• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.232-241
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• 1986

The whole plants of Prunella vulgaris (Labiatae) and Thesium chinense (Santalaceae) are used as Hakocho(夏枯草) in the market in Korea. In oriental medicine, these herb drugs are prescribed as a diuretic or antiinflammatory drugs. In order to investigate the efficacy of the plants, the extracts were bioassayed for antiinflammatory action. The water extracts of Prunella Herba and Thesii Herba showed remarkable anti-carrageenin effect and significant inhibition of the swellings in adjuvant arthritis in rats. However, the extracts did not show any inhibition of leucocyte emigration in CMC pouch in rats.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.209-215
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• 2000

'Ha Go Cho (夏枯草)' is one of the Chinese crude drugs used mainly as a diuretic. With regard to the botanical origin of 'Ha Go Cho', it was reported by Su et al. that those from China were originated from the fruited spica of Prunella vulgaris L. of Labiatae. It was, however, for the herba or spica of Prunella vulgaris L. var. lilacina Nakai from Korea. According to survey of markets in Korea, most of the materials collected in the markets seemed to be originated from Prunella plant, while some seemed to be Thesium plant of Santalaceae. To clarify the botanical origin of 'Ha Go Cho', the anatomical characteristics of Prunella vulgaris L. var. lilacina Nakai and Thesium chinense Turcz. were studied. As a result, it was clarified that some 'Ha Go Cho' from Korea were the herba or spica of Prunella vulgaris var. lilacina, whereas some others were the herba of Thesium chinense.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.416-420
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• 2000

Ursolic acid was isolated from Prunellae Herba (Prunella vulgaris var. lilacina) and identified by direct comparison with an authentic sample. A method of analysis for the evaluation of ursolic acid was developed based on extraction of ground plant material, followed by quantitative determination using capillary gas chromatography of the TMS derivative. Quantitative analysis by GC after derivatisation under mild silylating conditions showed 0.31% ursolic acid in 20 samples collected throughout regions of Korea while no ursolic acid was detected in the samples of the whole plant of Thesium chinense, a substitute for Prunellae Herba in southern regions of Korean peninsula.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.242-247
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• 1986

This study is an attempt to investigate the effects of the water extracts of the whole plants of Prunella vulgaris (Labiatae) and Thesii chinense (Santalaceae) on the acute toxicity, the activities on central nervous system and the diuretic action. The acute toxicities shown by $LD_{50}$ were estimated to be more than 3000 mg/kg p.o. and 1,000 mg/kg s.c. in the extracts of Prunellae Herba and Thesii Herba, respectively, in mice. The extracts at a dose of 2,000 mg/kg p.o. did not show any activities on central nervous system, i.e, sedative, analgesic, hypothermic and anticonvulsant actions. The urination in rats was increased by 45.5% and 57.6% when 100mg/kg of each of the extracts were given orally. The results obtained revealed that the water extracts possessed weak diuretic actions without any of central nervous system activities. Furthermore, it is considered that the potassium in the extract may play a role in the diuretic action.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.11-20
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• 2001

Cancer chemoprevention refer to the use of natural or synthetic substances to prevent the initiational and promtional events that occur during the process of carcinogenesis. The effect of Prunella Herba Vulgaris L. Aqua-acupuncture Solution (PVAS) and Prunella Herba Vulgaris L. Water-extracted Solution (PVWS) on the induction of phase II detoxification enzyme (quinone reductase, Glutathione S-transferase) and inhibition of phase I enzyme (cytochrome P4501A1) and benzo[a]pyrene-DNA adduct formation was examined. PVAS is potent inducers of quinone reductase activity. Glutathione levels were increased with PVAS, in cultured murine hepatoma Hepa1c1c7 cells. In addition glutathione S-transferase levels were increased with PVAS. However, there was 45.2% inhibition in the activity of cytochrome P4501A1 enzyme with the treatment of PVAS, $5{\times}$. At concentration of $1{\times}$ and $3{\times}$ of PVAS, the binding of $[^3H]B[a]P$ metabolites to DNA of NCTC-clone 1469 cell was inhibited by 25.3%, 45.0%, respectively. These results suggest that PVAS has chemopreventive potential by inducing quinone reductase and glutathione S-transferase activities, increasing GSH levels, inhibiting the activity of cytochrome P4501A1 and benzo[a]pyrene-DNA adduct formation.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.530-541
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• 2011

Objectives : Categorized as 'cheongyeol' herbs, Herba Prunellae, Flos Lonicerae and Radix Scutellaria have been proven to have effect on degenerative brain disease, cerebrovascular disease and brain tumor because of their anti inflammation, antioxidant, or anticancer effects. In this study, we studied activity against reactive oxygen species and anti inflammation effect of these three 'Cheongyeol' herbs. Methods : We measured each herb's yield of ethanol extracts, phenolic contents and activities against DPPH, hydroxyl radical and superoxide anion. Also through 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) induced oxidative damage in SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cell line, we measured antioxidant effect and NO activity of the three herbs. From the three herbs, we chose Prunella Herba, which showed the highest antioxidant effect, and studied its cell survival rate and anti inflammation effect through COX-2 and iNOS. Results : All three herbs showed significant results, and especially Prunella Herba showed significant effect on phenol contents, antioxidant effect on various active oxygen and antioxidant, and anti inflammation effect through cell line. Conclusions : Further study of the origin concept of 'cheongyeol' and research into specific mechanisms and role in treatment of cranial nerve disease, seems warranted.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.265-272
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• 1995

Inhibitory effects of 130 medicinal plants on hyaluronidase activity were analyzed. The medicinal plants are clinically used as herbal medicines for korean traditional prescriptions. Six out of the 130 herbal medicines exhibited more than 50% of inhibition on hyaluronidase activity by their total methanol extracts with 5mg/ml as a final concentration. The active total methanol extracts were prepared from cortex of Acantbopanax gracilistylus, lignum of Caesalpinia sappan, radix of Glycyrrhiza uralensis, radicis cortex of Morus alba, herba of Prunella vulgaris, and radix of Sanguisorba officinalis. These active total methanol extracts were sequentially fractionated with dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, and then water. Among the solvent-fractionated extracts, the butanol fractions of Acantbopanax gracilistylus and Glycyrrhiza uralensis with 1 mg/ml as the final concentration exhibited more than 50% of inhibition on hyaluronidase activity, and the other fractions with the same concentration did less than 20% of inhibition.