• Food Science and Preservation
• /
• v.24 no.4
• /
• pp.524-528
• /
• 2017

Ricinus communis, belongs to the family Euphorbiaceae, has been known as medicinal plants for treatment of inflammation, tumors, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective and laxative. Compared to many pharmacological studies, the effect of R. communis extract on regulating adipogenesis as therapeutic drug for treating obesity has not been reported. R. communis extract (RCE) was investigated to determine its effects on the adipogenesis by monitoring the status of $Wnt/{\beta}-catenin$ signaling and factors involving the differentiation of adipocytes. The differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells monitored by Oil Red O staining was inhibited in concentration dependent manner by RCE. The luciferase activity of HEK 293-TOP cells containing pTOPFlash with Tcf4 response element-luciferase gene was increased approximately 2-folds by the treatment of RCE at concentrations of $100{\mu}g/mL$ compared to the control. Activation of the $Wnt/{\beta}-catenin$ pathway by RCE was further confirmed by immunocytochemical analysis which shows an increment of nuclear localization of ${\beta}-catenin$. In addition, safety of RCE was verified through performing neural stem cell morphology assay. Among the identified flavonoids in RCE, isoquercitrin was the most abundant. Therefore, these results indicate that the adipocyte differentiation was significantly reduced by isoquercitrin in R. communis. In this study, RCE suppresses the adipogenesis of 3T3-L1 cells via the activation of $Wnt/{\beta}-catenin$ signaling.

• Journal of the Korean Society of International Agriculture
• /
• v.23 no.5
• /
• pp.491-496
• /
• 2011

Breeding for pear resistance to pear psylla (Cacopsylla pyricola) is one of important objective of the National Institute of Horticultural and Herbal Science breeding program. One hundred thirty three accessions from 15 Asian, Chinese and European pear species were investigated for their resistance against pear psylla. The pear psylla resistance was determined based on the following four characteristics: overwintering adult population, the number of eggs and nymphs, and the degree of soot. The different pear species showed varied resistance to pear psylla. Pyrus calleryana and P. betulaefolia indicated the highest antixenosis as ovipositional preference and antibiosis as nymphal feeding and were the most resistant genetic resources. Likewise the European pears (P. communis), 'Conference' and 'Cascade', exhibited little occurrence and damage by pear psylla. These were proved to be promising genetic materials for breeding resistant cultivars because they had good fruit quality and showed resistance to pear paylla. The observed population of overwintering adult, the number of eggs and nymphs of psylla had significant correlation each other.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
• /
• v.21 no.3
• /
• pp.666-670
• /
• 2007

Efficacy of antioxidative activity and nitrite scavenging ability of methanol extract from Ricinus communis. was investigated. Electron-donating ability of extract at RC$_{50}$ was 114.02 ${\mu}g$/mL. After addition of 0.46 mg/mL extract, autoxidation of pyrogallol decreased to 32.99% by superoxide dismutase-like activity. In antioxidative activity of extract against linoleic acid during incubation times of 24, 48, 96 hours at 40$^{\circ}C$, lipid peroxidation values significantly decreased by 85.50%, 87.77%, 90.95% with addition of 0.2 mg/mL, respectively. Total phenolic content was determined as gallic acid equivalents (GAE) and values revealed 83.98 ${\pm}$ 5.66 GAE ${\mu}g$/mg of extract. Nitrite scavenging ability showed the most remarkable effect at pH 1.2, decreasing to 47.24% by addition of 0.2 mg/mL. These results suggest that methanol extract from Ricinus communis. can be used as bioactive and functional material.

• Natural Product Sciences
• /
• v.24 no.4
• /
• pp.266-271
• /
• 2018

Five new prenylated stilbenes (1 - 5), along with the known compounds cudraflavone C, trans-4-isopentenyl-3,5,2',4'-terahydroxystilbene, trans-4-(3-methyl-E-but-1-enyl)-3,5,2',4'-tetrahydroxystilbene, pannokin G, cycloartobiloxanthone, artonin P, morusin, artocarpin, artonin E, kuwanon C, artobiloxanthone, and artoindonesianin C (6 - 17) were isolated from the stem bark of the tropical tree Artocarpus communis. The structures were established by NMR spectroscopic analysis, MS studies, and comparison with spectral data reported in the literature.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
• /
• v.26 no.5
• /
• pp.389-393
• /
• 2003

The essential oils from Cedrus atlantica, Styrax tonkinensis, Juniperus communis, Lavandula angustifolia, Melaleuca alternifolia, Pelargonium graveolens, Pogestemon patchouli and Rosmarinus officinalis were analyzed by GC-MS. Antifungal activities of the oils were investigated by disk diffusion assay and the broth dilution method against Aspergillus niger and A. flavus. The effects of geraniol and the essential oil fraction from P. graveolens on the antifungal activity of amphotericin Band ketoconazole were examined using a checkerboard microtiter assay against both Aspergillus fungi. Most of the tested essential oils, with the exception of C. atlantica, J. communis, and P. patchouli, significantly inhibited growth of A. niger and to a lesser extent that of A. fIavus, with MICs (minimal inhibitory concentrations) in the range 0.78-12.5 mg/mL. The essential oil fraction of P. graveolens and its main components, geraniol and citronellol, exhibited additive effects with amphotericin B and with ketoconazole against both Aspergillus species, resulting in fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) indices ranging from 0.52 to 1.00.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.45 no.4
• /
• pp.264-276
• /
• 2021

Background: Salt marshes provide a variety of ecosystem services; however, they are vulnerable to human activity, water level fluctuations, and climate change. Analyses of the relationships between plant communities and environmental conditions in salt marshes are expected to provide useful information for the prediction of changes during climate change. In this study, relationships between the current vegetation structure and environmental factors were evaluated in the tidal flat at the southern tip of Ganghwa, Korea, where salt marshes are well-developed. Results: The vegetation structure in Ganghwa salt marshes was divided into three groups by cluster analysis: group A, dominated by Phragmites communis; group B, dominated by Suaeda japonica; and group C, dominated by other taxa. As determined by PERMANOVA, the groups showed significant differences with respect to altitude, soil moisture, soil organic matter, salinity, sand, clay, and silt ratios. A canonical correspondence analysis based on the percent cover of each species in the quadrats showed that the proportion of sand increased as the altitude increased and S. japonica appeared in soil with a relatively high silt proportion, while P. communis was distributed in soil with low salinity. Conclusions: The distributions of three halophyte groups differed depending on the altitude, soil moisture, salinity, and soil organic matter, sand, silt, and clay contents. Pioneer species, such as S. japonica, appeared in soil with a relatively high silt content. The P. communis community survived under a wider range of soil textures than previously reported in the literature; the species was distributed in soils with relatively low salinity, with a range expansion toward the sea in areas with freshwater influx. The observed spatial distribution patterns may provide a basis for conservation under declining salt marshes.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
• /
• v.20 no.6
• /
• pp.563-569
• /
• 2007

RAPD analysis showed that all the OTUs of 'Sandolbae' were the same species because amplified band patterns of all samples generated by each of 5 random primers were identical. Even though there were different environmental conditions, all the "Chuiangne" trees from three different places were the same species, and also all the "Cheongshilli" trees were the same species too. No genetic variations were detected between native Korean pears grown in the habitats and in the research field. Because 212 polymorphic bands were generated by 9 primers selected through primer screening, they were possible to analyze genetic relationship among naturally growing three native Korean pears and nine cultivars of Pyrus pyrifolia and P. communis. Based on the RAPD analysis, three main groups were formed. The first group represented the Six P. pyrifoia cultivars, the second group was the three native Korean pears, and the last group was the three P. communis cultivars. Genetic distance between 'Wonwhang' and 'Chojuro' was closer than other cultivars in group 1 since dissimilarity index value between these two cultivars was 50.82. However, genetic distance between 'Niitaka' and 'Chojuro' was the most distant compared to the others in group 1. In group 2, 'Sandlobae' was genetically closer to 'Chuiangne' than 'Cheongshilli' because dissimilarity index value between 'Sandlobae' and 'Chuiangne' was smaller, 50.82, than the value between 'Sandlobae' and 'Cheongshilli', 63.636. In group 3, 'Old Home' was genetically closer to 'Bartlett' than 'Kaiser Alexander(or Bosc)'. Group 3 composed of P. communis cultivars was genetically further than other two groups, P. pyrifolia cultivars and native Korean pears.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
• /
• v.25 no.3
• /
• pp.238-248
• /
• 1994

The hypoglycemic and metabolic effects of Commelina communis L. extract were investigated in alloxan induced diabetic rats. The increased blood glucose level in the diabetic rats was significantly reduced and the loss of body weight was recovered with the treatment of the plant protein fractions($30{\sim}70%$ ammonium sulfate precipitates). Administration of the plant protein fractions elicited the significant increase of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-P DH) activity and liver weight which were decreased in the diabetic rat liver. G-6-P DH was partially purified from extract- or insulin-treated diabetics, diabetic control, and normal rat liver and studied for the biochemical properties. The $K_m$ value(9.002 mM) of diabetic rat liver enzyme was greatly higher than that (0.033 mM) of normal enzyme indicating the affinity of enzyme for the substrate was significantly reduced in the diabetic rat liver. This reduced affinity of enzyme for the substrate in the diabetic rat was recovered in the extract- or insulin-treated rat liver enzyme having 0.164 or 0.208 mM of their $K_m$ values, respectively. Although there was no significant difference in the optimum pH(6.0) and optimum temperature($37^{\circ}C$) of enzyme among the experimental groups, the dependence of their activities on pH appeared to be slightly resistant in the extract- or insulin-treated group compared to the diabetic group. In order to investigate the antigenicity of rat liver enzyme among experimental groups, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was carried out by using anti-G-6-P DH anti-serum. Absorbance(0.102) shown in the normal rat liver was reduced even below zero in the alloxan-diabetic rat liver, but increased again in the extract- or insulin-treated rat liver(0.096 or 0.118, respectively). The result of this study suggested that G-6-P DH may be used as a marker enzyme to diagnose and to indicate the progress of the diabetics, and the hypoglycemic effect of the extracts of Commelina communis L. was certainly associated with action or mode of G-6-P DH on the rat liver.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
• /
• v.16 no.6
• /
• pp.353-361
• /
• 2018

RFW and RFE of castor fruit selected as part of the development of natural antimicrobials and antioxidants yielded 15.8% and 18.4% respectively. In the results of measuring the antimicrobial activity through paper disc method, the antimicrobial activity of castor fruits in ethanol extracts appeared. Especially, the activity was excellent in P. aeruginosa and S. aureus, and antimicrobial activity of C. was 1.5mm up to 16 hours. However, the proliferation of C. was observed again after 24 hours. In the MIC experiment results of RFE, S. aureus and P. aeruginosa showed 96% and 93% of antimicrobial activity, respectively. The DPPH radical scavenging activity of RLW and castor leaf ethanol extract showed $1.8{\pm}0.6%$ and $2.1{\pm}0.7%$ free radical scavenging activity at $1000({\mu}g/m{\ell})$. This study is expected to provide basic data for the development of antimicrobial agents and antioxidants using natural products.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
• /
• v.23 no.4
• /
• pp.220-229
• /
• 2020

Objectives: Although Acne vulgaris is a chronic skin disease, which its standard treatment causes therapeutic limitations and some common adverse effects, medicinal plants can be effective in treatment with low adverse effects as combination therapy. Myrtle (Myrtus Communis) has some beneficial properties, which has been administered topically and orally for some skin diseases in Persian medicine. This study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of Myrtle formula and 1% clindamycin topical solution. Methods: This was a split-face clinical trial that was done on 55 patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris for 16 weeks. The patients received topical Myrtle solution to the right side of the face (group 1) and clindamycin solution to the left side (group 2) twice daily for 12 weeks. All participants were examined for the acne severity index (ASI) and total acne lesions counting (TLC) at certain times during the study. Then, they stopped using them for four weeks. They also did not take the drug in the final four weeks of the study. Results: Forty-eight patients completed the study for 16 weeks; 40 (83.2%) patients were female and the rest of them were male. The mean age and standard deviation were 25.62 ± 7.62 years. After 12 weeks, the percentage changes of comedones, inflammatory lesions, ASI and TLC were significantly reduced in both groups (p < 0.001). The percentage change of inflammatory lesions and ASI decrease was significantly higher in the group 1 (p = 0.03). There was no significant difference in the incidence of side effects between the two groups. There was a more significant decrease in sebum percentage change in the group 1 (p = 0.003). Conclusion: Myrtle lotion was effective and safe for the treatment of mild to moderate acne vulgaris.