• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.109-114
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• 2009

Rhubarb is the well-known and frequently used herbal medicine for the treatment of constipation, inflammation, and cancer. As described in the Korea and Chinese Pharmacopoeia, rhubarb consists of the roots and rhizomes of Rheum palmatum, R. officinale, and R. tanguticum. However, the pharmacological differences among rhubarb have not been scientifically established. In the present study, we investigated and compared the inhibitory effects of 70% ethanolic extracts from R. palmatum (RPE), R. officinale (ROE), R. nobile (RNE), and R. franzenbachii (RFE) on the production of inflammatory mediators, nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin $E_2$ ($PGE_2$), interlukin-1beta ($IL-1{\beta}$), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha ($TNF-{\alpha}$) in RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. ROE, RNE, and RFE significantly inhibited the release of NO, $PGE_2$, $IL-1{\beta}$, and $TNF-{\alpha}$. RPE significantly reduced the release of $IL-1{\beta}$, but not NO, $PGE_2$, and $TNF-{\alpha}$. Overall, RFE was found to inhibit the release of $PGE_2$ and $IL-1{\beta}$, to a far greater degree than RPE, ROE, and RNE. Our results indicate that RFE possess the strongest anti-inflammatory activity among 4 tested rhubarb.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.1-6
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• 2010

Objective : The purpose of this study is to compare anti-thrombotic activities of 4 Rhubarb species. Methods : Rhubarb has been used as medical and edible resources worldwide for the therapy of cancer, constipation and inflammation, etc. To compare the anti-thrombotic activities among the species within rhubarb, we investigated and compared the inhibitory properties of water extracts from R. palmatum(RPE), R. officinale(ROE), R. nobile(RNE), and R. franzenbachii (RFE) on the fibrinolysis, blood coagulation and platelet aggregation. APTT and PT, blood coagulation time, were measured by apparatus of auto blood coagulation analysis that called ACL-7000. The measurement of fibrinolysis was measured and compares with the width of clear zone from melted fibrin plate. The platelet aggregation was measured and compared with inhibition rate of aggregation. Results : We found out the best species from rhubarb showing the significant fibrinolytic, anti-coagulant and anti-platelet aggregation activity. Our results show that Rheum nobile (RNE) has the most effective anti-thrombotic activity among 4 tested rhubarb. Conclusions : This study, therefore, RNE will be able to be used the development of drug which is thrombosis treatment.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.330-336
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• 2013

Rheum tanguticum has long been used in oriental medicine as antipyretics, analgesics, anti-inflammation, aperient, hypertension medicine and medicine for skin disease. This study has investigated the effectiveness of defense for gastritis making use of Rheum tanguticum and its similar plants, Rumex cripus, Rheum officinale, Rhem palmatum and Rheum undulatum. Chysophanol, chrysophanol-8-O-glc, Desoxyrhaponticin desoxyrhaponti-genin, emodin, isorhaponticin, 2-methoxy-4-hydroxyanthraquinone-5-O-glc, physcion, pirace-tannol-3'-O-glc, resveratrol, rhaponticin and rhapontigenin are used as the components of Rheum tanguticum. In HCl ethanol-induced gastritis in rat, the most effective extract was 70 percent ethanol which is of Rheum tanguticum, showing the inhibition of 91.8 percent to the gastric lesions. 70% ethanol extract of Rhem palmatum and Rumex cripus shown inhibition of 75.6 percent and 73.2 percent, respectively. This effectiveness is considered as acid-neutralizing capacity, anti-H.pylori and anti-oxidant activity. 70% ethanol extract of Rheum tanguticum and its component, piracetannol-3'-O-glc exhibited higher free radical scavenging activity than others. These results suggest that Rheum species extracts and their active components could be utilized for the treatment of gastritis. Furthermore, these results are expected to contribute the standardization with objectivity and reliability for Rheum species, medicinal herbs. In addition, it can contribute to the prevention of indiscriminate distribution of imitation, and the rising rate of dependence on imports of medicinal herbs, and mixing prevention of low-quality goods.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.18 no.12
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• pp.1631-1636
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• 2008

Rhei Rhizoma (RR; 大黃) consists of the underground parts (rhizome and root) of Rheum officinale Baill. and Rheum palmatum L. (Polygonaceae), and is widely used in Southeast Asian folk medicine to alleviate liver and kidney damages. In this study, we investigated into the efficacy and mechanism of RR water extract in supporting neuronal survival in a hypoxia model of cultured rat hippocampal neurons. RR exhibited no cytotoxicity up to 10 ${\mu}g$/ml and exhibited neurosupportive effects at 2.5 ${\mu}g$/ml in normoxia. When RR was added to the culture media on 10 days in vitro (DIV10) and given a hypoxic shock (2% $O_2$/5% $CO_2$, 3 hr, $37^{\circ}C$) on DIV13, RR exhibited neuroprotective effects on 5 days post-shock. $H_2DCF$ stainings indicated that RR effectively prevents ROS production in both normoxia and hypoxia. JC-1 stainings showed that RR prevents dissipation of MMP in hypoxia. These results indicate that RR protects neurons by suppressing ROS production and MMP loss.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.95-98
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• 1998

Methanol extracts of 54 plant species in 32 families were tested for their antignawing activities against mice by wire-dipping method. The activity varied with plant species. Potent antignawing activity was observed in extracts from roots of Aucklandia lappa (Compositae), barks of Cinnamomum cassia (Lauraceae), fruits of Illicium verum (Magnoliaeceae), fruits of Piper nigrum (Piperaceae), rhizomes of Rheum officinale (Polygonaceae), and leaves of Pinus densiflora (Pinaceae). As naturally occurring rodent repellents, these plant-derived materials could be useful as a preventive agent against various kinds of damage caused by rodents.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.115-120
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• 2009

Objectives : Due to the morphological similarity and frequent occurrence of intermediate forms as well as morphological variations of aerial part, the correct identification between Rhei Radix et Rhizoma and Rhei Undulatai Rhizoma is very difficult. To develop a reliable method for correct identification and improving the quality standards of Rhei Radix et Rhizoma and Rhei Undulatai Rhizoma, we analyzed RAPD and developed SCAR marker. Methods : To amplify target DNA at the genomic level, 32 Operon 10-mer random primers were applied with four Rheum species, R. officinale, R. palmatum, R. tanguticum and R. undulatum. The nucleotide sequences were determined and species-specific primers were prepared depending on the species-specific RAPD amplicons after subcloned into the pGEM-Teasy vector. To develop the SCAR markers, species-specific PCR amplification and multiplex-PCR were carried out using the single species-specific primer pairs and combinations of them, respectively. Results : We used RAPD analysis of four Rheum plant species to obtain several species-specific RAPD amplicons. From nucleotide sequences of these RAPD amplicons, we developed two SCAR markers that amplified 314 bp and 390 bp DNA fragments in only R. undulatum but not in R. officinale, R. palmatum, R. tanguticum and R. undulatum, for distinguishing Rhei Undulatai Rhizoma and Rhei Radix et Rhizoma. Furthermore, we established SCAR markers for the simultaneous discrimination of the three species within a single reaction by using multiplex-PCR. Conclusions : These genetic markers can be used for the efficient discrimination of plants species and commercial herbal medicines between Rhei Undulatai Rhizoma and Rhei Radix et Rhizoma, to ultimately prevent indiscriminate distribution and prescription of these herbal medicines.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.64-69
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• 1976

Kami Eui In Tang is being used as a treatment oral medicament on the appendicitis and peritonitis without surgical operation resulting good effect. The component of the medicament are as follow : Coix ma yuen, Paeonia moutan, Patrinia scabiosifolia, Rheum, Coreanum, Cory-dalis nakaii, Trichosanthes kirilowii, Lonicera japonica, Prunus persica, Tarxacum officinale, Author tried to make clear the ant inflammatory effect on rat paw which has become edema formation by carrageenin and detect the active ingredients by thin layer chromatography method. The material was extracted with three kind of solvent; distilled water, 50% ethyl alcohol, and ether which were immersed in material for 48 hours and concentrated to 10ml by evaporation of solvents. The result was as follow: 1. The anti-inflammatory effect of the sample material on the. edema formed at the rat paw was obviously clear. 2. Many spots of active ingredients were detected on the silica gel G plate spotted by ether extracted material than water one. 3. The good developing solvent was the mixture of $CHCl_3$ ; Acetone : Diethylamine (5:4:1).

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.144-148
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• 2011

Rhubarb (Rhei Rhizoma) has been used for the various clinical purposes such as purgative, stomach protective and pain relief for a long time. However, rhubarb in current market has a problem of quality control under which many of rhubarb fail to meet the standard specified in Korean Pharmacopoeia. This study was carried out to validate the method for the evaluation of the quality of five rhubarbs and Rumex species; Rheum palmatum, R. officinale, R. tanguticum, R. franzenbachii, R. undulatum, and Rumex species. The content of sennoside A with five anthraquinones (aloe-emodin, rhein, emodin, chrysophanol and physcion) in five rhubarbs and one Rumex has been performed by using HPLC quantitation analysis. In results, only four samples in Palmata sect. were qualified with sennoside A and those samples were R. officinale and R. tanguticum. Samples of R. palmatum did not meet the standard contents of sennoside A. The contents of anthraquinones in Palmata sect. were two times larger than those in Rhapontica sect. Moreover the content variations of anthraquinones were smaller than those of sennoside A. Thus, anthraquinones can be the key characterizing molecules to control quality of rhubarb.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.145-150
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• 1999

To explain the theory of KIMI which is the theory of therapeutics in oriental medicine, monoamine oxidase(MAO) activities were measured in the brain and liver of mice which were orally administered oriental medicinal herbs which were classified into cold and hot drugs. Rheum palmatum, Anemarrhena asphodeloides, Gardenia jasminoides, Scutellaria baicalensis and Coptis japonica were considered as the cold drugs and Zingiber officinale, Aconitum carmichaeli, Asiasarum sieboldi, Evodia officinalis and Cinnamomum cassia were included in the hot drugs. The effects of cold and hot drugs on in vitro enzyme activities were measured and compared with the in vivo effects. Serotonin is important neurotransmetter involved in the control of body temperature. The MAO plays a central role in the metabolism of many neurotransmetter monoamines including serotonin. MAO is a flavoprotein found exclusively in the mitochondrial outer membrane, occuring in the MAO-A and MAO-B subtypes. MAO-A deaminates serotonin and noradrenaline, whereas MAO-B prefers phenylethylamine and benzylamine as substrates. Coptis japonica and Aconitum carmichaeli elevated the in vivo MAO activities and especialy, in vivo MAO-B activities were significantly increased. In vitro MAO-A activities were increased by hot drugs, whereas the in vitro MAO-B activities were inhibited. Cold drugs inhibited both enzyme activities in vitro.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.300-306
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• 2002

141 methanol extracts from 125 plant species which populate in Korea were screened for antimicrobial activity against various food-borne pathogens and food spoilage microorganisms. Those plants were selected from 3 different plant groups: traditional herbs, edible plants and flowers. The methanol extracts were tested by using the disk diffusion assay against five bacteria: Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter aerogenes, Escherichia coli. From the evaluation of the inhibition zone diameter of microbial growth, the most significant antimicrobial activity against Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus auresus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter aerogenes, Escherichia coli was observed from the extract of Schizandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill., Rheum officinale Baill., Schizandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill., Koelreuteria paniculata Lax and Crataegus pinnatifida Bunge, respectively. The extract from many plants - Koelreuteria paniculata Lax, Chaenomeles sinensis Koehne, Scutellaria bacicalensis Georgi, Castanea crenata Sieb. et Zucc., Rosa centifolia L., Allium fistulosum L. var. giganteum Makino, Crataegus pinnatifida Bunge, Schizandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill., Lonicera japonica - showed antimicrobial activity all four tested bacteria.