• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.81-97
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• 2007

Punica granatum, L. (Pomegranate) has 613 seeds which accidentally corresponds to the 613 commandments in the Bible. Accordingly, the fruit has been worshipped by the Jewish and other religious people from the ancient. Pomegranate's seed, peel and juice contain a variety of ethnomedical components so much as the sum of three kinds of other common fruits. The number of published papers related to the pomegranate in recent 7 years flourished 7 times more than before at the bases of Medline record. Since the containments of estrogen, as $17{\alpha}-estradiol,\;17{\beta}-estradiol$, estrone, and estradiol, etc., in pomegranate have been reported, public interests and commercial values of pomegranate arose considerably. The report was disproved later, however, merits of this fruit remained yet; clinical efficacy for preventing and remediating cancers including breast and prostate cancers by oral administration of the juice, seed oil, and peel extract is still believed to be true. In this review, target components of pomegranate such as antioxidants, anticancers, antiestrogens and ethnomedical components were analyzed and discussed along with examining its pharmaceutical efficacy and prescription to postmenopausal lesion, cardiosclerosis, cosmetic beautification, viral and allergic symptoms, and diabetes mellitus, etc.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.48
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• pp.31-40
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• 2003

Phytoestrogens are oestrogenic compounds found in plants and consist of isoflavones, lignans, and coumestans. The structural similarity of phytoestrogens to endogenous oestrogens has promoted the hypothesis that phytoestrogens exert hormonal or anti-hormonal effects relevant to the risk of hormone-dependent disease and/or their suitability as a dietary alternative to hormone replacement therapy. Epidemiological studies suggest that food stuffs containing phytoestrogens may have a beneficial role in protecting against a number of chronic disease and conditions. It is thought that these estrogen-like compounds may protect against chronic diseases, such as hormone-dependent cancers, cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis. Furthermore, phytoestrogens are used as a natural alternative to hormone replacement therapy and to reduce menopausal symptoms. Phytoestrogens are considered good candidates for use in natural therapies and as chemopreventive agents in adults. However safe and efficacious levels have yet to be established.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.393-396
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• 2002

This study was carried out to evaluate the ostrogenic/antiandrogenic activity of Puerariae Radix in Sprague-Dawley rats. It has known that diverse phytoestrogen were included in some Puerariae Radix, especially in Pueraria mirifica. The Uterotrophic assay and Hershberger assay were performed to evaluate the ostogenic/antiandrogenic activity of various Puerariae Radix (Pueraria thunbergiana, Pueraria mirifica and Butea superba). In Uterotrophic assay, the extracts of Puerariae Radix were administered subcutaneously to immature female SD rats from 19 to 21 days of age. The wet uterus and vaginal weighs significantly increased in the group only treated with extracts of Pueraria mirifica. But, in Hersh-berger assay, all extracts of Puerariae Radix did not show any effects in the castrated rats. These results suggest that Pueraria mirifica has not undrogenic/antiandrogenic effect but potent estrogenic effect. It is possible that components of Pueraria mirifica may act as endocrine disruptor in human body.

• Proceedings of the Korea Environmental Mutagen Society Conference
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• 2004.05a
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• pp.116-116
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• 2004

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2003.10b
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• pp.217.1-217.1
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• 2003

Phytoestrogen has been used as supplement in order to treat osteoporosis. The representative phytoestrogen, isoflavones, are daidzein, genistein and formononetin which were present highly in legumes. We have studied the quantitative analysis of isoflavones in KUNBO by HPLC. KUNBO, a mixed herbal extract including Astragali Radix and Rhynchosiae nulubilis Semen (Leguminosae), etc., is a nutraceutical candidate for type I osteoporosis. olumn used in HPLC was LUNA 5${\mu}$ C18 (250 ${\times}$4.6mm) (Phenmenex Co.m Torroance, CA, U.S.A.). (omitted)

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.1-6
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• 2004

Phytoestrogens are considered to exhibit biological activities in human and animal. There are few data on the contents of phytoestrogens in woody plants. This study was undertaken to examine phytoestrogen contents in five species (Albizzia coreana, Albizzia julibrissin, Gleditsia japonica var. koraiensis, Maackia fauriei and Sophora japonica) of leguminosae. An HPLC method was employed for the first time to analyze phytoestrogens in five species. The contents of daidzein and genistein were in the range of 2.9~170.5 ㎍/g and 1.3~118.4 ㎍/g, respectively. Daidzein and genistein were most abundantly present in the Sophora japonica among the samples examined.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.66-72
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• 2004

There is some evidence that phytostrogen plays an important role in bone metabolism in postmenopausal women. In this study, we investigated the phytoestrogen intake levels and the relation between dietary phytoestrogens intake and bone mineral density of vegetarian (n = 77) and omnivore postmenopausal women (n = 122 . Vegetarian women, all of them were seven day adventists, who had been on vegetarian diet (almost lacto-ovo vegetarians;a few vegans) oyer 20 yrs. The average age of vegetarians and omnivores were 62.3 yrs and 60.2 yrs, respectively and, there was no significant difference. However, body weight (p < 0.001), body mass index (p < 0.001) of vegetarians were significantly lower than those of omnivores. The mean daily energy intake of vegetarians and omnivores were 1386.1 kcal (76.3% of RDA) and 1424.5 kcal (76.9% of RDA), respectively. The mean calcium intake of vegetarians (456.7 mg, 66.3 % of RDA) was not significantly different from that of omnivores (453.5 mg, 65.2 % of RDA). The mean daily isoflavones (daidzein +genistein) intake of vegetarians and omnivore were 33.9 mg and 23.9 mg, respectively. The vegetarians consumed significantly greater quantities of isoflavones (p < 0.05) and lignans precursor (p < 0.05). In the vegetarians, intake of isoflavones was significantly positively correlated with BMD of femoral neck, after adjusted for age and BMI. Also lignan precursor intake of vegetarians was significantly positively correlated with BMD of spine, after adjusted for age and BMI. In conclusion, in omnivore post menopausal women, intake of phytoestrogen such as isoflavones and lignans was little low, and it is not clear that positive association with bone mineral density. But in vegetarian postmenopausal women, phytoestrogen intakes be important factors related to bone mineral density.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.409-415
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• 2002

A certain group of phytochemicals such as isoflavone have been proven to act as a phytoestrogen. After thorough the study of different bibliographic herbs excluding soybeans, dates, pomegranates, and other publicized plants, three different edible herbs by Korean Food Regulation were extracted for the animal study on the effect of estrogen replacement. The herbal extract(FGF271) has been orally administered into 51 weeks old partial ovariectomized rats for 5 weeks with the different dosages of 100 and 1,000 mg/kg, respectively. It was observed that 1) serum estrogen level was increased in both 100 and 1,000 mg/kg group, 2) the distension of uterus was made dose dependently and significantly different in 1,000 mg/kg group (p.0.05) from control in the gross findings, 3) the weight of uterus was increased in 1,000 mg/kg group, and 4) the action on reproductive tissues was clear in the microscopic findings in terms of hyperplasia of endometrial epithelial cell, cystic change of submucosa, dilatation of uterus (significantly increased in 1,000 kg/mg), and follicular cystic changes in ovary. As a result, FGF271 seemed to act as a phytoestrogen by inducing the change in ovary and uterus and by increasing the serum estrogen concentration.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.58-63
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• 2003

Ginseng has been recommended to alleviate the menopausal symptoms, which indicates that components of ginseng very likely contain estrogenic activity. We have examined the possibility that a component of Panax ginseng, $ginsenoside-R_{b1}$ acts by binding to estrogen receptor. We have investigated the estrogenic activity of $ginsenoside-R_{b1}$ in a transient transfection system using estrogen-responsive luciferase plasmids in MCF-7 cells. $ginsenoside-R_{b1}$ activated the transcription of the estrogen-responsive luciferase reporter gene in MCF-7 breast cancer cells at a concentration of 50 $\mu$M. Activation was inhibited by the specific estrogen receptor antagonist ICI 182,780, indicating that the estrogenic effect of $ginsenoside-R_{b1}$ is estrogen receptor dependent. Next, we evaluated the ability of $ginsenoside-R_{b1}$ to induce the estrogen-responsive gene c-fos by semi-quantitative RT-PCR assays and Western analyses. $ginsenoside-R_{b1}$ increased c-fos both at mRNA and protein levels. However, $ginsenoside-R_{b1}$ failed to activate the glucocorticoid receptor, the retinoic acid receptor, or the androgen receptor in CV-1 cells transiently transfected with the corresponding steroid hormone receptors and hormone responsive reporter plasmids. These data support our hypothesis that $ginsenoside-R_{b1}$ acts a weak phytoestrogen, presumably by binding and activating the estrogen receptor.

• Integrative Medicine Research
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.395-403
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• 2017

Background: Gamisoyosan (GSS) is an herbal formula which has been used to treat women's diseases for several hundred years in Korea. GSS is one of the three most common prescriptions among women and is used to treat menopausal symptoms. Fatty liver disease is also common in postmenopausal women and can precede more severe diseases, such as steatohepatitis. The present study compared the effects of GSS on fatty liver using three different formulae, Dongui-Bogam (KIOM A), Korean Pharmacopeia (KIOM B) and Korean National Health Insurance (KIOM C). Methods: In oleic acid-induced HepG2 fatty liver cells, cellular lipid accumulation, triglycerides and total cholesterol were measured after treatment with three GSS formulae and simvastatin as a positive control. To investigate the phytoestrogen activity of GSS, MCF-7 cells were treated with GSS, and hormone levels were quantified. Also, qualitative analysis was performed with UPLC. Results: All types of GSS decreased cellular lipid accumulation. KIOM A was slightly less effective than the other two GSS formulae. KIOM B and KIOM C decreased cellular triglycerides more effective than simvastatin, but KIOM A did not affect cellular triglycerides. Cellular total cholesterol was decreased by all GSS and simvastatin. GSS showed phytoestrogen activity in MCF-7 cells. From the UPLC analysis data, geniposide, paeoniflorin and glycyrrhizin were detected form three GSS formulae. Conclusion: These results suggest that all GSS formulae have a beneficial effect on fatty liver disease during menopause and that differences of formula have no effect on the efficacy of the prescription.