• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.190-197
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• 2015

In this study, we tried to offer the possibility of White Hibiscus syriacus L. (WHS) flower extracts as a preventive and improving agent of osteoporosis that bone mass reduction is induced by an decrease of osteoblast involved in bone formation and increase of bone resorption by osteoclast activity. As a results, it was found to have antioxidant activity and contain a flavonoid contents ($47.74 mg/g) of the WHS flower. There was cytotoxicity at more than $250{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ concentration of WHS flower extract of RANKL-induced osteoclast in RAW264.7. There were no significant inhibited TRAP activity in the WHS leaf and stem. However, it was confirmed that it is significantly inhibited the differentiation activity of osteoclasts in 50 and $100{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ concentration of cells of stability levels of only WHS flower extracts (p < 0.01). The WHS flower prominently inhibited RANKL-induced osteoclast differentiation activity by decreased calcitonin receptor and TRAP mRNA (p < 0.01). These results indicate that of osteoclasts differentiation activity is inhibited by protection of oxidative stress due to the antioxidant activity of the WHS flower. Therefore, suggesting the WHS flower may be a presents the possibility as a preventive and therapeutic agents for osteoporosis.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.150-162
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• 2009

Objectives: Inflammatory mediators, such as nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E2 ($PGE_2$) and pro-inflammatory cytokines, TNF-${\alpha}$ and IL-$1{\beta}$ playa critical role in inflammatory immune response. Therefore, intervention of inflammatory mediator production promises therapeutic benefit for treatment of many chronic inflammatory diseases, such as allergic asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, septic shock and neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, the pharmacological effects of the flower MeOH extract Panax notoginseng (Notoginseng Flos; NF) on inflammation were investigated to address potential therapeutic or toxic effects. Methods: RA W264.7 cells were treated with different concentrations of NF methanol (NF-M) extract in the presence or absence of LPS ($1{\mu}g/m{\ell}$). Results: NF-M extract significantly inhibited LPS-induced production of NO, $PGE_2$ and pro-inflammatory cytokines, TNF-${\alpha}$ and IL-$1{\beta}$ in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, NF-M extract suppressed mRNA expressions and protein levels of iNOS, COX-2 and pro-inflammatory cytokines in LPS-stimulated RA W264.7 cells. Conclusion: These results indicated that NF-M extract inhibits LPS-induced production of inflammatory mediators in macrophages and demonstrated that NF-M extract possesses anti-inflammatory properties in vitro.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.43-49
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• 2014

Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer has been used as a traditional medicinal ingredient and the ginseng flower-buds also proved to have good medicinal properties. In this study, in order to enhance immune activities of ginseng flower-bud, the ginseng flower-bud extract was being fermented by Bacillus subtilis KCTC 1022 (BS), Lactobacillus plantarum KCTC3 and Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain CHY1011 (SC). Mice were orally administered daily for two weeks at two different concentrations (100 and 200 mg/kg B.W.). Treatment samples were water extracts of ginseng flower-buds (FD), water extracts of fermented ginseng flower-buds (FM) and controls for saline solution. Cytokine production (IL-6, TNF-${\alpha}$) either stimulated with LPS or not stimulated with LPS was detected by the ELISA assay when using the cytokine kit. Cytokine was statistically increased at supplemented groups with LPS in both the 100 and the 200 mg/kg B.W. and treatment with FM significantly decreased the LPS-induced TNF-${\alpha}$ and IL-6 production more than the treatment with FD. The results of this study may suggest that supplementation with FM increases the immune function by regulating cytokine production capacity for activated macrophages.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.153-162
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• 2020

The root extracts of Paeonia lactiflora cv. 'Red Charm' has been studied by many groups, however, little attention has been paid to its flower petal. Paeonia is the genus in the Paeoniaceae family. 'Red Charm' Paeonia is a soft-stemmed herbaceous peony hybrid of P. officinalis and P. lactiflora. We previously showed the flower petal extract of Red Charm might have anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, however, it was not clear which components might be involved in this activity. Bioinformatics analysis previously indicated these extracts have potential anti-oxidant materials. One of them is identified as paeoniflorin, which is major component in root extract of Red Charm. In this study, we compared paeoniflorin and oxypaeoniflorin using DPPH assays to measure its anti-oxidant activities. Oxypaeoniflorin showed higher levels of radical scavenging activity, similar to ascorbic acid control, whereas paeoniflorin did not. Furthermore, nitric oxide assay showed they have similar anti-inflammatory effects. Taken together, these results suggest oxypaeoniflorin may play a more important role in the anti-oxidant activity of the flower petal and root extracts of Red Charm, compared to paeoniflorin. Further studies may be able to provide a platform to develop potential dual effects therapeutics for oxidant-mediated and inflammation-mediated disease in the near future.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.326-333
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• 2019

The purpose of our study was to evaluate anti-AD potential of Cirsium maackii flowers. MeOH extract, CH₂Cl₂, EtOAc, and n-BuOH fraction of this flower notably inhibited BACE1 (IC₅₀ = 76.47 ± 1.66, 22.98 ± 1.45, 8.65 ± 0.63, and 72.47 ± 3.04 ㎍/mL, respectively). β-amyrenone (49.70 mg) (1), lupeol acetate (1.43 g) (2), lupeol (1.22 g) (3), lupenone (23.70 mg) (4), β-sitosterol (1.01 g) (6), and β-sitosterol glucoside (13.00 mg) (7) from CH₂Cl₂, apigenin (100.20 mg) (8), luteolin (19.00 mg) (9), apigenin 7-O-glucuronide methyl ester (21.30 mg) (14), and tracheloside (53.70 mg) (5) from EtOAc, apigenin 5-O-glucoside (11.00 mg) (10), luteolin 5-O-glucoside (11.00 mg) (11) and apigenin 7-O-glucuronide (91.00 mg) (12) from n-BuOH, and luteolin 7-O-glucuronide (22.00 mg) (13) from H₂O fraction were isolated. HPLC showed high levels of 8, 9 and 12 in MeOH extract (33.07 ± 0.07, 31. 44 ± 0.17 and 16.89 ± 0.33 mg/g, respectively), EtOAc (161.01 ± 1.78, 96.93 ± 0.34 and 73.38 ± 0.06 mg/g, respectively), and n-BuOH fraction (32.18 ± 0.33, 44.31 ± 0.32 and 105.94 ± 0.36 mg/g, respectively). Since, 3 and 9 are well-known BACE1 inhibitors, the anti-AD activity of C. maackii flower might be attributable to their presence.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.778-781
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• 2016

Sea urchin skeleton (SUS) generated from production of sea urchin eggs was used as a biodegradable film base material, and its composite film with gelatin was prepared. In addition, Robinia pseudoacacia flower extract (RFE) was incorporated into the film-forming solution to provide antioxidant and anti-microbial activities. The tensile strength (TS) of the SUS/gelatin composite films increased with increasing gelatin content, whereas elongation at break (E) decreased. Among the composite films, SUS/gelatin film at a ratio of 8:2 (w/w) exhibited the most desirable TS and E values. Furthermore, SUS composite film containing RFE showed a reduced TS and increased E compared to the control film. Based on 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging assays and disc diffusion results against growth of Listeria monocytogenes, antioxidant and anti-microbial activities of films increased with increasing RFE concentration. Consequently, SUS composite film containing RFE showed proper physical properties as well as antioxidant and anti-microbial activities. These results indicate that SUS can be used as a film base material while the SUS composite film containing RFE can be utilized as active packaging.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.17 no.8 s.88
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• pp.1152-1156
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• 2007

The Camella japonica flower(CJF) extract was studied for their anti-angiogenenic and anti-cell adhesion effect. CJF-extract inhibited the tube formation on human umbilical vein endotherial cells(HUVEC) with butanol extract by 70.2%, acetone extract by 54.2%, ethyl acetate extract by 37.0%, chloroform extract by 21.2%. Cell adhesion molecules were effectively suppressed at different concentration of CJF at 50, 100, 200 ug/well such as for intercellular adhesion molecule(ICAM) by 5.9%, 29.4% and 52.9%, for vascular cell adhesion molecule(VCAM) by 12.5%, 43.8% and 62.5%, for E-selectin by 7.1%, 21.4% and 35.7%, respectively. Signal molecules of vascular endotherial growth factor receptor 2(VEGFR2), ${/beta}$-catenin and PI3K are inhibited by different concentration of CJF at 10, 20 and 30 ${\mu}g/mL$ with western blot. Angiogenesis will be inhibited with suppressing NF-kB molecule resulted in signal molecules blocked by CJF. CJF will be useful materials for treatment of angiogenesis related diseases such as cancer, metastasis, rheumathioid arthritis and obesity.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.946-954
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• 2020

Platycodon grandiflorum root (Platycodi radix) saponins, platycosides, have been used as health supplements and food items for the treatment of respiratory disorders and pulmonary diseases. Deglycosylated saponins have been known to exert stronger biological effects than their glycosylated forms. In the present study, glycosylated platycosides in Platycodi radix extract were biotransformed into deglycosylated 3-O-β-ᴅ-glucopyranosyl platycosides, including 3-O-β-ᴅ-glucopyranosyl platycodigenin, 3-O-β-ᴅ-glucopyranosyl polygalacic acid, and 3-O-β-ᴅ-glucopyranosyl platyconic acid, by pectinase from Aspergillus aculeatus. This is the first report on the quantitative enzymatic production of 3-O-β-ᴅ-glucopyranosyl platycosides. The chemical structures of 3-O-β-ᴅ-glucopyranosyl platycosides were identified with LC/MS. Moreover, the biotransformation pathways of the three types of platycosides in Platycodi radix into 3-O-β-ᴅ-glucopyranosyl platycosides were established.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.49-56
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• 2019

Pueraria thomsonii Benth. as a medicinal ingredient, has been traditionally used in Chinese medicine to treat fever, acute dysentery, diarrhea, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. The effects of P. thomsonii flower on skin have not been reported yet. In this study, the whitening effect of P. thomsonii flower was verified using B16F1 melanoma cells and HS68 fibroblasts. P. thomsonii flower extract reduced melanin contents of B16F1 cells in a dose-dependent manner. To identify its active components, we analyzed P. thomsonii flower extract using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). As a result, we identified three major isoflavones of tectorigenin, tectoridin, and tectorigenin 7-O-xylosylglucoside. At a non-cytotoxic concentration, the three components also reduced melanin contents of B16F1 cells in a dose-dependent manner. The depigmentation effects were attributed to the reduced gene expression of tyrosinase and microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF). In order to elucidate another depigmentation mechanism, their effects on DKK-1, a fibroblast-derived depigmentation factor, was determined in HS68 cells. As a result, P. thomsonii flower extracts, tectoridin and tectorigenin 7-O-xylosylglucoside, reduced DKK-1 gene expression, while tectorigenin increased DKK-1 gene expression in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that tectorigenin can be used as an effective whitening agent that inhibit melanin synthesis in melanocytes and promote the secretion of depigmentation factor from fibroblasts.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.1216-1220
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• 2003

The antioxidative activities of methanol extracts of chestnut flower (Castanea Crenata Flos.) were determinated in vitro using an experimental model system. Solid yield of chestnut flower extracts was 6.26% and total phenolic acid accounted for about 20% of the crude extract. The DPPH radical scavenging activity of methanol extracts prepared from chestnut flower was 17.22%. Although the DPPH radical scavenging activity of chestnut flower extracts was lower than that of other antioxidants, chestnut flower extracts showed continuous activity by time course. The SOD-like activities of methanol extracts prepared from chestnut flower were 65.10%, 95.70% in BHT, 93.29% in quercetin, and 30.30% in ascorbic acid. Chestnut flower extracts showed 51.45% inhibitory effect on peroxidation of egg yolk lecithin.