• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.157-162
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• 2009

Objectives: The purpose of this study is reporting the possibility of the treatment of metastatic brain tumors with allergen removed Rhus verniciflua Stokes (aRVS) after gamma knife radiosurgery. Methods: A patient with lung cancer felt a headache about one year after conventional therapies, and metastatic brain tumors were diagnosed. He received gamma knife radiosurgery twice but refused to get more conventional therapies afterwards. So he has been treating with aRVS since then. Results: During 143 weeks of administration of aRVS, the size of brain masses has decreased continuously without extracranial metastasis and the patient has maintained a good performance status. Conclusions: This report suggests that aRVS may play a therapeutic role in the treatment of metastatic brain tumors. Further studies will be needed to determine the effect of aRVS on metastatic brain tumors.

• Journal of Korean Traditional Oncology
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.55-61
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• 2008

Nearly 800,000 new colorectal cancer cases are believed to be occur each year, which account for approximately 10% of all incident cancers, and mortality from colorectal cancer is estimated at nearly 450,000 per year. We report one patient with rectal cancer of stage III. The patient had a rectal cancer(StageIII T3N2M0) and underwent low anterior resection in 2004 followed by chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Lymph node metastases were found in 2005 and the patient was treated by palliative chemotherapy, which could not supress the lymph node metastases increase. The patient visited Kyunghee University East-West Neo Medical Center(KHNMC) in 2006 and was treated using allergen-removed Rhus Verniciflua Stokes(aRVS). Radiotherapy was done simultaneously in 2006. There was no evidence of recurrence since then. The patient showed no side effects. This case report brings forth the importance of a thorough study in rectal cancer in the traditional Korean medical point of view, along with the long-term effect of aRVS.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.82 no.2
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• pp.122-127
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• 1993

This study was conducted to investigate characteristics related to lacquer yield and to evaluate possibility of indirect selection of Rhus verniciflua Stokes. Twenty-four lacquer trees were randomly selected for measuring growth, urushiol content and bark thickness. Urushiol content showed a significant positive correlation with outer bark thickness and secretory canal density at 1% level, and with inner bark thickness at 5% level. Bark thickness and secretory canal density could be used as indicators for high urushiol content within bark and thus for high lacquer yield. Mass selection for high lacquer yield was made based on urushiol content within bark. Sixteen individuals with the highest urushiol content value were selected for breeding. As expected, the selected trees had thicker bark, higher density of secretory canal, better developed secretory canals compare to the non-selected lacquer trees.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.701-709
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• 2006

The Rhus verniciflua Stokes (乾漆-RVS) has been used in traditional East Asia medicine for the therapy of gastritis, stomach cancer, although the mechanism for the biological activity is unclear. In the present study aims to investigate RVS extract contributes to growth inhibitory effect and it's the molecular mechanism on the human gastric cancer cells. AGS (gastric cancer cells) and RIEI (normal cells) were treated to different concentrations and periods of RVS extract $(10{\;}{\sim{{\;}100{\;}ug/mil)$. Growth inhibitory effect was analyzed by measuring FACS study and MTS assay. Cell cycle inhibition was confirmed by measuring CDK2 kinase activity by immunoprecipitation and kinase assay. And apoptosis was confirmed by surveying caspase cascades activation using a pan caspase inhibitor Exposure to RVS extract (50 ug/mll) resulted in a synergistic inhibitory effect on cell growth in AGS cells. Growth inhibition was related with the inhibition of proliferation and induction of apoptosis. The extract induces Gl -cell cycle arrest through the regulation of cyclins, the induction of p27kip1, and the decrease CDK2 kinase activity. And upregulated p27kip1 level is caused by protein stability increment by the reduction of S-phase kinase-associated protein 2 (Skp2), a key molecule related with p27kip1 ubiquitination and degradation, and do novo protein synthesis. Besides, 乾漆 extract induces apoptosis through the expression of Bax, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and activation of caspase-3. RVS extract induces Gl -cell cycle arrest via accumulation of p27kip1 and apoptosis in human gastric cancer cells but not in normal cells, therefore we suggest that the extract can be used as a novel class of anti-cancer drugs.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.189-195
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• 2005

This study was carried out to investigate the antioxidant effect of Rhus verniciflua Stokes (RVS) extracts. The antioxidant activity of ethanol and water extract from RVS was examined on model systems and cooked beef, respectively. As concentration of RVS ethanol extract increased (1, 10, 100, and 1,000 ppm), the reductive activity of DPPH (2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) was significantly increased (14.79, 75.08, 82.02, and $83.97\%$ respectively) (p<0.05). The RVS ethanol extract (10 ppm) was showed higher antioxidant activity than control in liposome and meat homogenate (p<0.05). It had more antioxidative effect in 10 ppm RVS ethanol extract with 2 ppm $\alpha-tocopherol$ treatment The maximum antioxidant activity appeared at pH 6.0 in meat homogenate and at pH $5.0\~6.0$ in liposome. Cooked beef mixed with Rhus verniciflua Stokes water extract showed significantly lower TBARS value, POV during storage for 4 days at $4^{\circ}C$ (p<0.05). And the RVS water extract also showed strong antioxidant activity in cooked beef which accelerated NaCl-catalyzed oxidation. Therefore, the results suggest that RVS extract may be used in commercial meat products as natural antioxidant in the near future.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.471-476
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• 2005

Rhus verniciflua Stokes (RVS) has been used as a food supplement and a traditional herbal medicine for a men's sexual enhancement. In this study, we prepared a flavonoid fraction (RWE) from a hot water extract of RVS and its influence on sexual behavior was studied in male rats which were orally administered varying doses of RWE for 2 weeks. All doses of RWE stimulated sexual behavior in male rats such as reducing mounting latency and enhancing mount frequencies. However, intermission numbers were not changed and none of group can observe the ejaculation during behavioral testing time 5 min. Testosterone levels were Increased about 0$\∼$53$\%$ and 92$\∼$164$\%$ by the treatment of RWE for 1 and 2 weeks, respectively. However, estrogen levels in male rats tended to decrease in a dose dependent manner of RWE. At the dose of RWE 200 mg/kg, estrogen level was reduced to 77.5$\%$ and 70.3$\%$ of control after 1 and 2 weeks treatment. These findings suggest that the Rhus flavonoid fraction can stimulate the androgen-dependent male sexual behavior and it can be applied to the material of functional food for enhancing the sexual function.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.89 no.1
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• pp.116-125
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• 2000

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of CEPA(2-chloroethyl phosphonic acid) on bark physiology and anatomy of lactree(Rhus verniciflua Stokes). Sample trees of similar size and growth rate were selected from 7-year-old lactree plantation located in Hyengsung-kun, Kangwon-do. Lanolin pastes containing 0.1, 1, or 10% CEPA were put into the bark-removed hole made by corer(${\phi}1cm$) on the main stem at 1.2m above the ground on June 16, 1995. Five weeks after application of CEPA, bark thickness was markedly increased as a result of the increase in the amount of phloem and intercellular spaces, and correlated with the increased production of urushiol. By the application of 10% CEPA, bark thickness was increased approximately 2.5 times, and the urushiol content within bark was increased 2.8 times compared to that of untreated trees because CEPA stimulated the accumulation of urushiol within bark. Treatment of 10% CEPA also increased the size and the total number of secretory canals, and induced an increase in ray width. The phloem parenchyma cells of CEPA-treated trees were well-developed and closely packed with little intercellular space.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.332-339
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• 2002

The pathogenesis of cholestatic liver injury as well as the modulation of hepatic fibrogenesis is causally associated with involvement of reactive oxygen species and free radical reactions. In this study, we investigated whether flavonoids (fustin, sulfuretin) which were isolated from Rhus verniciflua Stokes (RCS) have antioxidant and antihepatotoxicity effect under the biliary liver fibrosis condition. After surgery (control) and posttreated RCS methanol extract (250mg/kg), ethyl acetate extract (250mg/kg) and flavonoids were administered p.o. 10mg/kg/day in two weeks for control groups. The concentration of clinical parameters and product of hepatic lipid peroxidation and the hydroxyproline content were significantly increased in liver fibrosis developed rats. Among the clinical parameters of serum, value of ALT, AST, SDH, total bilirubin and ${\gamma}$ -GT in posttreated RCS components-group showed significantly lower than in control-group. The content of hydroxyproline in posttreated RCS components-group showed lower than in control group and then the value of MDA in posttreated RCS components-group was also significantly reduced to 40~60% of that in control group. The hepatic xanthine oxidase and aldehyde oxidate activities were posttreated RCS components-group showed significantly lower than in control-group. The hepatic SOD and glutathione peroxidase activities were posttreated RCS components-group showed significantly higher than in control-group. Hence we concluded that active components of fustin and sulfuretin which were isolated from R. verniciflua Stokes were hepatoprotective effect in experimental liver fibrosis.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.347-357
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• 2019

This study evaluated the raw materials for spawning Perenniporia fraxinea, to eliminate urushiol. The growth rates of spawns on grains of millet, brown rice, and wheat were 4.92±0.05, 2.20±0.03, and 1.93±0.03 mm/day, respectively, and the laccase activity was 0.86±0.02, 0.04±0.01, and 0.01±0.00 U/mL, respectively. These observations revealed millet as the most appropriate grain for spawn production in terms of growth rate and enzyme activity. Inoculation of lacquer tree (Rhus verniciflua Stokes) stem bark with millet spawns of P. fraxinea resulted in a reduction of its urushiol contents, up to 86.6% on the third day and up to 98.5% on the seventh day. The optimal period of cultivation to eliminate urushiol was three days with 68% of residual flavonoids and 42% of phenolic components. When compared to the product cultivated from liquid spawn, the millet spawn reduced the cultivation period from 10 days to 3 days for eliminating urushiol.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.13-21
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• 2015

Objectives : In Korea, Rhus verniciflua Stokes (RVS) has been used in traditional medicine for various diseases such as back pain, syndromes of the blood system in women, gastrointestinal disease, and cancer. However, the molecular mechanisms of its anti-cancer activity have not been clearly elucidated yet. Methods : This study investigated the possible mechanisms by which RVS extract (RVE) exerts its anti-proliferative action in cultured human breast carcinoma MCF-7 cells. Results : Treatment with RVE in MCF-7 cells resulted in inhibition of cell viability through G1 arrest of the cell cycle and induction of apoptosis in a time- and concentration-dependent manner, as determined by MTT assay and flow cytometry analysis. The induction of G1 arrest by RVE treatment was associated with the inhibition of cyclin D1, cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk) 2, retinoblastoma protein (pRB), and mouse double minute 2 (MDM2) expression. Moreover, RVE treatment concentration dependently increased the levels of tumor suppressor p53, which was associated with the marked induction of Cdk inhibitors such as p21 (Waf1/Cip1) and p27 (Kip1). However, the inhibition of p53 function by the wild-type p53-specific inhibitor, pifithrin-α, abolished the above-mentioned effects of RVE, showing that p53 was responsible for the cytotoxicity of RVE Conclusions : These data indicate that a molecular pathway involving p53-dependent G1 cell cycle arrest plays a pivotal role in the cellular response to RVE, and demonstrate the potential applications of RVE as an anti-cancer drug for breast cancer treatment.