• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2000.04a
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• pp.109.2-109.2
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• 2000

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.34 no.3 s.134
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• pp.218-222
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• 2003

The mistletoe lectins are major active components in the extrct of Viscum album var. coloratum. This study was performed to investigate the anti- skin cancer effect of Korean mistletoe extract intensified with mistletoe lectin (KI 2103S). B16F10 melanoma cells were allografted in C57BL/6 mice and F344 rats. The effect of KI 2103S on melanoma was measured by monitoring tumor index. The KI 2103S was injected intra-tumorally and tumor index was decreased in dose dependent manner.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.134-140
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• 2015

The present study aims to investigate the effect of methanol extract of Korean mistletoe (KM; Viscum album var. coloratum), on amyloid $\beta$ protein ($A\beta$) (25-35), a synthetic 25-35 amyloid peptide, -induced neurotoxicity in cultured rat cerebral cortical neurons and memory impairment in mice. Exposure of cultured neurons to $10{\mu}M$ $A\beta$ (25-35) for 24 h induced a neuronal cell death, which was measured by a 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and Hoechst 33342 staining. KM (10, 30 and $50{\mu}g/ml$) significantly inhibited the $A\beta$ (25-35)-induced apoptotic neuronal death. KM ($50{\mu}g/ml$) inhibited 10 μM Aβ (25-35)-induced elevation of intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca²⁺]_i), which was measured by a fluorescent dye, Fluo-4 AM. Glutamate release into medium and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) induced by $10{\mu}M$ $A\beta$ (25-35) were also inhibited by KM (10, 30 and $50{\mu}g/ml$). These results suggest that KM may mitigate the $A\beta$ (25-35)-induced neurotoxicity by interfering with the increase of [Ca²⁺]_i and then inhibiting glutamate release and generation of ROS in cultured neurons. In addition, orally administered KM (25 and 50 mg/kg, 7 days) significantly prevented memory impairment induced by intracerebroventricular injection of $A\beta$ (25-35) (8 nmol). Taken together, it is suggested that anti-dementia effect of KM is due to its neuroprotective effect against $A\beta$ (25-35)-induced neurotoxicity and that KM may have therapeutic role in prevention of the progression of Alzheimer's disease.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.306-312
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• 1997

We attempted to isolate and characterize the lectins from stem and leaves of Korean mistletoe (Viscum album var. coloratum) by affinity chromatography. Lectin I was isolated only from stem. Lectin II was not isolated from Korean mistletoe, whereas lectin III was isolated from the stem and leaves. The hemagglutinating activity of lectin I was 16HU and inhibited by D-galactose, lactose, and N-acetyl-D-galactosamine. The lectin I has molecular weight of 60, 000D being composed of two basic subunits with molecular weights of 32, 000D and 28, 000D which are linked by a disufide bond. The lectin III from stem has molecular weight of 66, 000D being two basic subunits which have molecular weights of 34, 000D and 29, 000D and are linked by a disufide bond. The activity of lectin I was stable at the pH range of 4.00-8.50 and at a wide range of temperature (0-42.deg. C). The lectin I showed more potent mitogenic activity to murine lymphocytes than concanavalin A.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.278-285
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• 2003

The serine proteases such as human leukocyte elastase (HLE) and porcine pancreatic elastase (PPE) are classified in the chymotrypsin family, and possibly the most destructive enzymes having the ability to degrade virtually all of the connective components in the body. In the present study, the extracts of water and methanol of Korean mistletoe (Viscum album var. coloratum) inhibited significantly the PPE activity. The fractions eluated on Amberlite XAD-2 from methanol extract were further purified on the repeated $SiO_2$ column chromatography and the fractions A, B and C were eluated. The fractions A, B and C at 3 mg/ml inhibited significantly the PPE activity up to 66%, 95% and 85%, respectively. In conclusion, the fraction A assumed as lignans or phenylpropanes, and fraction B and C assumed as triterpenoids showed the PPE inhibitory effects on the PPE and that these compounds in mistletoe may be used for treatment of pathological processes such as age-dependent tissue loss or inflammation.

• Journal of Korea Foresty Energy
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.49-60
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• 2000

The traditional Korea medical book already recorded various biological activities of the Korean mistletoes. The objective of this study was examine antifungal activities of MeOH extract from the Korean mistletoe through column chromatography on three fungi, such as Tyromyces palustris Endothia nitschkei and Trichophyton rubrum. No mistletoes had anti-fungal activity against T. palusties. Extracts of V. album var. coloratum showed the highest hyphal growth-inhibitory activity against E. nitschkei and leaf extract of this species had higher activity than twig extract. Further fractionation of most active fraction and following antifungal assay showed that its anti-fungal activity might be caused by synergism if its components. It was suggested that Viscum album var. coloratum shows significantly antifungal activities against E. nitschkei and T. rubrum. Further examination is needed to find out more exact active compounds.

• BMB Reports
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.662-670
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• 2006

It is well documented that an extract of European mistletoe has a variety of biological effects, such as the stimulation of cytokine production from immune cells, and additional immunoadjuvant activities. While the European mistletoe has been studied intensively, we know less about Korean mistletoe as a therapeutic plant, especially as a possible immunomodulating drug. This study will investigated the effects of Korean mistletoe lectin (Viscum album L. var. coloratum agglutinin, VCA) on murine splenocytes to investigate whether VCA acts as an immunomodulator, which could lead to improved immune responses in these cells. The results showed that VCA inhibited cell proliferation at higher concentrations (at 1-8 ng/ml) and enhanced cell proliferation at lower concentrations (at 4-32 pg/ml). Further studies were carried out to determine if the pro-proliferative or anti-proliferative activity exhibited by VCA was correlated with cytokine secretion. Consequently, interferon (IFN)-$\gamma$ secretion was decreased in concanavalin A (ConA)-stimulated murine splenocytes by VCA (4-64 ng/ml), but there was no change in IL-4 levels. This suggests that VCA has the ability to modulate murine splenocyte proliferation and can possibly act on the balance of Th1/Th2 cellular immune responses.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.268-275
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• 2012

This study was carried out to understand the anatomical characteristics of Korean mistletoe (Viscum album var. coloratum) and host tree of Mongolian oak (Quercus mongolica) by the aid of light and scanning electron microscopy. The branch diameter of host tree at the parasitic part by mistletoe is larger than that of non-parasitic part. In the mistletoe, phloem consists of bast fiber and parenchyma cell and xylem is composed of fiber, ray and axial parenchyma cell, and vascular tracheid. The volume of ray parenchyma cell is higher than common wood species and is heterocellular made up of procumbent, upright, and square cells in the mistletoe. In the vascular tracheid of mistletoe, coarse spiral thickenings and bordered pit are present. Due to the insertion of the mistletoe haustorium, some deformed vessels but no tylosis are observed in the mistletoe. The shapes of mistletoe haustorium are sharp, and the destruction of the host tree cells due to the insertion of the mistletoe haustorium are not identified.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.355-361
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• 2022

Melanin pigments are the main cause of skin color. They are produced in melanocytes and then transferred to keratinocytes, which eventually gives the skin surface a variety of colors. Although many skin-lightening or depigmenting agents have been developed, the demand for materials to reduce pig- mentation is still increasing. Here, we tried to find materials for skin-lightening or depigmentation using natural compounds and found that mistletoe (Viscum album var. coloratum) extracts (ME) had an inhibitory effect on tyrosinase activity. As a result, ME significantly reduced pigmentation in human primary melanocytes. In addition, a promoter reporter assay revealed that ME inhibited the transcription of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), melanophilin (MLPH), tyrosinase-related protein-2 (TRP-2), and tyrosinase (TYR) genes in HM3KO melanoma cells. In addition, ME decreased the protein level for pigmentation-related molecules, such as TYR and TRP-1. Furthermore, it markedly inhibited the melanogenesis of zebrafish embryos, an in vivo evaluation model for pigmentation. To elucidate the action mechanism of ME, we investigated its effects on intracellular signaling. Eventually, the ME dramatically decreased the phosphorylation of the cAMP responsive element binding protein (CREB), AKT, and ERK. The data suggest that ME may inhibit the melanogenesis pathway by regulating the signaling pathway related to pigmentation. Taken together, these data propose that ME can be developed as a depigmenting or skin-lightening agent.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.256-262
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• 2014

Viscum album var. coloratum (mistletoe) is considered as one of the endangered plant species in Korea. Our objective is to restore its population and multiplication of plant by ex situ method. In this research we explored the maximum germination (in vitro) of freshly harvested and stored seeds of mistletoe collected in different time intervals. Ex vitro germination after artificial inoculation on the branches of Prunus mume in different physiological conditions was also monitored. The research revealed that the lately harvested seeds (Feb. and March 2014) were superior over early harvested seeds (Nov. 2013 and Jan. 2014) of mistletoe due to the higher percentage of germination (above 93%). According to the data, it is also revealed that the survival and germination rate of mistletoe seeds decreased with the increase in storage duration. In ex vitro germination, the fluctuated temperature of a glass house in natural condition enhanced (four fold) the rate of germination on the branches of Prunus mume than the constant temperature condition in the glass house.