• BMB Reports
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.111-116
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• 2017

Natural product drugs, or botanical drugs, are drugs composed of natural substances which have constituents with healthenhancing or medicinal activities. In Korea, government-led projects brought attention to botanical drugs invigorating domestic botanical drug industry. Foreign markets, as well, are growing bigger as the significance of botanical drugs stood out. To follow along with the tendency, Korea puts a lot of effort on developing botanical drugs suitable for global market. However, standards for approving drug sales vary by countries. And also, thorough standardization, certification, clinical studies and data of these will be required as well as data confirming safety and effectiveness. Meanwhile, as an international exchange in botanical drug market continues, the importance of plant resources was emphasized. Thus countries' ownership of domestic natural resources became vital. Not only establishing a systematic method to secure domestic plant resources, but also cooperation with other countries on sharing natural resources is essential to procure natural resources effectively. Korea started to show visible results with botanical drugs, and asthma/COPD treatment made out of speedwell is one example. Sufficient investment and government's active support for basic infrastructure for global botanical drugs will bring Korea to much higher level of botanical drug development.

• Journal of Korean Medical classics
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.77-95
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• 2014

Objectives : This study was to analyze the definitions of herbs, herbal drugs, crude drugs and natural products in the relevant laws and regulations, understand the related problems, and propose directions for improvement. Methods : I analyzed the legal definitions in respect of herbs, herbal drugs, crude drugs and natural products in relevant laws and regulations since 1945, explained the problems, and suggested the solution-considering the academic stance of Traditional Korean Medicine and the dualistic medical and pharmaceutical system. Results : Herbs are defined as "refined things that are cut and dried in their most original state". The definition of crude drugs includes herbs and the "cell contents, secretion, extracts, minerals and other parts of animals and plants that are used medicinally". The concept of natural products is expanded to adding tissue cultures to the definition of crude drugs. Conclusions : The definition of herbs should at least include all products that are "processed, extracted and prepared" as well as contents that consist of various forms of hospital-prepared herbs. The term "herbal drug" corresponds to a traditional term of "drug", and this should be established as a concept to explain "drugs in raw materials that are used to prepare herbs and/or manufacture herbal medicine". The legal definition of herbs should include the concept of crude drugs. Herbal drug preparations and crude drugs should be included in the definition of herbal drugs.

• Journal of Korean Medical classics
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.181-198
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• 2014

Objectives : This study was to analyze definitions of herbal medicinal preparations, crude drug preparations, and new drugs from natural products in the relevant laws and regulations, understand the related problems, and propose directions for improvement. Methods : I analyzed the legal definitions in respect of herbal medicinal preparations, crude drug preparations, and new drugs from natural products in relevant laws and regulations since 1945, explained the problems, and suggested the solution-considering the academic stance of Traditional Korean Medicine and the dualistic medical and pharmaceutical system. Results : Regarding the current laws and regulations that are relevant to herbal medicinal preparations, we should 1) clarify the boundaries between the duty of physicians and that of pharmacists, 2) limit the principles of Korean Medicine as well as the contents of the related textbooks, 3) find a way to protect the intellectual property rights for herbal medicinal preparations, and 4) establish a separate standard for drug classification regarding herbal medicinal preparations. In case of crude drug preparations, we should 1) clarify the meaning and limitations of the phrase, "the point of view of Western medicine," and 2) establish a classification standard for drugs that are used in Korean Medicine and clarify the boundaries between herbal drug preparations and crude drug preparations. Furthermore, laws and regulations apropos of new drugs from natural products do not actually fit the concept of "new drug," and due to subordinate laws, a supplement to a new drug submission is contradictorily misclassified as a new drug from natural products. Conclusions : The problems of legal definitions of herbal medicinal preparations, crude drug preparations, and new drugs from natural products have emerged in the process of giving approval to drugs that are made of herbs and natural products under the dualistic medical and pharmaceutical System. Laws and regulations that differentiate the process of approving herbs that are used in Korean Medicine and the others should be established.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.202-210
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• 2024

Background: Panax ginseng Meyer polysaccharides exhibit various biological functions, like antagonizing galectin-3-mediated cell adhesion and migration. Galectin-8 (Gal-8), with its linker-joined N- and C-terminal carbohydrate recognition domains (CRDs), is also crucial to these biological processes, and thus plays a role in various pathological disorders. Yet the effect of ginseng-derived polysaccharides in modulating Gal-8 function has remained unclear. Methods: P. ginseng-derived pectin was chromatographically isolated and enzymatically digested to obtain a series of polysaccharides. Biolayer Interferometry (BLI) quantified their binding affinity to Gal-8, and their inhibitory effects on Gal-8 was assessed by hemagglutination, cell migration and T-cell apoptosis. Results: Our ginseng-derived pectin polysaccharides consist mostly of rhamnogalacturonan-I (RG-I) and homogalacturonan (HG). BLI shows that Gal-8 binding rests primarily in RG-I and its β-1,4-galactan side chains, with sub-micromolar K_D values. Both N- and C-terminal Gal-8 CRDs bind RG-I, with binding correlated with Gal-8-mediated function. Conclusion: P. ginseng RG-I pectin β-1,4-galactan side chains are crucial to binding Gal-8 and antagonizing its function. This study enhances our understanding of galectin-sugar interactions, information that may be used in the development of pharmaceutical agents targeting Gal-8.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 1993.08a
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• pp.14-20
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• 1993

We in anticancer drug development from natural resources have conceived and used a wide variety of experimental screening systems to support our efforts during the past 20 tears. Screens have been devided to address targets at the molecular, biochemical and cellular levels, both in vivo and in vitro. Screens have been essential for the experimental evaluation of the products from natural sources. In this congress, antitumor screening methods for deveol[ment of new drugs from natural sources and evaluation of their crude drugs are discussed.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.105-152
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• 1973

Modern pharmaceutical scientists and medicinal chemists have shown only sporadic interest in mineral drugs of oriental medicine, although the use of minerals in medicine dates from early ancient cultures. The mineral, until recently, has been relatively neglected by the natural product and medicinal chemists. At this moment in time it is appropriate to review briefly the status of mineral oriental drugs in Korea, and eighty items of mineral drugs were listed in this review. This review is also concerned with those references, classic or current, pertaining to application, origin, and constituent of those mineral drugs. It is the aim of this review to facilitate presentation of useful informations in an attempt to entice the natural product and medicinal chemists to seek rediscovery and further application of mineral oriental drugs in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.112-123
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• 1991

Traditional drugs(herbal and animal drugs) of Korea, China and Japan have developed essentially from the same origin, since the traditional medicine of three countries has been originated from ancient China. Due to different geographical locations and discrepancy of plant resources of the traditional drugs, some divergency in terms of systematic botany in traditional drug materials has appeared in the three countries. Present report aims to survey traditional herbal drugs that have been called same traditional names in three countries, but they are actually different with respect to systematic botanical view-point. The official drug compendia(pharmacopoeia and natural drug standards) of three countries were subject to examination. Survey was conducted by the following categories. Traditional drugs were listed under same name, however, 1) they belong to different genus; 7 traditional herbal drugs were listed. 2) they belong to same genus, but different species; 24 traditional herbal drugs were found. 3) a variety of related species are used; 15 traditional drugs were listed. 4) actually same plant, but taxonomical name is differently called and/or different parts of plant are used; 10 traditional drugs were counted. 5) animal drugs belong to one of the above categories; 7 traditional animal drugs were found. Total 63 traditional drugs(herbal and animal) were found to comprise different taxonomical names when the official drug compendia of Korea, China and Japan were examined.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.21
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• pp.9319-9325
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• 2014

Alkaloids are the most extensively featured compounds of natural anti-tumor herbs, which have attracted much attention in pharmaceutical research. In our previous studies, a mixture of major three alkaloid components (5, 6-dihydrobicolorine, 7-deoxy-trans-dihydronarciclasine, littoraline) from Hymenocallis littoralis were extracted, analyzed and designated as AHL. In this paper, AHL extracts were added to human liver hepatocellular cells HepG-2, human gastric cancer cell SGC-7901, human breast adenocarcinoma cell MCF-7 and human umbilical vein endothelial cell EVC-304, to screen one or more AHL-sensitive tumor cell. Among these cells, HepG-2 was the most sensitive to AHL treatment, a very low dose ($0.8{\mu}g/ml$) significantly inhibiting proliferation. The non-tumor cell EVC-304, however, was not apparently affected. Effect of AHL on HepG-2 cells was then explored. We found that the AHL could cause HepG-2 cycle arrest at G2/M checkpoint, induce apoptosis, and interrupt polymerization of microtubules. In addition, expression of two cell cycle-regulated proteins, CyclinB1 and CDK1, was up-regulated upon AHL treatment. Up-regulation of the Fas, Fas ligand, Caspase-8 and Caspase-3 was observed as well, which might imply roles for the Fas/FsaL signaling pathway in the AHL-induced apoptosis of HepG-2 cells.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2014

P-glycoprotein (P-gp) is a permeability glycoprotein also known as multidrug resistance protein 1 (MDR1). P-gp is an ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter that pumps various types of drugs out of cells. These transporters reduce the intracellular concentrations of drugs and disturb drug absorption. The Caco-2 cell permeability assay system is an effective in vitro system that predicts the intestinal absorption of drugs and the functions of enzymes and transporters. Rhodamine-123 (R-123) and digoxin are well-known P-gp substrates that have been used to determine the function of P-gp. Efflux of P-gp substrates by P-gp has been routinely evaluated. To date, a number of herbal medicines have been tested with Caco-2 cell permeability assay system to assess bioavailability. There are growing efforts to find phytochemicals that potentially regulate P-gp function. The Caco-2 cell permeability assay system is a primary strategy to search for candidates of P-gp inhibitors. In this mini review, we have summarized the P-gp modulation by herbal extracts, decoctions or single components from natural products using Caco-2 cell permeability assays. Many natural products are known to regulate P-gp and herbal medicines could be used in combination with conventional drugs to enhance bioavailability.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.66-70
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• 2002

The in vitro anticoagulant and fibrinolytic activities of crude extracts from insects were evaluated in order to find effective therapeutic drugs for the treatment of myocardial and cerebral thrombosis. We prepared three types of extracts (water, methanol and ethylacetate) from 28 insects for use as raw materials for the activity assays. The fibrinolytic activity was tested using the fibrin plate method and the activated partial thromboplastin time and thrombin time were measured for blood clotting activity. With regards to the fibrinolytic system, water extracts of six kinds of insects displayed a remarkable level of activity with a plasmin-like action. The water extracts of [Catharsius molossus, Eupolyphaga sinensis, Huechys sanguinea, Mantidis $o\ddot{o}theca$, Mimela splendens, and Polistes mandarinus (Vespae Nidus)] exhibited the activity. On the other hand, the methanol extracts did not display any fibrinolytic activity. In terms of the coagulation system, an aqueous extract of silkworm Tongchunghacho (Paecilomyces japonica), Oxya japonica japonica and Buthus martensi (Scorpion) increased the clotting time significantly longer (181 times) than the control. These results suggest that crude drugs from insects are useful sources for the development of new drugs for use in treatments involving blood coagulation and fibrinolysis.