• Korean journal of food and cookery science
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.65-71
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• 2017

Purpose: This study was carried out to investigate the availability of raw Astragalus membranaceus as a food ingredient. Methods: Raw and dried A. membranaceus water extracts were used to examine the free radical scavenging activity, polyphenol and flavonoid contents, and antimicrobial activity. Also, the sensory characteristics of each water extracts were evaluated. Results: The free radical scavenging activity and total polyphenol and flavonoid contents of raw A. membranaceus extracts were higher than those of dried A. membranaceus extracts. The antimicrobial activities of raw and dried A. membranaceus extracts were examined against several food borne illness-causing microorganisms using the paper disc diffusion method. Inhibition zones were observed in Staphylococcus aureus subsp. aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruglnosa, Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica, Escherichia coli and Bacillus cereus treated with raw extracts. Inhibition zones were observed in B. subtilis, P. aeruglnosa and S. enterica subsp. enterica treated with dried extracts. Raw A. membranaceus extracts had higher scores than dried extracts in sensory evaluation. Conclusion: Raw A. membranaceus was better in antioxidative, antimicrobial activities, and sensory characteristics than dried one.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.347-353
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• 2020

Background: Fermentation of medicinal plants increases their absorption rate and bioavailability in the body. Astragalus membranaceus has been used as a raw material, but research in its use as a food ingredient is lacking. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify the physicochemical characteristics and anti-inflammatory effect of fermented Astragalus membranaceus. Methods and Results: Astragalus roots were fermented using Aspergillus awamori for 4 days and their extracts prepared using hot water. The pH, total acidity (%), and reducing sugar (%) of the extracts were then investigated. The pH and total acidity decreased during fermentation. After fermentation, the pH and total acidity decreased, whereas the reducing sugar level increased. The active ingredients in fermented Astragalus were calycosin-7-O-ßd-glucoside, ononin, calycosin and formononetin. The calycosin contents was highest in the hot-water extracted samples fermented for 4 days. The other components were similar to those in control. Nitric oxide level was lower in the hot-water extracted samples fermented for 4 days than in lipopolysaccharide control group. The sample fermented for 4 days was confirmed to inhibit the production of tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1β. Conclusions: Our results showed the physicochemical properties and anti-inflammatory effects of A. membranaceus after fermentation using Aspergillus awamori. These results indicated that fermented Astragalus membranaceus can be used as a functional food.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.66
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• pp.519-526
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• 2023

Present study explored immunostimulatory effects of Astragalus membranaceus and Zanthoxylum schinifolium 1:1 (w:w) mixture (AZM-1:1) in Raw264.7 cells, mouse macrophage derived cells. Treatment with 100-400 ㎍/mL of AZM-1:1 in Raw264.7 cells significantly increased nitric oxide production in parallel with inducible nitric oxide synthase mRNA expression without affecting cytotoxicity. In addition, AZM-1:1 dose-dependently increased prostaglandin E₂ production in conditioned medium along with cyclooxygenase-2 mRNA induction. Moreover, AZM-1:1 induces the transcription of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1. Immunoblot analyses revealed that AZM-1:1 significantly increased the phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases, provoked phosphorylation-mediated degradation of inhibitory-κBα, and phosphorylated p65. Furthermore, treatment with AZM-1:1 promoted phagocytosis of Escherichia coli particle labeled with green fluorescence. Taken together, AZM-1:1 may be a promising nutraceutical for stimulation the innate immune system, including macrophages.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.63 no.4
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• pp.421-428
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• 2020

This study investigated a mixture of Astragalus membranaceus (AM) and Lithospermum erythrorhizon (LE) extracts (ALM16), exerts anti-inflammatory effects in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW264.7 macrophage cells, and its underlying mechanism. ALM16 was prepared by mixing AM and LE extracts in a ratio of 7:3 (w/w). Cytotoxicity of ALM16 in RAW264.7 cells was not shown up to 200 ㎍/mL of ALM16. The results of this study showed that ALM16 does-dependently inhibits the production of nitric oxide, prostaglandin E2 and pro-inflammatory cytokines (interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α) in LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells. ALM16 not only markedly reduced the protein expression levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells, but also inhibited the nuclear translocation and DNA-binding activity of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB). In addition, ALM16 specifically inhibited the phosphorylation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase and extracellular signal-regulated kinases in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. In conclusion, these results suggest that ALM16 may exert anti-inflammatory effect by modulating mitogen-activated protein kinase and NF-κB signaling pathways.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.818-824
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• 2003

Capillary electrophoresis (CE) and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) were performed to discriminate astragalus roots (Astragalus membranaceus) according to geographical origin (domestic or foreign). Two-hundred-and-four astragalus roots were extracted with 30% methanol in 0.1 M phosphate buffer (pH 2.5) and separated in a uncoated fused-silica $(50\;{\mu}m{\times}27\;cm)$ capillary. Conditions for optimal analysis included: temperature $-45^{\circ}C$, voltage -14 kV, and pressure injection time -8 sec. The optimal separation buffer was 0.1 M phosphate buffer (pH 2.5) containing 40 mM hexane sulfonic acid with 20% 2-methoxy ethanol. Raw NIR spectra were obtained using NIRS, and modified partial least square regression was used to develop the prediction model. The correlation coefficient and standard error of prediction were 0.915 and 14.3%, respectively. Under the optimal conditions established for CE and NIRS, the geographical origins of the astragalus roots were correctly identified in 80 and 97%, respectively. Astragalus roots that were not discriminated by NIRS were correctly discriminated by CE. Hence, CE and NIRS are potential methods for discriminating the geographical origins of astragalus roots that complement one another.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.75-79
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• 2014

The following study is the result of herbal teas puffed at different temperatures between $140{\sim}220^{\circ}C$. Depending on treatment temperatures, the water contents decreased, while some carbonization occurred and crude ash contents relatively increased. Also, the crude protein and crude fat experienced little changes. B(${\alpha}$)P contents (0.16~0.17 ppb) showed little change according to treatment temperatures. From this result, the B(${\alpha}$)P content differed depending on the treatment temperature and raw materials. Solid elution rate figures of the herbal teas ranged from 0.27~0.45% (w/w) and the rate of solid elution increased along with higher puffing temperatures. The reason for the increase in solid elution rates is due to the breakage of cross bridges between the raw materials in the herbal tea which are carbohydrates, proteins, lipids and etc. after treatments of physical changes rather than chemical ones.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.342-348
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• 2000

In this experiment, we show the effects of herbal plant extracts on the production of nitric oxide (NO) and TNF-$\alpha$. The extracts of Angelica gigas, Astragalus membranaceus, Acanthopanax sessiliflorus and Houttuynia cordata had no effect on NO synthesis by itself in mouse macrophage cell line (RAW264.7). However, the stimulation with these extracts in the presence of murine interferon-${\gamma}$(mIFN-${\gamma}$) resulted in increased NO synthesis. When these extracts were used in combination with mIFN-${\gamma}$, there were a marked cooperative induction of NO and TNF-$\alpha$ synthesis in a dose-dependent manner. The same results were obtained in the mouse peritoneal macrophages used. The optimal concentration of these extracts on NO synthesis was shown at 100$\mu\textrm{g}$/mL with 100U/mL of mIFN-${\gamma}$. NO synthesis was inhibited by NG-monomethyl-L-arginine. When cell lines were treated with extracts, the expression of inducible NO synthetase (iNOS) was markedly increased in RT-PCR analysis. In addition, synergy between mIFN-${\gamma}$ and extracts was dependent on extracts-induced tumor necrosis factor-$\alpha$(TNF-$\alpha$). These results suggest that water extracts of herbal plants can induce iNOS, NO and TNF-$\alpha$ synthesis of mouse macrophage cell line (RAW264.7) and peritoneal macrophages in combination with mIFN-${\gamma}$.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.156-166
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• 2008

Objective : Pamooltang (PM) and Sipjeondaebotang (SC) are used in Korea to treat many diseases such as sterility, menstrual disorder, and general prostration. We made a comparative study of PM and SC which are different in component ratio between Astragalus membranaceus BUNGE (AC) and Cinnamomum cassia PRESL. (CC). Methods : Anti-oxidation was studied by 1.1.-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay and anti-inflammation was investigated by prostaglandin $E_2\;(PGE_2)$ and nitric oxide (NO) inhibition assay. For immune response activities, this study used NO synthesis on RAW 264.7 cells and splenocyte proliferation. Results : The results showed that PM and SC components had no significant effect of anti-oxidation or anti-inflammation. However, we observed their effects upon inducible NO synthesis in Raw 264.7 cells. The SC2 stimulated NO synthesis $11.42\pm1.36{\mu}M$ (control; $0.89\pm0.00{\mu}M$). PM and SC components had the effect of immune response which in a dose-dependent manner significantly induced the splenocyte proliferation. The splenocyte proliferation induced by SC2 was higher than others at the concentration of 1, 10, 100, 1000 and 2000 ${\mu}g/ml$. The SC8 was shown to up-regulate IgG, 100 ${\mu}g/ml$ 3.3 times, 1000 ${\mu}g/ml$ 2.6 times as a control. Conclusions : These results may have important implications for our understanding of the ratios of AC and CC in SC.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.790-796
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• 2013

The following is the study result of herbal tea roasted at different temperatures between $80{\sim}140^{\circ}C$. Depending on treatment temperature the water content decreased, some carbonization occurred and crude ash content relatively increased. Also crude protein and crude fat changed little. Benzopyrene content (0.17~0.35ppb) showed a tendency to increase with higher treating temperature. From this result, the $B({\alpha})P$ content differed depending on the treatment temperature and raw materials. In case of roasting, the actual inside temperature is around $200^{\circ}C$ but since the surface temperature of the roaster reaches around $2,000^{\circ}C$ some portion of $B({\alpha})P$ content was presumed to be produced from the area that came in contact with this surface. Solid elution rate of herbal tea showed 0.18~0.35%(w/w) and the rate of solid elution decreased with higher roasting temperature. There was no big change in $80{\sim}110^{\circ}C$ treatment section but the solid elution decreased rapidly in $110{\sim}140^{\circ}C$ section. The reason for decreasing solid elution rate at higher treatment temperature is because the compact inner tissue makes elution difficult.