• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.11-19
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• 2005

The root of Astragalus membranaceus (Leguminosae) has been used in traditional chinese prescriptions for strengthning the superficial resistance, promoting pus discharge and tissue regeneration, diuretis and alleviating edema. Lipid peroxidation has been suggested as a major cause of atherosclerosis, cancer, liver disease, and the aging process. In order to investigate the anti-lipid peroxidation activity, Astragali Radix was extracted with $80\%$ MeOH and fractionated with hexane, $CH_{2}Cl_2$, EtOAc, BuOH and Water. The antilipid peroxidation activities of them were determined by human erythrocyte ghost and $CCl_4$-induced lipid peroxidation. $CH_{2}Cl_2$ and EtOAc fractions, especially, isoflavonoids, 7,2'-dihydroxy-3',4'-dimethoxyisoflavan-7-O-${\beta}$-D-glucoside and calyco sin-7-O-${\beta}$-D-glucoside from EtOAc fraction showed anti-lipid peroxidation activities.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.131-138
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• 2014

Radix Astragali, the root of Astragalus (A.) membranaceus, has been applied in a variety of diseases for a long time in Asian countries such as Korea and China. In addition, the aerial parts such as leaves and stems of A. membranaceus have received a great deal of attention. Recently, the polysaccharide fraction showing a potent immunomoduating activity was isolated from the aerial parts of A. membranaceus. Thus, the aerial parts of A. membranaceus would be worthy enough for a food material and a dietary supplement. However, they should be safe even though valuable. In our previous study, it was estimated that NOAEL for female rats are 5000 mg/kg/day of the crude polysaccharide fraction from A. membranaceus-aboveground parts. As a series of safety evaluation, genotoxicity test for the crude polysaccharide fraction was carried out in this study. In conclusion, the three genotoxicity assays provided strong overall support that the crude polysaccharide fraction lacks mutagenic and/or clastogenic potential under the GLP-based test conditions. This indicates the aerial parts of A. membranaceus would be safe enough for a food material and a dietary supplement.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.133-137
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• 2009

The root of Astragalus membranaceus is a traditional folk medicine that has been used for many therapeutic purposes in Asia. It reportedly acts as an immunostimulant, tonic, hepatoprotective, diuretic, antidiabetic, analgesic, expectorant, sedative, and anticancer drug. In this study, metabolomic profiling was applied to the roots of A. membranaceus of different ages using NMR coupled with two multivariate statistical analysis methods: such as principal components analysis (PCA) and canonical discriminant analysis (CDA). This allowed various metabolites to be assigned in NMR spectra, including $\gamma$-aminobutyric acid (GABA), aspartic acid, succinic acid, glutamic acid, glutamine, N-acetyl aspartic acid, acetic acid, arginine, alanine, threonine, lactic acid, and valine. The score plot from PCA and also CDA allowed a clear separation between samples according to age.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.91-104
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• 2005

Objectives : This study was performed to investigate the effect of herbal acupuncture(Angelica gigas, Astragalus membranaceus) at Chun-wan(CV-12) and Chok-Samni(ST36) on weight gain, food intake, food efficiency, serum of lipid concentrations, liver function and HDL-cholesterol to total cholesterol ratio of rats fed high fat diet for diet for 5 weeks. Methods : Experimental groups were divided into normal group, high fat diet group(Control), high fat diet and Angelica gigas herbal acupuncture at CV12 and ST36 treated group(HA-1), high fat diet and Astragalus membranaceus herbal acupuncture at CV12 and ST36 treated Group(HA-2), high fat diet and Astragalus membranaceus herbal acupuncture at CV12 and ST36 treated Group(HA-3). Herbal acupuncture was bilaterally treated at the level of 16.7 ul/kg body weight per day. Results : Body weight were significantly decreased on 15th and 20th day in HA-1, HA-2, and decresed on 25th and 30th day in all the groups. Food intake were increased on 20th day and after were decreased on 30th day in HA-1 and HA-2. And food intake of HA-3 were decreased on 10th day and after were increased on 20th and 25th day. Total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, triglyceride and ALT were significantly decreased in HA-1, HA-2 and HA-3 groups compared with control group. HDL-cholesterol to total cholesterol ratio were significantly increased in HA-1, HA-2 and HA-3 groups compared with control group. And food efficiency were significantly decreased in HA-1 and HA-3 groups compared with control group. Especially HDL-cholesterol were increased in HA-1 Group. Conclusions : Herbal acupuncture using Angelica gigas and Astragalus membranaceus at CV12 and ST36 can manage obesity by controlling body weight, food intake and food efficiency ratio.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Crop Science Conference
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• 2022.10a
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• pp.254-254
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• 2022

Astragalus membranaceus (A. membranaceus) has traditionally been used as a medicinal plant in East Asia for the treatment ofvarious diseases. A. membranaceus belongs to the legume family and is known to be rich in substances such as flavonoids and saponins. Recent pharmacological studies of A. membranaceus have shown that the plant has immunomodulatory, anti-oxidant, anti-cancer, and anti-inflammatory effects. However, knowledge of major biosynthetic pathways in A. membranaceu is still lacking. Recently developed sequencing techniques enable high-quality transcriptome analysis in plants, which is recognized as an important part in elucidating the regulatory mechanisms of many plant secondary metabolic pathways. However, it is difficult to predict the number of transcripts because plant transcripts contain a large number of isoforms due to alternative splicing events, which can vary depending on the assembly platform used. In this study, we constructed three unigene sets using Pac-Bio isoform sequencing, Trinity and rnaSPAdes assembly for detailed transcriptome analysis mA. membranaceus. Furthermore, all genes involved in the flavonoid biosynthetic pathway were searched from three unigene sets, and structural comparisons and expression profiles between these genes were analyzed. The isoflavone synthesis was active in most tissues. Flavonol synthesis was mainly active in leaves and flowers, and anthocyanin synthesis was specific in flowers. Gene structural analysis revealed structural differences in the flavonoid-related genes derived from the three unigene sets. This study suggests the need for the application of multiple unigene sets for the analysis of key biosynthetic pathways in plants.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.34-39
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• 2003

The traditional Asian medicinal herb, roots of Astragalus (A.) membranaceus (Leguminosae), is used for many purposes, some of which are purported to stimulate the release of growth hormone in vivo. Extracts of A. membranaceus were tested to determine whether they stimulate the release of growth hormone in rat pituitary cell culture. A. membranaceus was extracted sequentially with 80% ethanol (fraction A), n-hexane (fraction B); the test compound from the herbal extraction was isolated using silica gel column chromatography and was identified with spectral data. Test compound was also extracted by traditional boiling water methods. Induction of growth hormone in pituitary cell culture was conducted with isolated compounds and extracted fractions of A. Radix (dried roots of A. membranaceus). The fraction A was not active in the rat pituitary cell culture, but the fraction B derived from the ethanol fraction stimulated the release of growth hormone in culture. Six compounds from fraction B (1-6) were isolated and identified previously. The compounds 1,2-benzendicarboxylic acid diisononylester (1), $\beta$-sitosterol (2), and 3-Ο-$\beta$-D-galactopyranosyl-$\beta$-sitosterol (5) did not induce growth hormone release in the culture. Formononetin (3), 9Z, 12Z-octadecadienoic acid (4), stigmast-4-en-6$\beta$-o1-3-one (6) and 98-E, a mixture of 1'-9, 12-octadecadienoic acid (Z,Z)-2',3'-dihydroxy-propylester (7) and 1'-hexadecanoic acid-2',3'-dihydroxy-propylester (8) stimulated the release of growth hormone in the rat pituitary cell culture significantly compared to the control. In conclusions, four compounds isolated from extracts of A. Radix induced growth hormone release in the rat pituitary cell culture. The 98-E isolate was the most active inducer of growth hormone release.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.372-380
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• 2012

This study was conducted to determine the contents of astragalosides in Astragalus membranaceus. The total astragaloside content ($1701{\mu}g\;g^{-1}$) of 2 year-cultivated astragalus was the highest among the variously cultivated astragalus plants. Upon an increase in cultivation time, the average value of the total astragaloside content decreased (from $1650{\mu}g\;g^{-1}$ to $645{\mu}g\;g^{-1}$). Especially, the content of astragaloside decreased rapidly. Comparison between the top and subterranean parts of harvested astragalus plants showed that as the cultivation time increased, the astragaloside content of the top part decreased. On the other hand, the subterranean part demonstrated the opposite pattern. The astragaloside content of the top root increased compared to that in the lateral root (from $1.9{\mu}g\;g^{-1}$ to $33.4{\mu}g\;g^{-1}$). Further, the content of astragaloside increased in the top root as the cultivation time increased.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.83-89
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• 2011

This studies were conducted to investigate the growth responses and yields of Astragalus membranaceus Bunge which were grown with organic cultivation using two organic fertilizers and two green manure crops of hairy vetch and rye in 2008 and 2009. The lengths of stems and roots were not clearly different between organic and conventional cultivations. The root diameters and the branch numbers were slightly thicker and more in all treatments of organic cultivation than that of conventional cultivation in 2008, although they were not significantly different between two cultivating methods in 2009. The dry weights of shoot and root were heavier on organic cultivation than those on conventional cultivation. The T/R ratios were commonly higher in organic culture, showing more clearly in 2008 than 2009. The yields were generally higher in organic cultivation than those in conventional cultivation in 2008 although the effect did not clear on yield in 2009. The organic cultivation using of organic fertilizers and green manure crops would be new method to have safety and qualitative products. The techniques of organic cultivation for Astragalus membranaceus Bunge would be studied more on utilizing the natural organic resources.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.313-327
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• 2017

The purpose of this study is to predict the effects of macroscopic and integrative therapies by finding active ingredients, potential targets of Astragalus membranaceus (Am) and Cornus officinalis (Co) for diabetic nephropathy. We have constructed network pharmacology-based systematic and network methodology by system biology, chemical structure, chemogenomics. We found several active ingredients of Astragalus membranaceus (Am) and Cornus officinalis (Co) that were speculated to bind to specific receptors which had been known to have a role in the progression of diabetic nephropathy. Four components of Am and eleven components of Co could bind to iNOS; two ingredients of Am and six ingredients of Co could docking to cGB-PDE; one component of Am and nine components of Co could bind to ACE; three ingredients of Co with neprilysin; three components of Co with ET-1 receptor; four ingredients of Am and fourteen ingredients of Co with mineralocorticoid receptor; one component of Am and seven components of Co with interstitial collagenase; one ingredient of Am and ten ingredients of Co with membrane primary amine oxidase; one component of Am and four components of Co with JAK2; two ingredients of Am and one ingredient of Co with MAPK 12; one component of Am and five components of Co could docking to TGF-beta receptor type-1. From this work we could speculate that the possible mechanisms of Am and Co for diabetic nephropathy are anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antihypertensive effects.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.15-21
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• 2010

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of Lycii fructus and Astragalus membranaceus mixed extracts on immunomodulators and prevention in a streptozotocin-induced diabetes rat model. A total of 28 male rats were divided into four dietary groups and fed a commercial diet (A), commercial diet plus induced diabetes by a streptozotocin (STZ) injection (B), induced diabetes by STZ plus medicinal crop extracts(I&$H^{(R)}$) diet (C), and medicinal crop extracts (I&$H^{(R)}$) diet (D). Immunoblotting analyses revealed cytokine expression, and ELISA analyses revealed immunoglobulin E and nitric oxide production. As a results, the tumor necrosis factor-$\alpha$ (TNF-$\alpha$) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) as a inflammatory cytokine were decreased. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and signal transducer and activation of transcription 3 (STAT3) cytokine related in diabetes expression through JAK/STAT3 pathway were also decreased. Furthermore, immunoglobulin E and nitric oxide production were decreased in the serum and lens, respectively. These results suggest that Lycii fructus and Astragalus membranaceus mixed extracts provide positive effects on immunomodulators and prevention in diabetes and eye disease complications.