• Natural Product Sciences
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• 제12권3호
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• pp.166-173
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• 2006

Silymarin is an antihepatotoxic substance isolated from the fruits of silybum mariamum. Possibly due to their antioxidant and membrane stabilizing properties, the compounds was shown to protect various organs and cells against a number of insults (Kvasnicka et al., 2003). Among the main silymarin components, [silybin($SB_A,\;SB_B$, isosilybin ($ISB_A,\;ISB_B$) silydianin (SD) and silychristin (SC)], silybin is the major pharmacologically active compound. Korean Pharmaceutical Codex (2nd ed.) describes silybin as the main substance of Cardus Marianus extract as supportive treatment of chronic inflammatory liver disorders. The aim of this work was to analyze silybin from various preparations containing cardus marianus extract, nicotinamide, and riboflavin (CNR). Nine commercial products were tested using reversed-phase HPLC-PDA assay. The limits of detection and quantification were $0.2\;{mu}g/ml$ and $1\;{mu}g/ml$, respectively. Calibration curve showed a good linearity ($r^2$=1.00000) in the range of $1{\sim}500\;{\mu}g/ml$ of silybin standard solutions.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• 제10권1호
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• pp.16-19
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• 2004

Triphala churna is a widely used herbal formulation that contains equal proportion of dried fruit powder of Emblica officinalis, Terminalia chebula and Terminalia belirica. In the Indian system of medicine, it is used in cleaning wounds, urinary disorders, diabetes mellitus, leprosy, constipation, eyesight promotion, piles, and as a rejuvenator. In the present study, the methanolic extract of 5 commercial Triphala was evaluated for antioxidant activity by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl free radical scavenging method, total phenolic content by Folin-Ciocalteu method and gallic acid equivalents (GAE) by high performance thin layer chromatographic (HPTLC) method. All extracts exhibited antioxidant activity significantly. The $IC_{50}$ of the extracts ranged between $7.16\;to\;12.96\;{\mu}g/ml$. The total phenolic content of the extracts was found to be 195.3-296.4 mg of GAE/gm of GAE/gm dw. The HPTLC chromatographic data reveal that the content of GAE present in the extract was found to be $7.17-4.11\;{\mu}g/ml$. The study reveals that out of the churnas analysed, C was found to exhibit the most potent antioxidant activity. A clear correlation between $IC_{50}$ and content of GAE nor the total phenolic content could be observed. The study reveals that the consumption of Triphala would exert several beneficial effects by virtue of its antioxidant activity.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• 제9권4호
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• pp.286-290
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• 2003

Ratanjot is attributed to eight species of Boraginacae species belonging to genera Alkanna, Arnebia, Maharanga and Onosma and regarded as one of the important herbal drugs of indigenous systems of medicine. The root and root stock, which form the actual drug, are considered to be an anthelmintic, antipyretic and antiseptic. They are also claimed to be useful in burn, eczema, wounds and eruptions, and used for treating the diseases of eyes, bronchitis, abdominal pains, itch, etc. Several workers reported that the Naphthaquinones (arnebins), the main active constituents of the drug, are responsible for its colour and therapeutic efficacy. It is claimed that the Arnebia nobilis was imported to India from Afghanistan but the red coloured roots resembling with A. nobilis were found to be gathered by local people for commercial purposes during the course of botanical surey of Himalayan region. Hence, it is decided to evaluate Arnebia nobilis pharmacognostically. The important macro-microscopic features of this species are roots 1-5 cm broad; outermost xylem with broad vessels and innermost with groups of radially arranged narrow vessels while the middle region occupied by alternate rings of clusters of broad and narrow vessels and presence of pith. Besides the percentage of arnebin-1, -3 and 4 are 9.37, 10.53 and 1.72 respectively.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• 제18권4호
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• pp.244-249
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• 2012

Angelica acutiloba is one of the most intensively cultivated medicinal plants in Korea. The roots of this plant have been used as an important herbal drug, especially for the treatment of various female disorders, as the traditional therapy in Korea and other Asian countries. Consumption of its fresh leaves as a healthy vegetable has recently increased. In this study, essential oil fractions were extracted from the roots and leaves of this plant by steam distillation. Compositions of the two oils were compared by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The antibacterial activities of the essential oil were determined against three strains of Escherichia coli. DPPH radical scavenging and reducing power tests were performed to evaluateits antioxidant activities. The cytotoxic activities of the essential oil against a human breast and a uterine cancer cell line were estimated by MTT tests. Additionally, the morphological changes after treatment of the oil fraction were observed under a microscope. The essential oil fraction and its main components, Z-ligustilide and butylidene phthalide, inhibited the growth of three E. coli strains examined, with minimum inhibiting concentrations (MICs) ranging from 1.0 mg/ml to 8.0 mg/ml. Additionally, the essential oil fraction of A. acutiloba exhibited significant DPPH free radical scavenging activity and reducing power. Significant cytotoxic activities of the A. acutiloba essential oil were observed for human uterine (Hela) and breast (MCF-7) cancer cell lines.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• 제24권2호
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• pp.109-114
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• 2018

Artemisia capillaris Thunb. (Compositae) is a native herb of East Asian countries and has used for the treatment of jaundice, high liver fever, and digestive diseases for a long time, as well as being developed as the source of herbal preparations until now. The major components from A. capillaris were chlorogenic acid (1) and its derivatives substituted with caffeoyl moieties, such as 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid (2) and 4,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid (3), and coumarins, such as scoparone. In the study, four compounds, chlorogenic acid, 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid, 4,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid and scoparone (4) in the 70% ethanolic extract of A. capillaris were simultaneously determined by using HPLC-UVD system. This method was validated with the terms of linearity, precious and accuracy according to ICH guidelines. The developed method was successfully applied for the quantitative analysis of Artemisia genus, A. capillaris, A. iwayomogi, A. princeps, and A. argyi, distributed in Korea.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• 제25권4호
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• pp.334-340
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• 2019

Cuscuta chinensis Lam. and Cuscuta japonica Choisy are parasitic plants. C. chinensis seeds were traditionally used for treatment of kidney and liver deficiencies. C. japonica seeds were used as tonic medicine to improve liver function and strengthen kidneys, treatment of high blood pressure, chronic diarrhea, and sore eyes. Cuscutae Semen are seeds of only C. chinensis in Korean Herbal Pharmacopoeia (K.H.P.). The developed HPLC-PDA method easily, accurately, and sensitively quantified using eight marker compounds [hyperoside (1), astragalin, (2), quercetin (3), kaempferol (4), chlorogenic acid (5), 3,4-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid (6), 1,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid (7), and 4,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid (8)]. In addition, the method may be used to distinguish seeds between C. chinensis Lam. and C. japonica Choisy. Furthermore, the result from the current study was applied to clarify samples between steam processed and unprocessed samples of C. chinensis by pattern analysis.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• 제25권4호
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• pp.304-310
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• 2019

The stems of Oplopanax elatus (OE) have long been used to treat inflammatory disorders in herbal medicine, and in the previous investigation, OE was found to possess anti-inflammatory activity in lipopolysaccharide-treated macrophages, RAW 264.7 cell. OE reduces inducible nitric oxide (NO) synthase-induced NO production, and interferes with mitogen-activated protein kinase activation pathways. In the present study, the pharmacological action of the water extract of OE was examined to establish anti-arthritic action, using a rat model of adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA). The water extract of OE administered orally inhibited AIA-induced arthritis at (100 - 300) mg/kg/day. The paw edema was significantly decreased, in combination with reduced production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. The action mechanism includes an inhibition of MAPKs/nuclear transcription factor-κB activation. These new findings strongly suggest that OE possesses anti-arthritic action, and may be used as a therapeutic agent in inflammation-related disorders, particularly in arthritic condition.

• 한방안이비인후피부과학회지
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• 제20권2호통권33호
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• pp.187-198
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• 2007

Background : Atopic dermatitis is a chronic and recurrent allergy eczema, called as 'Tae-yul'. It is a characteristic dermatitis, diagnosed from baby to adult, that carries severe itching. Objectivd : The aim of this trial is to examine the effect and safety of Medibebe in patients with atopic dermatitis. Methods : We made a comparison between before and after the use this product. Volunteers who satisfied the requirements were enrolled in the study. Degrees of severity of atopic dermatitis were measured by SCORAD index. Results : After 4 weeks' use of Medibebe, SCORAD index showed a decrease of $20.0{\pm}10.2$(95% C.I: 17.1-22.9) compared with when it was not applied, which is a statistically meaningful change(p-value<0.0001). Subjective pruritus and Sleeping loss reported after both 2 and 4 weeks' use of Medibebe decreased in a statistically meaningful way(p-value<0.0001) compared with before the application. but, 2 cases out of all 50 subjects for the clinical trial were excluded on the way. Conclusion : As a result of applying the 4 items of Medibebe(cream, lotion, soap, and body cleanser) to patients with atopic dermatitis and watching the progress, it is concluded and considered that these cleansing and moisturizing products can be used by atopic patients safely and effectively with almost no side-effect.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• 제7권3호
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• pp.63-67
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• 2001

${\beta}-Glucuronidase-inhibitory$ and hepatoprotective effects of Chungpesagan-tang, which has been used for liver diseases and stroke, on $CCl_4-induced$ hepatotoxicity of rats was investigated. Chungpesagan-tang potently inhibited ${\beta}-glucuronidases$. Serum AST, ALT and LDH levels of the $CCl_4$ group orally treated with Chungpesagan-tang (100 mg/kg) were lowered to 47, 28 and 58% of the $CCl_4-treated$ group, respectively. Among the ingredients of Chungpesagan-tang, Puerariae Radix, Scutellariae Radix and Rhei Rhizoma potently inhibited the ${\beta}-glucuronidase$ and protected $CCl_4-induced$ liver injury. The hepatoprotective activity of Puerariae Radix was affected by ingredients of Chungpesagan-tang: Scutellariae Radix had the synergistic activity, but Angelicae Tenussimae Radix exhibited the antagonistic activity. These results suggest that the ${\beta}-glucuronidase$ inhibitor of herbal medicines may protect $CCl_4-induced$ liver injury and puerarin should be a natural prodrug for the hepatoprotective effect.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• 제15권2호
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• pp.60-65
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• 2009

Berberis is an important medicinal plant, of the family Berberidaceae. Different Berberis species and their parts are very common in herbal drug markets of India and world over as an adulterant/substitute to 'Daruharidra' i.e. B. aristata DC. Antimicrobial activity of 50% hydroalcoholic extracts of stem of four Berberis species viz. B. aristata DC., B. asiatica Roxb. ex DC., B. chitria Lindl. and B. lycium Royle and the isolated alkaloid berberine were tested against eleven bacterial and eight fungal strains. The extracts with the strongest antibacterial activity was obtained from B. lycium followed by B. aristata, B. asiatica and B. chitria. Based on these results it is possible to conclude that the hydroalcoholic extract and alkaloid (berberine) has stronger and broader spectrum against bacterial strains as compared to fungal strains. The result obtained in the present study authenticates and support the use of these plants in folklore medicine for treatment of various infectious diseases caused by the bacterial pathogens. However, an attempt has been made to explore the possibilities of utilizing stem part rather than roots of these species with the aim to conserve this species which is over exploited due to diverse use of its root. These findings will stimulate the search for novel, natural products as new antibacterial/antifungal agents which may be useful to pharmaceutical industries.