• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.47-52
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• 2002

In order to search for insulin-like substances from the constituted herbs of Sogal prescriptions, we selected 19 traditional herbs, based on a review of the Donguibogam. The effects of the hot-water extract from the selected herbs on the proliferation and the differentiation of 3T3-L1 fibroblasts were tested. The various water-extracts from Pinellia ternata, Magnolia obovata, Rheum palmatum, Acanthopanax sessiliflorun, Atractylodes japonica and Strychnos ignatii inhibited the proliferation of 3T3-L1 fibroblasts, did not influence entirely in differentiation of 3T3-L1 fibroblasts. Treatment of 3T3-L1 fibroblasts with the extract from Ephedra sinica, Trichosanthes kirilowii, Scrophularia buergeriana and Sophora flavescens significantly increased the differentiation of the cells. In conclusion, these may contain such compounds that play a role of insulin-like action.