• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
• /
• v.23 no.6
• /
• pp.489-499
• /
• 2015

Background : Plants belonging to 5 species of the genus Eleutherococcus are currently distributed in the Korean peninsula. The traditional medicine 'Ogapi', derived from Eleutherococcus sessiliflorus and other related species, and 'Gasiogapi', derived from Eleutherococcus senticosus, are frequently mixed up and marketed. Therefore, accurated identification of their origins in urgently required. Methods and Results : Candidate genes from nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrDNA) and chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) of Eleutherococcus plants were analyzed. Whereas the nrDNA-internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions were useful in elucidating the phylogenetic relationships among the plants, the cpDNA regions were not as effective. Therefore, a combined analysis with nrDNA-ITS was performed. Various combinations of nrDNA and matK were effective for discriminating among the plants. However, the matK and rpoC1 combination was ineffective for discriminating among some species. Based on these results, it was found that OG1, OG4, OG5, OG7, GS1, GS2, and GS3 were derived from E. sessiliflorus. In particular, it was confirmed that GS1, GS2, and GS3 were not derived from E. senticosus. However, more samples need to be analyzed because identification of the origins of OG2, OG3, OG6 and GS4 was not possible. Conclusion : The ITS2, ITS5a, and matK combination was the most effective in identifying the phylogenetic relationship among Eleutherococcus plants and traditional medicines based on Eleutherococcus.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
• /
• v.48 no.3
• /
• pp.237-242
• /
• 2017

In this study, to investigate of safety for Benzo(a)pyrene in medicinal herb, 8 kinds of selected commercial herbal medicines (Rehmanniae Radix, Rehmanniae Radix Preparata, Amomi Tsao-Ko Fructus, Cimicifugae Rhizoma, Cyperi Rhizoma, Magnoliae Cortex, Scutellariae Radix, Scrophulariae Radix) were analysed using the high performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detector and assessed the health risk. The levels of benzo(a)pyrene were from non-detection to $28.1{\mu}g/kg$, and the average was $3.6{\mu}g/kg$. Based on a nationwide survey of the consumption of medicinal herb by the Korean population, we estimated the potential risk from the ingestion of benzo(a)pyrene. The estimated daily intake of benzo(a)pyrene was 1.6 ng/kg b.w./day for group only know the daily average intake of medicinal herb. The MOE (margin of exposure) of benzo(a)pyrene for estimate of health risk was $1.93{\times}10^5$. Therefore, health risk from benzo(a)pyrene through intake of herbal medicine was considered negligible.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
• /
• v.42 no.4
• /
• pp.163-168
• /
• 2017

Osteoporosis is a metabolic bone disease that is characterized by low bone mass resulting from an increase in bone resorption relative to bone formation. The most current therapies for osteoporosis have focused on inhibiting bone resorption by osteoclasts. The purpose of this study is to develop new anabolic agents for treatment of osteoporosis that have fewer risks compared to conventional therapies. We searched the natural products that were derived from the traditional Asian medicines which have been used for treatment of bone related diseases. Icaritin is a flavonoid glycoside derived from the herb Epimedium which has beneficial effects on bone formation. To determine the effect of icaritin on bone formation, we examined the effect of icaritin on MC3T3-E1 cell proliferation and differentiation. For determining the effects of icaritin on proliferation, we performed the MTT assay using MC3T3-E1 cells. To evaluate whether icaritin could promote the osteogenic differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and mRNA expressions of Runx2, osteocalcin (OCN), RANKL, and osteoprotegerin (OPG) were determined. Icaritin increased MC3T3-E1 cell proliferation. Icaritin increased the ALP activity of MC3T3-E1 cells on 72 hour culture in osteogenic media. mRNA expression of Runx2 was increased after 24 hour culture with icaritin. mRNA expression of osteocalcin was increased after 72 hour culture with icaritin. In addition, icaritin increased the mRNA expressions of OPG and RANKL. However, icaritin increased the mRNA expression of OPG much more than that of RANKL, and then, it increased the OPG/RANKL ratio. These results suggest that icaritin promotes osteogenic differentiation of osteoblasts and decreases osteoclast formation regulated by osteoblasts.

• KOMUNHWA
• /
• no.64
• /
• pp.47-74
• /
• 2004

The aim of this research is to investigate various aspects and its meanings of Daegu Yangnyongshi Hanbang(韓方: traditional herb medicines) culture being handed down 350 years ago for understanding korean folk medicine. Yangnyongshi(藥令市: Medicinal Herb Mark

• Herbal Formula Science
• /
• v.27 no.3
• /
• pp.189-197
• /
• 2019

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to confirm whether Codonopsis Radix(CR) could be used in the same way for expected indications or diseases of adaptation instead of Ginseng Radix(GR), which acts as a principal herb in Sagunja-tang. Methods : The Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems pharmacology(TCMSP), a database for the study of systems biology related to Chinese medicine, screened potential active compounds in each quartet. By searching for all the proteins that each compound provides, the target of Sagunja-tang with GR(GRST) and the target of Sagunja-tang with CR(CRST) were compared using the network analysis method, and the top ranked target of each serving was selected. Results : Through TCMSP, a Chinese medicine database, the potential effective ingredients of GRST or CRST screened, and the target proteins related to these substances were found to be the most affected by Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizome, an herbal medicine mixed in Sagunja-tang, and the target diseases were the same. And the same were found for the target protein, gene and target diseases of GRST and CRST. Conclusions : The prescription with similar composition is likely to have similar network pharmacology analysis results, and the analysis result may be controlled by the herbal medicines which are assumed to be the main function. Therefore, rich and reproducible basic studies is more important because network pharmacological studies can be dominated by data that has been done a lot of previous studies.

• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
• /
• v.19 no.1
• /
• pp.79-87
• /
• 2019

Although there has been many studies about the co-administration of herb formula and western medicine, there is none about obesity. The aim of this study was to report the effects of co-administration of herb formula containing ephedra sinica and lorcaserin on two obese patients for about 2~4 months. During the treatment, we checked body weight and body composition, and collected blood samples to evaluate liver, kidney, thyroid function and lipid profile. This treatment not only decreased body weight but also improved body composition and lipid profile in both patients. There was no hepatic or renal toxicity, nor any serious side effects of treatment. This study demonstrated that co-administration of herb formula containing ephedra sinica and lorcaserin is a safe and effective therapy to lose weight and improve metabolic parameters for obese patients. Further large-scale clinical trials are needed to evaluate the anti-obesity effect of the combination of herbal and western medicines.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.32 no.4
• /
• pp.437-446
• /
• 2022

In this study, to obtain icaritin with high pharmacological activities from icariin, which has a content ratio of over 58% in the total flavonoids of Epimedium herb, a special Epimedium flavonoid-glycosidase was produced, purified and characterized from Aspergillus sp.y848 strain. The optimal enzyme production was gained in a medium containing 5% (w/v) wheat bran extract and 0.7% (w/v) Epimedium leaf powder as the enzyme inducer, and strain culture at 30℃ for 6-7 days. The molecular weight of the enzyme was approximately 73.2 kDa; the optimal pH and temperature were 5.0 and 40℃. The enzyme Km and Vmax values for icariin were 15.63 mM and 55.56 mM/h. Moreover, the enzyme hydrolyzed the 7-O-glucosides of icariin into icariside II, and finally hydrolyzed 3-Orhamnoside of icariside II into icaritin. The enzyme also hydrolyzed 7-O-glucosides of epimedin B to sagittatoside B, and then further hydrolyzed terminal 3-O-xyloside of sagittatoside B to icarisiede II, before finally hydrolyzing 3-O-rhamnoside of icarisiede II into icaritin. The enzyme only hydrolyzed 7-O-glucoside of epimedin A or epimedin C into sagittatoside A or sagittatoside C. It is possible to prepare icaritin from the high-content icariin in Epimedium herb using this enzyme. When 2.5% icariin was reacted at 40℃ for 18-20 h by the low-cost crude enzyme, 5.04 g icaritin with 98% purity was obtained from 10 g icariin. Also, the icaritin molar yield was 92.5%. Our results showed icaritin was successfully produced via cost-effective and relatively simple methods from icariin by crude enzyme. Our results should be very useful for the development of medicines from Epimedium herb.

• Herbal Formula Science
• /
• v.32 no.3
• /
• pp.277-296
• /
• 2024

Objective : Dyspepsia is one of the most common ailments among Koreans, leading to a continuously expanding market for liquid digestive solutions. These products are popular due to their convenience and low risk of side effects. However, there is a lack of research on the basic prescription composition of these ingredients and their precise indications according to Korean Medicine. Methods : Drugs were selected from the Korea Pharmaceutical Information Service website (http://www.health.kr), focusing on oral and liquid products classified under the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety's category of stomach and digestive aids (category 233). Frequency analysis was conducted to determine the occurrence and combinations of herbal ingredients within each product. Additionally, the four properties and five flavors of each product were calculated using their herbal ingredient composition ratios, and Pearson correlation coefficients were employed to verify the linear relationships between the composition ratios of the ingredients. Results : A comparative analysis of 33 liquid digestive medicines revealed that Zingiberis Rhizoma was the most frequently used herb. The most common dual-herb combination was Zingiberis Rhizoma and Citri Unshius Pericarpium, and the most prevalent tri-herb combination was Zingiberis Rhizoma, Citri Unshius Pericarpium, and Cinnamomi Cortex. Pearson correlation coefficient analysis showed a strong positive correlation between the composition ratios of Zingiberis Rhizoma and Cinnamomi Cortex. The analysis of four properties and five flavors indicated that products with warm and bitter flavors were the most common. Conclusions : The most frequently used herbal combination in liquid digestive solutions was Zingiberis Rhizoma, Citri Unshius Pericarpium, and Cinnamomi Cortex. This composition is suitable for treating dyspepsia caused by cold-dampness in the digestive system.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
• /
• v.19 no.5
• /
• pp.1169-1180
• /
• 2005

First, I read all the materials, including Dongeuibogam(Encyclopedia Medica Koreana), classical writings on Lacca sinica exsiccata, herbal writings on lacquer poison, and herbal books on how to treat lacquer poison. And then after 1 examined all the details on qi and taste of Lacca sinica exsiccata, its efficacy, detoxification, lacquer poison, and its effects on body symptom, 1 got the following results. The order of frequency that Lacca sinica exsiccata is used in Dongeuibogam is pressure-feeling, blood circulation, and insect biting. Its way of intake is not so much through herb-boiling or powdered medicine as through hand-made pills. When medicine is used in the form of pills, the Lacca sinica exsiccata is more included among other ingredients. When old doctors treated pressure-feeling in the chest, they mixed up other herbs, with not putting more emphasis on the efficacy of lacquer 010 doctors believed that toxicity of Lacca sinica exsiccata is not having its own poison, but having biased dominance in the use of its qE and taste. The way or detoxification or Lacca sinica exsiccata is used in the order of crab-boiled water, egg, Xanthoxylum piperitum, Perilla frutescens, Astar tataricus, a weeping willow, iron-tempered water, and Allium toberosum. Special point in detoxificating lacquer poison is that they used medicines for well-ciruculating pulmonary stream, medicines for promoting to urinate or discharge by helping large colons to move, medicines for making the lacquer scar small, medicines for helping digest, and medicines for improving vessel function in the poisoned area. With the above results, the more profound study, based on the crab-boiled water and egg, is expected to go on to increase the effect on the one hand, and to make the new way of lessening or removing the toxicity of lacquer with more safe use on the other hand.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
• /
• v.18 no.2
• /
• pp.118-126
• /
• 1987

Natural Killer cells are considerd to play an important role in antitumor immune surveilance mechanism. In this study, 21 putative anticancer drugs selected from reference were assessed by evaluating the effect on rat Natural Killer cell activity (NKCA). All 21 herb drugs were extracted in boiling water, lyophilized, autoclaved, and then used for experiment. Culture supernatant of concanavalin-A (Con-A)-stimulated rat spleen cells as a source of lymphokine was also used as a control of comparison. Rat spleen cells were used as effector and NKCA was measured in 4hr $^{51}Cr-release$ assay against Yac-1 mouse lymphoma cell line. In order to determine the optimal conditions for NKCA augmentation, effector cells were treated with 3 different concentrations of each drug for 24, or 48 hrs before testing of NKCA, In optimal conditions determined from previous results, the effect of herb drugs on NKCA were assessed in 3 to 5experiments. NKCA was significantly enhanced by treatment with 4 herb drugs(Ponciri Fructus, Houttuyniae Herba, Aurantii Pericarpium, Nepetae Herba). Culture supernatant of Con-A-stimulated spleen cells also augmented the rat NKCA more significantly. The results show that 4 of the herb medicines supposed to display anticancer effect may have activity as a biological response modifier through augmentation of NKCA.