• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제43권2호
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• pp.172-178
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• 2019

Inflammation is an innate immune response that protects the body from pathogens, toxins, and other dangers and is initiated by recognizing pathogen-associated molecular patterns or danger-associated molecular patterns by pattern-recognition receptors expressing on or in immune cells. Intracellular pattern-recognition receptors, including nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptors (NLRs), absent in melanoma 2, and cysteine aspartate-specific protease (caspase)-4/5/11 recognize various pathogen-associated molecular patterns and danger-associated molecular patterns and assemble protein complexes called "inflammasomes." These complexes induce inflammatory responses by activating a downstream effector, caspase-1, leading to gasdermin D-mediated pyroptosis and the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin $(IL)-1{\beta}$ and IL-18. Ginsenosides are natural steroid glycosides and triterpene saponins found exclusively in the plant genus Panax. Various ginsenosides have been identified, and their abilities to regulate inflammatory responses have been evaluated. These studies have suggested a link between ginsenosides and inflammasome activation in inflammatory responses. Some types of ginsenosides, including Rh1, Rg3, Rb1, compound K, chikusetsu saponin IVa, Rg5, and Rg1, have been clearly demonstrated to inhibit inflammatory responses by suppressing the activation of various inflammasomes, including the NLRP3, NLRP1, and absent in melanoma 2 inflammasomes. Ginsenosides have also been shown to inhibit caspase-1 and to decrease the expression of $IL-1{\beta}$ and IL-18. Given this body of evidence, the functional relationship between ginsenosides and inflammasome activation provides new insight into the understanding of the molecular mechanisms of ginsenoside-mediated antiinflammatory actions. This relationship also has applications regarding the development of antiinflammatory remedies by ginsenoside-mediated targeting of inflammasomes, which could be used to prevent and treat inflammatory diseases.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제45권1호
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• pp.22-31
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• 2021

Atherosclerosis (AS) is a leading cause of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and it results in a high rate of death worldwide, with an increased prevalence with age despite advances in lifestyle management and drug therapy. Atherosclerosis is a chronic progressive inflammatory process, and it mainly presents with lipid accumulation, foam cell proliferation, inflammatory response, atherosclerotic plaque formation and rupture, thrombosis, and vascular calcification. Therefore, there is a great need for reliable therapeutic drugs or remedies to cure or alleviate atherosclerosis and reduce the societal burden. Ginsenosides are natural steroid glycosides and triterpene saponins obtained mainly from the plant ginseng. Several recent studies have reported that ginsenosides have a variety of pharmacological activities against several diseases including inflammation, cancer and cardiovascular diseases. This review focuses on describing the different pharmacological functions and underlying mechanisms of various active ginsenosides (Rb1,-Rd, -F, -Rg1, -Rg2, and -Rg3, and compound K) for atherosclerosis, which could provide useful insights for developing novel and effective anti-cardiovascular drugs.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• 제47권2호
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• pp.140-146
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• 2023

In recent years, the number of patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a condition that commonly occurs in elderly men, has increased due to aging and the adoption of western dietary habits. Treatment with chemical drugs, such as finasteride or dutasteride, can cause side effects such as erectile dysfunction or sexual problems. This necessitates the development of remedies using natural substances derived from food ingredients. In this study, we investigated the inhibitory effects of Oxya chinensis sinuosa hot water extract (OCH) on BPH production in LNCaP cells, a hormone-dependent prostate cancer cell line. We found that the mRNA expression of androgen receptor (AR), prostate specific antigen (PSA), and, 5α-reductases 1, and 2 decreased following treatment with OCH. Furthermore, OCH treatment resulted in reduced protein expression of BPH regulators, such as AR. Collectively, these results suggest that OCH exerts a beneficial effect on BPH by inhibiting the AR signaling pathway, indicating the potential of OCH as a therapeutic agent for the prevention and treatment of BPH.

• 동의신경정신과학회지
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• 제8권2호
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• pp.1-12
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• 1997

As there has recently been growing interest in Alternative Medicine, Oriental Medicals have been trying to incorporate Alternative Medicine into Oriental Medicine evolutionarily. The purpose of this study is to make a comparative study of the historical background and present condition, the view of life, the principle of therapeutics, and the various therapeutics in Alterative Medicine and Oriental Medicine from the viewpoint of Oriental Medicine. The conclusion of this study is; 1. Although Alternative Medicine has become influential mainly in the effort of finding a solution the limit of western medicine, the clinical effect of Alternative Medicine should be verified continuously. 2. Alternative Medicine includes all of the therapeutics such as Traditional Medicine, Naturopathy, Complementary Medicine and Selective Medicine whose characters are different from Western Medicine and Oriental Medicine can be regarded as a sort of Alternative Medicine. 3. The holistic, systematic view of life of Alternative Medicine, from which viewpoint human considered as a harmonious vital existence, is a sort of recurrence to the view of Hipporcrates. 4. From the viewpoint of Alternative Medicine, a disease is not partial but holistic disorder and is treated by utilizing natural products as a medicine based on the principle that pursues harmonious and balanced psychosomatic function. This principle of therapeutic is the same as Oriental Medicine is based on. 5. Alternative Medicine may be classified largely five category, (1) Eastern Therapy, (2) Manipulative Therapy, (3) Natural Therapy, (4) Active Therapy, (5) Therapy Involving External Powers. 6. Besides Alternative Medicine which is used in clinical treatment, Massage, Homeopathy, Bach Flower remedies, Meditation, and other Music Therapy and Color Therapy is relatively accordant with therapeutics in Oriental Medicine and should be more actively accepted in clinics and improved.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• 제22권4호
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• pp.275-281
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• 2016

Perilla frutescens was empirically used for controlling airway inflammatory diseases in folk medicine. We investigated whether caffeic acid, myristicin and rosemarinic acid derived from Perilla frutescens significantly affect the gene expression and production of mucin from airway epithelial cells. Confluent NCI-H292 cells were pretreated with caffeic acid, myristicin or rosemarinic acid for 30 min and then stimulated with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) for 24 h. The MUC5AC mucin gene expression and production were measured by reverse transcription - polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively. Additionally, we examined whether caffeic acid, myristicin or rosemarinic acid affects MUC5AC mucin production indued by epidermal growth factor (EGF) and tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$ ($TNF-{\alpha}$), the other two stimulators of production of airway mucin. The results were as follows: (1) Caffeic acid, myristicin and rosemarinic acid inhibited the gene expression and production of MUC5AC mucin induced by PMA from NCI-H292 cells, respectively; (2) Among the three compounds derived from Perilla frutescens, only rosemarinic acid inhibited the production of MUC5AC mucin induced by EGF or $TNF-{\alpha}$, the other two stimulators of production of airway mucin. These results suggest that rosemarinic acid derived from Perilla frutescens can regulate the production and gene expression of mucin, by directly acting on airway epithelial cells and, at least in part, explains the traditional use of Perilla frutescens as remedies for diverse inflammatory pulmonary diseases.

• 대한한방내과학회지
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• 제29권4호
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• pp.988-999
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• 2008

Objectives : The study was conducted to evaluate antioxidative, anti-atherosclerotic and anti-hypertensive effects of natural remedies. Alisma Rhizome (AR) has been used for a long time in Asia in folk remedies for treatment of hypertension and stroke and has been used in Korean traditional medicine for the treatment of glycosuria, gonorrhea, hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, and jaundice and its diuretic effect. These pharmacological effects of AR might come from antioxidant properties of phytochemicals in these materials. Methods : In this study, the antioxidant activity of extract from AR was studied with in vitro methods by measuring the antioxidant activity by TEAC, measuring the scavenging effects on reactive oxygen species (ROS) [superoxide anion, hydroxyl radical] and on reactive nitrogen species (RNS) [nitric oxide and peroxynitrite] as well as measuring the inhibitory effect on $Cu^{2+}$ induced human LDL oxidation and on ACE. Results : The AR extracts were found to have a potent scavenging activity, as well as an inhibitory effect on LDL oxidation and on ACE against all of the reactive species tested, with the water extract showing particularly strong antioxidant activities. Conculsions : The AR extracts have antioxidative, anti-atherosclerotic and anti-hypertensive effects in an in vitro system, which can be used for developing pharmaceutical drugs against oxidative stress and atherosclerosis.

• 대한한방내과학회지
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• 제19권1호
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• pp.524-552
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• 1998

Purgation therapy has played an important role as a influential remedy from the begining of the Chinese medicine. Especially purgation therapy is raised as the effective remedy on the acute infectious disease in the book of 'Treatise on Febrile Disease'. But It was inclined to cold-nature and available only in the excess syndrome. Nevertheless it is evident that the book has showed an example of this therapy. During the middle age, purgation therapy is classified into several subtype; hydrogogue therapy, laxation with lubricants, purgation with cold-natured drugs and purgation with warm-natured drugs. Comparing with the ancient times, it must be a progression. It was investigated earnestly by a school leaded by Zhang Congzheng. They were not restricted to several diseases, but applied it to the wide range of diseases. They thought as following. 'One is ill from pathogenic factor so that you should eliminate it from the human body'. Hence, they frequently used three major remedies such as diaphoresis, emesis and purgation. In this process, purgation therapy had showed eye-opening progress. But opposition to it was not little. Li Gao was a representative man on the opposite side. He expressed a critical opinion and placed great importance on the genuine energy, the natural healing force. Under his influence, a large number of doctors evaded purgation and put it under taboo. On account of these trend, purgation therapy had took a backward step and retrograded. Therefore cathartics such as Rhei Radix et Rhizoma, Rharbitidis Semen, cold drugs such as Gypsum Fibrosum, etc. had been excluded for preservation of the genuine energy, and came about an obnoxious custom to value only 'tonity deficiency', or 'warm and tonify'. As it had came into fashion to approach most disease from the point of view, purgation therapy was merely fall into a remedy of constipation. After the eighteenth century purgation therapy encountered the new period of rivival. It was introduced by them who strived for the study of Epidemics to the new current of thought, so called '增水行舟'. It was because 온병 was apt to dissipate one's Yin fluid. Therefore purgation therapy of this period was characterized by establishing nourishment Yin and body fluid with or without use of timely purgation of accumulation of heat. From the time of Zhang Congzheng, it was accomplished by Lee Je-ma to the most epoch-making change. He caused an improvement in the use of purgation therapy by regarding innate constitutional contradiction as importance than representing clinical symptoms. He warned that existing remedies that depend only upon symptoms and signs, not upon individual characteristics including constitutional features didn't bring round to but kill them. And he understood all the pathologic processes in his constitutional theory, investigated specific drugs on four constitution, made indications of each prescriptions clear. For giving to differentiation of constition before differentiation of syndrom, his new slant on the pathologic phenomena overcome the limitations of 변증시치, and revaluate purgation therapy from remedy impaire the genuine energy to that restore it by recover the balance between the internal organ. It is the product of him to fundamentally upset the cause to be in disregard of purgation therapy.

• 미생물학회지
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• 제47권3호
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• pp.241-248
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• 2011

식품의 상품성과 보존을 위하여 사용하는 합성 첨가물이 소비자들의 소비 습관의 변화와 첨가물의 안전성에 대한 사회적 쟁점화로 천연의 소재를 활용한 다양한 연구와 조사가 진행되고 있다. 본 연구에서도 천연물 중 한의학의 소재로 사용되는 생약제제 79종을 사용하여 식품 중 상품성이 훼손된 음료에서 분리한 세균에 대한 항균성을 조사하였다. 13종의 Bacillus sp.와 3종의 Paenibacillus sp.에 대한 메탄올 추출물의 항균성을 조사한 결과 43종의 생약제제가 분리한 세균에 대한 항균성을 나타내었다. 이 중 8종의 한약재를 선별하고 이들을 대상으로 물, 에탄올, 메탄올과 에틸아세테이트를 추출 용매로 하여 항균성을 조사한 결과 오매, 오배자와 황련이 분리된 세균에 대한 항균성이 우수한 것으로 조사되었으며 특히 물과 에탄올을 사용한 경우에 우수한 항균성을 나타내어 이 결과를 바탕으로 이들 소재를 활용한 천연보존료의 개발 가능성을 확인할 수 있었다. 특히 다른 생약제제와 비교할 때 오매에 대한 연구가 상대적으로 미진한 것으로 판단되어 향후 지속적인 연구를 통한 제품의 개발도 가능할 것으로 판단하였다.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제28권4호
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• pp.465-471
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• 2018

벌 화분은 오랫동안 전 세계적으로 이용되어 온 대체요법 중 하나이다. 벌 화분은 항진균 및 항균작용, 항암작용, 면역조절, 그리고 세포의 증식 등 다양한 생리활성을 갖고 있는 것으로 알려져 있다. 본 연구는 설치류를 이용하여 벌 화분의 양성전립선비대증의 개선 효과를 밝히기 위해 진행되었다. 벌 화분은 활성 성분의 추출률을 극대화하고, 생체 흡수율을 높이기 위하여 나노 크기로 분쇄하여 이용하였다. 먼저, 나노 크기의 벌 화분은 만성 testosterone 투여에 의한 전립선 크기 증가를 유의하게 완화하였다. 게다가 나노 크기의 벌 화분은 혈중 전립선 특이 항원의 농도를 뚜렷하게 감소시켰다. 흥미롭게도 나노 크기의 벌 화분은 testosterone에 의한 혈중 prostaglandin $E_2$ 증가에는 유의한 영향을 미치지 않았다. 이러한 나노 크기 벌 화분의 약리 효능은 dutasteride의 효과와 유사하였다. 마지막으로 나노 크기의 벌 화분은 androgen-반응성 인간 전립선 샘암종 세포인 LNCaP 세포의 손상을 유도하지 않았다. 이러한 결과를 종합하면, 나노화 된 벌 화분은 양성전립선비대증의 치료에 대체요법으로 이용될 수 있을 것으로 기대된다.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• 제27권3호
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• pp.207-224
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• 2011

Diseases caused by plant pathogenic bacteria constitute an emerging threat to global food security. Xanthomonas is a large genus of Gram-negative bacteria that cause disease in several host plants leading to considerable losses in productivity and quality of harvests. Despite the ranges of controlling techniques available, the microbiological safety of economically important crops and crop plants including fruits and vegetables continues to be a major concern to the agriculture industry. On the other hand, many of the currently available antimicrobial agents for agriculture are highly toxic, non-biodegradable and cause extended environmental pollution. Besides, the use of antibiotics has provoked an increased resistance among the bacterial pathogens and their pathovars. Thus, novel efficient and safe remedies for controlling plant bacterial diseases are necessary. There has been an increasing interest worldwide on therapeutic values of natural products such as essential oils, hence the purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the published data on the antibacterial efficacy of essential oils that could be considered suitable for application in agriculture as biocontrol measures against plant pathogenic bacteria of Xanthomonas species. The current knowledge on the use of essential oils to control Xanthomonas bacteria in vitro and in vivo models has been discussed. A brief description on the legal aspects on the use of essential oils against bacterial pathogens has also been presented. Through this review, a mode of antibacterial action of essential oils along with their chemical nature and the area for future research have been thoroughly discussed.