• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.486-492
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• 2017

This study finds surface color and functions of natural dyeing from Chamaecyparis obtusa leaves which help cure skin problems such as atopic dermatitis. This study also seeks to find dyeing properties and functions of natural colorants derived from Chamaecyparis obtusa and Rubia tinctorum on silk. Dyeing properties and functions are compared between silks dyed with Chamaecyparis obtusa and silks composite-dyed with Chamaecyparis obtusa and Rubia tinctorum. The comparison examines the feasibility of developing healthy and high functional fabrics and wellness of fashion merchandises. Silk dyeing with Chamaecyparis obtuse leaves yields yellow and double coloring from Chamaecyparis obtusa; however, Rubia tinctorum yields yellow/red on silks. Silks dyed with Chamaecyparis obtusa and silks composite-dyed with Chamaecyparis obtusa and Rubia tinctorum show a high level on dry cleaning, ultraviolet protection and deodorization. Especially, the dyed silks from leaves of Chamaecyparis obtusa show a 99.7% antimicrobial effect against staphylococcus aureus ATCC 653B. Silks composite-dyed with Chamaecyparis obtusa and Rubia tinctorum are better known for medicinal herb for dermatitis, and natural colorant, Rubia tinctorum does not improve significantly functions compared with silks dyed with Chamaecyparis obtusa. However, the dyeing properties improve by composite dyeing. This implies that ways to maximize effects of tie-dyeing technique could be developed.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.15-27
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• 2020

Objectives : We selected three herb-combined remedies, Bigihwan (BGH), Daechilgitang (DCGT) and Mokwhyangbinranghwan (MHBRH), through Donguibogam text-mining analysis, and evaluated their anti-cancer effects on human hepatocellular carcinoma Hep3B cells. Methods : Cytotoxicity was assessed by an MTT assay. Apoptosis rate, autophagy and ROS level were detected by flow cytometry. The autophagy was also observed by Cyto-ID staining fluorescence microscopy. The expression of autophagy, mitophagy and pexophagy regulatory proteins was detected by Western blot analysis. Results : BGH showed the strongest effect among the three prescriptions in inhibiting Hep3B cell viability, which was associated with the induction of apoptosis and autophagy. Autophagy blockers improved cell viability and reduced apoptosis after BGH and DCGT treatments, indicating that autophagy by these prescriptions enhanced Hep3B cells against their cytotoxicity. However, MHBRH enhanced the reduction of cell viability and apoptosis by autophagy blockers. Induction of autophagy by BGH treatment was associated with mitophagy due to mitochondrial dysfunction than DCGT and MHBRH-treated cells. In addition, induction of apoptosis by BGH treatment was ROS-dependent and showed the possibility of pexophagy involvement. Conclusion : Although further studies need to be conducted to study the efficacy and mechanism of accurate anticancer activity, the present results will serve as important sources of understanding the mechanism of action of herbal remedies prescribed for liver disease as documented in Donguibogam.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.3-12
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• 2018

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Sageretia thea is traditionally used as a medicinal herb to treat various diseases, including skin disorders, in China and Korea. This study evaluated the inhibitory effect of Sageretia thea fruit on melanogenesis and its underlying mechanisms in B16F10 mouse melanoma cells. The active chemical compounds in anti-melanogenesis were determined in Sageretia thea. MATERIALS/METHODS: Solvent fractions from the crude extract were investigated for anti-melanogenic activities. These activities and the mechanism of anti-melanogenesis in B16F10 cells were examined by determining melanin content and tyrosinase activity, and by performing western blotting. RESULTS: The n-hexane fraction of Sageretia thea fruit (HFSF) exhibited significant anti-melanogenic activity among the various solvent fractions without reducing viability of B16F10 cells. The HFSF suppressed the expression of tyrosinase and tyrosinase-related protein 1 (TRP1). The reduction of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) expression by the HFSF was mediated by the Akt/glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta ($GSK3{\beta}$) signaling pathway, which promotes the reduction of ${\beta}-catenin$. Treatment with the $GSK3{\beta}$ inhibitor 6-bromoindirubin-3'-oxime (BIO) restored HFSF-induced inhibition of MITF expression. The HFSF bioactive constituents responsible for anti-melanogenic activity were identified by bioassay-guided fractionation and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis as methyl linoleate and methyl linolenate. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that HFSF and its constituents, methyl linoleate and methyl linolenate, could be used as whitening agents in cosmetics and have potential for treating hyperpigmentation disorders in the clinic.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.113-120
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• 2008

Objectives: This study was evaluated to elucidate the inhibitory potential of Imyosan(IMS) and its components, Phellodendri Cortex(PC: Phellodendron amurense Rupr., Hwangbaek in Korean) and Atractylodis Rhizoma(AR: Atratylodes lancea D.C., Changchool in Korean), on human aortic smooth muscle cells(HASMC) migration and production of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 by TNF-${\alpha}$ treatment. Methods: Cytotoxic activity of IMS and its components on HASMC was using 5-(3-caroboxy meth-oxyphenyl)-2H-tetra-zolium inner salt(MTS) assay. Effect of IMS, PC and AR on TNF-${\alpha}$-induced HASMC migration underside of matrigel filter was stained with hematoxylin-eosin. And total number of cells that migrated to the underside of the filter was counted. MMP-2 and MMP-9 activity was evaluated by gelatin zymography assay. Results: The matrigel migration assay showed that IMS effectively inhibited the TNF-${\alpha}$-induced migration of HASMC. Moreover, IMS significantly inhibited MMP-9 activity. Our present study demonstrates that IMS and its components inhibit TNF-${\alpha}$-induced HASMC migration and MMP-9 activity. The inhibitory effect of IMS extract is more potent than that of its component herb extracts. Conclusions: These results provide evidence that IMS has multiple effects in the inhibition of HASMC migration and may offer a therapeutic approach to block HASMC migration.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.259-269
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• 2016

Objectives : Phyllostachys Folium is leaves of Phyllostachys nigra var. henesis $S_{TAPF}$. In the East Asian traditional medicine, the herb has been used to treat nasal bleeding, dysuria, epilepsy and etc. The present study was conducted to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effects of the Phyllostachys Folium water extracts (PFE) in vitro and in vivo model. Methods : Cell viability was measured by MTT assay after the treatment of PFE and NO production was monitored by measuring the nitrite content in culture medium. iNOS, COX-2, $I{\kappa}B$, $p-I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$ amd $NF{\kappa}B$ were detected by immunoblot analysis, and levels of cytokine were analyzed by sandwich ELISA kit. Anti-edema effect of PFE was determined in the carrageenan-induced paw edema model in rats. Results : LPS increased NO and cytokines levels compared with control, these increases were attenuated by PFE. In addition, LPS-induced pro-inflammatory proteins such as iNOS, COX-2 were down regulated by PFE. These anti-inflammatory effect of PFE results from inhibition of phosphorylation of $I{\kappa}B$ and translocation of $NF-{\kappa}B$. Conclusion : These results show that PFE has some anti-inflammatory effects which might play a role in gram-negative bacterial infection inflammation and $NF{\kappa}B$ activated diseases.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.354-362
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• 2007

Objective : The aim of this study was to investigate the ability of Cheonggugamrosu. a gargling agent made from herb extracts, to decrease oral malodor in vitro and in clinical research. Methods : For in vitro experiment. samples were Garglin (over-the-counter mouthwash), CheonggugamrosuA and Cheonggugamrosu B. Deodorizing activity of each sample against methyl mercaptan were analyzed by gas chromatography (GC). In clinical examination. subjects were 73 students from the oriental medicine school of Kyunghee University. The concentration of VSC in oral cavity of each subject was measured by Halimeter and subjects were divided into 3 groups that would gargle for 30 seconds with normal saline. Garglin and CheonggugamrosuA. Subsequently, concentration of VSC was measured in same way immediately, 2 hours and 4 hours after gargling. Results : During in vitro experiment by GC, deodorizing activities were 46.77% with Garglin, 80.64% with Cheonggugamrosu A and 82.28% with Cheonggugamrosu B. In clinical examination, at 2 hours after gargling, the concentration of VSC in the Cheonggugamrosu A group was significantly lower than in the normal saline group, but not in the Garglin group. 4 hours after gargling, the concentration of VSC in both CheonggugamrosuA and Garglin wasn't significantly different from the one in the normal saline group. Conclusions : Cheonggugamrosuhad better and longer deodorizing effect than Garglin in this study. Because of the safety of herbal medicine and its efficaciousness, we can use Cheonggugamrosu as a clinical prescription.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.37 no.1 s.144
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• pp.21-27
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• 2006

Yeast based estrogenicity assay is the simplest and useful for the assay and the discovery of novel estrogenic substances in natural specimens, The estrogen receptor(ER) modulation activity of 50% EtOH extracts of 101 traditional medicinal herbs was assessed using a recombinant yeast assay system with both a human estrogen receptor expression plasmid and a receptor plasmid. Among them, 14 species proved to be active. Pureariae Flos (flower of Puerraria thunbergiana BENTH.) had the highest estrogenic relative potency$(7.75{\times}10^{-3})$ $(EC_{50}=9.39\;{\mu}g/ml)$. The $EC_{50}$ value of $17{\beta}-estradiol$ used as the positive control was $0.073\;{\mu}g/ml)$ (Relative Potency=1.00). There results demonstrated that some of the traditional medical herb may be useful in the therapy of estrogen replacement.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.620-627
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• 2011

We evaluated the hepatoprotective activity of crude hot-water extracts of the traditional Korean medicinal herb, Phellodendri Cortex (PC; Bark of Phellodendron amurense RUPR.), in an experimental model of hepatic damage induced by carbon tetrachloride ($CCl_4$). The serum marker of liver damage, sGOT, sGPT and sALP, were significantly decreased in the liver of the PC treated rats, compared with that of $CCl_4$ treated group. The histological observation of liver section of rats, showed the same protective effect of PC treatment. And the protective activity of PC was more significant in the post-treated group than pre-treated group. The significant decrease of malodialdehyde and increase of glutathion, catalase activity were observed in the liver homogenate of PC treated rats. Based on these findings, it is suggested that PC has potent hepatoprotective effects and the mechanism of the protection may be related to antioxidation pathways.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.176-183
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• 2014

Cognitive impairment is a result of dementia of diverse causes, such as cholinergic dysfunction and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Houttuynia cordata Thunb. (Saururaceae) has long been used as a traditional herbal medicine. It has biological activities including protective effects against amyloid beta ($A{\beta}$) toxicity, via regulation of calcium homeostasis, in rat hippocampal cells. To extend previous reports, we investigated the effects of water extracts of H. cordata herb (HCW) on tauopathies, also involving calcium influx. We then confirmed the effects of HCW in improving memory impairment and neuronal damage in mice with Ab-induced neurotoxicity. We also investigated the effects of HCW against scopolamine-induced cholinergic dysfunction in mice. In primary neuronal cells, HCW inhibited the phosphorylation of tau by regulating p25/p35 expression in $A{\beta}$-induced neurotoxicity. In mice with $A{\beta}$-induced neurotoxicity, HCW improved cognitive impairment, as assessed with behavioral tasks, such as novel object recognition, Y-maze, and passive avoidance tasks. HCW also inhibited the degeneration of neurons in the CA3 region of the hippocampus in Ab-induced neurotoxicity. Moreover, HCW, which had an $IC_{50}$ value of $79.7{\mu}g/ml$ for acetylcholinesterase inhibition, ameliorated scopolamine-induced cognitive impairment significantly in Y-maze and passive avoidance tasks. These results indicate that HCW improved cognitive impairment, due to cholinergic dysfunction, with inhibitory effects against tauopathies and cholinergic antagonists, suggesting that HCW may be an interesting candidate to investigate for the treatment of AD.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.331-337
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• 2008

This study was conducted to quantitatively evaluate the recovery effects of herbal medicines on acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity. In the present study, the recovery effects of 251 herbal medicines on THLE-2 cells that had been damaged by acetaminophen were evaluated using an MTS assay. THLE-2 cells were cultured in 96-well plates and then pretreated with or without 60 ${\mu}M$ acetaminophen (${IC}_{50}$ value: 35.84) for 1 hr. Next, different herbal medicines were added to the wells, after which the cells were reincubated at $37^{\circ}C$ for 24 hr. After first round of screening, the candidate herbal medicines were selected based on a recovery rate of greater than 40% and their efficacy were then determined by dose response kinetic analysis. Among these extracts, 8 herbal medicines (Terminalia chebula, Pueraria lobata, Acronychia laurifolia, Lopatherum gracile, Oroxylum indicum, Cynanchum atratum, Senecio scandens, and Sophora flavescens) had a strong recovery effect on acetaminophen-induced damage in THLE-2 cells. Dose response non-linear regression analysis demonstrated that Senecio scandens showed the best recovery rate (98%), and that its ${EC}_{50}$ was 19.54 ng/mL. Additional studies of these herbal medicines should be conducted to determine if they possess novel therapeutic agents for the prevention or treatment of liver disorders.