• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.53-59
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• 2014

This study was conducted to determine the effects of seed storage temperature and pre-treatment on seed germination, seedling quality and vigor index of wild Trichosanthes kirilowii and Trichosanthes kirilowii var. japonica. As a result the highest germination rate of T. kirilowii was the 95% at seed stored in room temperature and then soaking for 24 hours in $dH_2O$. And the highest germination rate of T. kirilowii var. japonica was 96% at seed stored in $2^{\circ}C$ and then soaking for 24 hours in $GA_3$ (100 ppm). But the seed germination rate was non-significance in pre-treatment at seed stored in room temperature $2^{\circ}C$. Seedlings of T. kirilowii and T. kirilowii var. japonica showed not only the best seedling quality but also seedling vigor index in seed stored at $2^{\circ}C$ and then soaking for 24 hours in $GA_3$ (100 ppm). In this research, T. kirilowii and T. kirilowii var. japonica seed were stored in room temperature or $2^{\circ}C$, and then sown in peat moss, seed germination rate was more than 90% and production of superior quality seedlings.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.327-332
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• 2016

In this study, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of the extract of different organs such as seed, fruit and root from Trichosanthes kirilowii Maxim. (TKM) were investigated in vitro. Among organs of TKM, the methanol extract of seed showed weak 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activities with $10.4{\pm}0.1%$ and $25.5{\pm}1.1%$ at $50{\mu}g/mL$ and $100{\mu}g/mL$, respectively, and strong 2,2-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonicacid) (ABTS) radical scavenging activities with $72.4{\pm}6.3%$ and $96.4{\pm}2.3%$ at $50{\mu}g/mL$ and $100{\mu}g/mL$, respectively. Anti-inflammatory effects of the extracts were investigated by measuring nitric oxide (NO) production, mRNA expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in LPS-induced Raw 264.7 macrophage cells. The methanol extracts of seed and fruit at $50{\mu}g/mL$ potently suppressed LPS-stimulated production of NO and reduced the expression of iNOS mRNA. The methanol extracts of seed and fruit also reduced the expression of COX-2 mRNA remarkably. Therefore, seed and fruit of TKM may be utilized for a wide range of health benefits associated with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.869-876
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• 2015

Wild relative species of domesticated crops are useful genetic resources for improving agronomic traits. Cytogenetic investigations based on chromosome composition provide insight into basic genetic and genomic characteristics of a species that can be exploited in a breeding program. Here, we used FISH analysis to characterize the ploidy level, chromosome constitution, and genomic distribution o f 5S and 4 5S r ibosomal DNA (rDNA) in four wild Cucurbitaceae species, namely, Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Mansf. var. citroides L. H. Bailey (2n = 22), Melothria japonica Maxim. (2n = 22), Sicyos angulatus L. (2n = 24), and Trichosanthes kirilowii Maxim. (2n = 66, 88, 110 cytotypes), collected in different areas of Korea. All species were diploids, except for T. kirilowii, which included hexa-, octa-, and decaploid cytotypes (2n = 6x = 66, 8x = 88, and 10x = 110). All species have small metaphase chromosomes in the range of $2-5{\mu}m$. The 45S rDNA signals were localized distally compared to the 5S rDNA. C. lanatus var. citroides and M. japonica showed one and two loci of 45S and 5S rDNA, respectively, with co-localization of rDNA signals in one M. japonica chromosome. S. angulatus showed two co-localized signals of 5S and 45S rDNA loci. The hexaploid T. kirilowii cytotype showed five signals each for 45S and 5S rDNA, with three being co-localized. This is the first report of hexaploid and decaploid cytotypes in T. kirilowii. These results will be useful in future Cucurbitaceae breeding programs.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.127-133
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• 2019

The ami of our study was on the anti-obesity effect of ethanol extract from Trichosanthes kirilowii Maxim root (TKM) in murine adipocytes, 3T3-L1 cells. This study focused on anti-adipogenic activity through inhibition of cell differentiation in 3T3-L1 cells treated TKM. 100 ug/ml of non-cytotoxic TEM remarkablely inhibited content of triglycerol and suppressed expressions of $C/EBP{\alpha}$, $PPAR{\gamma}a$ and SREBP-1c related with lipogenic transcription factors in theres 3T3-L1 cells compared to (-)control cells. As phosphorylations of AMPK and ACC were incerased, HSL and CPT-1 mRNA expression increased upon TKM treatment, which involved in inhibition of fatty acid synthase expression. In conclusion, these results indicate that TKM can inhibit mRNA and protein expression of lipogenic genes in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Our study suggests that TKM has potential anti-obesity effects and is a convergence therapeutic functional agent with anti-adipogenic activity via hypolipogenesis.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.480-487
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• 2009

Atherosclerosis, slow progressing inflammatory lesion in arteries, is one of the major causes of cardiovascular diseases. As mortality due to cardiovascular disease keeps increasing in Korea, researches on pathological mechanism of atherosclerosis may be beneficial in fighting against cardiovascular diseases. It is known that migration and MMP-9 secretion of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell(VSMC) play a significant part in pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, although detailed mechanism of entire process is not clarified. We investigated whether the seeds of Trichosanthes kirilowii maxim (TS), inhibit migration and MMP-9 production of HASMC(human aortic SMC), which were induced by TNF-${\alpha}$ treatment. Migration assay showed that TS inhibited the migration of HASMC induced by TNF-${\alpha}$, in dose dependent manner. Also by Zymography MMP-9 production of HASMC was found to be reduced by TS, both in time and in dose dependent manner. Western blotting results suggest TS suppress activity of MAPkinases.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.673-677
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• 2013

In order to examine the effects of Korean cucurbitaceous plants on sonic hedgehog pathway and growth of cancer cells with over-activated hedgehog pathway, we measured the sonic hedgehog conditioned medium (shh-CM) induced alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and cell viability of pancreatic cancer cell lines by treatment of cucurbitaceous plants. Among the tested cucurbitaceous plants, Actinostemma lobatum Maxim, Cucumis sativus L., Momordica charantia L., Schizopepon bryoniaefolius Maxim and Trichosanthes kirilowii Max, var. japonica Kitam showed the potent inhibitory effects (> 50 % at $20{\mu}g/mL$) on shh-CM induced ALP activity. We also evaluated the cell viability of pancreatic cancer cells treated with the cucurbitaceous plants. The tested cucurbitaceous plants showed the very weak effects on cancer cell proliferation but, T. kirilowii Max, var. japonica Kitam presented the inhibitory effect of 72.7 % on the proliferation of pancreatic cancer cells at $20{\mu}g/mL$. Taken together, we screened the effects of Korean cucurbitaceous plants on shh-CM induced ALP activity and cell viability of pancreatic cancers to search for the modulators of the hedgehog pathway leading to the inhibition of cancer cell proliferation. T. kirilowii Max, var. japonica Kitam, among the tested cucurbitaceous plants, showed the inhibitory effects on the shh-CM induced ALP activity and the proliferation of pancreatic cancer cells.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2000.10a
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• pp.52-63
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• 2000

Many plant species are used in China in traditional medicine for the prevention and treatment of cancer. This paper presents some of these species with details on other pharmacologic evaluation and its traditional Chinese meditional uses. The known bioaktivities and some chemical constituents of each of the species given. Information on bioactivities of each species resulting from tests on experimental animals are given. Many of the known chemical constituents of each species are given. Various species of plants elective for various types. In this meeting I will present on some antitumor of the plants which are as follows; (1) Akebia trifoliata(Thunb.)Koidz. ((2) Panax notoginseng(Burk.) F, H, Chen., (3) Ziziphus jujuba Mill., (4) coriolus versicolor(Fr.)Que l., (5) Trichosanthes kirilowii Maxim., (6) Ficus carica Linnaeus., (7) Acanthopanax senticosus(Rupr.et Maxim.)Harms., (8) Hibiscus mutabilis Linnaeus., (9) Arctium lappa Linnaeus., (11) Agrimonia pilosa Ledebour and (12) Hedyotis diffusa Willd.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.7-11
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• 2016

The aerial part of Trichosanthes kirilowii Maxim. (Cucurbitaceae), has long been used in traditional Korean and Chinese medicines for the treatment of heatstroke. We isolated and identified three flavones, luteolin-7-O-${\beta}$-D-glucopyranoside(1), luteolin-4'-O-${\beta}$-D-glucopyranoside(2), luteolin(3) from its methanolic extract. In the present study, we found that luteolin attenuates the lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-induced inflammation in BV2 microglial cells. Luteolin significantly inhibited LPS-induced production of pro-inflammatory mediators such as nitric oxide(NO) and prostaglandin $E_2(PGE_2)$ in BV2 microglia in a concentration-dependent manner without cytotoxic effect. Luteolin dose-dependently suppressed the protein expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase(iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2(COX-2). In addition, luteolin also showed significant induction of heme oxygenase(HO)-1. These results suggest that both the aerial part of T. kirilowii and luteolin may be good candidates to regulate LPS-induced inflammatory response.

• Weed & Turfgrass Science
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.242-247
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• 2013

Currently, methods for controlling weeds in organically produced crops have not been as effective as conventional methods. This research was carried out to determine the herbicidal effects of leaf, stem, fruit, root extracts of Trichosanthes kirilowii. The extraction methods used were water, boiling water and ethanol. The characteristics of potential herbicidal components among extraction methods were investigated by using the following solvent fractions: hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, butanol, and water. Generally, water extracts provided the best on inhibition of germination rate, plant height, and root length in cucumber and barley. Specifically, extractions made from fruit parts of T. kirilowii provided the greatest inhibition effect on plant growth in cucumber and barely. Inhibition of germination rate, plant height, and root length in cucumber and barley in solvent fractions was the best in water fractions, but there were no significant differences among the other fractions. Digitaria siliaris and Solanum nigrum were controlled 80-100% by 5% extractions of water fraction. However, there were no herbicidal effects from foliar treatment in cucumber, barley, black nightshade, and henry crabgrass by 5% extractions of the water fraction. These results show that extractions of T. kirilowii can be used for controlling some weeds in organically produced crops.

• THE JOURNAL OF KOREAN ORIENTAL ONCOLOGY
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.103-118
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• 1999

The activity of N-acetylglucosamitnyltransferase(GnT) III and V on a Melanoma B-16 was examined after incubation with interleukin 1 (IL-1). While augumenting cell proliferation, IL-1 resulted in a decrease of GnT-III activity and an increase of GnT-V activities. Consistant with this, Melanoma B-16 cultured with IL-1 showed increased affinlity to Daturam stramonium lectin, which recognizes asialo-tri- and asialeo-tetra-antenery N-linked oligosaccharides. These results indicate that IL-1 modulate glycosyltransferase activity and the oligosaccharide structure of target cells. On the other hand, to investigate whether or not TKM-SG affect GnT-V gene expression in lung metastatic carcinoma, we used RT-PCR methods. TKM-SG treated cell lines showed low levels of secretion of GnT-V mRNA transcription as elucidated by RT-PCR. Thus, with together lower GnT-V activity levels in the medium, TKM-SG was highly effective for lung cancer metastasis treatment and it was concluded that the medicine can be used as a potent anti-lung cancer metastasis medicine.