• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.289-294
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• 2004

A high performance liquid chromatographic method was designed for the quantitative analysis of oxymatrine in Sophora Radix. The separation of oxymatrine was performed by reversed-phase chromatography with a $C_{18}$ column and a buffered aqueous solution containing acetonitrile, and monitored by UV absorption at 215 nm. Extraction of oxymatrine in Sophora Radix was carried out using various solvents and extraction methods. The optimum extraction efficiency for the crushed Sophora Radix was achieved by reflux at $80^{\circ}C$ in 50% ethanol for five hours. Most extraction methods used to complicate pretreatments. In this study, sublimation was employed for a extraction method without going through complicate pretreatments. Sublimation was carried out under high vacuum ($1{\times}10^{-3}$ torr) and at high temperature ($200^{\circ}C$). Extraction efficiency using Sublimation was found to be inferior to other extraction methods.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.165-174
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• 2022

As the mechanism underlying glucose metabolism regulation by oxymatrine is unclear, this study investigated the effects of oxymatrine on pyroptosis in INS-1 cells. Flow cytometry was employed to examine cell pyroptosis and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Cell pyroptosis was also investigated via transmission electron microscopy and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release. Protein levels were detected using western blotting and interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-18 secretion by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The caspase-1 activity and DNA-binding activity of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 protein (Nrf2) were also assessed. In the high glucose and high fat-treated INS-1 cells (HG + PA), the caspase-1 activity and LDH content, as well as Nod-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3, Gsdmd-N, caspase-1, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD, IL-1β, and IL-18 levels were increased. Moreover, P65 protein levels increased in the nucleus but decreased in the cytoplasm. Oxymatrine attenuated these effects and suppressed high glucose and high fat-induced ROS production. The increased levels of nuclear Nrf2 and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in the HG + PA cells were further elevated after oxymatrine treatment, whereas cytoplasmic Nrf2 and Keleh-like ECH-associated protein levels decreased. Additionally, the elevated transcriptional activity of p65 in HG + PA cells was reduced by oxymatrine, whereas that of Nrf2 increased. The results indicate that the inhibition of pyroptosis in INS-1 cells by oxymatrine, a key factor in its glucose metabolism regulation, involves the suppression of the NF-κB pathway and activation of the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.360-370
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• 2020

Background: Sophora flavescens AIT root is used as a herbal medicine in Asian culture. This study was aimed at selecting the best cultivars, by comparing growth characteristics, active ingredients, and antioxidant activities. Methods and Results: A total twenty nine accessions of S. flavescens were collected from five different regions in Korea. Plant height, leaf length, peduncle length, fresh root weight, and seed weight were the growth characteristics selected. Antioxidant activity was determined by measuring the total polyphenol (TPC) and total flavonoid contents (TFC) as well as the radical scavenging activity of DPPH, ABTS and FRAP. Oxymatrine and matrine, active ingredients in S. flavescens were analyzed by HPLC. Results indicated that accession YS-11 had the highest plant height (152.5 cm) and peduncle length (54.0 cm). The fresh root weight was highest in JA-01 at 4.9 kg, while the highest total seed weight was recorded in accession BH-04 at 77.7 g. The YS-03 accession contained the highest oxymatrine and matrine total contents (0.9616% and 0.9638%, respectively). Accessions BH-02, YS-11, YS-05, and MJ-03 had the highest levels of antioxidant activity (p < 0.05). Oxymatrine showed a high correlation with TPC and FRAP. TPC showed high correlations with TFC, DPPH, ABTS and FRAP. TFC showed a high correlation with DPPH. Conclusions: The superior lines can be selected for use as standard variety breeding material by comparing the growth characteristics of the accessions.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.401-412
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• 2018

Oxymatrine (OMT) often used in treatment for chronic hepatitis B virus infection in clinic. However, OMT-induced liver injury has been reported. In this study, we aim to investigate the possible mechanism of OMT-induced hepatotoxicity in human normal liver cells (L02). Exposed cells to OMT, the cell viability was decreased and apoptosis rate increased, the intracellular markers of oxidative stress were changed. Simultaneously, OMT altered apoptotic related proteins levels, including Bcl-2, Bax and pro-caspase-8/-9/-3. In addition, OMT enhanced the protein levels of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress makers (GRP78/Bip, CHOP, and cleaved-Caspase-4) and phosphorylation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (p-JNK), as well as the mRNA levels of GRP78/Bip, CHOP, caspase-4, and ER stress sensors (IREI, ATF6, and PERK). Pre-treatment with Z-VAD-fmk, JNK inhibitor SP600125 and N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC), a ROS scavenger, partly improved the survival rates and restored OMT-induced cellular damage, and reduced caspase-3 cleavage. SP600125 or NAC reduced OMT-induced p-JNK and NAC significantly lowered caspase-4. Furthermore, 4-PBA, the ER stress inhibitor, weakened inhibitory effect of OMT on cells, on the contrary, TM worsen. 4-PBA also reduced the levels of p-JNK and cleaved-caspase-3 proteins. Therefore, OMT-induced injury in L02 cells was related to ROS mediated p-JNK and ER stress induction. Antioxidant, by inhibition of p-JNK or ER stress, may be a feasible method to alleviate OMT-induced liver injury.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.62 no.4
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• pp.267-275
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• 2023

Botanical extracts are employed in management of aphids. Extracts from Tanacetum cineariaiaefolium, Derris elliptica, and Sophora flavescens are widely used to control various insects. In this study, we determined concentrations of insecticidal active ingredients in commercial botanical extracts of these plants, and we investigated the time and concentration for lethal results with the green peach aphid, Myzus persicae. The concentrations of active ingredients, pyrethrins from T. cineariaiaefolium, rotenone from D. elliptica, and matrine and oxymatrine from S. flavescens, were determined after their fractionation by liquid chromatography followed by mass analysis and comparison with standard compounds. The extracts were tested for lethality in a bioassay with green peach aphids. Sprays at defined doses were applied to tobacco leaves infested with aphid nymphs. The lethal concentrations (LC50) were 20.4 ppm for pyrethrins, 34.1 ppm for rotenone, and 29.6 ppm for matrine at 48 h after treatments. At 100 ppm application levels, the lethal time LT50 was 13.4 h for pyrethrin, 15.1 h for rotenone, and 14.4 h for matrine. Kaplan-Meier analysis indicated the lethal times for the three botanical extracts at 100 ppm were significantly faster than application of a chemical insecticide, Sulfoxaflor, applied at the recommended level. These results provide baselines to develop and formulate single or mixed preparations containing botanical extracts to control green peach aphids on commercial crops.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.88-92
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• 2015

This study investigated the thermal stabilities of the four limonoidal active compounds like azadirachtin A, azadirachtin B, deacetylsalannin and salannin and of the two alkaloidal active compounds like matrine and oxymatrine in commercial biopesticides at incubated conditions ($30^{\circ}C$, $35^{\circ}C$, $40^{\circ}C$, $45^{\circ}C$, and $54^{\circ}C$). Half-lives of the limonoidal compounds in biopesticide ranged from 25.6 to 220 days. And the total limonoid contents changed over 15% after 14 days at all the conditions in the tested biopesticide containing neem extract. On the contrary, half-lives of the alkaloidal compounds in biopesticide showed the ranges from 231 to 346 days. And total alkaloidal compounds in all the tested biopesticides containing Sophora flavescens extracts decomposed below 15% after 14 days incubation at $54^{\circ}C$.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.165-170
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• 2009

Insecticidal efficacies of plant extracts and environmental friendly agro-materials against green peach aphids, two spotted spider mites, and diamondback moths were evaluated in the lab condition. Oxymatrine and matrine, derivatives of Sophora flavescens, were effective to all three tested pest insect species. Selected environmental friendly agro-materials available from the market mainly contained active ingredients of nicotine, azadirachtin, and matrine were all effective to control green peach aphids and two spotted spider mites.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.1-5
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• 2015

BACKGROUND: The stabilities of the two alkaloidal insecticides of S. flavescens including matrine and oxymatrine are important factor to establish expiry date and usage manual for crop protection. However, the environmental stability of the compounds had not been studied with the extract and its commercial biopesticide. METHODS AND RESULTS: The environmental stabilities of the two alkaloids were performed with extract of S. flavescens, and its two commercial biopesticides both in controlled aquatic and soil conditions. The half-lives of the total matrines for the extract and its two commercial biopesticides were estimated over 200 days both under aerobic and anaerobic water condition. Under dry soil condition, the initial decay rates of the matrines were calculated 0.0804-0.1275 ($t_{1/2}$ 5.4-8.6 days), and the half-lives under wet soil condition were calculated 33.0-231 days. Total soil bacteria on the wet soil ranged 6.0-8.0 log CFU/g-soil during the experiments period. CONCLUSION: The aquatic mixture of the extract showed excellent stability both with the extract and its biopesticides, however, the stability of soil mixture were shorter than the aquatic mixture, suggesting that soil metal consider as a catalyst for the degradation of the two alkaloids.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.190-194
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• 2005

In our search for monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors from natural resources, we found that the methanol extract of the roots of Sophora flavescens showed an inhibitory effect on mouse brain monoamine oxidase (MAO). Bioactivity-guided isolation of the extract yielded two known flavonoids, formononetin (1) and kushenol F (2), as active compounds along with three inactive compounds, oxymatrine (3), trifolirhizin (4), and ${\beta}$-sitosterol (5). Formononetin (1) and kushenol F (2) showed significant inhibitory effects on MAO in a dose-dependent manner with $IC_{50}$ values of 13.2 and $69.9\;{\mu}M$, respectively. Formononetin (1) showed a slightly more potent inhibitory effect against MAO-B ($IC_{50}:\;11.0\;{\mu}M$) than MAO-A ($IC_{50}:\;21.2\;{\mu}M$). Kushenol F (2) also preferentially inhibited the MAO-B activity than MAO-A activity with the $IC_{50}$ values of 63.1 and $103.7\;{\mu}M$, respectively.