• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.37 no.1 s.144
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• pp.16-20
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• 2006

The protective effects of the aqueous MeOH extracts of stem and root Acanthopanax koreanum Nakai against oxidative stress were investigated. Anti-oxidant activity of the stem extract of A. koreanum was observed in the DPPH free radical scavenging $(IC_{50}=58.7\;{\mu}g/ml)$ and the SOD test $(IC_{50}=17.52\;{\mu}g/ml)$. According to data analysis of cell survival ratio of normal fibroblasts, the skin irritation by both extracts from A. koreanum was concerned. However, in the skin primary parch test, both extracts obtained Grade I, which means that there was no skin irritation. After induction of oxidative irritation, cell survival ratio of normal fibroblasts was also monitored and it turned out that stress-inducing group with both extracts had more increased cell survival ratio. The cell extension of the stress-inducing group treated with the stem extract was most dominant in morphological study. Based on these results, the stem extract of A. koreanum showed the protective effect against oxidative stress on normal fibroblast.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.61-65
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• 2011

Acanthopanax senticosus, a member of the Araliaceae used as an invigorant in traditional Korean medicine, is known to relieve physical fatigue. The principal objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of eggs laid by hens fed on Acanthopanax senticosus extracts on physical endurance and reproductive parameters. Male Sprague-Dawley rats at 4 wk of age were divided into 3 groups of 15 rats each: group A (14% egg yolk powder from hens fed with Acanthopanax senticosus extracts+86% AIN-93G), group B (14% plain egg yolk powder + 86% AIN-93G) and group C (7% fat source + 93% AIN-93G), and studied for 5 wk. The rats' physical endurance was measured via forced swimming tests. According to the results, 53.3% rats of group A swam for longer than 20 min, in group B and C, only 48.9% and 46.7% of the rats achieved this. In terms of reproductive parameters, sperm motility was significantly higher in group A than in groups B and C (p<0.05). However, no differences in sperm count were detected among the groups. Additionally, the serum testosterone levels of groups A and B were higher than that of group C. Our findings suggest that rats fed with egg yolk powder from hens fed on Acanthopanax senticosus extracts may improve athletic endurance and reproductive parameters in rats.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.112-116
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• 2003

The antitumor and immunostimulating activities of Acanthopanax sessiliflorus fruits were investigated. Polysaccharide isolated from this plant, when administered consecutively for 9 days at 50 and 100 mg/kg i.p. in mice, caused a significant increase in the life span and a significant decrease in the tumor weight and volume in mice inoculated with Sarcoma-180 tumor cells. Polysaccharide was also demonstrated to exhibit phagocytosis-enhancing activity as measured by the carbon clearance in mice. Polysaccharide, when administered i.p. at 50 and 100 mg/kg/day for 3 consecutive days, exhibited a significant RCtr/RCc [the rate of regression coefficient of the animals teated (RCtr) to that of the control (RCc)], being 1.44 (PI = 1), 1.52 (PI = 2) which was approximately the same with that of enhancement of phagocytosis, its potency as expressed by the regression coefficient ratio of zymosan (RCtr/RCc = 1.55, PI = 2), a typical phagocytosis enhancer. Polysaccharide also caused a significant increase in the acid phosphatase activity representing lysosomal enzymes in macrophages at 1-100 ig/ml in vitro in compliance with in vivo results. These results suggest that the antitumor activity of polysaccharide might be related to the immunostimulating function.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.550-555
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• 2012

TRPA1 and TRPV1 are members of the TRP superfamily of structurally related, nonselective cation channels. TRPA1 and TRPV1 are often co-expressed in sensory neurons and play an important role in somatosense such as cold, pain, and irritants. The first leaves of Kalopanax pictus Nakai (Araliaceae) have long been used as a culinary ingredient in Korea because of their unique chemesthetic flavor. In this study, we observed the intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ response to cultured cells expressing human TRPA1 (hTRPA1) and human TRPV1 (hTRPV1) by $Ca^{2+}$ imaging analysis to investigate the ability of the first leaves of K. pictus to activate the hTRPA1 and hTRPV1. An 80% ethanol extract of K. pictus (KPEx) increased intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ influx in a response time- and concentration-dependent manner via either hTRPA1 or hTRPV1. KPEx-induced response to hTRPA1 was markedly attenuated by ruthenium red, a general blocker of TRP channels, and HC-030031, a specific antagonist of TRPA1. In addition, the intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ influx attained with KPEx to hTRPV1 was mostly blocked by ruthenium red, and capsazepine, a specific antagonist of TRPV1. These results indicate that KPEx selectively activates both hTRPA1 and hTRPV1, which may provide evidence that the first leaves of K. pictus primarily activate TRPA1 and TRPV1 to induce their unique chemesthetic sense.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2000.10a
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• pp.114-115
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• 2000

Aralia elata is found in mountain areas all over Korean peninsula. Aralia elata is the scientific name for Japanese angelica tree. The tree belongs to the family Araliaceae, commonly known as ginseng family. Bud sprouts from apical shoot tip of the plants are rich in flavor and thus mainly used for both folk medicine and vegetable. The stalks with apical buds are gathered in the early spring and planted in sandy soil or water in the greenhouse. The sprouting buds are then collected and sold as fresh vegetable. Although the plants have been used for food, they have been cultivated in a very small scale. In spring, local farmers just go around mountain areas to search the trees and gather the stalks as much as they get and sell them to the market. No conservation efforts have been made to stop the exploitation or to save the dwindling population. We tried to provide local farmers with the plants that may be used as an alternative to stalks from wild populations. This will bel! p conserve the wild populations. However, it is hard to propagate them either by conventional cuttings or by seed germination in a short period of time. Mass propagation using tissue culture systems have shown a great promise with several woody plants. Recently we developed a mass propagation technique via somatic embryogenesis system using mature and/or juvenile explants for Aralia elata. Several factors affecting somatic embryogenesis system including SE(somatic embryo) induction, embryogenic callus proliferation, SE germination, plant regeneration and transplanting to field frill be presented. And some problems arising for the somatic embryogenesis system will be also discussed.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2010.10a
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• pp.19-19
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• 2010

황칠나무(Dendropanax morbifera Lev.)는 두릅나무과(Araliaceae)에 속하며 학명에서 뜻하는 바와 같이 목본 (Dendro), 전능약(Panax)이라는 의미가 있고 나무인삼이라 불리기도 하며 줄기에 상처를 내면 노란액이 나온다고 해서 황칠나무(D. morbifera)라는 이름이 붙여졌다. 두릅나무과는 우리나라에서 최고의 약재들로 손꼽히는 인삼(Panax ginseng), 가시오갈피(Eleutherococcus senticosus) 등의 약용식물을 포함하고 있어서 황칠나무는 황칠수지액 이외에 약용식물로서의 무한한 개발 가능성을 내포하고 있다. 따라서 본 실험은 황칠나무의 기내 부정근 유도 및 증식조건의 확립을 목적으로 수행되었다. 우선 황칠나무의 기내 발아체로부터 부위(잎, 줄기, 뿌리)를 달리하여 부정근을 유도한 결과, 잎은 줄기나 뿌리보다 양호한 부정근의 유도를 보였다. 또한 유도된 부정근을 이용하여 옥신의 종류에 따른 부정근 유도율을 조사한 결과 IBA와 NAA는 IAA와 2.4-D보다 높은 유도율을 보였다. IBA의 농도에 따른 유도율과 증식효율은 IBA가 1.0 mg/L 첨가되었을 때 가장 높은 유도 및 증식효율을 보였다. 최적의 액체배지조건을 확인하고자 sucrose의 농도와 염농도를 달리하여 실험한 결과 1/2MS 배지는 MS 배지보다 10%정도 높은 증식율을 보였다. 액체배양 된 황칠나무의 부정근을 각각 1/2MS 배지에 30 g/L sucrose, 3.0 mg/L IBA가 첨가된 5 L volume 생물반응기에 4주 간 배양한 대조구와 2주 후 IBA의 농도를 1.0으로 낮추어 배양한 실험구에서 2주후 IBA의 농도를 낮추어 배양한 실험구에서 대조구보다 약 2배 높은 부정근의 증식량을 보였다. 결국, 황칠나무의 종자발아체를 이용하여 부정근의 유도 및 증식조건에 필요한 기내배양조건을 확립하였고, 플라스크와 생물반응기 배양을 통해 효율적인 실험실 내 증식조건을 확립하였다. 본 실험결과는 향후 황칠나무 천연추출물을 활용한 향장품/식,의약품 소재의 대량확보 차원에서 중요한 가치를 내포하고 있다고 조심스럽게 사료된다.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2011

Korean ginseng is a medicinally important perennial herb from the family Araliaceae. It has been cultivated for its highly valued medicinal properties for over 1,000 years in east Asian countries such as China, Korea, and Japan. Due to its longtime cultivation in shady areas, ginseng is frequently exposed to pathogenic infections. Plants protect themselves from microbial pathogens using an array of defense mechanisms, some of which are constitutively active, while others are activated upon pathogen invasion. These induced defense responses, controlled by defense-related genes, require tradeoffs in terms of plant fitness. We hypothesize that ginseng, as with other plants, possesses regulatory mechanisms that coordinate the activation of attacker-specific defenses in order to minimize fitness costs while attaining optimal resistance. Several classes of defense-related genes are induced by infection, wounds, irradiation, and other abiotic stresses. Both salicylates and jasmonates have been shown to cause such responses, although their specific roles and interactions in signaling and development are not fully understood in ginseng. This review summarizes possible defense-related genes in ginseng based on their expression patterns against biotic and abiotic stresses and describes their functional roles.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2010.10a
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• pp.11-11
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• 2010

The Korean ginseng, Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer is a popular medicinal herb in Araliaceae. Genetic map in crops provides valuable information for breeding, genetic and genomic researches. However, little information is available for construction of genetic map in ginseng. Up to now, we have produced large amounts of expressed sequence tags (ESTs) from four ginseng cultivars (37Mb, 49Mb, 39Mb, 47Mb from Gopoong, Gumpoong, Chunpoong and Yunpoong respectively using pyrosequencing technique and 5Mb from normalized full-length cDNA library of Chunpoong) to obtain comprehensive information of gene expression, and constructed EST database including ESTs from public database. Till now, we designed 261 SSR primer sets using EST sequences and identified 106 intergenic polymorphic markers. And 44 of the 106 showed polymorphisms among panax ginseng cultivars. Among 44 markers, 27 SSR polymorphic markers were inspected to 51 $F_2$ population from Yunpoong x Chunpoong, which showed good at the fitness of Mendellian segregation ratio 1:2:1. To enrich the number of markers, and thus construct high resolution genetic map which can be used as frame map for further genome sequencing. we are planning to develop large scale EST-derived SNP markers which are available in the F2 population. This study provides genetic information as well as foundation for ginseng researches such as genetics, genomics, breeding, and the final goal for whole genome sequencing. This study was supported by Technology Development Program for Agriculture and Forestry, Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Republic of Korea (Grant No. 609001-051SB210).

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.93-98
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• 2009

To understand the anti-allergic mechanism of compound K, which is a metabolite of ginsenoside Rb1, a main constituent of the root of Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer (family Araliaceae), its inhibitory effect against IgE-antigen complex IAC)-induced passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) reaction in mice and mRNA and protein expressions of allergic cytokines in lAC-stimulated RBL-2H3 cells were investigated. Orally administered ginsenoside Rb1 more potently inhibited PCA reaction when administered at 5 h prior to the lAC treatment than when administered at I h before. However, compound K orally administered 1 h before lAC treatment showed a more potent anti-PCA reaction effect than when treated at 5 h before. Orally administered ginsenoside Rb1 more potently inhibited PCA reaction induced by lAC in mice than intraperitoneally treated one, apart from orally administered its metabolite, compound K, which was more potent than the orally administered one. The compound K, a metabolite of ginsenoside Rb1, inhibited mRNA and protein expressions of IL-4 and TNF-${\alpha}$ and the activation of their transcription factor NF-$\kappa$B and MAPK in lAC-stimulated RBL-2H3 cells. These findings suggest that orally administered ginsenoside Rb1 may be dependent on its metabolism by intestinal microflora in the intestine and the compound K may improve allergic diseases by the inhibition of IL-4 and TNF-${\alpha}$ expresseion.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2000.10b
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• pp.16-17
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• 2000

Aralia elata is found in mountain areas all over Korean peninsula. Aralia elata is the scientific name for Japanese angelica tree. The tree belongs to the family Araliaceae, commonly known as ginseng family. Bud sprouts from apical shoot tip of the plants are rich in flavor and thus mainly used for both folk medicine and vegetable. The stalks with apical buds are gathered in the early spring and planted in sandy soil or water in the greenhouse. The sprouting buds are then collected and sold as fresh vegetable. Although the plants have been used for food, they have been cultivated in a very small scale. In spring, local farmers just go around mountain areas to search the trees and gather the stalks as much as they get and sell them to the market. No conservation efforts have been made to stop the exploitation or to save the dwindling population. We tried to provide local farmers with the plants that may be used as an alternative to stalks from wild populations. This will hel! p conserve the wild populations. However, it is hard to propagate them either by conventional cuttings or by seed germination in a short period of time. Mass propagation using tissue culture systems have shown a great promise with several woody plants. Recently we developed a mass propagation technique via somatic embryogenesis system using mature and/ or juvenile explants for Aralia elata. Several factors affecting somatic embryogenesis system including SE(somatic embryo) induction, embryogenic callus proliferation, SE germination, plant regeneration and transplanting to field will be presented. And some problems arising for the somatic embryogenesis system will be also discussed.lso discussed.