• 한국식품위생안전성학회지
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• 제30권3호
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• pp.258-264
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• 2015

본 연구는 윈터체리 추출물의 미백 활성을 검증하여 기능성 미백 소재로서의 가능성을 확인하였다. 먼저, DPPH, ABTS, FRAP를 이용한 항산화 활성 검증에서 윈터체리 추출물은 매우 높은 항산화 효과를 보였으며, 티로시나아 제의 활성에도 농도 의존적인 억제 효과를 보여주었다. 마우스 유래 B16-F10 멜라노마 세포를 이용한 멜라닌 생성에서 윈터체리 추출물이 미치는 영향을 확인한 결과, 세포 내에서 생합성 되는 멜라닌의 양이 상당히 감소하고 있음을 확인하였다. 또한, 멜라닌 생성을 더욱 유도하는 ${\alpha}-MSH$를 세포에 처리하였을 때, 윈터체리 추출물은 농도 의존적인 억제 효능을 보여주었다. 이러한 윈터체리 추출물의 멜라닌 생성 억제는 MITF 전사인자의 발현을 억제함으로써 일어나고, 결과적으로 멜라닌 생합성과 관련된 티로시나아제와 Tyrp-1 등의 단백질 발현을 감소시킴으로써 일어나게 됨을 확인하였다. 이러한 결과들로 볼 때, 윈터체리 추출물은 기존의 미백 원료들을 대체할 수 있을 뿐만 아니라 함께 사용할 경우 상승 효과를 낼 수 있는 새로운 미백 소재로 활용될 수 있을 것이다.

• 셀메드
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• 제9권1호
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• pp.1.1-1.13
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• 2019

Background: Contents of bioactive substances extractable from different parts of terrestrial plants vary enormously. Aim: To ascertain that parts of Withania somnifera other than its roots can also be used for prevention and cure of unavoidable stress triggered central hypersensitivity to pain. Material and Methods: Groups of male or female mice treated either with Withania somnifera extracts or with metformin, aspirin, imipramine, diazepam and niacin for 11 consecutive days were subjected to "foot-shock stress-induced hyperthermia" and "hot plate" tests on the 1st, 5th, 7th, and 10th days of the experiments. On the 11th day, they were subjected to tail suspension test and on 12th day pentobarbital hypnosis test. Results: Except for diazepam and imipramine, protective effects of all other tested drugs as well as of the Withania somnifera extracts against stress-induced central hypersensitivity to pain were accompanied by their preventive effects against foot-shock stress-induced body weight losses. All observed stress response suppressing effects of all test agents increased with increasing numbers of treatment days. However, mean duration of pentobarbital-induced sleep was shorter in the extracts treated groups and longer in the diazepam treated ones only. Conclusions: Reported observations reveal that pharmacological activity profile of Withania somnifera extracts in male and female mice are almost identical, and are not like those of several drugs currently often prescribed for the treatment of diabetes-associated comorbidities. Withanolides are not the only extractable bioactive constituents of Withania somnifera. The described bioassay system is well suited for pharmacological standardization of diverse types of Withania somnifera extracts.

• 식물분류학회지
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• 제41권2호
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• pp.103-107
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• 2011

가지과 Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal의 종자 해부학적 특징을 알기 위하여 광학현미경과 주사전자 현미경을 사용하여 관찰하였다. 종자의 색깔은 노랑색이고, 종자의 형태는 신장형이며, 크기가 2−3 mm 정도이다. 종자는 종의를 가지고 있지 않았으며, 배유가 잘 발달한 유배유종자였다. 종피형태는 외종피외층형으로 나타났다. 종피는 외종피만으로 구성되는 단주피성 이었으며, 한 층의 외종피외층, 여러 층의 외종피중층, 그리고 한 층의 외종피내층으로 구성되었다. 그러나 종자가 완전히 성숙했을 때는 외종피중층이 모두 압착되었으며, 외종피외층은 특징적으로 파상형의 후벽세포로 발달하였다. 종피의 표면은 망상구조를 가지며, 수층 벽구조는 파상형으로 발달하였고, 표면에 여러 개의 구멍이 발달하는 특징이 관찰되었다.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• 제60권1호
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• pp.2.1-2.5
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• 2018

Infectious Bursal Disease is a severe viral disease of chicken responsible for serious economic losses to poultry farmers. The causative agent, Infectious Bursal Disease virus, is inhibited by nitric oxide. Root extract of the Indian ginseng, Withania somnifera, inhibits Infectious Bursal Disease virus in vitro. Also, Withania somnifera root extract is known to induce nitric oxide production in vitro. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to determine if the inhibitory activity of Withania somnifera against Infectious Bursal Disease virus was based on the production of nitric oxide. We show that besides other mechanisms, the inhibition of Infectious Bursal Disease virus by Withania somnifera involves the production of nitric oxide. Our results also highlight the paradoxical role of nitric oxide in the pathogenesis of Infectious Bursal Disease.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제17권5호
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• pp.2723-2726
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• 2016

Cancer represent one of the most serious health problems and major causes of death around the world. Many anticancer drugs in clinical use today are natural products or derived from natural sources. Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal is a small shrub widely distributed in many parts of the world including Saudi Arabia. The antiproliferative activities of the methanolic extract of W. somnifera leaves collected from Faifa mountains, southwest Saudi Arabia against MCF-7, HCT116 and HepH2 cell lines were investigated. The extract showed a strong antiproliferative activity against all cell lines with $IC_{50}$ values of 3.35, 2.19 and $1.89{\mu}g/ml$, respectively. Flow cytometry results showed that the extract arrested the cell cycle at S phase, and the increase in the caspase 3 activity suggested that the extract could induce cell apoptosis by a caspase mediated pathway. These results demonstrated that the methanolic extract of W. somnifera leaves collected from Faifa mountains has comparable strong antiproliferative activities to samples collected from different locations.

• Plant Biotechnology Reports
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• 제5권2호
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• pp.127-134
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• 2011

The biotransformation potential of cell suspension cultures generated from Withania somnifera leaf was investigated, using withanolides, i.e. withanolide A, withaferin A, and withanone as precursor substrates. Interestingly, the cell suspension cultures showed inter-conversion of withanolides, as well converted to some unknown compounds, released to the culture media. The bio-catalyzed withanolide was detected and quantified by TLC and HPLC, respectively. There is noticeable conversion of withanolide A to withanone, and vice versa though at a lower level. The type of reaction of this biotransformation appears to be substitution of 20-OH group to 17-OH in withanolide A. In this paper, we present for the first time the possibility of biotransformation by inter-conversion of withanolides of pharmacological importance through cell suspension culture of W. somnifera. The possible role of putative cytochrome $P_{450}$ hydroxylases is implicated in the conversion.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제42권4호
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• pp.463-469
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• 2018

Background: Roots of Withania somnifera (WS) are a celebrated medicinal ingredient in Ayurvedic and many other indigenous systems of medicine. The present study investigates the effect of the phytochemical composition of the extracts on their antioxidant and reducing activities. Methods: WS roots were extracted with water, acetone, aqueous methanol (1:1), and methanol:-chloroform:water (1:1:1) to obtain aqueous, acetone, hydro-methanolic, and methanol-chloroform-water extracts. Thereafter, phytochemical constitution and antioxidant and reducing activities of the extracts were compared using different qualitative and quantitative tests. Results: Maximum extraction recovery was obtained with 50% aqueous methanol whereas extraction with acetone yielded the poorest recovery. Methanol-chloroform-water extract had the highest content of phytochemical constituents, except tannins, and also exhibited the highest antioxidant and reducing activities. Conclusion: Phytochemical composition and antioxidant and reducing activities of the extracts were positively associated with the use of organic solvents during the extraction process. Alkaloids and flavonoids were the most important contributors in the antioxidant and reducing activities of the extracts.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제32권4호
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• pp.473-483
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• 2022

In this study we investigated the effect of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) fermentation on the ingredients and anti-oxidant activity of Withania somnifera extract. Four strains of LAB could proliferate normally in medium containing W. somnifera extract after the pH reached 3.1~3.5. LAB fermentation increased the content of alcohols and ketones, endowing the extract with the characteristic aroma of fermentation. Compared to the control, the DPPH and ABTS free radical scavenging rates in the fermented samples were significantly improved, ranging from 48.5% to 59.6% and 1.2% to 6.4%. The content of total phenols was significantly increased by 36.1% during the fermentation of mixed bacteria. Moreover, the original composition spectrum of the extract was significantly changed while the differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs) were closely related to bile secretion, tryptophan metabolism and purine metabolism. Therefore, LAB fermentation can be used as a promising way to improve the flavor and bioactivity of the extracts of W. somnifera, making the ferments more attractive for use as functional food.

• 셀메드
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• 제5권1호
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• pp.1.1-1.13
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• 2015

Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) is an important Rasayana herb and widely considered as Indian ginseng in Ayurveda. In traditional system of Indian medicine, it is used as tonic to rejuvenate the body and increase longevity. In Ayurvedic preparations, various parts of the plant have been used to treat variety of ailments that affect the human health. However, dried roots of the plant are widely used for the treatment of nervous and sexual disorders. The major active chemical constituents of this plant are withanolides, which is responsible for its wide range of biological activities. Since the beginning of the $20^{th}$ century, a significant amount of research has been done and efforts are ongoing to further explore other bioactive constituents, and many pharmacological studies have been carried out to describe their disease preventing mechanisms. In this chapter, we have reviewed the chemistry and pharmacological basis of W. somnifera in various human ailments.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제17권9호
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• pp.4367-4375
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• 2016

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the anticancer and radio-sensitizing efficacy of a Withania somnifera extract/Gadolinium III oxide nanocomposite (WSGNC) in mice. WSGNC was injected to solid Ehrlich carcinoma-bearing mice via i.p. (227 mg/kg body weight) 3 times/week during 3 weeks. Irradiation was performed by whole body fractionated exposure to 6Gy, applied in 3 doses of 2 Gy/week over 3 weeks. Biochemical analyses as well as DNA fragmentation were performed. Treatment of solid Ehrlich carcinoma bearing mice with WSGNC combined with ${\gamma}$-radiation led to a significant decrease in the tumor size and weight associated with a significant decrease in mitochondrial enzyme activities, GSH content and SOD activity as well as a significant increase in caspase-3 activity, MDA concentration and DNA fragmentation in cancer tissues. Combined treatment of WSGNC and low dose of ${\gamma}$-radiation showed great amelioration in lipid peroxidation and antioxidant status (GSH content and SOD activity) in liver tissues in animals bearing tumors. It is concluded that WSGNC can be considered as a radio-sensitizer and anticancer modulator, suggesting a possible role in reducing the radiation exposure dose during radiotherapy.