• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• 제7권3호
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• pp.235-243
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• 2007

Anemarrhenae Rhizoma (AR) is used in traditional oriental medicine for various medicinal purposes. However, the exact mechanism that accounts for the anti-allergy and anti-inflammatory effects of the AR is still not fully understood. The aim of The present study is to elucidate whether and how AR modulates the allergic reactions in vivo, and inflammatory reaction in vitro. In this study, we showed that AR significantly decreased compound 48/80-induced systemic anaphylaxis, paw oedema, and histamine release from preparation of rat peritoneal mast cells. Also, AR inhibited the expression of inflammatory cytokine in PMA plus A23187-stimulated human mast cells (HMC-1). In addition, we showed that anti-inflammatory mechanism of AR is through suppression of nuclear factor-${\kappa}B$ activation $I{\kappa}B-{\alpha}$degradation. These results provided new insight into the pharmacological actions of AR as a potential molecule for therapy of inflammatory allergic diseases.

• 대한한의학원전학회지
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• 제30권1호
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• pp.17-29
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• 2017

Objectives : Many curative methods are used utilized in order to rid human body of disease when people become sick. Traditional Korean medicine generally prescribe methods that involve acupunture, moxibustion, or herb formulae. However, different types of foods are sometimes used as well. While wondering the history and efficacy of Qi-elevation foods that were consumed by Koreans in the past, the author discovered that a record from the Joseon Dynasty, called The Daily Record of Royal Secretariat of Joseon Dynasty, henceforth the Records, contained information about different types of porridge. Hence, the author looked through the records of porridge as written in the historical material in an attempt to learn the examples and efficacy of medicine-porridge consumed in Joseon's royal palace. Methods : After searching for the keyword, 'porridge', in the Records as provided by the National Institute of Korean History, the author extracted the porridges recorded during the Yeongjo period that each has its own special name. Results : Different types of porridge were recorded in the Records as following: arrowroot porridge, bean-leaf porridge, mung bean porridge, bean porridge, malt-rice porridge, oriental arborvitae seed porridge, crucian porridge, lotus seed porridge, adlay porridge, red bean porridge, welsh onion porridge, milk porridge, seashell porridge, ginko nut porridge, black sesame porridge, and mandarin porridge. Each porridge was used for the purpose of alleviating any disease that afflicted the king Yeongjo or his royal family members in relation with the ingredient herb's medicinal function. Conclusions : These porridges consumed by the king Yeongjo and his royal family members were used not only with a purpose of aiding their body's recovery from disease, but with the goal to actively curing them of ailments.

• 대한본초학회지
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• 제29권3호
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• pp.35-42
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• 2014

Objectives : Since single extract powders was released at 1987, the insurance fee has not been changed, but the price of raw material has been increasing. According to this, Pharmaceutical company couldn't invest on quality of the product, so, the quality of single extracts went down and lost the consumer's trust. We checked the contents of marker ingredients in single extract thereby to recover the reliability of insurance-covered herbal preparations. Methods : we bought total twelve products of eight different single extracts of two main pharmaceutical companies among total 65 kinds of single extract powder stipulated in KHP (The Korean Herbal Pharmacopoeia) monograph III at Jan. 2013. Assays of selected single extract powders are performed by KHP regulation. And we surveyed price fluctuation of relevant herb raw materials from 2005 to 2012. Results : Among twelve products, eight single extract powders were suitable by the KHP regulation. But four products didn't reach the content amount of KHP. Marker contents in the single extracts product of Pueraria Root, Licorice, Peony root and Scutellaria Root of A company were 70%, 1%, 23.7% and 75.1%, respectively. Conclusions : We can acertain whether there's a quality problem in the insurance-covered single extract powders. But, A company is no longer producing these improper single extract powders. As a medicine, single extract powders needs to be strictly quality controlled by the company, and regularly monitored by the KFDA.

• Toxicological Research
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• 제29권2호
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• pp.91-98
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• 2013

Armeniacae semen (AS) has been considered a toxic herb in the Korean medicine as it contains hydrogen cyanide and amygdalin, especially in its endocarp. Therefore, prebrewed AS that is devoid of endocarp has been traditionally used. In the present study, amygdalin content of the prebrewed AS was significantly lower ($2.73{\pm}0.32{\mu}g/ml$; p<0.01) than the content in the extract that contained the endocarps ($28.50{\pm}6.71{\mu}g/ml$); amygdalin content corresponded to 10% of the extract in the present study. Because of single oral dose toxicity of prebrewed AS according to the recommendation of Korea Food and Drug Administration Guidelines (2009-116, 2009), which was based on single oral dose toxicity study of prebrewed AS, mortality due to toxic principles was significantly reduced. In this study, 2,000 mg/kg of prebrewed AS led to death of 1 female rat and 1 male rat at the end of 2 hr of administration. Based on these results, the 50% lethal dose in both male and female rats was determined to be 9279.5 mg/kg. Seizure, loss of locomotion, and increases in respiration and heart rate were observed as prebrewed AS treatment-related toxicological signs; these signs were restrictedly manifested in the prebrewed AS (2,000 mg/kg)-treated rats. In addition, no changes were observed in body weight, organ weight, gross features, and histopathological parameters with 2,000 mg/kg of AS in both male and female rats. These findings serve as direct evidence that amygdalin in AS is the toxic principle, which can be reduced by the traditional prebrewing method involving the exclusion of endocarp.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• 제18권1호
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• pp.60-66
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• 2012

Human skin is the first line of defense for the protection of the internal organs of the body from different stimuli. Ultraviolet B (UVB) irradiation induces skin damage and inflammation through the secretion of various cytokines, which are immune regulators produced by cells. To prevent the initiation of skin inflammation, keratinocytes that have been irreversibly damaged by radiation must be removed through the apoptotic mechanism. Ixeris dentata (family: Asteraceae) is a perennial medicinal herb indigenous to Korea. It has been used in Korea, China, and Japan to treat in digestion, pneumonia, diabetes, hepatitis, and tumors. To gain insight into the anti-inflammatory effects of I. dentata, we examined its influence on UVB-induced pro-inflammatory cytokine production in human keratinocytes (HaCaT cells), by observing cells that were stimulated with UVB in the presence or absence of I. dentata. In the present study, pro-inflammatory cytokine production was determined by performing enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, and western blot analysis to measure the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPKs). I. dentata inhibited UVBinduced production of the pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-6 in a dose-dependent manner. Further, I. dentata inhibited the UVB-induced expression of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2. Furthermore, I. dentata inhibited the phosphorylation of c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase and p38 MAPKs, suggesting that it inhibits the secretion of the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and IL-8, and COX-2 expression, by blocking MAPK phosphorylation. These results suggest that I. dentate can potentially protect against UVB-induced skin inflammation.

• 대한한의학방제학회지
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• 제18권2호
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• pp.227-239
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• 2010

Objective : The purpose of this study was to develop the simulator which can analyze the anti-inflammatory effects of herbs based on e-cell, or the virtual cell. Method : We have ensured the medical herbs and its active compounds by investigating the oriental medicine records and NBCI(Biomedicine database). Also we have developed the web-based search system for confirming database related to anti-inflammation. We have researched the cell signal pathway related with inflammatory response control and established the mathematical model of herb interaction on selected signal pathway in e-cell. Finally we have developed the prototype which can confirm the result of this model visibly. Results : We constructed the database of 62 cases of anti-inflammatory active compounds in 61 cases of medical herbs which have been known anti-inflammation effects in the paper, 16 cases of inflammatory factors, 10 cases of signal pathways related with inflammatory response and 6,834 cases of URL(Uniform Resource Locator) of referenced papers. And we embodied the web-based research system, which can research this database. User can search basic and detailed information of medical plants related with anti-inflammatory by using information system. And user can acquire information on an active compounds, a signal pathway and a link URL of related paper. Among investigated ten pathways, we selected NF-${\kappa}B$, which plays important role in activation of immune system, and we searched the mechanisms of actions of proteins which could be components of this pathway. We reduced total network into IKK-$I{\kappa}B$ - NF-${\kappa}B$, and completed mathematic modeling by using ordinary differential equations and response variables of $I{\kappa}B-NF-{\kappa}B$ signaling model network which is suggested by Baltimore Group. We designed OED(Ordinary Differential Equation) for response of IKK, $I{\kappa}B$, $NF-{\kappa}B$ in e-cell's cytoplasm and nucleus, and measured whether an active compound of medicinal plants which is inputted by an user would have a anti-inflammation effects in obedience to change in concentration over time. The proposed model was verified by using experimental results of the papers which are listed on NCBI.

• 생약학회지
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• 제44권4호
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• pp.326-331
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• 2013

A Korean folk medicine, "SinKyungCho" has been used to cure common cold and rheumatis. While this crude drug has similar morphological feature to that of Rubia species, the botanical origin has never been studied pharmacognostically. Therefore, in order to clarify the botanical origin of "SinKyungCho", the morphological and anatomical characteristics of Rubia species growing in Korea, i.e. R. akane, R. chinensis var. glabrescens, R. cordifolia var. pratensis, R. cordifolia var. sylvatica were studied. Especially, differing from the other three species, R. cordifolia var. pratensis has 2-4 cork cell layers under the endodermal cell layer. R. cordifolia var. sylvatica showed the largest number of parenchyma cell layers in cortex by 8-17. While the average ratio of stele to root transverse section is over 45% for R. akane and R. cordifolia var. pratensis, the ratio is under 45% for R. chinensis var. glabrescens and R. cordifolia var. sylvatica. According to these morphological criteria, the folk medicine "SinKyungCho" from Korean traditional market was proved to be the underground part of R. akane.

• 약학회지
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• 제42권3호
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• pp.330-335
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• 1998

Gastrodia elata (GE) is a oriental medicinal herb which has been used traditionally for the treatment of various brain diseases including convulsion and epilepsy. In orde r to examine the mechanism of anticonvulsive effect, we treated the methanol extract of GE (500mg/kg, P.0) to the pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced convulsive rats. Methanol extracts of GE significantly inhibited (35%) the convulsion state as well as the level of lipid peroxidation (25%) in the brain. The ether fraction of methanol extracts among the others effectively ibhibited in vitro lipid peroxidation dose dependently ($5.O{\times}10^{-6}{\sim}2.O{\times}1O^{-5}g/ml$). The scavenging effect on hydroxy radicals was found in all the fractions of ether, butanol, and dichloromethane. These results suggest that the anticonvulsive effect of GE is possibly due to the antioxidative effects of the active components in GE.

• 동의생리병리학회지
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• 제27권1호
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• pp.49-56
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• 2013

Chrysanthemum boreale(CB) is an oriental medicinal herb which has been used traditionally for the treatment of various brain disease including headache, dizziness and sedation. In order to examine the mechanism of anti-parkinsonism effect, water extract of CB(100 mg and 200 mg/kg of b.w.) were administered orally during 28 days in MPTP-induced parkisonism mice model. Water extract of CB increased the motor activities. CB did not affect total MAO and MAO-B activity in the brain of MPTP-induced mice. CB significantly increased the concentration of lipid peroxidation in the mid brain. Also, CB significantly increased antioxidant enzyme including were SOD, catalase and glutathione peroxidase in the mid brain activity. CB significantly increased the concentration of dopamine and homovanillic acid in the brain. These results suggest that the anti-parkinsonism effect of CB is possibly due to the antioxidative effects at mid brain in MPTP-induced animal model.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• 제29권1호
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• pp.47-53
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• 1999

Gastrodia elata (GE) is an oriental medicinal herb which has been used traditionally for the treatment of various brain diseases including convulsion and epilepsy. The purpose of this study was to determine pharmacokinetic parameters of 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde (HMBA) and p-hydroxybenzaldehyde (PHBA), constituents of GE, in rats. Male rats were cannulated in the femoral vein, femoral artery, bile duct and ureter. They received a single i.v. bolus dose of either HMBA or PHBA through the femoral vein. The concentration of HMBA or PHBA in plasma, bile and urine samples were analyzed by reversed-phase HPLC. HMBA and PHBA have very short half-lives, i.e. 4.03 and 2.26 minutes respectively. Most of HMBA and PHBA were thought to be eliminated through metabolism as the metabolized fraction approaches unity. Derivatives of HMBA or PHBA with longer biological half-lives should be designed to develop better anticonvulsants and more complete qualitative and quantitative understanding of the overall pharmacokinetic fate of these compounds awaits further investigation.