• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.277-282
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• 1998

In order to search for anti-Herpes simplex virus type 1(HSV-1) agents, we screened 80 specimens of Korean traditional medicine by SRB assay. The methanol extracts of Thujae orientalis Semen (Cupressaceae) showed strong anti-HSV activity among samples tested. From the butanol fraction of Thujae orientalis Semen anti-HSV-1 agent was isolated by chromatographic separation using Amberlite XAD-4 and Sephadex LH-20. The structure was elucidated by spectroscopic methods, and was identified as ${\beta}-sitosterol$ (compound I). Compound I exhibited anti-HSV-1 activity with $EC_{50}$ of 0.6 mg/ml and $CC_{50}$ of 5.99 mg/ml, respectively.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.16 no.2 s.75
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• pp.328-332
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• 2006

The possible presence of inhibitors of pancreatic lipase (tricaylglycerol acylhydrolase EC 3.1.1.3) was screened from Korean traditional edible or medicinal herbs. Among tested herbs, Arecae pericarpium, Mucunae Caulis, Rhus javanica, Thujae orientalis were shown to have strong inhibitory effect against pancreatic lipase. Thujae orientalis was finally selected as a candidate for pancreatic lipase inhibitor. The extract of Thujae orientalis was showed selective inhibition on porcine pancreatic lipase activity. Active inhibitors, TF-1, TF-2, TF-3, were purified from an extract of Thujae orientalis, using chloroform extraction, followed by successive chromatography in silica gel and LH-20 and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The $IC_{50}$ values of TF-1, TF-2, TF-3 and orlistat were 44.7, 98.7, 46.1 and $27.6{\mu}g/ml$, respectively. And also the TF-2 and orlistat were shown to be inhibitory effect on the differentiation of preadipocyte NIH-3T3 L1 cells at a concentration of $10{\mu}g/ml$.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.125-131
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• 2009

Korea is representative of a country that consumes herbal medicines; most of the herbal medicines circulating in South Korea have been imported from developing countries in Southeast Asia, such as China and Indonesia. Recently, domestic hygiene and safety are issues that have come to the forefront, because herbal medicines currently in circulation could possibly contain contaminants or residues. Furthermore, the appearance or discovery of harmful new species due to environmental and industrial developments is becoming a social problem. Therefore, it may be necessary to consider and investigate these matters on a continual basis. Recently, mycotoxin contaminations in such foods as cereals, nuts, and powdered red pepper have been reported. They have become a problematic issue; the possibility of contamination in herbal medicines has also been considered. Nevertheless, recognition of and research into mycotoxin contamination in herbal medicines has been scarce because herbal medicine is used in only a few nations. In this research, we identified contamination by aflatoxin which is known to be the most potent mutagenic, carcinogenic, and teratogenic mycotoxin in Thujae Semen, a herbal medicine. We also found co-contaminations involving other mycotoxins, including ochratoxin A and zeraleanone.