• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.457-462
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• 2002

Oregonin, a diarylheptanoid derivative from Alnus hirsuta Turcz, Betulaceae, was evaluated for its antitumor activity. Oregonin, known to have an antitumor function, and is a novel immunomodulator, which may augment macrophage activity. MTT assays and NO production tests were performed in order to investigate the cytotoxicity of oregonin in tumor cells and to examine its influence on macrophage in detail. In this study, the tumoricidal activity was also evaluated by a MTT assay. The cytotoxicity measurements in the oregon in-treated group both in vitro and in vivo showed a significant difference from that of the control group. In vivo, oregonin significantly increased NO production in a dose-dependent manner, and in vitro, the thioglycolate-induced inflammatory macrophages increased NO production in a dose-dependent manner after incubation. These results suggest that oregonin reacts with both the inflammatory and non-inflammatory macrophages in a similar way.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.493-499
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• 2002

We investigated the antitumor activity of oregonin, a diarylheptanoid derivative purified from Alnus hirsuta Turcz, Betulaceae. Oregonin is a potential novel immunomodulator, which augments the activation of natural killer (NK) cells, and thereby leads to a powerful antitumor activity. To evaluate the cytotoxicity of oregonin against tumor cells, we examined the effectiveness of NK cells and determined that oregonin could increase NK cell cytotoxicity. This was confirmed by MTT assay. In addition, the survival time of C57BL/6 mice were measured by inoculating 816-F10 melanoma cells to mice via intra muscular (i.m.) injection. Oregonin treatment after 10 hours of inoculation at 10 mg/kg dosage showed a significant extension of survival time by up to 51.32%, when compared to the control group. Moreover, oregonin significantly reduced the incidence of pulmonary metastasis, which may be developed from 816-F10 melanoma cells. These findings suggest that oregon in may be classified as a new and novel immunomodulator due to its potential antitumor activity.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.322-329
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• 2018

A diarylheptanoid, (5S)-1,7-bis-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-5-hydroxyheptane-3-one-5-O-${\beta}$-D-xylopyranoside, named oregonin (1), was isolated from the of Alnus japonica (A. japonica), which is a species of the genus Betulaceae, growing throughout Korea, Japan and China. The structure was elucidated by various spectroscopic methods including negative and positive LC/MS, 1H-NMR, and 13C-NMR techniques or by comparison with authentic samples. In order to evaluate the anti-oxidative activities of oregonin (1) isolated from A. japonica, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity and 2,2'-azino-bis[3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid] (ABTS) radical scavenging activity were measured in vitro. Oregonin from A. japonica exhibited potent DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities. A. japonica shows not only 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity and ABTS radical scavenging activity, but also apoptosis modulative effects. The present results indicate that A. japonica could be a hair-growth-promoting agent for cosmetic products.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.53-63
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• 2024

Alnus japonica is indigenous to korea and usually grows in wet lowlands and damp regions in the mountains. Oregonin, is known as a representative compound of the diarylheptanoid mainly found in Alnus species and has been reported to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. In this experiment, we conducted a study on the presence of orogonin in the native Alnus japonica from the Baekdudaegan mountain range in Korea. We collected a total of 30 samples from Chuncheon, Yangyang, and Jeongseon and conducted experiments. In the HPLC analysis, we confirmed that oregonin was detected in all samples. After the quantitative analysis, samples with the highest content from each region were selected and LC-MS/MS experiments were performed. As a result, the same molecular weight as oregonin, 477.2 m/z, was confirmed in all samples.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.211-216
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• 2007

The bark of Alnus japonica has been used for the treatment of fever, hemorrhage and diarrehea in oriental traditional medicine. Recently, it was revealed that the diarylheptanoids from the bark of Alnus japonica possess anti-inflammatory activity and are expected to be applicable for atopic dermatitis. In this study, oregonin, one of major active components in the bark of Alnus japonica, was developed in the form of semisolid formulations for topical delivery. Oregonin was incorporated into four ointment bases: O/W cream, W/O cream, hydrophilic ointment and lipophilic ointment. Oregonin release from all formulation prepared was evaluated. Franz cell method and immersion method were employed to characterize the release patterns of drug from each formulation based on solvent availability. O/W cream showed a better release profile than the other formulations when evaluated with Franz cell method with an order of O/W cream, hydrophilic ointment, W/O cream and lipophilic ointment. In the immersion method, hydrophilic ointment showed the greatest release rate at times 1 hour exceeding compared to other bases with an order of hydrophilic ointment, O/W cream, W/O cream and lipophilic ointment. Hydrophilicity and solvent availability of formulation seems to significantly influence the release rate of oregonin from ointment bases. In this study, we successfully characterized the oregon in ointment and found that o/w cream is a promising formulation for the topical delivery of oregonin.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.73-77
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• 2009

This study was carried out to investigate the valuable antioxidative compound from extracts of Alnus hirsuta Turcz. which has a nationwide distribution. The bark (2 kg) was extracted with 70% aqueous acetone and fractionated, and the ethyl acetate and $H_2O$ fractions, separately, were chromatographed on a Sephadex LH-20 column to purify the mixture and to give two diarylheptanoid compounds. The isolated compounds were analyzed by NMR spectroscopy, including $^1H$, $^{13}C$ and two-dimensional NMR, and identified as oregonin (1) and 1,7-bis-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-heptane-5-O-${\beta}$-D-xylopyranoside (2). The antioxidative activity was evaluated by DPPH method using two diarylheptanoids and acid-hydrolyzed oregonin derivative which indicated higher activity potential. Of those the acid-hydrolyzed oregonin derivative showed highly active potential with the value of 2.6 of $IC_{50}$.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.226-230
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• 2008

Monoolein-based cubic liquid crystalline systems were formulated for the local delivery of oregonin and hirsutanonol for the treatment of atopic dermatitis. The liquid crystalline phase and its nanodispersion containing drugs were prepared. The skin permeation and deposition properties of the drugs were examined in normal and delipidized rat skin. The proportion of oregonin (%) deposited in normal skin after topical administration of the drugs in the form of aqueous solution, cubic phase or cubic nanodispersions were $1.53\;{\pm}\;0.46$, $3.62\;{\pm}\;0.17$ and $5.13\;{\pm}\;0.73$, and those of hirsutanonol were $2.46\;{\pm}\;0.02$, $5.44\;{\pm}\;0.27$ and $17.28\;{\pm}\;2.19$, respectively. The greater lipophilicity and thus greater skin affinity of hirsutanonol than oregonin contributed the greater amount of skin deposition. The monoolein-based liquid crystalline phases significantly increased the amount of both drugs permeated and deposited. Approximately 3.2, 2.1 and 3.0 times greater amount of oregonin, and 3.4, 2.1 and 2.2 times greater amount of hirsutanonol were deposited in delipidized skin after administration of each drug in the form of aqueous solution, cubic phase and cubic nanodispersions system, respectively, because of lowered barrier function of the delipidized skin. In this study, the effects of drug property, vehicles type and skin condition on skin deposition and permeation properties of drug were examined and concluded that monoolein-based liquid crystalline systems would be a promising formulation for the local delivery of drugs.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.227-232
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• 2011

Alnus japonica has been known to exert antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer and immune response inhibitory effects. The aim of this study was to figure out the characteristics of extracts obtained with different extraction solvent such as water, 100% ethanol, 70% ethanol or 70% methanol because characteristic components such as oregonin and hirsutanone extracted from Alnus japonica might be essential for the biological activity. For this purpose, oregonin and hirsutanon of four extracts, index ingredient of Alnus japonica, were analyzed with HPLC and physicochemical studies such as SEM, particle size and zeta potential were conducted. In cell cytotoxicity study, extract of water showed the highest cytotoxicity among four extracts. In case of oregonin, 70% MeOH and water extracts showed high contents and in case of hirsutanone, all extracts showed similar contents except 70% EtOH extracts. The extract of 70% MeOH from Alnus japonica for both oregonin and hirsutanone appeared to have the highest content. Both oregonin and hirsutanone extracted from Alnus japonica using 70% methanol showed stability in pH 1.2.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.165-174
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• 2019

Oregonin is known as a representative active substance of plants of the Alnus species. In this study, we will show the results of establishing a method for extracting trace amounts of useful substances in plants. Additionally, a variety of physiological activity studies were conducted with extracts containing high content of useful substances. In this study, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic activities of supercritical fluid residue 60% EtOH extracts of Alnus sibirica (ASCFR) were investigated in vitro. To explore anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory characteristics of supercritical extract, DPPH radical scavenging, and ABTS radical scavenging activity, inhibition of nitric oxide production in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells and ${\beta}$-hexosaminidase release in IgE-stimulated RBL-2H3 cells were examined, respectively. Results showed a concentration-dependent increase in DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activity. Cells stimulated with LPS produced more nitric oxide than normal control cells. However, cells treated with supercritical fluid residue 60% EtOH extract decreased production in a concentration-dependent manner. In anti-allergic activity studies, ASCFR showed concentration-dependentanti-allergic activity. Based on results and strong antioxidant activity, ASCFR has potential as basic research materials for development of therapeutic supplements-based medicines or functional cosmetics related to chronic inflammatory skin immunity diseases.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.123-140
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• 2024

More than half of the global distribution of the Rhododendron genus is found in China, with over 74% being endemic species. However, there is still insufficient data to chemically classify the Rhododendron genus native to China. Therefore, in this study, a chemotaxonomic study was conducted to determine the presence of taxifolin-3-O-arabinopyranoside, a flavonoid compound, in the Rhododendron genus native to China. Forty-three species of Rhododendron native to China-20 from across China, 8 from Beijing, 6 from Yanbian, and 9 from Yunnan-were utilized in the experiment. Through HPLC analysis, the retention time was compared with that of taxifolin-3-O-arabinopyranoside, a standard compound, and quantitative analysis was conducted. As a result, taxifolin-3-O-arabinopyranoside was detected in 22 out of 43 the Chinese Rhododendron species. Afterwards, LC-MS/MS analysis was performed on the 22 species in which taxifolin-3-O-arabinopyranoside was detected to determine whether the molecular weight was consistent with the standard compound. Under negative conditions, it was confirmed that all samples exhibited the same molecular weight as taxifolin-3-O-arabinopyranoside, 435-436 m/z. The same compound was detected in more than half of the Rhododendron species used in the experiment, and taxifolin-3-O-arabinopyranoside was determined to be an indicator compound for Rhododendron species native to China. In addition, the possibility of using the above results as basic data for chemical classification of Chinese Rhododendron genus was confirmed.