• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.41 no.spc1
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• pp.145-165
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• 1996

Amaranth(Amaranthus spp. L.) and quinoa (Chenpodium quinoa Willd.) are old crops from South, Central America and Central Asia and their grains have been identified as very promising food crops because of their exceptional nutritive value. Squalene is an important ingredient in skin cosmetics and computer disc lubricants as well as bioactive materials such as inhibition of fungal and mammalian sterol biosynthesis, antitumor, anticancer, and immunomodulation. Amaranth has a component called squalene (2,6,10,15,19,23-hexamethyl-2,6,10,14,22-tetraco-sahexaene) about 1/300 of the seed and $5\~8\%$ of its seed oil. Oil and squalene content in amaranth seed were different for the species investigated. Squalene content in seed oil also increased by $15.5\%$ due to puffing and from 6.96 to $8.01\%$ by refining and bleaching. Saponin concentrations in quinoa seed ranged 0.01 to $5.6\%$. Saponins are located in the outer layers of quinoa grain. These layers include the perianth, pericarp, a seed coat layer, and a cuticle like structure. Oleanane-type triterpenes saponins are of great interest because of their diverse pharmacological properties, for instance, anti-inflammatory, antibiotic, contraceptive, and cholesterol-lowering effects. It is known that quinoa contains a number of structurally diverse saponins including the aglycones, oleanolic acid, hederagenin, and phytolaccagenic acid, which are new potential in gredient for pharmacological properties. It is likely that these saponin levels will be considerably affected by genetic, agronomic and environmental factors as well as by processing. With the current enhanced public interest in health and nutrition amaranth and quinoa will most likely remain in the immediate future within the realm of exotic health foods until such time as agricultural production meets the quantities and qualify required by industrial food manufacturers.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.16-22
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• 2005

cDNA for oxidosqualene cyclase was cloned by a homology-based PCR method and sequenced from Centella asiatica. In a sequences analysis, the putative polypeptide of C. asiatica cycloartenol synthase (CaCYS) deduced from the 2,274 bp nucleotide sequence, consisted of 758 amino acids and had a molecular mass of 86.3 kD. The predicted amino acid sequence exhibited high homology to that of PNX (cycloartenol synthase) from Panax ginseng ($89\%$). Southern blot analysis suggests that CaCYS may be present in one copy of the C. asiatica genome. If methyl jasmonate (MJ) is applied exogenously to plants, not only triterpene saponins are accumulated in tissues, but also it produces effects such as growth inhibition and the promotion of ethylene production. In order to investigate the effect of MJ and thidiazuron (TDZ), a cytokinin that plays a role as an antisenescence agent in several plants, on the level of CaCYS mRNA, we performed northern blot analysis. When MJ is alone treated by adding to culture medium, CaCYS transcripts were inhibited. However, sustained levels of the expression of CaCYS, by adding TDZ to the medium despite MJ treatments, were demonstrated in C. asiatica leaves.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.175-192
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• 2006

Screening for the cytotoxicity from plant origin is the first stage for anti-cancer drug development. A variety of terpenoids with exomethylene, epoxide, allyl, $\alpha,\beta-unsaturated$ carbonyl, acetylenes, and $\alpha-methylene-\gamma-lactone$ induces apoptosis and/or differentiation as well as cytotoxicity through the ROS signal transduction pathways. These are found among monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, triterpenes, flavonoids, coumarins, diarylheptanoids, and even organosulfuric compounds. The most essential characteristics of natural cytotoxic substances is to possess the strong electrophilicity that is susceptible to nucleophilic biomolecules in the cell. Thiol-reductants and superoxide dismutase can block or delay apoptosis. Thus, ROS and the resulting cellular redox-potential changes can be parts of the signal transduction pathway during apoptosis. Disturbance of the balance of oxireduction by the pigment of natural quinones also caused the induction of the differentiation and apoptosis. Saponins with the cytotoxicity are restricted to their monodesmosides, rather than to bisdesmosides. Those saponins exhibited calcium ion-mediated apoptosis in addition to cytotoxicity whereas they showed also differentiation without extracellular calcium ion. The properties on cytotoxicity, apoptosis, and differentiation were assumed to depend on resultant oxidative stress to the cells. In this review, we describe a spectrum of cytotoxic compounds with various action mechanisms.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.405-412
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• 2020

Background: Root rot is a serious destructive disease of Panax notoginseng, a famous cultivated araliaceous herb called Sanqi or Tianqi in Southwest China. Methods: The chemical substances of Sanqi rot roots were explored by chromatographic techniques. MS, 1D/2D-NMR, and single crystal X-ray diffraction were applied to determine the structures. Murine macrophage RAW264.7 and five human cancer cell lines were used separately for evaluating the antiinflammatory and cytotoxic activities. Results and Conclusion: Thirty dammarane-type triterpenes and saponins were isolated from the rot roots of P. notoginseng. Among them, seven triterpenes, namely, 20(S)-dammar-25-ene-24(S)-hydroperoxyl-3β,6α,12β,20-tetrol (1), 20(S)-dammar-3-oxo-23-ene-25-hydroperoxyl-6α,12β,20-triol (2), 20(S)-dammar-12-oxo-23-ene-25-hydroperoxyl-3β,6α,20-triol (3), 20(S)-dammar-3-oxo-23-ene-25-hydroperoxyl-12β,20-diol (4), 20(S),24(R)-epoxy-3,4-seco-dammar-25-hydroxy-12-one-3-oic acid (5), 20(S),24(R)-epoxy-3,4-seco-dammar-25-hydroxy-12-one-3-oic acid methyl ester (6), and 6α-hydroxy-22,23,24,25,26,27-hexanordammar-3,12,20-trione (7), are new compounds. In addition, 12 known ones (12-16 and 19-25) were reported in Sanqi for the first time. The new Compound 1 showed comparable antiinflammatory activity on inhibition of NO production to the positive control, whereas the known compounds 9, 12, 13, and 16 displayed moderate cytotoxicities against five human cancer cell lines. The results will provide scientific basis for understanding the chemical constituents of Sanqi rot roots and new candidates for searching antiinflammatory and antitumor agents.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.77-119
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• 2013

The genus Patrinia, belonging to the Valerianaceae family, includes ca. 20 species of herbaceous plants with yellow or white flowers, distributed in Korea, China, Siberia, and Japan. Among them, P. scabiosaefolia (yellow Patrinia), P. saniculaefolia, P. villosa (white Patrinia), and P. rupestris are found in Korea. Several members of this genus have long been used in folk medicine for the treatment of inflammation, wound healing, ascetics, and abdominal pain after childbirth. Thus far, ca. 217 constituents, namely flavonoids, iridoids, triterpenes, saponins, and others have been identified in this genus. Crude extract and isolated compounds have been found to exhibit anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antifungal, antibacterial, cytotoxic activities, lending support to the rationale behind several of its traditional uses. The present review compiles information concerning the phytochemistry and biological activities of Patrinia, with particular emphasis on P. villosa, as studied by our research group.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.74-79
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• 2013

In continuation of our research to find biological components from Panax stipuleanatus, four oleanane-type triterpenes (12 to 15) were isolated successively. Fifteen oleanane-type saponins (1 to 15) were evaluated for nuclear factor (NF)-${\kappa}B$ activity using a luciferase reporter gene assay in HepG2 cells. Compounds 6 to 11 inhibited NF-${\kappa}B$, with $IC_{50}$ values between 3.1 to 18.9 ${\mu}M$. The effects on inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 by compounds 8, 10, and 11 were also examined using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Three compounds (8, 10, and 11) inhibited NF-${\kappa}B$ activity by reducing the concentration of inflammatory factors in HepG2 cells.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.60-63
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• 2016

The study is a pioneering effort to determine the mineral, nutritional, and phytochemical composition and phenolic content and to determine the free radical scavenging activity of Gigantochloa levis (Blanco) Merr, a native bamboo species (locally known as "bolo") in the Philippines. Proximate analysis showed that air-dried G. levis leaves contain 15.8% ash, 22.6% crude protein, 1.2% crude fat, 29.3% crude fiber, and 19.7% total sugar. Phytochemical tests indicated the presence of diterpenes, triterpenes, saponins, phenols, tannins, and flavonoids in both the ethanolic and aqueous leaf extracts, while phytosterols were only detected in the ethanolic extract. Folin-Ciocalteu assay determined the total phenolic content in gallic acid equivalents (GAE) to be $85.86{\pm}3.71$ and $32.32{\pm}1.01mg\;GAE/100g$ dried sample for the ethanolic and aqueous extracts, respectively. The total phenolic content in quercetin equivalents (QE) was $74.44{\pm}3.11$ and $29.43{\pm}0.85mg\;QE/100g$ dried sample for the ethanolic and aqueous extracts, respectively. The radical scavenging activity of the different solvent fractions containing varying concentrations of the extract was determined using the 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. The ethyl acetate and 1-butanol fractions were found to have the highest radical scavenging activity. Mineral analysis via Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectrometry (EDS) of the ash of G. levis leaves showed that Si is the major component, followed by K and Mg. These results point to the potential of G. levis leaves as a source of minerals and bioactive compounds with medicinal value.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.47 no.5
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• pp.680-685
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• 2015

Phytochemicals in Codonopsis lanceolata leaves were saponins, triterpenes, tannins, and flavonoids, not alkaloids. The levels of total polyphenols and flavonoids in Codonopsis lanceolata leaves were measured to evaluate the antioxidant activity. C. lanceolata leaves showed strong 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity and potent reducing power. In addition, C. lanceolata leaf extracts inhibited production of nitric oxide (NO) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated RAW 264.7 cells. To examine active phytochemical for antioxidant activity, aglycone fraction of C. lanceolata leaves was analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Luteolin was identified as a main component of aglycone fraction and showed potent antioxidant activity as determined by a DPPH radical scavenging assay and reducing power test. These results suggest that C. lanceolata leaves are a good source of antioxidants.