• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.496-505
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• 2020

Background: Panax ginseng is a marvelous herbal remedy for all ailments of body. That may be why it is called Panax, which means "cure for all". Melanin is a pigment that gives color to our skin; however, increased melanin production can lead to tumor formation. Human exposure to ultraviolet B radiation has increased extensively owing to the increased sunlight due to global warming. Consequently, a phenomenon called photoaging has been observed for all skin colors and types. As a result of this phenomenon, a set of enzymes called matrix metalloproteinases, which serve as degradation enzymes for extracellular matrix proteins, mainly collagen, is increased, causing depletion of collagen and resulting in early wrinkle formation. Methods: Therefore, in our study, we used the murine melanoma cell line B16/F10 to study the inhibition of melanogenesis by Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) extract in vitro and HRM-2 hairless mice exposed to artificial ultraviolet B to examine the efficacy of KRG in vivo. We prepared a 3% red ginseng extract cream and evaluated its effects on human skin. Results: Our results demonstrated that KRG induced potent suppression of tyrosinase activity and melanin production in B16/F10 cells; moreover, it reduced the transcription and translation of components involved in the melanin production pathway. In the in vivo experiments, KRG potently suppressed the expression of matrix metalloproteinases, reduced wrinkle formation, and inhibited collagen degradation. On human skin, ginseng cream increased skin resilience and skin moisture and enhanced skin tone. Conclusion: Therefore, we conclude that KRG is an excellent skin whitening and antiaging product.

• Journal of Marine Bioscience and Biotechnology
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2020

Asthma is a complex inflammatory disease of the lung characterized by variable airflow obstruction, airway hyperresponsiveness, airway inflammation, and reduction of respiratory function. Its prevalence and incidence are increasing because of the effect of various environmental and lifestyle risk factors. Steroid inhalation, long-acting agonists, and other synthetic drugs are used for the treatment of this disease. However, they have some side effects and show unsatisfied result and response after treatment. Therefore, many researchers have focused on the development of natural product-related treatment for asthma to suppress the side effects and unsatisfied results. Seaweeds contain various bioactive compounds with anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and anti-oxidant activities. Thus, we investigated the asthma treatment-related literature using marine algae via the Google scholar search engine. Consequently, the literature is rarely investigated, but is increasing steadily. The literature was performed as a comparison study with an ovalbumin-induced group or drug-treated group, and investigated the antiasthma activity of algae ethanol extract. Although many researchers have studied marine algae-derived therapeutic agents for asthma, the amount of literature is rare compared with those of herbal medicine-derived therapeutic agents. Conclusively, we suggest that many researchers should investigate and develop algae-derived therapeutic agents for asthma treatment.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.1307-1312
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• 2007

This study was designed to investigate effectiveness of korean medicine therapy and the relation between effectiveness of that and single nucleotide gene polymorphism in stroke patients. This study was carried out on 92 stroke patients who were admitted to the department of acupuncture & moxibustion, college of Oriental medicine, Daegu Haany University and 112 healthy Korean. All patients were received Korean medicine therapy including acupuncture and herbal medicine for stroke and assessed by National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale(NIHSS). Blood samples from all subjects were obtained for DNA extraction. The extracted DNA was amplified by polymerase chain reaction(PCR). PCR products were visualized by 1.5% agarose gel electrophoresis. Through Pyrosequencing of PCR product, the polymorphism of single nucleotide gene was genotyped automatically. There were significant difference between before and after Korean medicine therapy in NIHSS. Genotypes were AA, AG, GG, but there was no significant difference between control and stroke groups. And there was not any statistical significant allelic frequency difference between control and stroke groups. We concluded that Korean medicine therapy in stroke patient can improve NIHSS, but there is no definite relation between effectiveness of Korean medicine therapy and single nucleotide gene polymorphism in stroke patients. This study need to be confirmed in large patients and further studies about relation with gene polymorphism are required.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.104-110
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• 2015

The activities on the inhibition of NO on LPS-induced RAW 264.7 macrophages were investigated in this work. A simple and sensitive method has been developed and validated for fingerprinting analysis of leaves of Acanthopanax gracilistylus W.W. Smith (AGS). The cytotoxicity and inhibition of NO on LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells of the extract and triterpenoids were determined. Optimal conditions of HPLC analysis were established as follows. The separation was performed with an ODS-C₁₈ column at $30^{\circ}C$, the detected wavelength was 210 nm, the flow rate was 1 mL/min, and the mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile (0.05% phosphoric acid)-0.05% phosphoric acid solution with gradient elution. Our results showed that impressic acid and acankoreaogenin was more effective on the inhibition of NO than the methanol extract and other compounds. There were seventeen peaks coexisted with similarities above 0.95 and nine lupane-triterpenoids including acankoreaogenin and impressic acid detected and identified. The result of anti-inflammatory activities provides a potential explanation for the use of AGS leaves as a herbal medicine in the treatment of inflammatory diseases. Our results also show that acankoreanogenin and impressic acid may be potentially useful in developing new anti-inflammatory agents. In addition, the fingerprint chromatography clearly illustrated and confirmed the material basis for the anti-inflammatory activities of this plant.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.108-114
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• 2017

Background: The study was conducted to investigate the distributions of faecal bacteria in commercial oriental medicine herb products. Methods and Results: A survey was conducted on the microbial contamination levels and antimicrobial specificity of Bacillus cereus and other microbes using 106 oriental medicine herb products on sale in Seoul. Pouring and isolation methods such as standard plate counts were used to identify the bacteria. The isolated bacterias included coliforms, Bacillus spp., Enterococcus spp., Staphylococcus spp., Listeria spp.were identified by using gram staining and an API (analytical profile index) kit. Antimicrobial drugs discs were determined by CLSI (clinical and laboratory standards institute). Conclusions: The bacterial isolates present in the herbal medicines included 98 coliforms, 45 Bacillus spp., 29 Enterococcus spp., and 2 Listeria spp. Among these, there were nine Bacillus cereus strains, one Enterococcus faecium strain, and one Enterococcus faecalis strain present. The 9 Bacillus cereus strains were tested for susceptibility to 36 types of antibiotics products by the disc diffusion method. The strains showed resistance to 13 of these antibiotic products and semi-resistance to 5 antibiotic products. On the basis of these results, any oriental medicine herb product can be assumed to be contain resistant or semi-resistant bacterial strains. Therefore, we suggest prescribing guidelines and special management for the use of antibiotics in farms producing oriental medicine herb products.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.115-120
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• 2017

Background: The study aimed to obtain data on the effects of cultivation and soil reduction of green manure crop on the quantity and quality of organically cultivated Cynanchum wilfordii Hemsley. Methods and Results: The experiment comprised four treatments: control, hairy vetch, barley, and hairy vetch + barley (3 : 2). The plant height in the hairy vetch treatment (86.3 cm) was significantly different from that in the other treatments, whereas the stem diameter leaf area, and special product analysis division (SPAD) value did not differ across the treatments. The largest soil reduction of green manure crop was recorded in the barley treatment (440 kg/10 a), whereas the smallest was recorded in the single treatment with hairy vetch (80 kg/10 a). The hairy vetch + barley (60 : 40) treatment showed 63% more soil microorganisms than control. Radical scavenging activity estimation revealed that the total polyphenol content was highest (1,740 mg/kg), and the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) was 92.6% in the barley treatment. The 2,2′-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) activation was highest in the control (51.1%), and the root yield was the highest in the barley treatment (310 kg/10 a). Conclusions: The root yield, total polyphenol content, and antioxidant activity of Cynanchum wilfordii (Maxim.) Hemsley increased in presence of the green manure crop barley.

• Korean Journal of Oriental Medicine
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.33-41
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• 2010

Patterns are symbolic expressions of life style or sentiment of people as a product of culture. Furthermore, it is a type of language that the shape or implication does not change much over time. Patterns shown on the Korean medical containers are related to human life and health that they are not very diverse and splendid but closed used in real life. The medical containers include the alcohol container or tea-ware in broad sense, but under this study, it would be handled only for the Korean medical containers directly used to protect human health and treatment of diseases. They would be the Medicine Mortar and Pestle that is used to grind the herbal medical ingredients, pots that hold the liquid decoction, containers to keep the medical ingredients in general conceptual use for medical purposes. The patterns inscribed are classified in animal pattern, plant pattern or alphabet pattern. Turtle, crane, ginseng, and life patterns have the contemplation to pray for long life without disease or good fortune, while plum pattern, dragon pattern and the like are used in the medical containers used mainly in royal families with the social status and dignity shown. As such, patterns have not only ornament elements but also the symbolic implication to represent long life without illness for human. It provides the basic data of medical wisdom contained in the pattern and willingness of human to protect life from illness. On the basis of such research, it would require ensuing studies to make comparison and analysis with the medical containers with the patterns in the adjacent countries in the days to come.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.46-55
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• 2005

Objectives: This experimental study was carried out to evaluate the immune modulating and anti-tumor activity of Ampelopsis Radix extracts (ARE). Materials and Methods: To elucidate the effects of ARE on the macrophage and NK cell activity, we analyzed NO production, NK cytotoxicity and gene expressions of cytokine related with macrophage and NK cell activity. Results: ARE activated and promoted macrophages to product NO in part. And, ARE has significant properties to activate macrophages and NK cells by promoting related cytokines like IL-1, IL-12, IFN-$\gamma$, iNOS and TNF-$\alpha$ gene expressions. We also observed that ARE promoted protein expression of IFN-$\gamma$, and TNF-$\alpha$ in mice splenocytes. Conclusions: ARE is an effective herbal drug for immune modulating and anti-cancer by promoting activity of macrophages and NK cells.

• Journal of Korean Traditional Oncology
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.71-77
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• 2010

This case report documents a case in which the administration of an herbal product, an extract of the lacquer tree, Rhus verniciflua Stokes was related with a prolonged survival in a elderly advanced non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC) patient. A 79-year-old man who had been diagnosed with advanced NSCLC refused conventional therapy and treatment with the allergen-removed Rhus verniciflua Stokes(aRVS) had continued from September 2007 to July 2010. He had survived for 35 months after the administration of aRVS and maintained good performance status with European Cooperative Oncology Group performance status(ECOG PS) of 1. This case suggests that aRVS be alternative treatment for the elderly advanced NSCLC patients.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.349-357
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• 2013

6'-O-galloylpaeoniflorin (GPF) is a galloylated derivate of paeoniflorin and a key chemical constituent of the peony root, a perennial flowering plant that is widely used as an herbal medicine in East Asia. This study is the first investigation of the cytoprotective effects of GPF against hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$)-induced cell injury and death in human HaCaT keratinocytes. GPF demonstrated a significant scavenging capacity against the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical, $H_2O_2$-generated intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), the superoxide anion radical ($O_2^-$), and the hydroxyl radical (${\cdot}$OH). GPF also safeguarded HaCaT keratinocytes against $H_2O_2$-provoked apoptotic cell death and attenuated oxidative macromolecular damage to DNA, lipids, and proteins. The compound exerted its cytoprotective actions in keratinocytes at least in part by decreasing the number of DNA strand breaks, the levels of 8-isoprostane (a stable end-product of lipid peroxidation), and the formation of carbonylated protein species. Taken together, these results indicate that GPF may be developed as a cytoprotector against ROS-mediated oxidative stress.