• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.149-155
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• 2003

The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of platycodin D and $D_3$, which are active components derived from the roots of Platycodon grandiflorum A. DC., on the contractile force of the i3olated rat aorta and blood pressure of the anesthetized rat, and also to elucidate its mechanism of action. Both phenylephrine (an adrenergic ${\alpha}1$-receptor agonist) and high potassium (a membranedepolarizing agent) caused great contractile responses in the isolated aortic strips. Platycodin D at high concentration $(24{\mu}g/ml)$ inhibited contractile responses induced by phenylephrine $(10^{-5}\;M)$ and high potassium $(5.6{\times}10^{-2}\;M)$, while low concentrations of platycodin D $(4{\sim}8{\mu}g/ml$) did not affect those responses. However, platycodin $D_3\;(8{\sim}32{\mu}g/ml)$ did not alter the contractile responses evoked by phenylephrine and high $K^+$. Interestingly, the infusion of platycodin $D_3$ (1.0 mg/kg/30 min) significantly reduced the pressor responses induced by intravenous norepinephrine. However, platycodin $D_3$ (1.0 mg/kg/30 min) did not affect them. Taken together, these results show that intravenously administered platycodin D depresses norepinephrine-induced pressor responses in the anesthetized rat, at least partly through the blockade of adrenergic ${\alpha}1$-receptors. Platycodin D also caused vascular relaxation in the isolated aortic strips of the rat via the blockade of adrenergic ${\alpha}1$-receptors, in addition to an unknown direct mechanism. However, platycodin $D_3$ did not affect both norepinephrine-induced pressor responses and the isolated rat aortic contractile responses evoked by phenylephrine and high potassium. Based on these results, there seems to be much difference in the mode of action between platycodin D and platycodin $D_3$.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.648-655
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• 2015

Balloon flower (Platycodon grandiflorum A. DC.) is a perennial plant of mainly Campanulaceae family, which have been widely used as a food ingredient and herbal medicine in East Asia. Although demands on related products and yearly cultivation area for balloon flower are increasing, diverse fundamental technologies and molecular breeding studies are not very well supported in Platycodons. In this study, 30 random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD) primers were test in an attempt to explore genetic diversities. In addition, sequences information of the actin gene, a well conserved gene encoding a globular protein that forms microfilaments, was retrieved and analyzed. Two actin homologs were recovered; 3.4 kb fragment is a Pg-actin and 1.4 kb fragment is a Pg-actin homolog with 28.6% similarity. We have confirmed that the Pg-actin gene is configured into 4 exons and 3 introns. A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), G↔A, was detected on the intron 3, which served as a target for the CAPS marker development. The marker Pg-Actin-Int3 was applied to 32 balloon flower accessions. Balloon flower DNA sequence information generated in this study is expected to contribute to the analysis and molecular breeding and genetic diversity analysis of balloon flowers.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.27 no.12
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• pp.1238-1244
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• 2004

The suppressive effects of Platycodi Radix (Changkil: CK), the root of Platycodon grandiflorum A. DC (Campanulaceae), on the progress of acute carbon tetrachloride $(CCl_4)$-induced hepatic fibrosis were investigated in the rat. CK significantly suppressed $(CCl_4)$-induced hepatic necrosis and inflammation, as determined by the serum enzymatic activities of alanine and aspartate aminotransferase and serum tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ levels, in dose-dependent manners. In addition, the increased hepatic fibrosis after acute $(CCl_4)$ treatment was suppressed by the administration of CK. CK also significantly prevented the elevation of hepatic ${\alpha}$ 1(I) procollagen (type I collagen) mRNA and ${\alpha}$ -smooth muscle actin (${\alpha}$ -SMA) expressions in the liver of $(CCl_4)$-intoxicated rats and also suppressed the induction of ${\alpha}$ -SMA and type I collagen in cultured hepatic stellate cells, in dose-dependent manners. These results suggest that the suppressive effects of CK against the progress of acute $(CCl_4)$-induced hepatic fibrosis possibly involve mechanisms related to its ability to block both hepatic inflammation and the activation of hepatic stellate cells.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.437-441
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• 2004

These studies were conducted to investigate the proper method of nitrogen application for increasing the growth stability and quality in ballon flower (Platycodon grandiflorum A. DC.). In growth characteristics by split ratio of nitrogen application, stem diameter, number of branching roots and number of leaves were higher at the split ratio of 50:50 (nitrogen were splitted a half with basal application and the other half in autumn) than at 70:30. Root length, root diameter and number of branching root were higher at 50:50 than those of 70:30. The root yield was increased by 30% (230 kg/10a) at 50:50 compared with that of the 70:30. The crude saponin contents of root from 50:50 was 4.68%.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.282-287
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• 1999

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of different soil texture in agronomic characteristics, root yield and quality of baloon flower (Platycodon grandiflorum A. DC.). Three kinds of soil texture, sandy loam, silt loam and clay loam, were tested for two years. Baloon flowers were seeded with 20cm row space and cultivated in the one square meter pot with 0. 6m depth. Fifty plants per pot were remained. In growth characteristics of one-year-old plants, shooting date was not significantly different according to the changes of soil texture. The ratio of stem growth was highest between July and August. In two-years-old plants, it was showed between May and June. Plants grown on clay loam showed the highest growing characteristics than those of other soil textures. Dry root weight cultivated on clay loam was 274kg/10a in one-year-old and 934kg/10a in two-years-old plants. The content of ethanol extracts from root was highest at those of sandy loam as 47.1 % in one-year-old root. The crude saponin content was not different significantly among the three kinds of soil texture.

• 한국약용작물학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2007.05a
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• pp.241-242
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• 2007

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.175.2-176
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• 2003

Herbal medicines are increasingly being utilized to treat a wide variety of disease processes. We previously reported that aqueous extract from the roots of Platycodon grandiflorum A. DC (Campanulaceae), Changkil (CK), had hepatoprotective effects against acetaminophen induced liver injury. In the present study, we assayed the preventive and therapeutic effects of CK on experimental hepatic fibrosis induced by dimethylnitrogamine or carbon tetrachloride in rats. (omitted)

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.290.2-290.2
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• 2002

The protective effects of a Platycodi Radix (Changkil: CK), the root of Platycodon grandiflorum A. DC (Campanulaceae). on carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity and the possible mechanisms involved in this protection were investigated in mice. Pretreatment with CK prior to the administration of carbon tetrachloride significantly prevented the increased serum enzymatic activities of alanine and aspartate aminotransferase in a dose-dependent manner. (omitted)

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.23-29
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• 2005

Shoots of balloon flower (Platycodon grandiflorum A. DC.) derived from in vitro germinated seeds were cultured on MS medium containing $0.1\;\cal{mg/L}$ NAA under various photosynthetic photon flux (PPF) 33, 66, and $99\;{\mu}mol\;m^{-2}s^{-1}$ with or without membrane filter. Number of air exchanges per hour (NAEH) of the culture vessel with membrane filter on the lid was $4.9 h^{-1}$ and that without membrane filter was $0.1 h^{-1}$ Plantlets grown in $4.9 h^{-1}$ NAEH showed greater growth than in $0.1 h^{-1}$ NAEH. According to increase of PPF, plantlets growth decreased in $0.1 h^{-1}$ NAEH while it increased in $4.9 h^{-1}$ NAEH. At the same PPF, fresh weight and sugar content in plantlets in $4.9 h^{-1}$ NAEH were above 1.9, 2.0 times higher than those in $0.1 h^{-1}$ NAEH, respectively. Also they were enhanced in $4.9 h^{-1}$ NAEH by increase of PPF whereas no significance in $0.1 h^{-1}$ NAEH. The percentage of water content of plantlets in $4.9 h^{-1}$ NAEH was $4.2\~5.5\%$ lower than those in $0.1 h^{-1}$ and no difference in PPF. The content of total chlorophyll in plantlets in $4.9 h^{-1}$ NAEH was higher $0.27\~0.79\;\cal{mg/g}$ F.W. than that in $0.1 h^{-1}$ NAEH. By increase of PPF, it was decreased in $0.1 h^{-1}$ NAEH while had no significant difference in $4.9 h^{-1}$ NAEH. Guard and subsidiary cells of leaves in $4.9 h^{-1}$ NAEH were more developed than in $0.1 h^{-1}$ NAEH. Especially, in $99\;{\mu}mol\;m^{-2}s^{-1}$ leaves in $0.1 h^{-1}$ NAEH had undeveloped subsidiary cells and wide open stomata whereas those in $4.9 h^{-1}$ NAEH had well-developed subsidiary cells.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.134-139
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• 2014

The aim of this study was to establish the condition of regeneration for white balloon flower (Platycodon grandiflorum DC. cv. Jangback) and to manage for the raising of seedling with in vitro regenerated plants. It was examined that 0.5 mg/L of NAA and 1.0 mg/L of BA was the best composition for the callus and shoot induction (up to 600%). NAA was better than IBA for the induction of root and it took 16.9 days for the induction of rooting on the MS soild media containing 0.5 mg/L of NAA and the final rooting ratio was up to 75%. Out of 5 different bed soils purchased from local market, "Tosil" was identified to be the best for the acclimation and growth of in vitro regenerated balloon flower. In detail, on 8 weeks after planting of in vitro regenerated plants in pots containing "Tosil" bed soils, the plant hight was increased up to 2-fold (12.8 cm), 3.5-fold (27) for the number of leaf and 1.5-fold (4.5 cm) for the leaf length when compared to the other four bed soils, respectively. Our preliminary results indicate that it is possible to prevent the occurrence of blue balloon flower in the massive cultivated area of white balloon flower by providing the seedlings raised from in vitro regenerated plants.