• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.9
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• pp.999-1006
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• 2018

Obesity is epidemic worldwide and has reportedly been linked to the progression of several metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. The natural products are decreasing the side effects of medicines used for obesity and also have health benefits dut to their numerous bioactive compounds. In this context, Artemisia scoparia is a widespread plant that has been suggested as possessing various types of bioactivity. In this study, the crude extract from A. scoparia (ASE) was tested for its ability to suppress adipogenesis in mouse 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes. The molecular pathway by which ASE affects differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells was also investigated. The introduction of ASE to differentiating 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes resulted in suppressed adipogenesis, as confirmed by decreased intracellular lipid accumulation. The differentiating cells treated with 10 and $100{\mu}g/ml$ of ASE showed 21.9 and 29.0% less lipid accumulation, respectively, than untreated adipocytes. In addition, the results indicated that ASE treatment lowered the expression of the adipogenesis-related factors $PPAR{\gamma}$, $C/EBP{\alpha}$, and SREBP-1c. Furthermore, treating with ASE notably decreased levels of phosphorylated p38, ERK, and JNK in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. These results indicate that ASE exhibits significant anti-adipogenesis activity by downregulating the MAPK and $PPAR{\gamma}$ pathways during the differentiation of 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes. Therefore, A. scoparia may be a potential source of natural products against obesity.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.31 no.8
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• pp.679-689
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• 2009

Light olefins are very important hydrocarbons widely used as the raw materials of the most petrochemicals including plastics and medicines. In addition, the nation's olefin production capacity is regarded as one of the key indicators to predict the nation's economic scale and growth. Steam cracking of naphtha (or called "NCC (Naphtha Cracking Center) technology"), the traditional process to produce light olefins, is one of the most consuming energy processes among the chemical industries. Therefore, this process causes tremendous $CO_2$ emission. To reduce the energy consumption and $CO_2$ emission from NCC process, the present paper, firstly, investigates and analyses some alternative technologies which can be potentially substituted for traditional process. Secondly, applying the alternative technologies to NCC process, their effects such as energy savings, $CO_2$ emission reduction and CER (Certified Emission Reduction) were estimated. It is found that the advanced NCC process can reduce approximately 35% of SEC (Specific Energy Consumption) of traditional NCC process. This effect can lead to the reduction of 3.3 million tons of $CO_2$ and the acquisition of the 128 billion won of CER per year. Catalytic cracking of naphtha technology, which is other alternative processes, can save up to approximately 40% of SEC of traditional NCC process. This value equates to the 3.8 million tons of $CO_2$ mitigation and 147 billion won of CER per year.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.416-424
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• 2013

In the course of a study for the development of functional foods utilizing Woosul (Achyranthis radix), the components and various biological activities of Korean Woosul (AJN: Achyranthes japonica Nakai) and Chinese Woosul (ABB: Achyranthes bidentata Blume) were compared. Woosul in Korea, including AJN and ABB, are regulated and part of the Korean Pharmacopoeia. From AJN and ABB, ethanol extracts and their subsequent organic solvent fractions were prepared and their in-vitro antimicrobial, antioxidant and anti-diabetes activities were evaluated. Although AJN and ABB have no clear distinction in terms of usage in Korea, our results suggest that AJN has higher quantities of lipid-soluble components and lower amounts of water-soluble sugars than does ABB. ABB also appears to possess greater amounts of flavonoid and polyphenol substances than AJN. Analyses of biological activities showed that the fractions of AJN were more active as antibacterial agents, and possessed more pronounced ${\alpha}$-glucosidase inhibitory activities than those of the ABB fractions. However, the antioxidant activities of the ABB fractions, as determined by DPPH anion-, ABTS cation-, nitrite-scavenging activity and reducing power, were higher than those of the AJN fractions. Our results suggest that the components and bioactivity of the extracts and subsequent fractions of AJN and ABB are different. Therefore, usage of either AJN or ABB should be carefully considered, as regards their individual properties, when the active fractions of Woosul are employed in the development of functional foods or novel plant-derived medicines.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.161-168
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• 2007

Salicornia herbacea L. (Chenopodiaceae: S. herbacea) is a salt marsh plant, which has long been prescribed in traditional medicines for the treatment of intestinal ailments, nephropathy, and hepatitis in Oriental countries. In order to elucidate the mechanisms of this herb, we conducted an anti-oxidative activity, the inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) production, and the suppression of the pro-inflammatory cytokine genes, with the solvent-extracts of S. herbacea. We found that both ethyl acetate and n-butanol tractions showed potent anti-oxidative effects in comparison to other fractions using xanthine oxidase assay with $IC_{50}$ values of $66.0{\pm}0.5\;{\mu}g/ml$ and $82.5{\pm}3.8\;{\mu}g/ml$, respectively. In addition, both ethyl acetate and n-butanol fractions showed more electron donating activity (EDA) than other tractions, according to DPPH (2, 2-Diphenyl-lpicrylhydrazyl radical) assay. The EDA of ethyl acetate fraction ($IC_{50}$ values of $117.5{\pm}3.8\;{\mu}g/ml$) is more significant than that of n-butanol fraction ($IC_{50}$ values of $375.0{\pm}12.5\;{\mu}g/ml$). Among potential anti-oxidative tractions, ethyl acetate traction dose-dependently suppressed lipopolysaccharide (LPS, $0.1\;{\mu}g/ml$)-induced nitric oxide (NO) production in RAW264.7 cell, while n-butanol did not. As expected, ethyl acetate fraction suppressed the expression of inducible NO synthase (iNOS) in RAW264.7 cell stimulated by $0.1\;{\mu}g/ml$ of LPS. Moreover, the ethyl acetate traction suppressed the expression of interleukin-1 $(IL)-1{\beta}$ and granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) mRNA in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. Therefore, these results suggest that S. herbacea may have anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory activities by modulating radical-induced toxicity and various pro-inflammatory responses.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.458-463
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• 2002

This present study was designed to screen medicinal plants for the treatment of brain diseases such as Parkinson's disease or Alzheimer's disease. The inhibitory activity of monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) was investigated in the water extracts of 56 species traditional medicines. Among the tested medicinal plants, E. lathyris, R. palmatum, F. rhynchonphylla, E. caryophyllata, E. pekinensis and H. syriacus were showed the strong inhibitory activity against MAO-B. Therefore, MAO-B inhibitory activity of 6 traditional medicine extracts in the different concentration (2.5, 6.5 and 12.5 ㎍/ml) was determined. The inhibitory effect of MAO-B was detected with dose dependently in 6 traditional plants extracts. E. caryophyllata and R. palmatum were showed the highest inhibitory activity, the MAO-B inhibitory activity at 2.5㎍ of herbal extract being 58% and 52%, respectively. The water extracts of 6 species were tested on antioxidant activity using radical scavenging effects against ABTS/sup +/. The water extracts of R. palmatum, E. caryphyllata, E. pekinensis and H. syriacus were showed strong antioxidant capacity at 20 ㎍ concentration. Among the 56 medicinal plants investigated, the water extracts of R. palmatum and E. caryphyllata were showed significant antioxidant capacity and MAO-B inhibiory activity. Therefore, R. palmatum and E. caryphyllata are expected to ameliorate the clinical symptoms in Parkinson's disease due to significant MAO-B inhibition and radical scavenging effect.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.25 no.12
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• pp.1370-1376
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• 2015

The 1, 1- diphenyl 2-picrylhyorazyl (DPPH) is a well-known radical and a trap (scavenger) for other radicals. Hyaluronidase (HAase) is an enzyme that depolymerizes the polysaccharide hyaluronic acid (HA) in the extracellular matrix of connective tissue. Lipoxygenase (LOX) enzyme was reported to convert the arachidonic, linoleic and other polyunsaturated fatty acid into biologically active metabolites involved in the inflammatory and immune responses. The purpose of the present study is to evaluate plant extracts as sources of natural antioxidants and to examine whether Achyranthes japonica having significant DPPH, HAase and LOX inhibitory activity. The inhibitory effect of HAase by A. japonica was assayed using a Morgan microplate assay. The antioxidant activity of the A. japonica extracts was measured on the basis of the scavenging activity of the stable 1, 1- diphenyl 2-picrylhyorazyl (DPPH) free radical. DPPH scavenging activity of matured roots of A. japonica was evaluated at 4.0 mg/ml was 87.8% and that of young roots was 86.2% at same concentration. The roots of A. japonica showed maximum inhibition of HAase activity (IC₅₀ = 27.7 μg/ml). The highest LOX inhibition was recorded in the root extract among three vegetative parts. Inhibition of HAase activity of roots may contribute towards the development of herbal medicines. Although percent inhibition of lipoxygenase by Achyranthes japonica for all young and matured groups for leaves, stems, and roots at different concentrations, there were not show a statistically significant difference (p<0.05).

• The Journal of Korean Medical History
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.111-127
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• 2004

This paper is mainly on the rsearch of the prescriptions of "Sanbeon-bang(刪 繁方)". For the research of prescription, investigated "Sanbeon-bang" from the side of symptoms of a disease, number of drugstuffs, table of contents, drugstuffs and acupuncture and moxibustion. With these investigation, made out a few tables, and with these tables made an attempt to understand the whole prescriptions of "Sanbeon-bang". "Sanbeon-bang" is of rich contents in internal medicine. Among internal medicine, related to Oro-Yukgeuk-Chilsang(五勞-六極-七傷) was most abundant. So we can guess "Sanbeon-bang" was a medical book specialized in exhaustion syndromes. It also deals with the Samcho-syndromes, as investigate from medical comments, has the perfect system of prescription in relative. From the investigation of the combination of drugstuffs, ascertained that, the number of simple prescription composed of one drugstuff was 38, combinational prescription composed of two drugstuffs was 9, minor prescription composed of three to five drugstuffs was 47, midum prescription composed of six to ten drugstuffs was 95, major prescription composed of eleven to twenty drugstuffs was 45, and mixed prescription composed over twenty drugstuffs was 1. Mentionable unique prescriptions in internal use were the forms of keeping in mouth. In external use they were fumigants, suppositories, powdered medicines, spraying the granular medication into the nasal cavity and eyedrops. And were abundant in soft extract(ointment) and plaster. In addition, there were the recordings of 18 types of cellulitis, types of incurable cellulitis and curing an illness by a charm. By the way, when comparing "Sanbeon-bang" with "Cheongeum-bang", all of which was quoted a lot in "Oedaebiyo-bang", "Cheongeum-bang" rather took medical comments of "Sanbeon-bang" than prescription. Although there were some prescriptons in "Sanbeon-bang" at the same category, "Cheongeum-bang" took another prescriptions which are more complexed than those of "Sanbeon-bang". In the same way, when comparing "Cheongeum-bang" with "Sonjinin-Cheongeum-bang(孫眞人千金方)", which didn't go through the correction of GyojeongUiseoguk of Bug-Song goverment, "Cheongeum-bang" often didn't take the prescriptions of "Sonjinin-Cheongeum-bang". Hence we can guess, "Cheongeumyo-bang" may have added a lot of prescriptions when undergoing the correction of of GyojeongUiseoguk. The total number of species of drugstuffs in "Sanbeon-bang" from the investigation was 284. The plant drugs were 208 species, the animal were 31 species, the minerals were 19 species and the other were 26 species. The prescriptions related to acupuncture and moxibustion in "Sanbeon-bang" were only moxibustional prescriptions. Which appeared one time per exhaustion and steaming of bone syndrome, Oro-Yukgeuk-Chilsang and Samcho syndrome. Appeared six times in muscle syndromes. But I cannot imagine the original form of acupuncture and moxibustion in "Sanbeon-bang" for deficiency of data.

• The Journal of Dong Guk Oriental Medicine
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• v.10
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• pp.161-175
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• 2008

The '$\bar{A}yurveda$', Buddhistic medicine, and the present of traditional medicine can be summed up as thus. 1. The '$\bar{A}yurveda$' is a transliteration of the Sanskrit Ayur - veda and is a compound of the words 'Ayus(life)' and 'Veda(knowledge)' and means "The study of life", which means the preservation of health and the understanding and curing of diseases. 2. The '$\bar{A}yurveda$', which originated from ancient experience, was recorded in Sanskrit, which was a theorization of knowledge, and also was written in verses to make memorizing easy, and made medicine the exclusive possession of the Brahmin. The first annotations were 1060 for the "Charaka", 1200 for the "Sushruta", 1150 for the "Ashtanga Sangraha samhita", and 1100 for the "Nidana". The use of various mineral medicines in the "Charaka" or the use of mercury as internal medicine in the "Ashtanga Sangraha samhita", and the palpation of the pulse for diagnosing in the '$\bar{A}yurveda$' and XiZhang' medicine are similar to TCM's pulse diagnostics. The coexistence with Arabian 'Unani' medicine, compromise with western medicine and the reactionism trend restored the '$\bar{A}yurveda$ today. 3. When we look at the present of the education and research of the '$\bar{A}yurveda$', after gaining independence from England, India set up a modern education system of the '$\bar{A}yurveda$' and set it on an equal position with western medicine. According to the 1976 study the '$\bar{A}yurveda$' is taught in a 5 and a half year university curriculum, and the main textbooks are the Charaka - samhita("開羅迦集" - internal medicine), Sushruta-samhita("妙聞集", surgery), Madhavanidana(diagnostics), 3 volumes of Bhavaprakasa(pharmacology internal medicine, mineral medicine}, Rajanighantu (pharmacology), $Vrks\bar{A}yurveda$(plant therapy), Mahabharata(military medicine), Arthasastra(forensic medicine, toxicology) Kamasastra(science of intercourse), etc. in 10 subjects and there are 232227 certified doctors that have graduated from the 95 colleges and passed the exams.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.57-62
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• 2011

Sometimes inhabitants in remote areas have inadequate or no access to modern medicines or medical services. They can get benefit in term of the treatment against malaria by cultivating selected breeding of A. annua and making teas or decoctions from the plant materials following the proper way of tea preparation. In order to have the maximum extraction efficiency for artemisinin, different ways of tea preparations of A. annua were investigated by applying the developed DPP method and described in this article. Tea was prepared by three different ways (cooking, without cooking with/without shaking and microwave oven) with different times. From the results, it has been found that higher concentration of artemisinin (84.7%) can be attained by following the approach for tea preparation without cooking with shaking for 15 minutes (R.S.D. 2.34%). The concentration of artemisinin decreases with cooking more than 1.5 min in microwave oven. The utmost extraction (88.9% of artemisinin) is possible to extract by shaking with boiled 5% ethanol in distilled water (R.S.D. 2.28%).

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.281-290
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• 2018

Background: Lung cancer, the most common malignant disease worldwide, is the predominant cause of cancer deaths, particularly amongst men. Therefore, various researchers have focused on the growth inhibitory effects of medicinal plants used in traditional Korean medicine. This study aimed to investigate the growth inhibitory effects of ethanol extracts of Rubiae radix, Inulae flos, Nelumbinis receptaculum, Astilbe radix, and Lagerstroemia flos on NCI-H1229 cells. Method and Results: The viability of NCI-H1229 cells was evaluated in vitro using an MTS assay. Treatment with the ethanol extracts of the selected medicinal plants at $500{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ reduced NCI-H1229 cell viability and increased apoptotic cell death and caspase-3 activation. In addition, treatment with ethanol extracts of Inulae flos and Astilbe radix increases DNA fragmentation, as measured by the TUNEL assay. Conclusions: These results indicated that ethanol extracts of Rubiae radix, Inulae flos, Nelumbinis receptaculum, Astilbe radix, and Lagerstroemia flos exhibited growth inhibitory effects, inducing apoptotic cell death, DNA fragmentation and caspase-3 activation in NCI-H1229 cells. Therefore, these medicinal plant extracts may be used in the development of natural medicines to inhibit the growth of lung cancers. However, further study is needed to determine the active ingredients of the ethanol extracts from medicinal plants that are reposible for the inhibitory effect on lung cancer cell grwoth.