• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.354-361
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• 2011

In order to product dry goods of Gastrodiae Rhizoma with high quality, tubers were treated with various dry methods such as cutting, drying methods and steaming. In cutting than no cutting, they were shown shorter drying hours and lower drying yield. Drying hours in freeze drying was shorter than those of hot air and far-infrared ray. Total polyphenol content was higher in cutting than no cutting. According to steaming, it was increased in freeze drying but decreased rapidly in the other dry methods. Among all treatments, hot air dry treatment with cutting and no steaming had the highest total polyphenol content. Gastrodin and 4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol contents generally were similar or higher in cutting than no cutting. By steaming, gastrodin content in freeze drying was decreased but 4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol content was increased. But hot-air and infrared ray dry, they were shown opposite results. Gastrodin and 4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol contents showed opposite reaction to each other and were shown various response by dry methods.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.343-352
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• 2015

H9 is an ethanol extract prepared from nine traditional/medicinal herbs. This study was focused on the anticancer effect of H9 in non-small-cell lung cancer cells. The effects of H9 on cell viability, apoptosis, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP; ${\Delta}\psi_{m}$), and apoptosisrelated protein expression were investigated in A549 human lung cancer cells. In this study, H9-induced apoptosis was confirmed by propidium iodide staining, expression levels of mRNA were determined by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, protein expression levels were checked by western blot analysis, and MMP (${\Delta}\psi_{m}$) was measured by JC-1 staining. Our results indicated that H9 decreased the viability of A549 cells and induced cell morphological changes in a dose-dependent manner. H9 also altered expression levels of molecules involved in the intrinsic signaling pathway. H9 inhibited Bcl-xL expression, whereas Bax expression was enhanced and cytochrome C was released. Furthermore, H9 treatment led to the activation of caspase-3/caspase-9 and proteolytic cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase; the MMP was collapsed by H9. However, the expression levels of extrinsic pathway molecules such as Fas/FasL, TRAIL/TRAIL-R, DR5, and Fas-associated death receptor were downregulated by H9. These results indicated that H9 inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis by activating intrinsic pathways but not extrinsic pathways in human lung cancer cells. Our results suggest that H9 can be used as an alternative remedy for human non-small-cell lung cancer.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.406-414
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• 2004

Resveratrol, which is both a phytoalexin with antifungal activity and a phytochemical associated with reduced cancer risk and reduced cardiovascular disease, is synthesized in a limited number of plant species including peanut. Resveratrol synthesis is catalyzed by the enzyme stilbene synthase including resveratrol synthase (RS). Resveratrol synthase gene (RS3) obtained from peanut, Arachis hypogaea, Fabaceae has been transferred into chinese foxglove, Rehmannia glutinosa by using Agrobacterium mediated transformation. RS t-DNA introduced to chinese foxglove (R. glutinosa L) by transformation and its reaction product, $resveratrol-3-O-{\beta}-D-glucoside$ was isolated and characterized using HPLC. Also its biological effects was tested in inhibition of the lipid peroxidation of mouse LDL by glycosylated stilbenes derivatives obtained from transgenic plants. $Resveratrol-3-O-{\beta}-D-glucoside$ isolated from transgenic R. glutinosa L. showed antimicrobial activity of the growth inhibition zone against Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium. Therefore, this compound can be contributed to be useful as a phytoalexin for plant health as well as a phytochemical for human health.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.132-137
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• 2007

Inhibitory effect of Scutellaria baicalensis ethanol extracts (SR) on chemical mediator release and immunoglobulin (Ig) production from Sprague-Dawley rats originated cells as type I allergic reaction was examined. SR showed concentration-dependent inhibition on basal and concanavalin A (ConA)-stimulated Ig production. In the mesenteric lymph node lymphocytes, the inhibitory effect of SR on the IgE production in the presence of Con A was stronger than these on IgA and IgG production. Moreover, tumor necrosis factor-alpha $(TNF-{\alpha})$ production-inhibiting effect of SR in the presence ConA was observed. However, SR did not affect the production of $interferon-{\gamma}$. SR also inhibited histamine release from the peritoneal exudate cells stimulated with a calcium ionophore A23187. In the case of leukotriene B4, SR markedly inhibited it at the concentration of 100 mg/ml. From these results, ethanol extracts obtained from Scutellaria baicalensis may have an anti-allergic effect on the intestinal system of rats.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.381-386
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• 2012

Eucommia ulmoides OLIVER (EU) is a traditional Korean herbal used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In the present study, the molecular pharmacology basis of its anti-inflammatory effect is revealed in this work, EU was studied in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated macrophage cells (RAW 264.7) as an established inflammation model. After activation, nitric oxide (NO) production and iNOS mRNA were measured by using a colorimetric assay (Griess reagent), and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), respectively. The change in the content of $PGE_2$, $TNF{\alpha}$, and IL-6 was concurrently monitored by ELISA. In results, we found that in the concentration range without showing cytotoxicity, EU produced a remarkable anti-inflammatory effect and showed a dose-dependent inhibition of LPSinduced NO production. Compared with indomethacin, EU has more potency and a specific action of NO inhibition, $PGE_2$, IL-6, and TNF-${\alpha}$ inhibition. These results suggest that EU may be a suitable herbal medicine to yield the greatest anti-inflammatory activity for food additives and medicine.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.171-176
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• 2012

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of atmosphere-leaf vapor pressure deficit (VPD) in Allium microdictyon Prokh. and Allium ochotense Prokh. The vapor pressure deficit (VPD) was rapidly increased with increasing temperature and decreasing relative humidity. Taken as a whole, the stomatal transpiration reaction was slightly late with increading of VPD. Maximum photosynthetic rate at high-VPD condition was 5.98 ${\mu}mol$ $CO_2{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$ in Allium microdictyon, which was a little lower than 6.59 ${\mu}mol$ $CO_2{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$ in Allium ochotense, respectively. After 2 p.m, stomatal transpiration of Allium microdictyon at the high VPD condition were rapidly decreased. Ci/Ca began to decline sharply at 8 a.m and showed the lowest value at 2 p.m, The results showed that Ci/Ca decreased with being used $CO_2$ in the mesophyll intercellular space for photosynthesis. In high VPD condition, The water potential values showed the highest at 5 a.m, and the lowest at 1 p.m in high VPD condition. The water saturation deficits (WSD) in high VPD condition showed about 1.5 times higher than in low VPD condition. The results indicated that physiological activities in Allium microdictyon is more limited from high VPD conditions.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.45-51
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• 2017

Background: This study was performed to evaluate the protective effect of Saururus chinensis ethanol extract (SCE) against styrene toxicity in mouse spermatocyte cells [GC-2spd (ts) cell line]. Methods and Results: Cytotoxicity in mouse spermatocyte cells was measured using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was determined using 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (DCF-DA) assay. Semi-quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and western blotting were performed to quantify the mRNA and protein expression levels, resepectiviely, of stress or apoptosis-related genes including p21, p53, heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70), heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90), Bax, Bcl-2, and caspase-3. The results of the MTT assay showed that $50 {\mu}g/m{\ell}$ SCE did not affect cell viability. ROS generation in mouse spermatocyte cells increased by treatment with $100{\mu}M$ styrene, and decreased by co-treatment with SCE. SCE repressed the mRNA expression of stress-related genes, which increased by styrene treatment. In addition, SCE inhibited the apoptosis of mouse spermatocyte cells by ameliorating mRNA and protein levels of apoptotic genes that were altered by styrene treatment. Conclusions: These results suggest that SCE may alleviate styrene toxicity in mouse spermatocyte cells by reducing ROS stress and regulating genes related to styrene toxicity.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.321-327
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• 2010

The ability of 80% ethanol extracts from five medicinal plants, Aralia continentalis, Paeonia suffruticosa, Magnolia denudata, Anemarrhena asphodeloides, and Schizonepeta tenuifolia, to neutralize hydroxyl radical, peroxyl radical and peroxynitrite was examined using the total oxyradical scavenging capacity (TOSC) assay. Peroxyl radical was generated from thermal homolysis of 2,2'-azobis(2-methylpropionamidine) dihydrochloride (ABAP); hydroxyl radical by an iron-ascorbate Fenton reaction; peroxynitrite by spontaneous decomposition of 3-morpholinosydnonimine N-ethylcarbamide (SIN-1). The oxidants generated react with $\alpha$-keto-$\gamma$-methiolbutyric acid (KMBA) to yield ethylene, and the TOSC of the substances tested is quantified from their ability to inhibit ethylene formation. Extracts from P. suffruticosa, M. denudata, and S. tenuifolia were determined to be potent peroxyl radical scavenging agents with a specific TOSC (sTOSC) being at least six-fold greater than that of glutathione (GSH). These three plants also showed sTOSCs toward peroxynitrite markedly greater than sTOSC of GSH, however, only P. suffruticosa revealed a significant hydroxyl radical scavenging capacity. Seven major active constituents isolated from P. suffruticosa, quercetin, (+)-catechin, methyl gallate, gallic acid, benzoic acid, benzoyl paeoniflorin and paeoniflorin, were determined for their antioxidant potential toward peroxynitrite, peroxyl and hydroxyl radicals. Quercetin, (+)-catechin, methyl gallate, and gallic acid exhibited sTOSCs 40~85 times greater than sTOSC of GSH. These four components also showed a peroxynitrite scavenging capacity higher than at least 10-fold of GSH. For antioxidant activity against hydroxyl radical, methyl gallate was greatest followed by gallic acid and quercetin. Further studies need to be conducted to substantiate the significance of scavenging a specific oxidant in the prevention of cellular injury and disease states caused by the reactive free radical species.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.504-513
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• 2011

In order to develop a novel system for the discrimination of five ginseng cultivars (Panax ginseng Meyer), single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping assays with real-time polymerase chain reaction were conducted. Nucleotide substitution in gDNA library clones of P. ginseng cv. Yunpoong was targeted for the SNP genotyping assay. From these SNP sites, a set of modified SNP specific fluorescence probes (PGP74, PGP110, and PGP130) and novel primer sets have been developed to distinguish among five ginseng cultivars. The combination of the SNP type of the five cultivars, Chungpoong, Yunpoong, Gopoong, Kumpoong, and Sunpoong, was identified as 'ATA', 'GCC', 'GTA', 'GCA', and 'ACC', respectively. This study represents the first report of the identification of ginseng cultivars by fluorescence probes. An SNP genotyping assay using fluorescence probes could prove useful for the identification of ginseng cultivars and ginseng seed management systems and guarantee the purity of ginseng seed.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.88-94
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• 2000

The purpose of this presents is to investigate, using natural food extracts(Green tea; Camellia sinesis, Du'chung; Eucommia ulmoides Oliver, Eu sung cho; Houttuynia cordate Thunb, Sam back cho; Saurus Chinensis, Baek hwa sa seal oho; Oldenladia diffusa Roxb., Laver; Porphyra tenera, Sea mustard; Undaria pinnatifda and Sea staghorn; Condium fragile) and juices(Sweet pepper; Capsicum annuum var. angulosum, Kale; Brassia oleracea var. acephala, Cucumber; Cucumis sativus, Onion; Allium cepa, Tomato; Lycopericon esculentum, Maesil; Prunus mume, Plum; Prunus salicina and Grape; Vitis spp.), the effect of natural plant components on the nitrite-scavenging under the different levels of pH. From the above mentioned extracts and juices, the content of vitamin C was detected, containing 65.1∼77.1 mg/100g, at the highest level in the Green tea, and followed by vegetables and fruits in order. The nitrite scavenging effect of teas, medicinal plants, and seaweed extracts, in the reaction system under the condition of pH 1.2, were 57.0∼100%, 50.0∼100%, and 18.0∼99.0%, respectively. Especially, the nitrite was scavenged to the level of 100%1 when 10 ml of kale and 5 ml of maesil Juice