• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.339-345
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• 1997

The Arisaema robustum, perennial non-stem herb, population in the temperate forest of Sanseong-ri, Joongbu-myeon, Kyonggi Province was studied for leaf pattern and leaf growth from 1993 to 1995. The area of each side leaflet was larger than that of the apical leaflet in 3-leaflet form plants. But there was no significant difference among the leaflets (apical, 1st side and 2nd side leaflet) in t-testing of the 5-leaflet form plants. The specific leaf area (SLA) of the 3-leaflet form plant was greater than that of the 5-leaflet form plant, and the difference was significant at 0.1%. But differences of SLA value among the leafleats of the same leaflet form plants were minor. The area of leaflets or total leaf area was inversely proportioned to the their SLA values. Especially, the correlation coefficients (CC) between leaf area and SLA in apical leaflets and side leaflets of the 3-leaflet form plant compared to the 1st side leaflets of the 5-leaflet form plants were significant at the level of 1%. The differences between two sides in the dry weight and area of leaflets starting from the apical leaflets were about 5%. The CC values between attributes of the petiole (length and dry weight) and those of leaf blades (dry weight, leaf area and SLA) were high and significant at a 1% level. Especially, The CC value between the dry weight of the petioles and that of the leaf blades was higher than any others (r=0.952). The morphologies of the leaf margins were entire, medium serrate and serrate, and the same plant showed the same type from year to year. The plants usually had one leaf and occasionally 2 leaves. 1-leaf plants usually had 3 or 5 leaflets and occasionally 2 or 4 leaflets. Each year, the ration of individuals having the same number of leaflets was 72%, and that of individuals having a different number of leaflets was 27.54% (an increase of 20.4% and a decrease of 7.1% respectively). In the individuals increasing in the number of leaflets, the ration of individuals shifting from the 3-leaflet from to the 5-leaflet form was 14%. The increase ration of leaf area per individual a year was 37%, and the increase ratios of the plants increasing in leaflets were 60-70% regardiness of leaflet increase. The ratios of leaflet length/breadth were about 1-2, and the variations of those were 0.182-0.286 each year (12-20%).

• Journal of Korean Medical classics
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.175-193
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• 2007

A theory of the school which attach great importance to moxibustion therapy was more developed from 'Ge Hong(葛洪)', 'Wang Tao(王燾)' up to "BianQueXinShu(扁鵲心書)" of 'Dou Cai(竇材)' in Song Dynasty. The first volume of "BianQueXinShu" was described about the principles of health preserving method, diagnosis, treatment related with meridian system, support Yang theory, moxibustion therapy over the 10 chapters and in the continued 3 chapters, explained the symptoms and related moxibustion therapies. The summary is as follows. The Yang energy is the essence of the human body and it is minutely explained in "Hwangdineijing(黃帝內經)". However, the younger scholars after 'Zhang Zhongjing(張仲景)' held different views with "Hwangdineijing" so they didn't control serious diseases. Supporting the Yang energy, it will be possible to human body in good health and long life and perennial youth and longevity. To do like this, the first important thing is a moxibustion, the second is a Taoist hermit medication(丹藥) and the third is well usage of Radix Aconiti Lateralis Preparata. According to the sequence of Yang energy deficiency, the stages of diseases are classified as Ordinary Gi(平氣), Latter deficient state(微虛), The more deficient state(甚虛), Exhausting state(將脫), Exhausted state(已脫) and in the consideration of each stage, it is used gradually with warm-natured berbs, warm-acrid herbs, warm-heated herbs and moxibustion therapy. If it comes to the stage of Exhausted state, the Yang energy is too weak to treat a disease. Therefore it is easy to harm human body with usage the treatment of the Purgationist school theory or the Cold and cool medical school theory, so it is needed a great attention to use these therapies. To summarized the keynote of 'Du Jae''s moxibustion therapy, the one is a minority of selection of points(1$^{\sim}$2 acupuncture points), the second is a majority of moxibustion units(50$^{\sim}$500 units), and the other is a focused selection of points on spleen and kidney(especially Gwanwon, CC4). And in this book, it was explained concretely about the size of moxibustion, according to the experiment with mentioned size, the burning time of moxibustion was almost 4 min 40 sec, so the big size moxibustion was one of the characteristic of moxibustion therapy revealed in this book. Also it was used 'Suseongsan(睡聖散)' - a kind of analgesic herb complexes - to reduce a pain during the usage of moxibustion therapy in this book. To develop the moxibustion theory, it is more investigated in the future that there wasn't significant relation between Gwanwon(CC4) and spleen and kidney meridian in theory, compared to many used Gwanwon(CC4) in the prescription, where as mentioned the importance of spleen and kidney in treatment, that considering the burning time(1 unit - 4 min 40 sec, 12 units an hour, maximum 288 units a day) there were no guidances about meals, sleeping, stool and urine, and that there was no concrete study about the toxicity of 'Suseongsan' as analgesic moxibustion therapy.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.18 no.1
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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.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.128-138
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• 2013

The conservation status of an endemic perennial herb, Hanabusaya asiatica (Nakai) Nakai (Campanulaceae) was determined by applying the IUCN risk assessment criteria from our field study and available specimen data. Also, the GIS technology was used to develop a species distribution map to calculate the extent of occurrence (EOO) and area of occupancy (AOO) for the taxon. After two years of continuous field studies, 269 mature individuals were found in four localities in 2011, while 216 mature individuals were confirmed in three localities in 2012. Based on the following data, such as EOO (2,742 $km^2$), AOO (76 $km^2$) and estimated population size of mature individuals, the taxon, which is known as 20 localities in Korean peninsula, is evaluated as the category of Endangered (EN). A major difficulty in application of IUCN criteria to Korean rare plants were the lack of essential biological information and understanding the correct knowledge of the IUCN criteria in previous Korean studies. Sound conclusions regarding the conservation status of individual species require more intensive population studies, observations, and applying IUCN assessment procedures correctly.

• BMB Reports
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• v.53 no.7
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• pp.379-384
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• 2020

Exposure to Ultraviolet (UV) light induces photoaging of skin, leading to wrinkles and sunburn. The perennial herb Humulus japonicus, widely distributed in Asia, is known to have anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant effects. However, the physiological activities of isolated compounds from H. japonicus have rarely been investigated. This study focused on the isolation of active compounds from H. japonicus and the evaluation of their effects on photoaging in UVB-irradiated human fibroblast (Hs68) cells. When the extract and four fractions of H. japonicus were treated respectively in UVB-irradiated Hs68 cells to investigate anti-photoaging effects, the ethyl acetate (EtOAc) fraction showed the strongest inhibitory effect on MMP1 secretion. From EtOAc fraction, we isolated luteolin-8-C-glucoside (1), apigenin-8-C-glucoside (2), and luteolin-7-O-glucoside (3). These compounds suppressed UVB-induced MMP-1 production by inhibiting the phosphorylation of the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and activator protein-1 (AP-1). When the antioxidant activity of the compounds were estimated by conducting western blot, calculating the bond dissociation energies of the O-H bond (BDE) at different grade, and measuring radical scavenging activity, we found luteolin-8-C-glucoside (1) showed the strongest activity on the suppression of UVB-induced photoaging. These results demonstrate the inhibitory effect of three flavone glycosides derived from H. japonicus on MMP-1 production, MAPK and AP-1 signaling, and oxidative stress; this could prove useful in suppressing UVB induced photoaging.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.911-917
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• 2016

Lespedeza cuneata G. Don is an edible perennial herb used in traditional Korean medicine. We investigated the anti-proliferative properties and mechanism of L. cuneata extract. The ethanolic extract of L. cuneata dose-and time-dependently inhibited human colorectal cancer cell proliferation. A 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was used to test the effect of the extract on proliferation of HT-29 colorectal cancer cells. The extract inhibited HT-29 cell proliferation with an $IC_{50}$ value of $554.26{\pm}8.81{\mu}g/mL$. L. cuneata extract suppressed production of pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$. Apoptosis was evaluated by analysis of DNA fragmentation, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage, caspase-3 activity, and protein expression of pro-apoptotic (Bax) and anti-apoptotic (Bcl-2). Our results demonstrated that the extract induced DNA fragmentation and characteristic morphological changes associated with apoptosis in HT-29 colorectal cancer cells. The extract also time- and dose-dependently up-regulated expression of the Bax and down-regulated expression of the Bcl-2. Furthermore, the extract dose- and time-dependently enhanced caspase-3 activity. Our findings provide evidence that L. cuneata extract may mediate its anti-proliferative effect via modulation of apoptosis.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.73-80
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• 2020

Polygonatum stenophyllum Maxim. is a native perennial herb to Korea belonging to family Liliaceae. Although it was removed from the endangered species list, since it inhabits the riverside, it has been threatened with damage to its populations due to frequent disturbances. In order to reveal the basic ecological characteristics of P. stenophyllum, This study was identified the life cycle of the aboveground part and was measured the number of flowers and fruits, which are reproductive organs of P. stenophyllum in riverside in Paju - si during the two years. As a result, aboveground part of P. stenophyllum appeared and grew rapidly until the end of May to about 1m. In early May, two buds per one peduncle were formed up to six pairs per floor. The flowers bloomed in turn from the base of the stem and to the top floor and the blooming occurred when the number of leaves was at least three. Fruits were formed in mid-June and matured by the end of September. The numbers of flowers and fruits were revealed that flowers bloomed in turn from the bottom of the stem to the top floor, the most intensively bloomed in the center part of the stem, and did not bloom from the floor closest to the ground and above the highest 5th node. This basic ecological characteristics of the P. stenophllyum grown in riverside identified in this study will be useful as basic data for their conservation.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.408-412
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• 2009

The Artemisia capillaris THUNB is a perennial herb that belongs to the family Compositae spp. and probably the most common plant among the various herbal folk remedies being used in the treatment of abdominal pain, hepatitis, chronic liver disease, jaundice and coughing in Korea. This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of Artemisia capillaris extracts on the amounts of splenocytes-derived cytokine ($TNF-{\alpha},\;IL-1{\beta}$ and IL-10). In in vivo experimental tests using 210 ICR mice with Hepa-1c1c7 or sarcoma 180 cancer line, splenocytes derived cytokine contents were significantly (p < 0.05) reduced in the Hepa-1c1c7 and Sarcoma 180 inoculated vehicle controls, HP and SP, compared to those of the intact vehicle control on both the $28^{th}$ day and the $42^{nd}$ day, respectively. However, these decreases of $TNF-{\alpha},\;IL-1{\beta}$ and IL-10 levels induced by tumor inoculations were significantly (p < 0.01, p < 0.05) inhibited by mACH (Artemisia capillaris methanol extracts) treatment regardless of the type of experiments and tumor cells inoculated. The results suggest that Artemisia capillaris methanol extracts have prominent anti-inflammation effects on the cancer cell lines Hepa-1c1c7 and Sarcoma 180.

• Korean Journal of Plant Tissue Culture
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.281-287
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• 1999

Codonopsis lanceolata ("Deoduck" in Korea) is a perennial herb, and belongs to family, Campanulaceae. Its taproot is used a good source of a wild vegetable as well as an herbaceous medicine. In this study, to develop a bialaphos-resistant transgenic Codonopsis, seed germination mechanism and somatic embryogenesis of the plant were investigated, and Agrobacterium-mediated transformation with bar gene encoding phosphinothricin acetyltransferase (PAT) was performed. Attempt were made to regenerate plant from cells via somatic embryogenesis. When the cotyledons, nodes and leaf disks were cultured on MS medium containing 2,4-D and zeatin, embryogenic calli were induced. Upon transferring the somatic embryos to N6 solid medium without plant growth regulators, they developed into plantlets under continuous illumination. All plants were dead on MS basal medium containing 10 mg/L phosphinothricin (PPT) and Basta, respectively. The explants did not produce calli in the medium containing 200 mg/L kanamycin. The explants were cocultured with Agrobacterium tumefaciens for 2 days, and transformants were selected in MS basal medium containing 1.0 mg/L 2,4-D, 100 mg/L kanamycin and 500 mg/L carbenicillin. After the selection, embryogenic calli were induced and then somatic embryos were produced by subsequent subculturing. The somatic embryos were germiated on N6 basal medium containing 200 mg/L kanamycin and 500 mg/L carbenicillin. PCR analysis showed that nptII and bar genes were introduced in the Deoduck transformants. After the confirmation of bar gene expression in RNA and protein level, the transgenic Deoduck will be used to study the genetics of filial generation with the herbicide control gene, bar.gene, bar.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.227-232
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• 2018

Background: Angelica gigas Nakai is a perennial herb belonging to the family Umbelliferae. Its roots are utilized in traditional medicine. The aim of this study was to increase the yield of and the content of two indicator components (decursin and decursinol angelate) in A. gigas Nakai. Methods and Results: The roots of A. gigas Nakai were harvested 4-times from late August to late October in 2017. Two agents (trace element-TE, and plant hormone-HM) were applied 4 times at intervals of 2 weeks. The content of the two indicator components were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography. The HM treatment showed the greatest increase in underground part yield and root diameter. The content of the two indicator components in the control (non-treatment) group was the highest in the underground part, but was higher in the aerial parts in the agent treatment group. After treatment with the agents, the content of the indicator components tended to decrease in the underground part. However, the total content of the indicator components in the two agent treatment groups exceeded the level of 6% set by the Korean Pharmacopoeia. Conclusions: The highest underground part yield was found in the HM treatment group, while the highest content of decursin and decursinol angelate were found in the control group. This study provides basic information for yield improvement in A. gigas.