• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.40 no.10
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• pp.1397-1403
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• 2011

Epimedium koreanum Nakai is a wild medicinal plant commonly consumed in South Korea due to its health beneficial effects. In the present study, the antioxidative, antimutagenic and immunological activities of E. koreanum Nakai extracts were investigated for their use in food. The yields of icariin compounds from the ethanol extract as well as the ethyl acetate, butanol, hexane, water, and chloroform fractions of E. koreanum were 27.9, 2.5, 1.7, 1.4, and 1.3 ${\mu}g/g$, respectively. The icariin components (295.5 ${\mu}g/g$) were collected from the ethyl acetate fraction by thin layer chromatography (TLC) and analyzed via high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The antioxidant activities of each fraction were as follows: ethyl acetate (49.0 ${\mu}g/mL$), butanol (59.2 ${\mu}g/mL$), hexane (119.8 ${\mu}g/mL$), water (122.0 ${\mu}g/mL$), and chloroform (138.5 ${\mu}g/mL$), based on $RC_{50}$ ${\mu}g/mL$. Icariin, isolated and identified as the main component, showed strong antioxidant activity with a $RC_{50}$ value of 15.3 ${\mu}g/mL$, which was higher than those of ascorbic acid (19.5 ${\mu}g/mL$) and ${\alpha}$-tocopherol (18.2 ${\mu}g/mL$). In an Ames test, none of the fractions produced mutagenic effects on Salmonella Typhimurium TA98 and TA100. In an immunomodulating activity test, the effects of E. koreanum Nakai on B cells (Rhamos) and T cells (Jurkat) were investigated. These results show that the growth and viability of B and T cells were increased by isolated icariin components for 1.27 and 1.28 fold, respectively. These results also provide preliminary data for the development of E. koreanum Nakai as an edible food material.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.311-319
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• 2013

In an effort to characterize the physicochemical properties and microbial risks associated with the soy sauce jangachi (Korean traditional pickle), 15 different home-made products, which were prepared from medicinal plants and wild edible vegetables, from head-families of Andong, Kyungsangbuk-do Province in Korea, and 6 different commercial products sold at supermarket, were investigated. The average pH of the mature soaking solutions and plants soaked in the 21 jangachi were $3.99{\pm}0.38$ and $3.51{\pm}0.41$, and the average acidity of the mature soaking solutions and soaked plants were $1.59{\pm}0.54$ and $1.65{\pm}0.76$, respectively. The average brix of the mature soaking solutions and plants soaked were $27.67{\pm}8.38$ and $25.61{\pm}6.60$, respectively. In salinity, which is a major factor in jangachi industry production, the average salinity of the mature soaking solutions and soaked plants were $7.55{\pm}3.26$ and $5.75{\pm}2.23$, respectively. In particular, the hot-peppers, eusuri, du-rup, kaet-ip, kuji-ppong, myeng-i and sancho jangachi were amongst the home-made products, and the salinity was above 8.8%, which was 2 folds-higher than that of the commercial sterilized products, and 1/3-lower than commercial non-sterilized products. The color difference and turbidity of jangachi were dependent on the plant parts used. In microbial risk assessment, the microorganisms related with food-borne disease, such as Escherichia coli, Salmonella sp, and Shigella sp., were not detected. After some time, total cell count analysis revealed that the commercial products sold at supermarkets were more vulnerable than the home-made products.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.85-98
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• 2003

The articles, published in the Journal of Korean Forestry from Number 1(1962) to Number 6, Volume 91(2002), were surveyed and investigated for the research trend analysis about resource-plants for special use or purpose, i. e., edible plants, medicinal plants, feed resource, landscape plants, fiber plants, industrial usuage, and bee plants. If the purpose or subject matter of the research was construction or furniture timber production, mushrooms and/or pulp and paper, such research was not included in this study. These articles were classified again depending on the content of research into 14 categories: habitat environment, ecology, physiology, propagation, silviculture (tending and culture), genetics and breeding, identification, insect and disease control, animal-related research, component analysis, vegetation survey, biotechnology, management, and review. Among the total 1.434 articles published, 396 ones (27.6%) were related with plants for special use or purpose. Vegetation survey was 60 (15.2%): physiology 56(14.1%) : genetics and breeding 56(14.1%): propagation 53(13.4%): and ecology 37(9.3%). Siviculture research field included 11 articles (2.8%), which indicates that the management of resource-plants is so far from economic income as seen in the low number of management research filed articles, i. e., only 6 reports (1.5%) Korean white pine was most popular for research and included 42 articles: Robinia pseudoacacia 23: Castanea crenata 14: and ginkgo tree 14. Research related with these species had focused mainly on propagation, physiology, genetics and breeding, ecology and pest control. Based on this survey and analysis, the followings are suggested: 1. More research is required on forest herbaceous plants. 2. Cooperative research work with other industrial and/or scientific area is recommendable for commercialization including medicine, cosmetics, and food etc. 3. Research on resource-plant conservation, which includes biology, social education and policy, should be supported for next generation. 4. Mutual correspondence and information exchange about the research results between researchers and institutes is more necessary than now.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.287-297
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• 2021

Cornus officinalis Siebold & Zucc. is traditionally used as an edible and medicinal plant in many countries in East Asia. Previous studies have shown the pharmacological potential of extracts and components of C. officinalis, but comparative analysis of the composition of the leaf, stem, and fruit extracts has been insufficient to date. In the present study, the content of active antioxidant and anti-inflammatory ingredients was verified in different C. officinalis parts (under-ripe sansuyu, ripe sansuyu, seed, leaf, stem, and dried sansuyu). One active component, morroniside, was high in fruit (under-ripe and ripe sansuyu), while loganin was high in fruit (under-ripe sansuyu) and cornin was high in seeds. Total polyphenol contents were highest in fruit (ripe sansuyu) and flavonoids were highest in leaves. DPPH radical scavenging activity was highest in leaves, followed by seeds and then ripe sansuyu extract. The anti-inflammatory efficacy of leaf extracts of C. officinalis (LCO) was further investigated by measuring their effects on levels of nitric oxide (NO) and the pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6 in RAW 264.7 macrophages. Non-cytotoxic concentrations of LCO effectively decreased the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced expression of inducible NO synthase, resulting in decreased NO production. LCO also significantly suppressed LPS-induced production and expression of IL-1β and IL-6. Taken together, the present findings suggest that C. officinalis leaves have potential as natural materials for the development of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agents.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.44 no.8
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• pp.1234-1240
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• 2015

Taraxacum coreanum Nakai is a wild medicinal plant commonly consumed in Korea due to its health beneficial effects. In the present study, the contents of polyphenolics and flavonoids as well as antioxidative and anticancer activities of water extracts from different parts of T. coreanum Nakai were investigated for their use as functional foods. Extract yields of flower, leaf, and root were 30.25%, 34.53%, and 66.25%, respectively. Total polyphenols and total flavonoids contents of flower extract were 50.54 mg/g and 35.26 mg/g, respectively, which were much higher than any other parts. The electron donating abilities of flower, leaf, and root extracts were 91.04%, 88.22%, and 38.58%, respectively, at a concentration of 1.0 mg/mL. Cell viability of AGS for human gastric carcinoma, HCT-116 for human colon carcinoma, and A-549 for human pulmonary carcinoma showed the lowest values in flower extracts (40.34%, 39.56%, and 17.52%, respectively), indicating the highest cytotoxicity at a concentration of 400 mg/kg. Both antioxidative and anticancer activities of water extracts from all T. coreanum Nakai parts dose-dependently increased. These results provide preliminary data for the development of T. coreanum Nakai as an edible functional food material.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.59 no.2
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• pp.144-150
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• 2014

Yams (Dioscorea spp), which are edible or medicinal tuber crops, are a important crop in South Korea. Yams require a high level of soil fertility. The various cultural practices such as fertilizing and plowing were tested for marketable tuber production in Chinese yam (Dioscorea opposita). Tuber yield was also affected by organic matters in soil. Application higher level of organic matters result in increased each tuber weight and tuber yield per unit area. The nutrient absorption quantity of the plant such as nitrogen, phosphoric acid, calcium and potassium was increased from 100~120 days after planting, which time to begin tuber enlargement. The tuber yield was increased when the fertilization increased in quantity. Total yield and marketable ratio were the highest in 31~32 kg/10a of nitrogen fertilizer. From above result, income become larger with increase of marketable yield and quality improvement at 63% (27 kg/10a) level of conventional N fertilization (43 kg/10a). The tuber yield was not significantly different between with in various application level of potash fertilizer. Tuber size and weight decreased accordingly to decreased fertilizing level, so the rates of small tubers increased greatly at cultivation without chemical fertilizer. In considering the accumulation rates of allantoin in Chinese yam tubers, the apt harvest season was after October. The allantoin quantity of it was not influenced with nitrogen fertilizing. Moreover it was advantageous with decrease of chemical fertilizer and appropriate fertilizing in soil environment protection. Commercial tuber's number and yield were increased in trenching before planting with trencher compared with rotavating with tractor.