• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
• /
• v.30 no.6
• /
• pp.640-646
• /
• 2017

In this study, we elucidated anti-cancer activity and potential molecular mechanism of 70% ethanol extracts from Taxilli Ramulus (Taxillus chinensis (DC.) Danser) (TR-E70) against human colorectal cancer cells. Anti-cell proliferative effect of TR-E70 was evaluated by MTT assay. The effect of TR-E70 on the expression of cyclin D1 in the protein and mRNA level was evaluated by Western blot and RT-PCR, respectively. TR-E70 suppressed the proliferation of human colorectal cancer cell lines, HCT116 and SW480. Although TR-E70 decreased cyclin D1 expression in protein and mRNA level, decreased level of cyclin D1 protein by TR-E70 more dramatically occurred than that of cyclin D1 mRNA. Cyclin D1 downregulation by TR-E70 was attenuated in presence of MG132. In addition, TR-E70 phosphorylated threonine-286 (T286) of cyclin D1. TR-E70-mediated cyclin D1 degradation was blocked in presence of LiCl as an inhibitor $GSK3{\beta}$ but not PD98059 as an ERK1/2 inhibitor and SB203580 as a p38 inhibitor. Our results suggest that TR-E70 may downregulate cyclin D1 as one of the potential anti-cancer targets through $GSK3{\beta}$-dependent cyclin D1 degradation. From these findings, TR-E70 has potential to be a candidate for the development of chemoprevention or therapeutic agents for human colorectal cancer.

• Proceedings of the Botanical Society of Korea Conference
• /
• 1995.06a
• /
• pp.40-56
• /
• 1995

During the past two decades, China has seen her great progress in plant biotechnology. Since the Chinese market of herb medicine is huge, while the plant resources are shrinking, particular emphasis has been placed in plant tissue and cell cultures of medicinal plants, this includes fast propagation, protoplast isolation and regeneration, cell suspension cultures and large scale fermentation. To optimize culture conditions for producing secondary compounds in vitro, various media, additives and elicitors have been tested. Successful examples of large scale culture for the secondary metabolite biosynthesis are quite limited : Lithospermum ery throrhizon and Arnebia euchroma for shikonin derivatives, Panax ginseng, P. notoginseng, P. quinquefolium for saponins, and a few other medicinal plants. Recent development of genetic transformation systems of plant cells offered a new approach to in vitro production of secondary compounds. Hairy root induction and cultures, by using Ri-plasmid, have been reported from a number of medicinal plant species, such as Artemisia annua that produces little artemisinin in normal cultured cells, and from Glycyrrhiza uralensis. In the coming five years, Chinese scientists will continue their work on large scale cell cultures of a few of selected plant species, including Taxus spp. and A. annua, for the production of secondary metabolites with medicinal interests, one or two groups of scientists will be engaged in molecular cloning of the key enzymes in plant secondary metabolism.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
• /
• v.35 no.4
• /
• pp.272-280
• /
• 2019

Forest medicinal resources, which constitute one of the non-timber forest products, have been regarded as healthy and highly valued products. To meet the increasing demand of the medicinal resources, it is necessary to improve the propagation methods of medicinal plants. In vitro propagation not only allows an opportunity for propagating plants in large numbers but also allows for enhancing the quality and quantity of the desired functional component of a plant by altering the growth factors, such as medium, carbon source, and plant growth regulators influence plant. There have been several studies of in vitro propagation methods, such as axillary bud culture, shooting, and embryogenesis, on Kalopanax septemlobus, Eleutherococcus sessiliflorus, Hovenia dulcis, and Schisandra chinensis in Korea between from 2000 through 2010. Furthermore, there have been attempts to proliferate callus and plantlets for producing useful natural compounds by using bioreactors. Here, we provide an account of the in vitro propagation methods of medicinal trees in Korea based on a review of several micropropagation studies.

• Plant Biotechnology Reports
• /
• v.4 no.3
• /
• pp.223-228
• /
• 2010

Schizonepeta tenuifolia (Korean name "Hyung- Gae") is an oriental medicinal plant that is widely used in Korea, China and Japan. S. tenuifolia (Hyung-Gae) has many pharmacological activities and is mostly used for many medicinal preparations. The dried aerial part (spikes and stems) of three oriental medicinal plants, S. tenuifolia (Hyung-Gae), Agastache rugosa (Kwhak-Hyang) and Elsholtzia ciliata (Hyang-Yoo) belonging to the same family, mint family Labiaceae, have such similar shape and smell that it is difficult to differentiate between them. The trnL-F regions of chloroplast DNA of the three medicinal plants were sequenced and used as targets in multiplex PCR reaction to identify S. tenuifolia. After alignment of trnL-F sequences of the authenticated plant samples, one single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) specific to S. tenuifolia was found. Based on this SNP, a new primer was designed that specifically amplifies the trnL-F region of S. tenuifolia. The established multiplex-PCR was proven to be effective in the differentiation of commercial S. tenuifolia samples from A. rugosa and E. ciliata. This rapid and accurate molecular method is highly promising for use in the food industry.

• Plant Resources
• /
• v.6 no.2
• /
• pp.129-133
• /
• 2003

For mass multiplication of an important medicinal plant Coleus forskohlii, a procedure for the high frequency regeneration of Coleus forskohlii has been developed using leaf explants via callus culture. Callus formation occurred in MS medium supplemented with 1-2 mg/L each of NAA and BAP. A large number of shoots were formed on MS + 1 mg/L BAP from 50-60 days old greenish calli. Rooting of healthy shoots occurred on 0.1-0.4 mg/L NAA. The protocol described could be useful in future for genetic manipulation of this plant species.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
• /
• 2019.04a
• /
• pp.116-116
• /
• 2019

Thalictrum rochebrunianum var. grandisepalum (TRG) is a Korean endemic plant, and it is widely used for edible, medicinal, landscape materials. In this study, we examined the protein and mRNA expression levels of MITF, tyrosinase, TRP-1 and TRP-2 by TRG extract (TRGE) in IBMX-treated melanocytes to evaluate the possibility of using TRG as a whitening material. IBMX were reported as melanin synthesis enhancers. It could increase intracellular melanin synthesis by activation of the microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) signaling pathway. TRGE did not show cytotoxicity at concentrations below $100{\mu}g/ml$ in B16F10 cells. TREG dose-dependently inhibited protein and mRNA levels of MITF, tyrosinase, TRP-1 and TRP-2. Therefore, we suggest that TRGE is an important natural resource for cosmetic raw materials for whitening function.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
• /
• 2022.09a
• /
• pp.88-88
• /
• 2022

In this study, we investigated the effect of Solanum nigrum aerial parts (SNAP) on macrophage activation and macrophage autophagy in RAW264.7 cells. SNAP increased the production of immunostimulatory factors and phagocytosis in RAW264.7 cells. TLR4 inhibition blocked SNAP-mediated production of immunostimulatory factors. In addition, the JNK inhibition reduced the SNAP-mediated production of immunostimulatory factors, and the SNAP-mediated JNK activation was blocked by the TLR4 inhibition. SNAP activated macrophage autophagy. TLR4 inhibition blocked SNAP-mediated macrophage autophagy and inhibition of p38 and JNK attenuated SNAP-mediated macrophage autophagy. These findings indicate that SNAP may induce TLR4/JNK-mediated macrophage activation and TLR4/p38 and JNK-mediated macrophage autophagy.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
• /
• 2022.09a
• /
• pp.87-87
• /
• 2022

Under the COVID-19 pandemic, interest in immune enhancement and anti-obesity is increasing. Thus, in this study, we investigated whether Kadsura japonica fruits (KJF) exhibits immunostimulatory activity and anti-obesity activity. KJF increased the production of immunostimulatory factors and phagocytosis in RAW264.7 cells. Inhibition of TLR2 and TLR4 blocked KJF-mediated production of immunostimulatory factors in RAW264.7 cells. In addition, the inhibition of MAPK and PI3K/AKT signaling pathway reduced KJF-mediated production of immunostimulatory factors, and the activation of MAPK and PI3K/AKT signaling pathway by KJF suppressed the inhibition of TLR2/4. KJF attenuated the lipid accumulation and the protein expression such as CEBPα, PPARγ, perilipin-1, adiponectin, and FABP4 related to the lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 cells. In addition, KJF inhibited excessive proliferation of 3T3-L1 cells and protein expressions such as β-catenin and cyclin D1 related to cell growth. These findings indicate that KJF may have immunostimulatory activity and anti-obesity activity.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
• /
• v.23 no.5
• /
• pp.406-413
• /
• 2015

Background : This study was carried out to investigate the changes to fatty acid, mineral, and ginsenosides contents in ginseng seed when they were stratified for different length of time and to determine whether variety had any effects on the changes. The aim was to improve the ginseng seed stratification process. Methods and Results : The ginseng varieties used were Geumpoong, Chunpoong, Yunpoong, and K-1. Stratifying periods treated on ginseng seed were 0, 20, 40, 60, 80, and 100 days. The main fatty acids of ginseng seed were oleic acid (C18 : 1, n9c) with a content of 78.40 - 79.20% followed by linoleic acid (C18 : 2, n6c). The main mineral in the seeds was potassium (K), at 1208.2 -1337.6 mg/100 g. The main ginsenosides in ginseng seed were ginsenoside Re and Rb1. Increasing the length of the stratification periods led to increases in oleic acid content (60 - 80 days), however after this the content declined. In contrast, linoleic acid content fell as the stratification period increased. K, P, Mg, Ca and Na content rose as the stratification period increased. The ginsenoside Re content of Chunpoong and K-1 cultivar seeds also rose as the stratification period increased which meant that total ginsenoside content increased. However, ginsenoside Re content rose in Geumpoong and Yunpoong seeds, but total ginsenoside content decreased as the stratification period increased. Conclusions : Some beneficial compound in ginseng seed rose as the stratification period increased. Therefore, ginseng seed stratification could improve the food value of ginseng.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
• /
• v.7 no.3
• /
• pp.177-184
• /
• 1999

This study was carried out to find growth characters and distribution of above and underground in natural crossed population of Paeonia lactiflora Pallas. Sprouting time was 1 April to 15 April, and distribution of stem length ranged from 21 to 80cm, and 3 to 18 in stem number. Distribution of root length ranged from 12 to 59cm, root number per plant was 73 to 4, root yield per plant was highly varied by 37 to 882g, and larger root above 750g was occupied by 7.1%. Paeoniflorin content was 1.9 to 10.29% and plants containing higher paeoniflorin was 14.3%. Root length and yield had highly positive correlation. Root diameter and stem length was also positively correlated.