• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.97-100
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• 1995

The pigments of acetylshikonin and isobutylshikonin isolated from the roots of Lithospermum erythrorhizon were determined over a period of storage for their stabilities influenced by temperatures and metal ions. In dark condition, both pigment solution were unstable at 488 and 560 nm; alcoholic solutions of acetylshikonin pigment were stable at $25^{\circ}C$ and $50^{\circ}C$ for 1 hour, but isobutylshikonin showed severe discoloration within 1 hour at $95^{\circ}C$ . Buffered solutions of acetylshikonin tended to be discolored with the addition of $Fe^{++}$, while those of isobutylshikonin with $Fe^{++}$ and $Cu^{++}$. These studies indicated that acetylshikonin and isobutylshikonin can be used in foods as the natural colorant under selected conditions in case of considering storage temperature and metal ions.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.152-156
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• 1994

The purplish red pigment from the roots of Lithospermum erythrorhizon, a Korean edible wild plant, has been investigated concerning it's value as a natural colorant for Korean traditional foods. An attempt was made to isolate pigments and define their characteristics. Two compounds of isobutylshikonin and acetylshikonin were identified by melting point determination and spectra of UV, IR, and $^{1}H-NMR$. To examine the utility of these naphthoquinone pigments for foods, the effect of various pH values on stability were determined over a period of storage. Buffered solutions of acetylshikonin and isobutylshikonin at pH 3 and 5 showed stable purplish red. The absorption maxima if acetylshikonin and isobutylshikonin over the range of pH 3 to 7 were 518 nm and 520 nm, respectively. A bathochromic shift to 588 nm at pH 10 was observed on these two naphthoquinone pigments. Sensory evaluation was performed with acetylshikonin and isobutylshikonin of identical absorbance. These two pigments revealed purplish red color in Munsell system.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.157-161
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• 1994

The pigments of acetylshikonin and isobutylshikonin isolated from the roots of Lithospermum erythrorhizon were determined over a period of storage for their stabilities influenced by mono- and disaccharides and acids. In general. sugars and acids caused an increase in stability of acetylshikonin at the various concentrations. These studies indicated that acetylshikonin and isobutylshikonin can be used in foods as the natural colorant under selected conditions.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.167-172
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• 2000

Lithospermum erythrorhyzon has been used as a red fooddye and traditional Chinese medicine to treat wounds, skin diseases and burns. Platelet activation plays an important role in thrombosis and haemostasis. Here, we studied the inhibition of platelet activation and its active compound from the root of Lithospermum erythrorhyzon. Its ethyl acetate extract inhibited the aggregation of washed rabbit platelets induced by collagen or thrombin. Five naphthoquinone pigments , shikonin , acetylshikonin , is obutylshikonin, $\alpha$-methyl-n-butylshikonin and $\beta$,$\beta$-dimethylacrylshikonin were isolated by means of high pressure liquid chromatography. The structures were determined by comparison of their proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectra. The potency of their inhibition was in the following order : $\beta$,$\beta$-dimethylacrylshikonin$\geq$$\alpha$-methyl-n-butylshikonin>isobutylshikonin>acetylshikonin>shikonin. It is suggested that the size of the aliphatic hydroxy group of shikonin is important for the enhancement of potency.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.255-263
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• 2005

Research was undertaken to compare the pharmacological activity of Lithospermi radix (LR) reported as an oriental medicine for classical uses. LR contains naphthoquinone pigments : shikonin, acetylshikonin, isobutylshikonin, etc. LR is used for the treatment of excision wound, burn, eczema, blister, scarlatina and septicemia as antifebrile, antidotic and antiphlogistic. Gardeniae fructus (GF) has been used for the treatment to jaundice, hepatic disease, anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects, and it contains crocin, geniposide and its derivatives. The therapeutic effects of burn and excision wound healing from LR & GF hydrogel with $Nano-ATP^{\circledR}$ (GLN) were investigated. To evaluate the therapeutic value of various hydrogels, thermal burn model and excision wound mouse model were used. The burn and wound reduction rate and therapeutic period were measured to calculate the healing extent after 5 experiments. The 2nd degree burn was prepared on hairless mouse back skin and dressing with collagen. The burn and wound reduction rate of GLN hydrogel treated group decreased more rapidly than that of other gel group in animal model. Furthermore therapeutic periods of GLN hydrogel treated group was shorter than that of other gel group. In anti-inflammatory test, GLN hydrogel treated group decreased edema rapidly than that of other gel group. These results suggest that the GLN hydrogel treatment has an therapeutic effect on burn and excision wound healing.