• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.165-169
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• 2002

We have previously demonstrated that phytoestrogens isolated from safflower seeds significantly attenuated bone loss in ovariectomized rats, and directly stimulated proliferation and differentiation of cultured osteoblastic cells. In an attempt to elucidate underlying cellular mechanisms, in the present study we investigated effects of $17{\beta}-estradiol\;(E_2)$ and phytoestrogens such as matairesinol and acacetin, a type of lignan and flavonoid, respectively, on activation of mitogen activated protein (MAP) kinases, extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 (ERK1) and ERK2, in cultured osteoblastic ROS 17/2.8 cells. Western blot analysis with anti-MAP kinase antibody showed that a wide range concentrations $(10^{-14}\;to\;10^{-6}\;M)\;of\;E_2$ as well as both phytoestrogens induced rapid and transient activation of ERK1/2 through phosphorylation within minutes. Maximum activation of MAP kinases by $E_2$ and phytoestrogens were observed at 10 and 15 min, respectively. $E_2-induced$ phosphorylation of ERK1/2 returned to the control level at 30 min, whereas phytoestrogen-induced phosphorylation was maintained at high level until 30 min. PD-98059, a highly selective inhibitor of MAP kinase, prevented phosphorylation of ERK1/2 in the cells treated either with $E_2$ or phytoestrogens. To examine a possible involvement of estrogen receptor in the activation process of MAP kinase, Western blot analysis was performed in the presence and absence of the estrogen receptor antagonists, ICI 182,780 and tamoxifen. These antagonists blocked MAP kinase phosphorylation induced not only by $E_2,$ but also by the phytoestrogens. To the best our knowledge, this study is the first to demonstrate that phytoestrogens such as flavonoid and lignan extracted from safflower seeds produce a rapid activation of MAP kinase, at least partially via membrane estrogen receptor of the cultured osteoblastic cells.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.113-118
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• 2003

We recently extracted lignans such as matairesinol and 2-hydroxyarctigenin from safflower seeds and found that they exhibit a potent cytotoxic effect on human promyleocytic leukemia HL-60 cells. In this study, we investigated whether mechanisms of the matairesinol-induced cell death are associated with the programmed cell death, apoptosis. Matairesinol dose-dependently reduced viability of HL-60 cells with an IC/sun 50/ value of 60 $\mu$M. Staining of cells with Hoechst 33342 revealed distinct morphological features of apoptosis, such as the nuclei broken into chromatin containing fragments of various sizes in the cells exposed to 100 $\mu$M matairesinol for 24 hr. Agarose gel electrophoresis of DNA from the cells treated with matairesinol showed internucleosomal DNA degradation into oligonucleosomal sizes. DNA ladder like patterns were easily detected after treatment with matairesinol concentrations ranging from 10 to 100 $\mu$M after 24 hr. In cells treated with 100 $\mu$M matairesinol for differing time periods, the DNA ladder was detectable from 6 hr onward. A time course histogram of the DNA content analyzed by flow cytometry revealed a rapid increase in subdiploid cells and a concomitant decrease in diploid cells exposed to 100 $\mu$M matairesinol. These results indicate that matairesinol-induced HL-60 cell death was due to the DNA damage and apoptosis.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.50 no.spc1
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• pp.187-190
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• 2005

This study was conducted to investigate the plant growth and seed yield between rain-shelter plastic house and out-door cultivation, and analysed the effect of harvesting time on seed quality. In rain-shelter plastic house cultivation, emergence date was 3 days and flowering date was 8 days earlier than out-door cultivation. Seed yield of rain-shelter plastic house cultivation was increased $25\%$ compared to out-door cultivation and it's more beneficial than out door cultivation. The crude fat content was higher and seed was whiter and better quality in rain-shelter plastic house cultivation than out-door cultivation. In out-door cultivation, the crude fat content was steadily increased until 40 days after full bloom, but the seed color was getting dark which was harvested at 30 days after full bloom and the color was turn to the dark brown when the seed was harvested at 40 days after full bloom. Harvesting of safflower seed's quality is best between 20 days and 30 days after full bloom.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.123-129
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• 2003

This study was conducted to determine the germination characteristics, oil contents and fatty acid compositions of the different safflower accessions. The safflower accessions had nearly the same germination period of about 12-13 days and the germination rate was more than 87.5%. Plant height grew until 84 days after seeding. The number of leaves did not increase after 70 days from seeding. The accessions had a difference of six loaves from 17 to 23 loaves. Flowering time had a difference of 11 days from 79 days after planting to 90 days after planting. The Jangsung accession had the shortest flowering time of 79 days after planting. In the characteristics of bearing fruit, the number of branches including main stem are from 4.7 to 8.8. The number of head flowers had nearly the same number of branches which were 4.8-8.9, numbers of seed per head flower were 29.3-49.1 and the weight of 100 seeds were 2.9-3.9 g. The crude fat content was 21.8-33.9％ and fatty acid content was 66.6-77.6% containing mostly linolenic acid. Oeic acid content was 9.2-16.5% and it contained palmitic acid, stearic acid, venin acid, arachidonic acid etc. Results of this study, the accession Jangsung, which had the shortest flowering time and had the most crude fat content, was observed to be the best accession for the breeding of safflower.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.301-309
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• 2001

This study was conducted to provide the basic information on safflower collections and to identify the variations which could be utilized in safflower breeding programs. The agronomic characteristics was used to clarify the genetic relationships among safflower collections and to classify them into distint genetic groups. There were 21 early maturing collections with less than 80 days in number of days from planting to flowering. The number of primary and secondary branches ranged ${3.8{\sim}14.8\;and\;0{\sim}26.9}$, respectively, and two collections, IT201434 and IT202723, were found to be high branch types. The 101 safflower collections were classified into 11 groups based on the complete linkage cluster analysis using agronomic characteristics. The I, II, III, IV, IX, X and ? groups included the 25%, 33%, 14%, 8%, 2%, 1% and 1% of the collections, respectively. All the collections in the group III were Korean landraces. The collections in group X could be characterized as early emergence, late flowering and high yield components such as the number of capitula per plant, number of seeds per capitula and seed weight per plant. The number of capitula per plant and seed weight per plant, i.e., the two main yield components, had the highly significant positive correlations with stem diameter, number of the primary branches, number of the secondary branches, number of leaves and leaf length.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.96-102
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• 1981

Effect of shifting planting-time and different nitrogen on the yield and characteristics of plant growth in safflower, Chrthamus Tinctorius L. This study was carried out to investigate the optimum sowing-date and the ecological variations due to differerent amount of nitrogen for safflower on the Experiment Farm of Sang Ji college from March 17 to may 16, 1980, sowing seeds with an interval of 10 days and the amount of nitrogen were applied in 5 levels (Non, half-standard, standard, one and half-ordinary amount-No and twice amount). The triple super phosphate and pottassium chloride were applied only in standard amount. The results obtained are summarized as follows; 1. As sowing-date was delayed, the germination-ratio decreased, germinating speed increased, and the time required to attain the most vigorous germinating stage and days required for germination shortened. 2. Plant height, number of branch and stem diameter showed a decrease as sowing-date was delayed. And at the same time, plant height and number of branch showed a tendency to increase as amount of nitrogen was increased. 3. As sowing-date was delayed, the number of pods and the weight of 1000-grains were decreased. Moreover, the earlier sowing-date was, the more it increased. And as amount of nitrogen was increased, number of pods and yield also were strikingly increased. 4. The fresh-weight of flower with orange and orange-red colour, as influenced by the different sowing-date, was found out to be largest at the begining of April. But increasing amount of nitrogen did not show influence upon the promotion of flowering. 5. Judging from the results reported above, the optimum sowing-date of safflower seemed to be the begining of April; also the culture of safflower seemed to be the effects of much amount of nitrogen.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.726-733
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• 2009

Six types of oil were extracted from pomegranate seed, mung bean, pepper seed, safflower seed, seeds of Cassia tora Linnaeus, and perilla seed. The extracted seed oils were analyzed for total and positional fatty acid composition, triacylglycerol (TAG) level, and tocopherol content. Crude fat levels measured by the Folch method were 21.64% in perilla seed, 13.85% in safflower seed, 9.60% in pepper seed, 8.85% in pomegranate seed, 2.25% in mung bean, and 2.00% in C. tora,respectively (all w/w). Linoleic acid (C18:2) was the most abundant fatty acid at the sn-2 position of triacylglycerols (TAGs), ranging from 15.99-88.3 wt%. The composition of TAGs was analyzed by reverse-phase HPLC, and TAGs of seed oils showed partition numbers of 36-48. The highest content (377.74 mg/100 g) of total tocopherol was found in pomegranate seed whereas the total tocopherol content of mung bean, C. tora, pepper seed, perilla seed, and safflower seed were 141.16, 107.23, 33.88, 30.05, and 29.80 mg/100 g, respectively.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.130-137
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• 2013

In this study, we investigated the applicability of the photostimulated luminescence (PSL), thermoluminescence (TL), electron spin resonance (ESR) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) methods for 5 seeds which are not allowed to be irradiated in Korea. All 5 seeds including evening primrose seed, safflower seed, rape seed, sunflower seed and flax seed were analyzed. Samples were irradiated at 1~10 kGy using a $^{60}Co$ gamma-ray irradiator. In PSL study, the photon counts of all the unirradiated samples showed negative (lower than 700). The photon counts of irradiated (1, 5, 10 kGy) samples showed positive (higher than 5,000). In TL analysis, results showed that it is possible to apply TL method to all foods containing minerals. In ESR measurements, the ESR signal (single-line) intensity of irradiated foods was higher than non-irradiated foods. The hydrocarbons 1,7-hexadecadiene ($C_{16:2}$) and 8-heptadecene ($C_{17:1}$) from oleic acid were detected only in the irradiated samples before and after the treatment at doses ${\geq}$ 1 kGy, but they were not detected in non-irradiated samples before and after treatment. These two hydrocarbons could be used as markers to identify irradiated safflower seed, rape seed, Sunflower seed and flax seed. And then, the hydrocarbons 1,7,10-hexadecatriene ($C_{16:3}$) and 6,9-heptadecadiene ($C_{17:2}$) from linoleic acid were detected in the evening primrose seed, safflower seed and sunflower seed. According to the results, PSL, TL and GC/MS methods were successfully applied to detect the irradiated foods. It is concluded that PSL, TL and GC/MS methods are suitable for detection of irradiated samples and a combined method is recommendable for enhancing the reliability of detection results.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.161-170
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• 2024

This study was conducted to estimate the days to flowering based on the effective accumulated temperature at various altitudes in the Jiri mountain region and to compare growth and yield characteristics according to the sowing date of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) four genetic resources (local variety, IT323225, IT333473, and IT333482). The safflower four resources were sown on March 29, May 3, May 13, May 24, and June 2. The days from sowing to flowering of the safflower four resources by sowing dates were in the order of the local variety (61.0 days), IT333482 (73.2 days), IT323225 (74.0 days), and IT333473 (74.2 days). The base temperature and effective accumulated temperature for the days to flowering of the safflower four resources calculated based on the daily mean temperature were local variety 6℃, 579℃, IT323225 11℃, 766℃, IT333473 11℃, 768℃, IT333482 10℃, 750℃, respectively. As a result of applying the calculated effective accumulated temperature and daily mean temperature of the past five years (2019 to 2023) by various altitudes and the different sowing dates (every 15 days from April 1 to August 15), the days to flowering of the safflower four resources decreased from April 1 to July 15 during the sowing date and then tended to increase from August 1. In addition, the days to flowering at various altitudes were investigated in the order of plains, mid-mountain, and mountain regions. Among the yield characteristics, plant height, number of branches, number of capitula, number of seeds, and seed weight decreased as the sowing dates were delayed for the safflower four resources.

• Mass Spectrometry Letters
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.42-47
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• 2023

Carthamus tinctorius L. (known as safflower) is a valuable oil plant whose importance is increasing rapidly in the world due to its high adaptation to arid regions. The seeds of this unique plant are especially used in edible oil, soap, paint, varnish and lacquer production. Its flowers are used in vegetable dye production and medicinal purposes beside its features as a coloring and flavoring in food. After the oil is removed, the remaining pulp and plant parts are used as animal feed, and dry straw residues are used as fuel. Beside all these features, its usage as a herbal medicinal plants for various diseases has gained importance on recent years. In this study, it was designed a plant metabolomic approach which transfers all the recent data processing strategies of untargeted metabolomics in clinical applications to the present study. Q-TOF LC/MS-based analysis of the extracts (70% ethanol, hexane, and chloroform) for both seed and flowers was performed using a C18 column (Agilent Zorbax 1.8 µM, 100 × 2.1 mm). Differences were observed in seed and fruit extracts and these differences were visualized using principal component analysis (PCA) plots. The total number and intersections of the peaks in the extracts were visualized using peak count comparison graph. Based on the experimental results, the number of the detected peaks for seeds was higher than the ones for the flowers for all solvent systems to extract the samples.