• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.56-74
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• 1996

Prostaglandin $H_2$ synthase is the pharmacological target site of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs. Inhibitory effects on cyclooxygenase activity of the synthase by extracts prepared from herbal medicines and wild plants in Korea have been estimated. Sixteen species out of 612 species exhibited more than 50% of inhibition on the enzyme activity. The active extracts prepared from Carex humilis, Celastrus orbiculatus, Eugenia caryophyllata, Gleditsia japonica var. koraiensis, Glycyrrhiza grabra, Glycyrrhiza uralensis, Gyrophora exculenta, Lespedeza maximowiczii, Morus alba, Persicaria conspicua, Prunus salicina, pterocarya stenoptera, Rheum undulatum, Vitis amurensis, and Vitis coignetiae have been sequentially washed with methylene chloride, ethyl acetate, n-butanol. Among the solvent fractions of the active herbal extracts, ethyl acetate fraction of Carex humilis exhibited the highest inhibitory effect on the cyclooxygenase activity of prostaglandin $H_2$ synthase.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.111-121
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• 1997

Tyrosinase catalyzes the rate-limiting steps in melanin biosynthesis which is involved in skin-coloring and local hyperpigmentation of human beings, and unfavorable darkening of food products, Inhibitory effects on 3,4-dihydroxy-phenylalanine (dopa) oxidase activity of tyrosinase by 594 kinds of herbal extracts prepared from herbal medicines and wild plants in Korea were estimated. Two herbal extracts prepared from radicis cortex of Morus alba and rhizoma of Curcuma longa were selected as those exhibiting potent inhibitory effects on the enzyme activity. These herbal extracts were subjected to sequential fractionations with methylene chloride, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, and polar residue. The inhibitory effects on dopa oxidase activity of tyrosinase were shown in ethyl acetate fraction of Morus alba, and in methylene chloride fraction of Curcuma langa. The ethyl acetate fraction of Marus alba exhibited 50% of inhibition on dopa oxidase activity of tyrosinase at the concentration of 12 ${\mu}g/ml$, and methylene chloride fraction of Curcuma langa at 51 ${\mu}g/ml$.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.59-70
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• 1997

A rat chemokine, cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant-1 (CINC-1) has chemotactic and activating properties to neutrophils. Rat kidney epithelioid NRK-52E cells contained 4 ng/ml of ClNC-1 as a basal level and their CINC-1 production was significantly increased by stimulation with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of E. coli. Maximal induction of ClNC-1 was 58 ng/ml when 3 ${\mu}g/ml$ of LPS was treated to the NRK-52E cells. Inhibitory effects on CINC-1 induction in LPS-stimulated NRK-52E cells by extracts prepared from herbal medicines and wild plants in Korea were analyzed. At the final concentration of 100 ${\mu}g/ml$ , 9 species out of 304 species of herbal extracts exhibited more than 50% of inhibition on the CINC-1 induction. The active extracts prepared from Artemisia argyi, Lythrum salicaria, Machilus thunbergii, Magnolia sieboldii, Nelumbo nucifera, Prunus persica, Rubus coreanus, Sanguisorba officinalis, and Tripterygium regelii have been sequentially fractionated to obtain methylene chloride, ethyl acetate, butanol, and aqueous layers. Among solvent fractions of the active herbal extracts, methylene chloride fractions of Artemisia argyi and Magnolia sieboldii exhibited the highest inhibitory effects on CINC-1 induction in LPS-stimulated NRK-52E cells.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.1512-1515
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• 2004

In this study, we investigated in vitro nitric oxide (NO) scavenging effect on nine herbal extracts using an NO donor S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine (SNAP) compared with vitamin C. All herbal extracts effectively reduced the generation of NO radicals in a dose-dependant manner and over 65% in 10h. Especially, Ephedrae herba, Carthami flos and Lonicerae flos declined over 75% of NO scavenging effect, suggested that the herbal extracts are the powerful free radical scavengers and may be effective in clinical applications.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.145-156
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• 2023

Many skin diseases are caused by microbial infections. Representative pathogenic fungus and bacterium that cause skin diseases are Candida albicans and Staphylococcus aureus, respectively. Malassezia pachydermatis is a fungus that causes animal skin diseases. In this study, we propose a method for removing pathogenic microorganisms from the skin using relatively safe edible herbal extracts. Herbal extracts were screened for skin health through the removal of pathogenic microorganisms, and combinations for effective utilization of the screened extracts were identified. In this study, among methanol extracts of 240 edible plants, C. albicans, S. aureus, and M. pachydermatis were killed by extracts of 10 plants: Acori Gramineri Rhizoma, Angelicae Tenuissimae Radix, Cinnamomi Cortex, Cinnamomi Ramulus, Impatientis Semen, Magnoliae Cortex, Moutan Cortex Radicis, Phellodendri Cortex, Scutellariae Radix, and Syzygii Flos. By evaluating the synergistic antifungal activities against C. albicans using all 45 possible combinations of these 10 extracts, five new synergistic antifungal combinations, Acori Gramineri Rhizoma with Magnoliae Cortex extracts, Acori Gramineri Rhizoma with Phellodendri Cortex extracts, Angelicae Tenuissimae Radix with Magnoliae Cortex extracts, Magnoliae Cortex with Phellodendri Cortex extracts, and Phellodendri Cortex with Syzygii Flos extracts, were identified. By utilizing the selected extracts and five combinations with synergistic antifungal effects, this work provides materials and methods to develop new and safe methods for treating candidiasis using natural products.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.269-275
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• 2010

P-gp plays a critical role in drug disposition and represents a mechanism for the development of multidrug resistance. Flavonoids, a major class of natural compounds widely present in foods and herbal products, have been shown to inhibit P-gp. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify new candidate chemosensitizers by screening various plant extracts. The ability of natural plant extracts to inhibit P-gp activity was assessed by measuring cellular accumulation of calcein AM, daunorubicin and vincristine in P-gp overexpressing MDCKII-MDR1 cells. Among more than 800 plant extracts, eight were found to inhibit P-gp activity. Curcuma aromatica extract produced greatest inhibition, followed by Curcuma longa and Dalbergia odorifera extracts. Extracts of Aloe ferox, Curcuma zedoariae rhizome, Zanthoxylum planispinum, and Ageratum conyzoides showed moderate inhibitory effects. Curcumin and quercetin exhibited similar inhibition of P-gpmediated efflux of daunorubicin and vincristine, and flavones had a lesser effect. When chemosensitizing effect was evaluated by measuring daunorubicin sensitivity to MDCKII-MDR1 cells in the presence of natural plant extracts, Curcuma aromatica showed the most potent chemosensitizing effect based on daunorubicin cytotoxicity. In conclusion, natural plant extracts such as Curcuma aromatica can potently inhibit P-gp activity and may have potential as a novel chemosensitizers.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.18 no.9
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• pp.1244-1248
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• 2008

P-glycoprotein (P-gp) is a very important drug transporter, which plays an important role in drug disposition and represents an additional mechanism for the development of multidrug resistance. Flavonoids, a major class of natural compounds widely present in foods and herbal products, have been shown to be P-gp inhibitors. The objective of the present study was to identify new chemosensitizer candidates through the screening of various herbal extracts. The inhibitory effects of herbal extracts on P-gp activity were assessed by measuring accumulation of calcein AM using P-gp overexpressed L-MDR1 cells. Curcuma longa showed the most potent inhibition on P-gp function. The inhibitory potential of P-gp was in the order: Curcuma longa > Curcuma aromatica > Ageratum conizoids > Zanthoxylum planispinum > Zedoariae rhizome > Rakta chandan > Dalbergia odorifera > Caesalpinia Sappan > Aloe ferox. To identify individual constituents with inhibitory activity, the herbal extracts were analyzed by LC/MS/MS. Several flavonoids such as curcumin, a well-known P-gp inhibitor, were identified through mass spectral library search. These in vitro data indicate that herbal extracts contain constituents that can potently inhibit the activities of P-gp and suggest that these herbal extracts should be examined for potential chemosensitizer in vivo.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.199-205
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• 2002

In this study, we found a new food additive as an natural herbal extracts against lipid digestion enzymes for the regulation of fatty acid absorption and weight control. The Water extracts of Platycodon grandiflorum and Solanum melongena. inhibited lipase activity and decresed serum total cholesterol and triglyceride concentration in mouse fed lipid emulsion. Twenty three volunteers were subjected to the intake of the herbal extracts plus the egg yolk IgY that inhibit carbohydrate digestion enzymes in gut for 50 days. In average, the treated subjects appeared to lose 1.96 kg of body weight and 3.4 kg of body fat mass during the treated period. Furthermore, Panniculus adiposus and breech size were significantly decreased during the experimental period. Above results suggested that the administration of the dietary additives composed of natural herbal extract and egg yolk IgY improve the obesity by the decrement of body weight and body fat mass.

• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.81-94
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• 2004

Background: The VLCD that supplies only 400-800kcal meal per day has a lot of problems and can severely harm the health. Certain herbs are known to the side-effects such as weakness, skin dehydration, and dizziness. If VLCD with meal-replacement containing these hearbs can effectively minimize the side-effects, it make weight management easier and reduce any possible danger the health. Objectives: This prospective, double-blinded study is intended to compare the severity of symptoms induced by VLCD and weight loss between the case group supplied with meal-replacement herbal extracts(n=29) and controlled group supplied with meal-replacement not containing herbal extracts(n=29). This was with 52 volunteers for 4 weeks. The measurements of this experiment were as follows: symptoms caused by patients' subjective judgments, the result of blood test illustratingerol level, total protein etc., and changes in overall weight, fat mass and lean body mass. Result: we concluded that there are no significant differences in weight change between case group and controlled group, and that the total protein at the end of trial was significantly higher in case group than in controlled group, and triglyceride level at the end of trial was lower in case group than in controlled group. As expected, the side-effects such as hair loss and dehydration in skin are also lessin case group than in controlled group.

• 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.