• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.23-30
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• 2021

Hemistepta lyrata Bunge (HL) has been used as a folk remedy to treat cancer, inflammation, bleeding, hemorrhoids and fever, and leaves and young shoots have been used as famine food. Nevertheless, the biological activities and underlying mechanisms of the anti-inflammatory effects remain unclear. In this study, it was undertaken to explore the functions of the aerial part of HL as a suppressor of inflammation by using RAW 264.7 cells. As immune response parameters, the productions of as nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), cytokines such tumor necrotic factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-6 were evaluated. Although the release of TNF-α remained unchanged in HL-treated RAW 264.7 cells, the productions of NO, PGE2 and IL-6 were significantly increased at concentrations with no cytotoxicity. Furthermore, HL significantly attenuated the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) pathway including decreasing the phosphorylation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2) and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases. Collectively, this study provides evidence that HL inhibits the production of major pro-inflammatory molecules in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells via suppression of ERK and P38 MAPK signaling pathways. These findings suggest that the beneficial therapeutic effects of HL may be attributed partly to its ability to modulate immune functions in macrophages.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.15-25
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• 2023

Myriophyllum spicatum L. has been used as an ornamental in ponds and aquariums, and as a folk remedy for inflammation and pus. Nevertheless, the biological activity and underlying mechanisms of anti-inflammatory effects are unclear. This study is aimed at investigating the antioxidative and anti-inflammatory activities of ethanol extract of Myriophyllum spicatum L. (EMS) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. Antioxidant activity of EMS was assessed by radical-scavenging effects on ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radicals. As inflammatory response parameters produced by LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells were quantified to assess the anti-inflammatory activity of EMS. Our results showed that EMS increased FRAP and DPPH radical-scavenging activity. In EMS-treated RAW 264.7 cells, the production of NO, PGE₂, TNF-α and IL-1β was significantly inhibited at the non-cytotoxic concentration. In addition, EMS significantly attenuated LPS-stimulated the toll-like receptor (TLR) 4/myeloid differentiation protein (MyD) 88 signaling pathway, and inhibited nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-kappa B(NF-κB). Positive correlations were noted between anti-inflammatory activity and antioxidant activity. In conclusion, it was indicated that EMS suppresses the transcription of inflammatory factors by inhibiting the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway, thereby suppressing LPS-stimulated inflammation in RAW 264.7 cells. This study highlights the potential role of EMS against inflammation and associated diseases.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Traditional Landscape Architecture
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.49-58
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• 2010

This study is attempted to establish the concept of Byeulseo Scenic Spot that the definitions of Byeulseo and Scenic Spot would be presented first followed by clarifying the basis, reason and justification that Byeulseo would be called as Byeulseo Scenic Spot that the following is the major results formulated herein. First, the concept of scenic spot under the Cultural Property Act is the reference to the famous site with the building improvement well known for its great scenery or the point where splendid scenery is viewed that has the artistic value along with the trace of human lives in this cultural heritage that, although the scenery is important but the attention has to be on discovery of historic resources with the story telling in the subject site. Second, the criteria of designation on the Scenic Spot in Korea would be natural scenery, animal and plant site with well-known scenery, view point of scenery, famous building or garden and important places with legend that there lacks diversification. In this aspect, the intent of the concept of Scenic Spot would be facilitated to expand the designation of the Byeulseo Scenic Spot as the Scenic Spot of living style. Third, from the foreign cases, particularly, in Japan, it is needed to note that Byeulseos and housing gardens are designated for 196 places of Scenic Spot, reaching 55.4% of entire Scenic Spots. Laws, regulations, systems and designated criteria on the cases of designating the foreign Scenic Spots would be studied and quoted. Fourth, the classification work for each type to designate as cultural heritage has to be continued as the Scenic Spot of subject site with even more emerged for the value as the Scenic Spot in garden, original site and the like classified as historic site, important folk data and the like. Fifth, the designation of Scenic Spot of Byeulseo garden with splendid scenery as the living Scenic Spot has to be expanded. The pavilion existed now nationwide would be approximately 1,500, and these pavilions are the place where the scholars stay in the famous site, and this is the central space of Byeulseo to study, and if there is clear one that has written and record of deed to create the stories to people with the value for publicity campaign, it would be the subject of Scenic Spot. And sixth, for the case of view point with splendid scenery in Byeulseo Garden, it cannot be the subject of designation that the designation of Scenic Spot has to be expanded. In the event of the Byeulseo garden in Korea, there are many cases of having outstanding view points, and there is a few case of designating the subject site with great view point as a Scenic Spot.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.348-365
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• 2010

Artemisia capillaries THUNB is a perennial herb that belongs to the family compositae spp. and the most common plant among the various herbal folk remedies used in treatment of abdominal pain, hepatitis, chronic liver disease, jaundice and coughing in Korea. The object of this study is to observe the dosage-dependent anti-obestic effects of an aqueous extracts of dried aqueous extracts of stems of Artemisia capillaris Thunberg. [Artemisiae capillaris Herba, In-Jin in Korean, INJ] on 45%/Kcal high fat diet (HFD) supplied mice. 45%/Kcal rodent HFD are supplied to ICR mice from 1 week before initiation of INJ administration throughout the 12 weeks, and after the end of 12 weeks of 62.5, 125 and 250 mg/kg/day of INJ administration, the efficacy was divided into five categories 1) hypoglycemic, 2) hepato-protective, 3) nephroprotective, 4) hypolipemic, and 5) anti- obesity effects. The effects were compared to those of simvastatin (for hypolipemic activity), silymarin (for hepatoprotective and free radical scavenger effects) and metformin (for hypoglycemic and related anti-obesity effects). 7 animals per group (8 groups; total 56adapted mice on HFD were selected base on the body weight at 6 days after initiation of HFD supply) were used in this experiment. INJ and all three different reference drugs were directly suspended or dissolved in distilled water, and administered at a volume of 10 mL/kg, once a day for 84 days from 1 week after HFD supply. As results of 91 days of continuous HFD supply, mice showed marked obese states, hyperglycemia, hyperlipemia, liver damages and kidney damages. These mean the obesity, diabetes, diabetic hepatopathies, nephropathies and hyperlipemia were induced by HFD supply. After end of 84 days of continuous treatment of three different dosages of INJ, all diabetes related complications were inhibited; relatively favorable anti-obesity, hypolipemic, hepatoprotective, hypoglycemic and nephroprotective effects. These favorable effects showed relatively good dose-relations between all three different dosages of INJ treated, and INJ 250 mg/kg showed enough favorable effects on diabetes and related four complications tested as compared with one of each three different references. Otherwise, the efficacy of 62.5 and 125 mg/kg of INJ was somewhat slighter than those of all three reference drugs. Therefore, the suitable effective dosage of INJ is considered as 250 mg/kg/day in the present study. The overall anti-obesity effects of INJ 250 mg/kg-treated group was similar or more favorable than those of metformin 250 mg/kg-treated group, and INJ 250 mg/kg showed slighter hypoglycemic effects with silymarin 100 mg/kg and metformin 250 mg/kg, similar hypolipemic effects with simvastatin 10 mg/kg, and similar hepatoprotective effects with silymarin 100 mg/kg, and similar nephroprotective effects with that of silymarin 100 mg/kg and metformin 250 mg/kg, respectively. Obese, hyperglycemia, hyperlipemia, steatohepatitis and related nephropathies induced by HFD supply were dramatically inhibited by 84 days of continuous treatment of all three different dosages of INJ. It is, therefore expected that INJ extracts will be a favorable alternative agent for diet-related diabetes and complications.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.61 no.1
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• pp.51-57
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• 2018

The objective of this study was to identify beauty food activity of Polygala japonica Houtt., which were widely used as a folk medicinal plant to treat inflammatory diseases. Both hot water and 50% ethanol extract of P. japonica Houtt. were evaluated for their anti-oxidant, whitening, anti-wrinkle and anti-inflammatory effect based on their phenolic concentration. To measure anti-oxidant activity, four experiments were carried out. 1,1-diphenyl-3-picrylhydrazyl, 2,2-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothia-zoline-6-sulfonic acid) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances all showed more than 80% efficacy in both hot water and 50% ethanol extract of P. japonica Houtt. and likewise antioxidant protection factor value more than 2. To investigate the whitening effect of P. japonica Houtt., the inhibition effect of tyrosinase on hot water and 50% ethanol extract was inhibited by 12.46 and 22.10%, respectively. To examine the anti-wrinkle effect, the inhibition effect of elastase and collagenase on hot water and 50% ethanol extract were inhibited by 28.28, 58.36% and 59.73, 78.90% respectively. To investigate the anti-inflammatory effect and moisturizing effect by hyaluronidase inhibitory effect, hot water and 50% ethanol extract were 35.65 and 86.80%, respectively. The result of all the above experiments show values at a concentration of $200{\mu}g/mL$, and based on these experimental results, P. japonica Houtt. can be expected as a functional material in beauty foods.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.9
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• pp.935-945
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• 2014

Persimmon leaves were commonly consumed as beverages, but were also used as popular folk medicine in Asia. The purpose of this work was to assess the biological activities of Diospyros Lotus L. extracts (DLLE). Various solvent extracts, including n-Hexnae, $CHCl_3$, EtOAc, and n-BuOH fractions, were obtained from the methanol extract of Diospyros Lotus L. leaves. The increasing interest in the powerful biological activity of plant phenolics and flavonoids outlined the necessity for determining their content in medicinal herbs. In this study, the total polyphenol and flavonoid contents (TPC and TFC) in the EA fraction were higher than those of other fractions. The biological activities of DLLE were tested using the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS) radical scavenging activity assay, as well as superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity as an anti-oxidant effect and ${\alpha}$-glucosidase inhibitory activity as an anti-diabetic effect. The EA fraction with high TPC and TFC values showed the highest anti-oxidant effect and high ${\alpha}$-glucosidase inhibition. The EA fractions were further purified into eight fractions using open column chromatography. Higher anti-oxidant and anti-${\alpha}$-glucosidase activity were observed in polar fractions. The content of the flavonoids, including quercein-3-O-rutinoside, kaempferol-3-O-glucoside, myricetin, luteolin, and kaempferol, were analyzed in effective fractions using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The results suggest that DLLE have anti-oxidative and anti-diabetic effects and thus, have the potential as anti-diabetic materials and as a source for natural health products.