja) has many oil ducts at the dorsal and carpophores regions and develops many hooked trichomes one the fructus surface. Conclusions : We conclude from this study that each plant has several prominent and distinguishing morphological and anatomical characteristics. Therefore, fruit morphology is very useful for identifying these medicinal plants. In addition, the correct use and herbal name need to be standardized for plants used traditionally in Asian medicine within Korea, China, and Japan.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.29-36
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• 2022

Objectives : The objective of this study was to investigate the possibility for the treatment of hypertension of herbal medicines belong to Umbelliferae family. Methods : Domestic and international articles about Herbology were investigated. A review was performed via the database (DB) search engines such as Pubmed, Korean studies Information Service System (KISS), KoreaScience, and Google Scholar. Hypertension-related terms including "vasorelaxation", "vasorelaxant", "vasodilation", "vasodilatory", "vasodilative", "hypotension", and "hypotensive" were performed as search terms. Results : A list was made about herbal medicines and origin plants belonging to the Umbelliferae family in Korean Pharmacopoeia 12 and Korean Herbal Pharmacopoeia. 14 herbal medicine and 22 origin plants were searched. Ostericum koreanum root and rhizome, Notopterygium incisum root and rhizome, N. forbesii root and rhizome, Ligusticum tenuissimum root and rhizome, L. jeholense root and rhizome, Angelica gigas root, A. dahurica root, A. dahurica var. formosana root, Bupleurum falcatum root, Peucedanum japonicum root, P. praeruptorum root, A. decursiva root, Cnidium officinale rhizome, L. chuanxiong rhizome, Foeniculum vulgare fruit, and Ferula assa-foetida resin and stem showed significant vasorelaxant or hypotensive effects. Conclusion : These review results showed that Osterici seu Notopterygii Radix et Rhizoma, Ligustici Tenuissimi Rhizoma et Radix, Angelicae Gigantis Radix, Angelicae Dahuricae Radix, Bupleuri Radix, Peucedani Japonici Radix, Peucedani Radix, Cnidii Rhizoma, Foeniculi Fructus, and Ferulae Resina had vasorelaxant or hypotensive effects. The results are expected as basic data in clinical trials and experimental researches for the treatment of hypertension of herbal medicines.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.246-253
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• 2015

In this study, we evaluated the lipoprotein lipase (LPL) inhibitory activity of 11 water extracts derived from Cinnamomum cassia Blume, Sarcodon aspratus, Cordyceps militaris, Crataegus pinnatifida Bunge, Corni fructus, Allium cepa, Coix lacryma-jobi, Plantago asiatica L., Lentinus edodes, Rosa rugosa, and Foeniculum fructus. The results of the LPL secretion and activity assay showed Sarcodon aspratus (NE) extract have an LPL secretion inhibitory acitivity. The cause of reduction in LPL secretion after NE treatment was investigated using molecular biology methods. NE treatment affected the LPL content in cells, but did not affect LPL mRNA expression. It also increased the mRNA expression level of sortilin-related receptor LDLR class A (SorLA), a receptor that induces endocytosis and intracellular trafficking of LPL. Finally, cell fractionation revealed that NE treatment induced the expression of CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein beta ($C/EBP{\beta}$), a SorLA transcription factor, in the nuclei of 3T3-L1 adipocytes. These results show that NE's anti-obesity effect involves inhibition of LPL secretion through $C/EBP{\beta}$-mediated induction of SorLA expression.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.20-23
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• 2001

Several unusual fatty acids including myristic acid (14 : 0) and lauric acid (12 : 0) were investigated in the Iris family and other related plants. Especially the roots of Iris tecorum contained 75.9% myristic acid in total fatty acid contents and that of Iris germanica contained 57% myristic and 15.5% lauric acid (12 : 0) whereas 10.7% lauric acid and 9.5% capric acid (10 : 0) were detected in the roots of iris ensata as compared to the total fatty acid contents. The total fatty acid contents in the seeds of Foeniculi fructus and Torilis japonica was relatively higher 193.3 mg/g dry wt and 128.2 mg/g dry wt, respectively. 64.5% linoleic acid (18 : 2) and 48.9% ${\alpha}-linolenic$ acid (18 : 3) were observed in the seeds and leaves of iris tectorum whereas its lateral roots contained 9.5% caprylic acid (8 : 0) and 8.6% capric acid. The percentage of myristic acid of the total fatty acid in the immature seeds of iris tectorum and Iris germanica was 10.8% and 15.6%, respectively.