• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.180-184
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• 2005

The purpose of this study was to develop the best methods to sterilize Moutan Root Bark which is frequently used as a herbal medicine, and known to have high susceptibility to m icrobial contamination. We used dry heat, gamma irradiation and alcohol gas treatment for sterilization, and evaluated these methods in terms of the followings; I) the efficacy of sterilization, and ii) the chemical alteration of a major component of the harbal medicines. Treatment with dry heat effectively got rid of contaminated microorganisms, and did not significantly alter the content of paeonol. However it seriously changed the color and morphology which are an essential criterion to estimate a measure of quality of medicinal herbs. Treatment with gamma irradiation showed a strong sterilizing effect, and no alteration of the content of paeonol, color and morphology. Alcohol gas treatment resulted in similar effects as those in gamma irradiation. Collectively, these results suggest that appropriate sterilizing methods to guarantee the microbial quality of this herbal medicine may be those using gamma irradiation or alcohol gas.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.409-415
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• 2008

Moutan cortex, the root bark of Paeonia suffruticosa Andrews (Paeoniaceae), has pharmacological effects such as anti-inflammatory, antiallergic, analgesic and antioxidant activities. We investigated a methanol extract of Moutan cortex for neuroprotective effects on neurotoxicity induced by amyloid ${\beta}$ protein ($A{\beta}$) (25-35) in cultured rat cortical neurons. Exposure of cultured cortical neurons to $10\;{\mu}M\;A{\beta}$ (25-35) for 24 h induced neuronal apoptotic death. Moutan cortex inhibited $10\;{\mu}M\;A{\beta}$ (25-35)-induced neuronal cell death at 30 and $50\;{\mu}g/m{\ell}$, which was measured by a 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and Hoechst 33342 staining. Moutan cortex inhibited $10\;{\mu}M\;A{\beta}$ (25-35)-induced elevation of intracellular calcium concentration ($[Ca^{2+}]_i$), and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) which were measured by fluorescent dyes. Moutan cortex also inhibited glutamate release into medium induced by $10\;{\mu}M\;A{\beta}$ (25-35), which was measured by HPLC. These results suggest that Moutan cortex prevents $A{\beta}$ (25-35)-induced neuronal cell damage by interfering with the increase of $[Ca^{2+}]_i$, and then inhibiting glutamate release and ROS generation. Moutan cortex may have a therapeutic role in preventing the progression of Alzheimer's disease.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.135-143
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• 2009

There is currently increased interest in the identification of antioxidant compounds that are pharmacologically potent and have low or no side effects. Plants produce significant amounts of antioxidants to prevent the oxidative stress caused by photons and oxygen, therefore they represent a potential source of new compounds with antioxidant activity. Moutan Root Sark (MRS) has been frequently used as analgesic. antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory and remedies for female diseases. In this study. the antioxidant activity of extract from MRS was studied in vitro methods by measuring the antioxidant activity by TEAC, measuring the scavenging effects on reactive oxygen species (ROS) [superoxide anion, hydroxyl radical] and on reactive nitrogen species (RNS) [nitric oxide and peroxynitrite] as well as measuring the inhibitory effect on $Cu^{2+}$ induced human LDL oxidation and the inhibitory effect on collagen induced platelet aggregation. The MRS extracts were found to have a potent scavenging activity, as well as an inhibitory effect on LDL oxidation and on platelet aggregation. In conclusion, the MRS extracts have anti-oxidative and anti-atherosclerotic effects in vitro system, which can be used for developing pharmaceutical drug against oxidative stress and atherosclerosis.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.55-59
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• 2012

This study was carried out to investigate the content of sulfur dioxide residues in the medicine prepared from crue drugs. Total 29 pills that contains salvia miltiorrhiza root, anemarrhena rhizome, fritillaria bulb, glehnia root, asparagus tuber, lycium fruit, moutan root bark, cimicifuga rhizome, pinellia tuber, dipsaci radix, codonopsis pilosula root, liriope tuber, achyranthes root, prepared aconite, aurantii fructus immaturus, corydalis tuber, dioscorea rhizome were examined by the modified Monier_Willams method. Sulfur dioxide were detectd in all the tested samples, and were found over MRLs (30 mg/ kg to medicinal herbs) in 8 samples (27.6%). Especilly, "i2" pills contains 132.46 mg/kg sulfur dioxide that is 4 times over than MRLs.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.32 no.2 s.125
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• pp.108-115
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• 2001

Based on DPPH radical scavenging activity and lipid peroxidation inhibitory activity, the MeOH extracts of 139 crude drugs were screened in order to search for antioxidants. Among tested samples, the extracts from the seed of Nelumbo nucifera, the fruit of Terminalia chebula var. gangetia, the root of Salvia miltiorhiza, the fruit of Ziziphus jujuba var. innermis, the root bark of Paeonia moutan, the fruit of Rubus coreanus, the fruit of Zanthoxylum schinifolium, the lignum of Caesalpinia sappan, the leaf of Pinus densiflora, the rhizome of Alpinia officinarum, the fruit of Syzygium aromaticum, the ramulus and uncus of Uncaria rhynchophylla, the root bark of Lycium chinense, and the fruit of Alpinia katsumadai showed a relatively strong antioxidative activity. Furthermore, the BuOH fraction from the extract of N. nucifera showed a potent activity in each assay. The isolation of bioactive compounds has been carried out and will be reported in the next paper.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.1-18
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• 2009

Objective : Moutan Cortex (the root bark of Paeonia suffruticosa Andr.) is widely used in oriental medicine as a remedy for inflammation. However, as yet there is no clear explanation of how MC(Moutan Cortex) affects the production of inflammatory cytokine. This study was to determine the effects of Essence extracted MC on the mast cell-mediated inflammatory responses. Method : We observed the effect of MC on compound 48/80-induced histamine release of rat peritoneal mast cells and the effect of administering MC on PCA in rat. We measured the amount of inflammatory cytokine production induced by the phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) plus calcium ionophore(A23187) in the human mast cell line (HMC-1) incubated with various concentrations of MC. The TNF-$\alpha$ protein levels were analysised by Western blot. The TNF-$\alpha$, IL-6 and IL-8 secreted protein levels were measured by the ELISA assay. The TNF-$\alpha$, IL-6 and IL-8 mRNA levels were measured by the RT-PCR analysis. NF-$\kappa$B, phospho-I$\kappa$B and MAPKs were exmined by Western blot analysis. The NF-$\kappa$B promoter activity was examined by luciferase assay. Result : 1. Enzyme immunoassay indicated that MC suppressed histamine secretion of rat peritoneal mast cells. 2. In PCA dependent on IgE, MC had anti-allergic effect of the internal surface of rat skin. 3. Western blot indicated that MC decreased TNF-$\alpha$ protein levels. 4. ELISA indicated that MC decreased TNF-$\alpha$, IL-6 but MC had no significant effect on IL-8 in HMC-1 cells. 5. RT-PCR indicated that MC decreased TNF-$\alpha$, IL-8 but MC had no significant effect on IL-6 in HMC-l cells. 6. Western blot indicated that MC suppressed the induction of MAPKs, NF-$\kappa$B & phospho-I$\kappa$B activity in HMC-1 cells. 7. Luciferase assay indicated that MC suppressed the PMA plus A23187-induced NF-$\kappa$B promoting activityin HMC-1 cells. Conclusion : In this study, we have found that MC is an inhibitor of NF-$\kappa$B, MAPKs & cytokines on the mast cell-mediated inflammatory responses.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.227-233
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• 1994

To get a fundamental data fur management of security, validity, Quality, of Paeonia suffruficosa roots as medicinal herb, the content of paeonol, ash, and inorganic components in Moutan Radicis Cortex produced in 8 regions of Korea was investigated from Oct. 1990 to May 1991. The results are summarized as follows: The average content of paeonol was 0.65%. The content of ash was 3.53%, acid-insoluble ash 0.77% in average, both of them were suitable to the standard value as Korean medical herbs. Total nitrogen content was 1.03%, phosphate 0.55%, potassium 0.82%, and calcium 1.50% in average. The content of MgO was 0.21ppm, 325.83ppm in Fe, 1.82ppm in Cr, 3.73ppm in Cu, 18.93ppm in Zn and Mn 21.27ppm, respectively. Especially Hg was not detected in the products of all regions. The average content of Cd was 0.25ppm, Pb 3.09ppm in Moutan Radicis Cortex, so they were estimated suitably to use as medicinal herb.