• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.171-173
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• 2006

Trichomonicidal activity of thirty methanolic herbal extracts used in traditional medicine in Korea was evaluated. Trichomonas vaginalis was used as experimental model, and anti-Trichomonas activity was determined over cultures of the parasite in TYM Diamond medium. Six methanolic extracts such as Acanthopanacis Cortex, Agrimoniae Herba, Pulsatillae Radix, Sanguisorbae Radix, Sophorae Radix, and Torilidis Fructus showed more than 50% trichomonicidal activity at the concentration of 200 g/ml. These extracts were further fractionated into n-butanol soluble and aqueous phases. Except for Acanthopanacis Cortex, all of n-butanol soluble phases showed potent trichomonicidal activity, while none of aqueous phases exhibited trichomonicidal activity.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.371-373
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• 1990

The hypoglycemic activity of water extracts of fifty six medicinal plants were evaluated in the streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice. Twelve medical plants have significantly antidiabetic activity ; Mori RADICIS cORTEX, Kwang Fang Chi Radix, Paeoniae Radix, Eugeniae Flos, Atractylodis Rhizoma, Opiopogonis Tuber, Rosae Multiflorae Fructus, Glycyrrhizae Radix, Tetrapanacis Medulla, Bigno, Forsythiae Fructus Sophorae Radix.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.313-317
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• 1997

Twenty seven plant extracts were selected on the basis of ancient literature search for rheurnatoid arthritis or similar syndrome. Methanol extract of each plant was prepared and administered orally to rats everyday at a dose of 200 mg/kg/day. Experimental arthritis was induced by subplantar injection of heat-killed Mycobacterium butyricum to right hind paw of rats. This treatment provoked swelling of the treated paw in two phases, acute primary swelling and secondary arthritic swelling. An inhibition of secondary swelling was considered to be antiarthritic activity. Several plant methanol extracts such as Akebia quinata (caulis), Ephedla sinica (herba) and 5ophorae subprostratd (radix) were found to show significant inhibitory activity against secondary swelling at the dose tested. Our results strongly suggested an antiarthritic potential of these plant extracts.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.109-116
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• 2000

This study was carried out to screen herbs among herbal plants showing antimicrobial activity against some food spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms. One hundred fifteen kinds of herbal plants were extracted by 70% ethanol, and then they have been screened for antimicroorganisms. Six herbal plants such as Salviae radix, Dryopteris rhizoma, Terminaliae fructus, Araliae radix, Psoraleae fructus and Schisandrae fructus showed strong antimicrobial activities against Bacillus subtilis. Antimicrobial activities were showed in Anemarrhena radix and Dryopteris rhizoma on Candida albicans, and in Anemarrhenae radix, Dryopteris rhizoma and Polygalae radix on Schizosaccharomyces sp. It was revealed that eight herbal plants such as Dryopteris rhizoma, Salviae radix, Sappan ligunum, Sinomeniae radix, Schisandrae fructus, Rhui fructus, Sophorae radix and Inulae radix also showed antimicrobial activities on Streptococcus mutans. In addition, Anemarrhena radix, Curcuma tuber, Inulae radix, Polygonum radix, Sanguisorbae radix, Scutellariae radix and Terminaliae fructus and showed antimicrobial activities on Trichophyton mentagrophytes. Four kinds of herbal plants such as Dropteris rhizoma, Salviae radix, Terminaliae fructus and Scutellariae radix which showed broad antimicrobial spectrums were mixed by 1 : 1 ratio with the other herbal paints showing relatively strong microbial activities such as Terminaliae fructus, Sinomeniae radix and Scutellariae radix etc. The extracts of mixed herbal paints showed higher antimicrobial activities than those of single herbal plant.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.32 no.3 s.126
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• pp.193-199
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• 2001

The inhibitory effects of methanol extracts of 135 medicinal herbs on diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT) activity were investigated. DGAT was partially purified from rat liver. Eleven kinds of methanol extracts of medicinal herbs including Evodiae Fructus showed a mild inhibitory effect with the concentration of $125\;{\mu}g/ml$ (above 40% inhibition). Six kinds of methanol extracts including Ephedrae Herba exhibited a weak inhibition. Among them, three kinds of butanol extracts (Sophorae Radix, Arecae Semen, Caesalpiniae Lignum) and the chloroform extracts of Evodiae Fructus showed significant inhibitory activities (above 60% inhibition) at the same concentration.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.54 no.3
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• pp.189-192
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• 2014

This study evaluated the antibacterial effects of a mixture of Sophorae radix and Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fischer (1 : 1) ethanol extracts (SGE) on mice infected with Streptococcus (S.) pyogenes. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration of SGE necessary for antibacterial effects against S. pyogenes were $20{\mu}g/mL$. Based on the time-kill curves for S. pyogenes, SGE was effective at $4{\times}$ MIC after 16 h. On Day 12 after challenge, the survival rate of mice treated with 2.0 mg/kg SGE was 60%. In conclusion, SGE had potent in vitro and in vivo antibacterial activities against S. pyogenes.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.273-279
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• 2000

Leukotriene $B_4\;(LTB_4)$ is a pro-inflammatory mediator synthesized in myeloid cells from arachidonic acid. Elevated levels of $LTB_4$ have been found in a number of inflammatory diseases and levels are related to disease activity in some of these. Because $LTB_4$ interacts with cells through specific cell surface receptors, $LTB_4$ receptor blockade is the most specific approach to reduce the pathogenic role of $LTB_4$. In order to find $LTB_4$ receptor antagonist from plants, we screened the $LTB_4$ receptor antagonistic activity of the methanol extract and solvent fractions of herbal drugs. The ability of samples to inhibit specific binding of $[^3H]-LTB_4$ to human peripheral neutrophils was used as assay to evaluate the antagonistic activity of plant materials. Among the tested methanol extracts of herbal drugs, Mori Radicis Cortex, Perillae Semen, Armeniacae Semen and Sophorae subprostratae Radix showed potent inhibitory activity above 70% at the concentration of $100\;{mu}g/ml$. The inhibitory activities of $LTB_4$ binding to human neutrophils were evaluated for several solvent fractions at three different concentrations. Especially, hexane soluble fractions of Anemarrhenae Rhizoma and Embeliae Radix, and ethyl acetate soluble fractions of Aristolochiae Fructus, Magnoliae Cortex and Zingiberis Rhizoma crudus showed moderate activity at $25\;{mu}g/ml$. These fractions were promising candidates for the study of the activity-guided chromatographic purification of active compounds. Silica gel column chromatography of hexane soluble fractions of Anemarrhenae Rhizoma and Embeliae Radix gave very active sub-fractions, AA-4 and ES-4, and their inhibition activities of $LTB_4$ binding to human neutrophil at $30\;{mu}g/ml$ were 78% and 62%, respectively. From these results we could anticipate new $LTB_4$ receptor antagonist from herbal drugs, and the block of $LTB_4$ effects may provide beneficial in neutrophil mediated diseases such as inflammation and bronchial asthma.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.215-219
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• 2010

In this study, we investigated effects of Monegy (mixture of Sophorae Radix, Panax ginseng, Salvia miltiorrhiza BUNGE) on epilate-induced hair-loss in dorsal region of C57/BL6 mice and external structure of human hair. For morphological and histological analysis in scalp of epilate-induced hair-loss animal model, we utilized several microscopic techniques, such as confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and LAS 4000. Confocal analysis showed the distribution of FITC-conjugated Monegy and penetration depth compared with normal and control group. Furthermore, when Monegy was topically administrated onto a C57BL6 mouse, it penetrated very well. The fluorescence intensity was increased upto 205 and 113 folds compared to normal and control group, respectively. Also, area of fluorescence was increased to upto 255 to 127 folds compared to normal and control group. Broad scale area of fluorescence in dermis region was observed in the Monegy-treated mice. Furthermore, Monegy induced upto 75% hair repair against depilation. It might be promoted via the induction of growth factors in hair follicle.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.335-342
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• 2013

Sophorae radix extract (SRE) has been registered as an environment-friendly organic material that is widely used in the cultivation of crops in Korea. Matrine, the active ingredient in SRE, was reported as a toxic substance in the nervous system in mice. However, no information is available on its toxic effects in other organisms. Therefore, antimutagenicity and two kinds of genotoxicity tests (bacterial reverse mutation and chromosome aberration test) of two samples of SRE were investigated in this study. Antimutagenicity test was experimented by using bacterial reverse mutation test. In the reverse mutation test, Salmonella Typhimurim TA98, TA1535 and TA1537 were used to evaluate the mutagenic potential of SRE. Bacterial reverse mutation test was also performed on positive and negative control groups in the presence of the metabolic activation system (with S-9 mix) and metabolic non-activation system (without S-9 mix). In the chromosome aberration test, Chinese hamster lung cells were exposed to SRE for 6 or 24 hours without S-9 mix, or for 6 hours with S-9 mix. Negative and positive control groups were experimented for chromosome aberration test. As a result, the number of mutated colonies induced by 4-NQO were reduced by SRE treatment in all strains, indicating that SRE may have antimutagenic effects. Reverse mutation was not shown at all concentrations of SRE, regardless of application of the metabolic activation system. In the chromosomal aberration test, one of the SRE sample gave a suspicious positive result at 250 ${\mu}g/ml$ in the presence of S-9 mix. For the more adequate evaluation of the genotoxic potential of SRE samples, other in vivo genotoxicity study is needed.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.276-281
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• 2011

Oxidative stress or the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) leads neuronal cellular death and dysfunction, and it contributes to neuronal degenerative disease such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and stroke. Glutamate-induced oxidative injury contributes to neuronal degeneration in many central nervous system (CNS) diseases, such as epilepsy and ischemia. Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) enzyme plays an important role of cellular antioxidant system against oxidant injury. The expression of HO-1 has cytoprotective effects in glutamate-induced oxidative cytotoxicity in HT22 cells. The induction of HO-1 is primarily regulated at the transcriptional level, and its induction by various inducers is related to the nuclear transcription factor-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2). Nrf2 is a master regulator of the antioxidant response. NNMBS008, the water-insoluble fraction of the 70% EtOH extract of roots of Sophora flavescens, showed dominant neuroprotective effects on glutamate-induced neurotoxicity in mouse hippocampal HT22 cells by induced the expression of HO-1 and increased HO activity. In mouse hippocampal HT22 cells, NNMBS008 makes the nuclear accumulation of Nrf2 pathway. In conclusion, the waterinsoluble fraction of the 70% EtOH extract of roots of S. flavescens (NNMBS008) significantly protect glutamate-induced oxidative damage by induction of HO-1 via Nrf2 pathway in mouse hippocampal HT22 cells. These results suggest that these extracts could be the effective candidates for the treatment of ROS-related neurological diseases.