• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.284-293
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• 2006

We have tested 41 herbal medicines to search for a natural substance with antimicrobial activity against Streptococcus mutans and five types of oral bacteria. We have also investigated antioxidative activity of these herbal medicines. Antimicrobial activity against Streptococcus mutans and five types of oral bacteria was analyzed using ethanol extracts of herbal medicines. Extracts from Illicium verum and Amomum xanthioides showed 98% inhibitory activity against Sterptococcus mutans. The effect of Thuja orientalis on S-1 and Thuja orientalis and Amomum xanthioides on S-2 were 95% and 94%, respectively. Nelumbo nucifera was 94% effective on S-5. The inhibitory activities of the herbal medicines against glucosyltransferase (GTase) were determined using purified from Streptococcus mutans and five types of oral bacteria. Extract from Illicium verum and Amomum xanthioides showed 94% effectiveness on Streptococcus mutans. Amomum xanthioides showed 95% effectiveness on S-1 and Thuja orientalis showed 96% effectiveness on S-5. In antioxidant activities of the herbal medicines, extract from Thuja orientalis showed the highest level of 81.08% DPPH radical scavenging activity and Illicium velum extract also showed high antioxidative activity of 80.45%. Thuja orientalis had a large amount of phenolic compound with $115.24\;{\mu}g/mL$ among the herbal medicines.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.504-513
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• 2009

In this study, the safety of commercial herbal medicines was evaluated by determining concentration of hazardous heavy metals. 3,152 samples (244 types) purchased by individual packing unit from market in Seoul, were analyzed using ICP-MS and mercury analyzer. As a result, the content (mg $kg^{-1}$) of Pb was higher in the above-ground part (0.92) than underground part (0.43). But in case of As and Cd contents, there is slightly higher in the underground-parts (0.26, 0.13) than the above-ground parts (0.18, 0.08). There were many herbal medicines exceeding regulatory limits of Cd comparing with other metals. The levels of Hg seemed to be different between above-ground part(0.009) and underground part (0.008) but there was no sample exceeding tolerance limits. In the comparison of imported samples with domestic herbal medicines, it was shown that Pb, As, and Hg were measured highly in the imported ones, Cd was not significantly different (t-test, p<0.05). The significant correlation was observed between Pb and As (r=0.386, p<0.01) but there was no difference in other parts. The heavy metal contamination of herbal medicines measured in total amount of respective heavy metals (mg $kg^{-1}$) was high in Flos (6.241) and Caulis (2.238), and decreased in the order of Cortex (1.634), Herba (1.154), Perithecium (0.861), Rhizoma (0.828), Radix (0.825), Fructus (0.475), and was low in Semen (0.422) (ANOVA-test, p<0.05).

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.41 no.spc1
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• pp.123-144
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• 1996

This review deals briefly with the various medicinal components(mainly saikosaponins), their biological activities and the variation of their contents by different cultivation environment and plant parts in Bupleurum species. Bupleuri radix, a crude drug, is the root of Bupleurum falcatum L. (Korea, Japan), B. chinense(China), and their related species (Umbelliferae). There are over 120 species in Bupleurum genus throughout world, mainly Asian area, and over 5 species in Korea, investigated up to now. These plants contain many physiological active compounds and the principal components are saikosaponins. Major activities of this crude drug and saikosaponins are the anti-inflammatory and antihepatotoxic activities. Saikosaponins and their derivatives in Bupleurum spp. have been chemically studied, isolated and identified over 70 compounds in over 50 species. Other components, physiologically active ones, also have been investigated, which are the groups of lignan, flavonoid, essential oil, polyacetylene, polysaccharide, etc. Saikosaponins belong to the group of triterpenoid saponin chemotaxonomically and occur the accumulation and turnover in plant tissues through secondary metabolism, mevalonic acid pathway. The contents and kinds of saikosaponins and other components in Bupleurum spp. plants are various due to different species and growing environments, as the plant growth characters and yield are various. Most of medicinal plants as well as Bupleurum species are very useful as agricultural products and traditional medicines, and also are very valuable as genetic resources and natural products. So we need to collect, evaluate, preserve, and utilize various medicinal plants, and also to under-stand secondary metabolism and improve the breeding and cultivation techniques for the safe production of crude drugs with high quality and yielding.

• Horticulture, Environment, and Biotechnology : HEB
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• v.59 no.6
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• pp.865-873
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• 2018

Allium ochotense and Allium microdictyon are commonly known as 'Mountain garlic' and are popular, economically important species in many countries such as Korea, China, and Mongolia. Their leaves are used as culinary side dishes and in traditional medicines. In Korea, these two species are at risk of extinction due to damage to their natural habitat and thus, conservation and breeding programs are needed. However, their identification relies mostly on morphological data, which is limited and until recently, led to classifying these two species under A. victorialis. In the present study, a simple and reliable method of molecular identification was developed to distinguish A. ochotense from A. microdictyon that targets four barcoding regions: the internal transcribed spacer (ITS), the maturase K gene (matK), the chloroplast psbA-trnH intergenic region, and the ribulose-bisphosphate carboxylase large subunit gene (rbcL). Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were found in ITS and matK regions, and species-specific primers were designed based solely on the SNP at position 680 of the ITS region that could differentiate A. ochotense from A. microdictyon. Using these primers in amplification refractory mutation system (ARMS)-PCR, A. ochotense, and A. microdictyon could be simultaneously and efficiently distinguished. This study is the first to report a simple, rapid, and efficient method for discriminating A. ochotense and A. microdictyon, indicating the utility of species-specific markers in the development of conservation and breeding programs.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.89-94
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• 2015

Objectives : It had been reported that herbal medicines containing polyphenol and flavonoid have been shown to be associated with decreased the cause of aging and variety of disease such as reactive nitrogen species and reactive oxygen species in several recent studies. Salviae miltiorrhizae Radix, origined fromSalvia miltiorrhizaBGE., is one of popular traditional herbal medicines that is commonly used by traditional medicine practitioners. To this date, Salviae miltiorrhizae Radix has more than 2000-year history of mature application. This study was conducted to investigate whether the Salviae miltiorrhizae Radix methanol extract has an inhibitory effect association with oxidation or inflammation.Methods : Cytotoxic activity of Salviae miltiorrhizae Radix methanol extract on RAW264.7 cells was evaluated by using 3-[4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide solution. Nitric oxide production was measured using griess reagent system. Western blot analysis and measurement for changes of protein expression, nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2, also performed.Results : The medicinal plant, Salviae miltiorrhizae Radix, does not impair the cell viability in tested concentration (25-100 μg/ml). SMR showed anti-oxiative effectsin vitroby decreasing electron donating ability, and also showed anti-inflammatory effects suppressing NO and COX-2 expressin in LPS induced RAW264.7 activation. SMR inhibited the generation of intracellular ROS production as dose dependant manner.Conclusions : These results indicate that Salviae miltiorrhizae Radix methanol extract has an anti-inflammatory activities via anti-oxidative effects, and the anti-inflammatory effect was presentedd as dose dependant manner.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.8
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• pp.3653-3656
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• 2012

Background: A number of effective prevention measures have been introduced in attempts to substantially reduce both the incidence and mortality due to many kinds of cancer. The search for new anti-cancer compounds in foods or in plant medicines is one realistic and promising approach to prevention. Chinese medicines provide a rich pool of novel and efficacious agents for cancer prevention and treatment. Previously it was demonstratrated that hyperin extracted from the Manchurian rhododendron leaf reduces the proliferation of many cancer cells. The present study was carried out to evaluate its effects on human endometrial cancer cell viability and apoptosis and to investigate its mechanisms of action in RL952 cells. Methods: Cell viability was measured using the MTT assay. Intracellular calcium ions were detected using laser-scanning confocal microscopy. The effects of hyperin on apoptosis related proteins in RL952 cells were examined using Western blot analysis. Results: The growth of RL952 cells was inhibited by treatment with hyperin. OD values of caspase-3 and caspase-9 were increased and expression of bcl-2 was increased and bax was decreased in protein levels in RL952 cells after 24 h of hyperin treatment, Moreover, intracellular calcium accumulation occurred in hyperin-treated cells. Conclusion: These results suggest that hyperin may play an important role in tumor growth suppression by inducing apoptosis in human endometrial cells via a $Ca^{2+}$-related mitochondrion apoptotic pathway in RL952 cells.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.17-20
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• 2007

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of various composts and NPK fertilization rates on the growth of yacon (Polymnia sonchifolia POEPP). Fertilization of used soil was low. Mean temperature of July was higher than that of normal year, but those of another months were same or the lower. The yield of the no-compost plot was higher by 74% than the no-fertilization plot. Increased NPK fertilization rates of bark compost and organic fertilizer plots increased the growth and yield of yacon. The yield of bark compost 1.5 times plot was highest by 6,905 ㎏/10a. The chemical contents of leaves in the various compost and NPK fertilization rates were not normal tendency, and also that of no-compost plot was not difference to the NPK fertilization rates plot.

• Journal of agriculture & life science
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.1-6
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• 2010

This study was carried out to investigate the effects of the various soil textures and NPK fertilizer application rates on growth and yield of Ostericum koreanum by pot experiment. Mean temperatures during cropping seasons of May, June, August and October were higher than those of normal year, but also the values were equal or lower for the other period. The growth and yield of Ostericum koreanum in the 1.5 fertilization rates became higher as the fertilizer rates increased by different soil textures. The content of soil organic matter and available phosphorus were high by application of high fertilization levels, while another contents did not show any significant differece. The yield of Ostericum koreanum was high in the loam soil by 278kg/10a. Those for clay soil was lower. Therefore, these results suggested that optimum soil texture for cultivation of this plant could be loam soil.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.43-51
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• 2018

Objectives : Pharbitidis Semen, the seeds of Ipomoea nil (L.) Roth or I. purpurea (L.) Roth, is well-known traditional herbal medicine in Korea. But it is often marketed as a different seed or mixtures of its closely related species. Thus, the present study aims to provide external and micromorphological characters and identification key by using stereoscope (ST) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) for discriminating authentic of Pharbitidis Semen. Methods : A discrimination on external morphological characteristics of sepals, fruits, seeds, and hilum, testa cell micromorphology in the original plants and its congeneric species was carried out using digital calipers, ST, and SEM. Results : Number of valves (degree of apex of each valve), number of seeds per locule, hairy in capsules and size, luster, density of hairy, hilum shape in seeds and shape of cell, anticlinal, periclinal wall in testa may have high discriminative value. The seeds of Ipomoea nil as an original plant of Pharbitidis Semen were distinguished from other species by the relative larger in size, ovoid-trigonous in shape, mostly flabellate or triangular to trapezoid in outline (c.s.), dull, and puberulent in surface and thicken anticlinal wall. Conclusions : On the basis of the results, an identification key of Pharbitidis Semen and closely related species is provided. Our observations suggest that the combination of morphological characters and other studied results could be helpful in the successfully identified authentic herbal medicines. Moreover, micromorphological characters using SEM could be useful for discriminating authentic medicines.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.102-109
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• 2007

A bioterrorism attack is the deliberate release of viruses, bacteria, or other germs(agents) used to cause illness or death in people, animals, or plant. These agents are found in nature, but it is possible that they could be changed to increase their ability to cause disease, make them resistant to current medicines, or to increase their ability to be spread into the environment. Terrorists may use biological agents because these agents can be extremely difficult to detect and do not cause illness for several days. Some bioterrorism agents, like smallpox virus, can spread from person to person, like anthrax, can not. From these agents, we discussed the characteristics of biological agents and national safety regulation on the weapons of mass destruction including bioterrorism.