• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.71-78
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• 2020

The plant Dendropanax morbifera Léveille is effective folk medicines for the treatment of several conditions, such as infectious diseases, skin diseases, and other illnesses. Although the inhibitory effects of D. morbifera on the proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) have been shown in our previous study, its effects in vivo remain to be elucidated. In this study, we aimed to investigate the protective effects of the extracts from D. morbifera (EDM) on neointimal hyperplasia of rat carotid artery and explore the underlying mechanisms. We observed that the ratio of intima to media thickness (I/M) was significantly decreased in the EDM-treated groups by ~80% compared to that of the control. The expression of Ki-67 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen was decreased by ~70% in the EDM-treated groups compared to that of the control. In addition, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)2 and MMP9 significantly reduced in the neointimal layer of the EDM-treated groups. Moreover, the decreased levels of contractile phenotypic markers of VSMCs, such as α-smooth muscle actin, myocardin, and smooth muscle-myosin heavy chain, were successfully restored by EDM treatment. Furthermore, the levels of synthetic phenotypic markers, cellular retinal binding protein 1 and connexin 43 were also restored to normal levels. These results suggest that EDM inhibits vascular neointimal hyperplasia induced by balloon injury in rats via phenotypic modulation of VSMCs. Therefore, EDM may be a potential drug candidate for the prevention of restenosis.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.407-417
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• 1993

Bupleurum falcatum has been used for treatment of inflammation, jaundice, influenza and hepatitis as a traditional orient folk medicine. This experiment was carried out to evaluate the effect of B falcatum extract on cellular immune responses in vivo and in vitro. Antigen binding cell(ABC) assay, antibody production, Arthus and delayed-type hypersensitivity(DTH) reaction against sheep erythrocytes(SRBC) were very depressed in B falcatum extract treated group in vivo. The growth of Staphylococcus aureus in brain heart infusion(BHI) broth containing B falcatum extract was remarkably inhibited. Otherwise, that of Salmonella typhyimurium was not significantly increased in vitro. When B falcatum extract pretreated mice were intraperitoneally(IP) injected S typhimurium and S aureus, respectively, the number of bacteria in peritoneal exudates were time dependent declination compared with those of control, and the weight of spleen and the number of macrophage migration into peritoneal cavity have no difference from those of untreated control. B falcatum extract gradually increased phagocytic activities of peritoneal macrophage against Candida albicans time and dose dependently, and was not significant production of migration inhibiotory factor(MIF). But migration abilities of normal leucocytes in B falcatum extract pretreated group were decreased dose dependently. When B falcatum extract was IP administered, these data indicate that B falcatum extract increases level of serum coticosterone. Therefore, B falcatum extract was indirectly mediated in immune system by serum coticosterone having relation to immunosuppression. These results lead to the conclusion that B falcatum extract acts as a trigger or regulator of cellular immune responses in immune system.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.127-134
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• 2003

One hundred sixty species among Korean medicinal plants were tested on their antioxidative potentials. Antioxidants are useful materials which could be expected into development as food preservatives, health foods, cosmetics and drugs. Korean peninsula have many potential in antioxidant source which includes various medicinal herbs. It grounded on the fact that Korean medicinal plants have been used as folk therapy for long time and still do in oriental medicine. From the study, effective free radical scavengers compared with ${\alpha}-tocopherol\;of\;13.5{\mu}g/ml\;in\;RC_{50}$ were Geranium sibiricum, Geum japonicum, Geranium nepalense subsp. thunbergii and Paulownia coreana which showed $19.3{\mu}g/ml,\;22.5{\mu}g/ml,\;23.9{\mu}g/ml,\;and\;27.2{\mu}g/ml$, respectively, Acer mono and 38 plants showed strong potential in inhibition rate on linoleic acid oxidation (above 90%). In conclusion, we expect that the selected medicinal plants must be more studied as antioxidant and then developed as many industrial materials.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.316-325
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• 1997

The dried unripe fruit of Poncirus trifoliata L. is widely used to treat urticaria, itch and indigestion in folk medicine. And recently it was reported the component of the fruit was found to exhibit an inhibitory effect on histamine release from mast cells. So to evaluate the effect of aqueous extract of Poncirus trifoliata L.(PTFE) on compound 48/80-induced histamine release, the study was carried out in rat peritoneal mast cell. PTFE $(10^{-3}{\sim}1mg/ml)$ inhibits the histamine release induced by compound 48/80 $(5{\mu}g/ml)$ in rat peritoneal mast cells. To clarify the mechanism of these inhibition, we investigated the effect of PTFE on cAMP and intracellular calcium content. The increase in cAMP content, when PTFE was added, was transient. At concentration of 1mg/ml, the cAMP content of mast cells was significantly increased at a rate of 53 times of basal cells at 10sec. PTFE inhibits histamine release by augmenting the cAMP content in mast cells. Moreover, PTFE inhibits intracellular calcium release induced by compound 48/80. This result suggests that PTFE may be useful for the prevention and treatment of allergy-related disease.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.20 no.1 s.32
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• pp.1-15
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• 2007

Objectives : RVC has long been used for a useful natural agent ameliorating inflammation related symptoms in the folk medicine recipe. This study was performed to investigate effects of RVC on the inflammation and oxidation in RAW 264.7 cells. Methods : The RVC was extracted with 80% ethanol and sequentially partitioned with solvents in order to increase polarity. With the various fractions, we determined the activities on the inflammation and oxidation in RAW 264.7 cells. Results : 1. Among the various solvent extracts of RVC, the butanol fraction showed the most powerful inhibitory ability against nitric oxide (NO) production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW 264.7 cells without affecting cell viability. 2. Butanol fraction showed a oxidation inhibition effect by decreasing the DPPH and OH radicals. 3. Butanol fraction exhibited the inhibitory avilities against iNOS and COX-2. 4. Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Westem blotting analysis revealed that the BuOH fraction provided a primary inhibitor of the iNOS protein and mRNA expression in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells. Among the up-regulater molecules of iNOS and COX-2, the BuOh fraction of RVC was shown the inhibitory activity of phoshporylation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) 1/2 and threonine protein kinase (AKT), the one of the MAPKs pathway. Conclusion : Thus, the present study suggests that the response of a component of the BuOH fraction to NO generation via iNOS expression provide a important clue to elucidate anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidation mechanism of RVC.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.273-280
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• 2013

Bamboo salt, a Korean folk medicine, is prepared with solar salt (sea salt) and baked several times at high temperatures in a bamboo case. In this study, we compared the preventive effects of bamboo salt and purified and solar salts on hepatic damage induced by carbon tetrachloride in Sprague-Dawley rats. Compared with purified and solar salts, bamboo salts prevented hepatic damage in rats, as evidenced by significantly reduced serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and lactate dehydrogenase (P < 0.05). Bamboo salt (baked $9{\times}$) triggered the greatest reduction in these enzyme levels. In addition, it also reduced the levels of the proinflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-6, interferon (IFN)-${\gamma}$, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$. Histopathological sections of liver tissue demonstrated the protective effect of bamboo salt, whereas sections from animals treated with the other salt groups showed a greater degree of necrosis. We also performed reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and western blot analyses of the inflammation-related genes iNOS, COX-2, TNF-${\alpha}$, and IL-$1{\beta}$ in rat liver tissues. Bamboo salt induced a significant decrease (~80%) in mRNA and protein expression levels of COX-2, iNOS, TNF-${\alpha}$, and IL-$1{\beta}$, compared with the other salts. Thus, we found that baked bamboo salt preparations could prevent $CCl_4$-induced hepatic damage in vivo.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.59-71
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• 2022

Objective : This study examines the historical changes of Ssangwha-'tang', traditional restorative medicine, to a type of tea in tea rooms(Da-bang) named Ssangwha-'cha' in the modern era in South Korea. The goal is to understand how traditional Korean medical culture has been related to the food culture of everyday life. Method : We analyzed traditional medical texts, newspaper articles and advertisements, literary works, and folk song lyrics in which Ssangwha-tang and Ssangwha-cha are mentioned. Results : Ssangwha-tang used to be mentioned as a medicine to tonify 'Yang' energy(Bo-yang) in traditional medical texts from the late Goryeo dynasty to the mid-Joseon dynasty. Since the late Joseon dynasty, it has also been prescribed for cold, as the tonifying method(Bo-beop) gradually prevailed from the royal family to the public. Since then, Ssangwha-tang has been more popular with the public, with the emergence of the patent medicine(Mae-yak) market since the Opening port period and the Colonial period. As the number of Da-bang sharply increased nationwide amid the period of the country's liberation, Ssangwha-tang has been included in the Da-bang menu served as Ssangwha-cha, corresponding to the increasing demands of the public and government policy that tends to favor traditional beverages over coffee. Conclusion : The historical process in which Sssangwha-tang, a type of herbal medicine, became also considered as tea, Ssangwha-cha, provides an example of how Korean traditional medical culture emphasizing the tonification of the body is interconnected with the daily lives of the public and food culture.

• Journal of Korean Association for Spatial Structures
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.15-22
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• 2022

Micro-climate measurements and computational fluid analysis were conducted to use it as basic data for the preservation and management of the old house of Kim Myung-kwan, a traditional building that is National Folk Cultural Property No. 26. As a result of the actual measurement, the temperature and humidity are relatively evenly distributed indoors unlike outdoors, but the temperature and humidity vary depending on the time change and the installation location in the outdoors. It was found that the temperature increases after dawn and the temperature varies depending on the installation position around 14:00-15:00, when the temperature becomes the highest. In particular, the temperature was high at the outdoor measurement point adjacent to the building and the fence. As a result of the computational fluid analysis, the temperature was high in the buildings and fences in the old house or in the area adjacent to the building, and it was about 1℃ higher than the surrounding area. In this area, it is judged that the thickening of wood will occur more severely than in other locations, and special preservation management is required.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.465-472
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• 2012

We examined plants that were used as temple food in Jeju from May 2011 to January 2012. Thirty-six temples participated in the study, and there were 58 questionnaire respondents. Fifty-seven taxa were used as temple food, which belonged to 27 families, 51 genera, 55 species, and two varieties. The most commonly used family-based taxa were eight species of Compositae, six species of Cruciferae, and four species of Umbelliferae. Ten species of woody plants and 25 species of Jeju native plants were also used as temple food. The most useful part was the leaf, followed by the root, leaflet, and fruit. A patent search showed that most of the surveyed plants were covered by intellectual property rights. Forty-eight species had food-related patents, 34 species had cosmetics-related patents, and 38 species had medicine-related patents. The purchase and procurement of Jeju temple food plants usually depended on the market or plant cultivation rather than the use of the plants. Gathering of wild herbs for temple food has been performed on a limited basis. Therefore, collecting traditional knowledge for the use of Jeju plant resources should be conducted under different conditions rather than through a temple-related study.

• Journal of Naturopathy
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.24-30
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• 2023

Background: Arirang is a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage and intangible cultural property No. 129. However, research on the origin of Arirang in Seoul is still narrowly conducted, and it is necessary to investigate it academically. Purpose: This study is to clarify the research on the origin of traditional Arirang in Seoul area on a theoretical basis. Methods: I searched various documents to find the source of Arirang in Seoul. Results: The record of 'Arirang' was first confirmed as 'Arirang Taryeong(song)' in 'Hanyang-ga' in Maecheonyarok (Maecheon's history) by Hwang (1894). After that, Hulbert (1896) published the first modern sheet music and lyrics of <A-ra-rung> on music paper. In addition, Lee Sang Jun (1914) edited <Old Korean Folk Songbook, First volume> and recorded the lyrics and score titled 'Arirang Taryeong' on page 25 and the long Arirang Taryeong. Conclusions: Literally, the origin of 'Arirang in Seoul' is 'Arirang Taryeong' first recorded in 'Hanyang-ga' of Maecheonyarok. Arirang song, which originated in Hanyang, can be called Seoul Arirang. It is suggested that Seoul Arirang has a very high value as a protected cultural heritage of Seoul because of its historical and cultural characteristics.