About forty sea weeds were screened for their inhibitory effects against prolyl endopeptidase, tyrosinase and thrombus coagulation. Out of them, methanolic extract of Ecklonia cava, Sargassum patens, Sargassum hemiphyllum, Sargassum thunbergii, Sargassum singgildianum, Hizikia fusiformis, and Ishige okamurae inhibited more than 90% of prolyl endopeptidase activity at 40 ppm. Sargassum siliquastrum and Ecklonia cava exhibited 51% and 76% of inhibitory activity against tyrosinase at 40 ppm, respectively. In APTT assay system, Sargassum singgildianum, Pterocladia capilacea and Hizikia fusiformis delayed coagulation of thrombus about two times (210, 211, and 198% over control at ca 367 ppm, respectively) and in TT assay, Lomentaria catenata, Laurencia okamurae, and Hizikia fusiformis did most effectively (216,197, and 251% at ca 367 ppm, respectively).

This study was undertaken to test for anti-hepatitis B virus (HBV) activity of the aqueous extracts prepared from 9 medicinal plants of Korea (Cornus officinalis, Caesalpinia sappan, Rubus coreanus, Lycium chinense, Artemisia capillaris, Isatis tinctoria, Phyllanthus urinaria, Lysimachia christinae, Lonicera japonica). Aqueous extracts were tested for cytotoxicity and assayed for inhibition of HBV replication by measurement of HBV DNA and surface antigen (HBsAg) levels in the extracellular medium f HepG2 2.2.15 cells. The extract from Rubus coreanus, Artemisia capillaris, Phyllanthus urinaria decreased the levels of extracellular HBV virion DNA at concentrations ranging from 128 to $256\;{\mu}g/ml$ and inhibited the production fo HBsAg dose-dependently without showing cytotoxicity. Our findings suggest that these three hebal medicinal plants may have potential to develop as specific anti-HBV drugs in the future.

In order to find less toxic antiviral agents from Basidiomycetes, EA, the water soluble substance, was prepared from the carpophores of Elfvingia applanata(Pers.) Karst. Antiviral activity of EA against vesicular stomatitis virus [Indiana serotype, VSV(IND)] was examined in Vero cells using plaque reduction assay in vitro. And the combined antiviral effects of EA with interferon (IFN) alpha or gamma were examined on the multiplication of VSV(IND). EA caused a concentration-dependent reduction in the plaque formation of VSV(IND) with 50% effective concentration $(EC_{50})$ of $104.02\;{\mu}g/ml$. The results of combination assay were evaluated by the combination index (CI) that was analysed by the multiple drug effect analysis. All cases of the combination of EA with IFN alpha or IFN gamma showed potent synergism with CI values of $0.38{\sim}0.52$ for $50{\sim}90%$ effective levels.

Cadmium chloride and Yukmijihwang-tang extract (YJT), a herbal restorative were treated 3 mg/kg s.c. and 500 mg/kg p.o. respectively, and concurrently to rats, and examined the variations of the body weight, feed efficiency ratio, accumulation of cadmium in kidney, the triglyceride and cholesterol in serum, the blood pressure and heart rate of rats. The values of body weight gained and feed efficiency ratio decreased, and the other values increased significantly in cadmium-treated group, but concurrent administration with YJT showed significant recovery from the toxicity of cadmium.

In the previous report, E-kong-san, which is usually used for recovering health in traditional medicine, has been shown to decrease cisplatin induced nephrotoxicity in vivo and in vitro. The significant reduction of E-kong-san on the cisplatin induced nephrotoxicity led us to investigate whether the effect of this water extract was a result of triggering antioxidation. In monkey kidney Vero cells, E-kong-san at $5{\sim}10\;mg/ml$ was able to attenuate 2mM cisplatin-stimulated cell death by 46.8% and 31.8%, respectively. E-kong-san showed strong free radical scavengering activities on 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazil (DPPH) radical and xanthine/xanthine oxidase (XOD) generated superoxide anion radical $(O_2^{-.})$. We further studied the effects of E-kong-san on lipid peroxidation in rat liver microsomes induced by enzymatic and nonenzymatic methods. Moreover, E-kong-san exhibited significant inhibition on both ascorbic $acid/Fe^{2+}$ and $ADP/NADPH/Fe^{3+}$ induced lipid peroxidation in rat liver microsomes. Based on these results, we suggest that E-kong-san protects the cisplatin induced cytotoxicity by its antioxidative mechanism.

Lonicerae flos aqua-acupuncture solution (LFAS) and Lonicerae flos water-extracted solution (LFWS) were prepared and tested for chemopreventive potentials. Three biomarkers [quinone reductase (QR), ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), glutathione(GSH)] were used to test chemopreventive potential of LFAS. LFAS was potent inducer of QR activity in Hepa1c1c7 murine hepatoma cells, whereas LFWS is less potent. LFAS and LFWS were also induced QR activities in cultured human hepatoma Hep3B cells. The effect of LFAS and LFWS were tested on the growth of Acanthamoeba castellanii. Proliferation of Acanthamoeba castellanii was inhibited by LFAS and LFWS at concentrations of $0.1{\times},\;0.5{\times}\;1{\times},\;and\;3{\times}.$ In addition, GSH levels were increased about 2-fold with LFAS and 1.5-fold with LFWS in cultured murine hepa1c1c7 cells. LFAS and LFWS were also shown to increase GSH levels in human Hep3B cells. These results suggest that LFAS has chemopreventive potential by inducing QR activity, inhibition of ODC activity and increasing GSH levels.

To analyze scientifically the prescription principle of polyprescriptions (Gamchotang, Daewhanggamchotang, Jakyakgamchotang, Gamchogungangtang and Gilkyungtang) containing Glycyrrhizae Radix, the transforming rate of glycyrrhizin in these polyprescriptions to 18 ${\beta}-glycyrrhetinic$ acid and their inhibitory effect on ${\beta}-glucuronidase$, hyaluronidase, phosphodiesterase and trypsin were investigated. When Glycyrrhizae Radix containing polyprescriptions were extracted with water, the contents of glycyrrhizin in water extract of Glycyrrhizae Radix with Rhei Rhizoma or with Zingiberis Rhizoma were higher than that of Glycyrrhizae Radix only, but that in water extract of Glycyrrhizae Radix with Platicodi Radix was lower than that of Glycyrrhizae Radix only. By human intestinal bacteria, glycyrrhizin was metabolized to 18 ${\beta}-glycyrrhetinic$ acid. These metabolism of glycyrrhizin in polyprescriptions containing Glycyrrhizae Radix was inhibited by Rhei Rhizoma, Paeoniae Radix and Platicodi Radix, but was not affected by Zingiberis Rhizoma. The inhibitory activity of Glycyrrhizae Radix on hyaluronidase and ${\beta}-glucuronidase$, was synergistic with Rhei Rhizoma or Zingiberis Rhizoma, but was antagonistic by Platicodi Radix.

The solvent extracts from Aloe arborescens and Aloe vera were randomly screened for inhibitory effects on the growth of tumor cell lines. In case of Aloe vera extracts, butyl alcohol extract and ethyl alcohol extract showed antitumor activity at $100\;{\mu}g/ml$ on lung cell lines(A427, Sk-mes-1, Calu-3 and 3LL). In Aloe arborescens extracts, butyl alcohol extract and ethyl alcohol extract exerted high activity at $100\;{\mu}g/ml$ on breast cell line(Hs-578T) and lung cell line(Sk-mes-1), respectively. The solvent extracts from Aloe vera exerted antitumor activity broadly on various tumor cell lines. In contract, the solvent extracts from Aloe arborescens exerted specific antitumoricity on a few tumor cell lines.

Using the bioassay-guided fractionation and isolation technique, two $PLC{\gamma}1$ inhibitors were isolated from the sarcotestas of Ginkgo biloba (Ginkgoaceae). The structures of these compounds were identified as (3R)-(-)-8-hydroxy-3-(6'-pentadecenyl)3,4-dihydroisocoumarin (1) and 3-heptadecen-2-one (2) by UV, IR, MS, $^1H-NMR$, $^{13}C-NMR$ and $^1H-^{13}C\;COSY$. Isolate compounds 1 and 2 have not been reported previously from the sarcotestas of G. biloba and Ginkgoaceae, respectively. In addtion, these compounds showed significant $PLC{\gamma}1$ inhibitory effects with the $IC_{50}$ of the 9.7 (1) and $25.6\;{\mu}M\;(2)$.

In order to find active ingradients having an agonistic activity to benzodiazepine receptor from Gastrodia elata Blume (Orchidaceae) which has been used as an anticonvulsant in oriental medicine, one component and some fractions were separated from the butanol extract of the rhizomes of this plant and evaluated for their activities on GABA/benzodiazepine receptor in vitro. As a result, one crude mixture (F4f) obtained from the most active fraction (F4) inhibited significantly the binding of $[^3H]Ro15-1788$, a selective benzodiazepine receptor antagonist, to benzodiazepine receptor of rat cortices. GABA significantly enhanced the inhibition of $[^3H]flunitrazepam$ binding by F4f, and this positive GABA shift supported the strong possibility of the agonistic activity of F4f to benzodiazepine receptor.

From the legumes of Albizzia julibrissin Durazzini (Leguminosae), a mixture of long-chain alcohols, ${\alpha}-spinasterol$, a mixture of acylated sterol glycosides and ${\alpha}-spinasteryl$ $3-O-{\beta}-D-glucoside$ were isolated. Two mixtures of long-chain alcohols and acylated sterol glycosides were characterized as 1-hexacosanol (major) and 1-tetracosanol, and $3-O-[6'-O-palmitoyl-{\beta}-D-glucosyl]-{\alpha}-spinasterol$ (major) and its 6'-O-stearoyl ester. All compounds were identified on the basis of spectral data and chemical reactions.

Seven compounds were isolated from the n-BuOH extract of the dried stem barks of Rhus javanica L. On the basis of physico-chemical, spectroscopic evidences and comparison with authentic samples, the compounds $1{\sim}7$ were identified as gallic acid (1), methyl gallate (2), scopoletin (3), scopolin (4), $1,\;2,\;3,\;4,\;6-penta-O-galloyl-{\beta}-D-glucose$ (5), orcinol (6) and $orcinol-{\beta}-D-glucoside$ (7). Among these compounds, scopolin, $orcinol-{\beta}-D-glucoside$ were isolated from this plant for the first time.

Eight compounds were isolated from the BuOH extract of the stem of Clematis trichotoma (Ranunculaceae). On the basis of spectroscopic evidences, the structures of these compounds were established as rutin, kaempferol 3-O-neohesperidoside, adenosine, adenin, hirustrin, caffeic acid $4-{\beta}-glucoside$, 3-methoxyarbutin and uridine.

Polyphenol Oxidase(PPO) was purified from an extract of Ginkgo biloba leaves by ammonium sulfate fractionation followed by sephadex G-150 column chromatography, which resulted in a 18-fold increase in specific activity. The enzyme was most active at pH 8.5 and the temperature optimum for the PPO catechol oxidation reaction was $45^{\circ}C$. Heat inactivation studies showed that heating for 7, 9 and 48 min, at 80, 70 and $60^{\circ}C$ respectively caused a 50% loss in enzymatic activity and that the enzyme was completely inactivated after heat treatment at $90^{\circ}C$ for 60 min. Km values of the PPO for catechol, hydroquinone and 4-methylcatechol derived from Lineweaver-Burk plots were $6.06\;{\times}\;10^{-4}M,\;1.02\;{\times}\;10^{-3}M,\;1.41\;{\times}\;10^{-3}M$ respectively. Of the substrates tested, 4-methylcatechol was oxidized most readily and the enzyme did not oxidize monophenols. The enzyme datalyzed browning reaction was completely inhibited in the presence of reducing reagents, namely ascorbic acid, cysteine, glutathione, 2-mercaptoethanol, potassium metabisulfite at 0.5 mM level. Sodium chloride showed very little inhibition effect on Ginkgo biloba leaves PPO. Lineweaver-Burk analysis of inhibition data revealed that the inhibition by cysteine, 2-mercaptoethanol, potassium cyanide was competitive with ki values of $1.1\;{\times}\;10^{-5}M,\;2.4\;{\times}\;10^{-5}M,\;8\;{\times}\;10^{-5}M$, respectively. Among the divalent cations, $Cu^{2+}ion$ was a strong activator on PPO and $Mn^{2+}ion$ was little or no effect on PPO activity $Ni^{2+}ion$ was an inhibitor on PPO.

The composition of biochemical components such as lipids, proteins and their amino acid components and inorganic elements in the ashes in unossified antlers from Cervus nippon Temminck var. mantchuricus grown in Korea were analyzed to obtain fundamental data for quality control. As a result, it was found that total lipids were 20.75% which was approximately similar contents with those of proteins (21.8%). Sixteen amino acids were identified from the hydrolysate of the protein fraction. Three gangliosides with very similar TLC patterns of those such as $GM_3$, $GM_1$ and $GM_{1a}$ were identified from the water soluble layer of Folch's partitions. Ash contents were revelaed to be much higher in the sponge layer (40.0%) than in the velvet layer (3.7%).

'Gu Maig(瞿麥)' is one of the Chinese crude drugs used mainly to cure a diuretic, gonorhoea and menostasis, etc. With regard to the botanical origin of 'Gu Maig', it has been considered to be Dianthus spp. of Caryophyllaceae, but there has not been studied pharmacognostically. To clarify the botanical origin of the "Gu Maig", the morphological and anatomical characteristics of the leaves and stems of Dianthus species growing in Korea, i.e. D. sinensis, D. superbus var. longicalycinus, D. repens, D. morii, D. superbus var. speciosus were compared. As a result, it was determined that 'Gu Maig' was the whole plant body of Dianthus sinensis and D. superbus var. longicalycinus.

A new method for quantitative determination of p-methoxycinnamic acid in Scrophulariae radix by high performance liquid chromatography was established. A reversed-phase system with SPHERI-5 RP-18 5 micron $(250\;{\times}\;4.6\;mm)$ column using TFA (0.05%) and acetonitrile as a mobile phase was developed. p-Methoxycinnamic acid and N-(p-methoxycinnamoyl)-p-aminophenol as an internal reference were detected at 310 nm and the analysis was successfully carried out within 50 min.

Corydalis Tuber has been used in traditional medicine for an analgesic, antispasmodic and gastric ulcers. For the quality control on this drug, isolation and quantitative determination of berberine and coptisine from Corydalis ternata Nakai (Papaveraceae) has been conducted by using HPLC method. Berberine and coptisine in quarternary alkaloidal fraction from the crude drug were separated on silicagel column using a $CHCl_3:MeOH\;(85:15)$ and $CHCl_3:MeOH:H_2O\;(70:30:4)$ as an eluent, and the average contents were about 0.93 and 0.36%.

Separation and quantitative determination of 20-hydroxyecdysone from Achyranthis Radix has been conducted by using HPLC method. 20-hydroxyecdysone in a methanol extract from the raw drug was separated on a reverse phase column using a $CH_3CN-H_2O\;(18:82)$ solvent system and the average content is $0.0931{\pm}0.0048%$. For the preparation of authentic standard, we isolated 20-hydroxyecdysone from the roots of Achyranthes fauriei by $SiO_2$ and RP-18 column chromatography.

To evaluate antimicrobial activity of Moutan cortex the compounds isolated from $CHCl_3$ and EtOAc fractions of Moutan cortex were subjected to eight pathogenic strains. Benzoic acid, witch was identified from the $CHCl_3$ fraction, had MICs with $625{\sim}1,250\;{\mu}g/ml$ against all of the strains tested. Methyl gallate, p-hydroxy benzoic acid, gallic acid and $1,2,3,4,6-penta-O-gallyol-{\beta}-D-glucose$, which were identified from the EtOAc fraction, showed the antimicrobial activity, and the methyl gallate had the widest antimicrobial activity with MICs of $625{\sim}5,000\;{\mu}g/ml$ against all strains tested. p-Hydroxy benzoic acid showed MICs of $1,250{\sim}2,500\;{\mu}g/ml$ against all of the strains tested except C.albicans. Gallic acid had the best antimicrobial activities with MICs against the Shigella dysenteriae and Streptococcus mutans-strains of 78.1 and $312.5\;{\mu}g/ml$, respectively, but not against the C. albicans. And $1,2,3,4,6-penta-O-gallyol-{\beta}-D-glucose$ had the best antimicrobial activitie with MICs against the B. cereus, Staph. epidermidis and C. albicans strains of 39.1, 39.1 and $156.3\;{\mu}g/ml$, respectively, but not against the E. coli and Shig. Dysenteriae.

Five compounds were isolated from the BuOH fraction of Polygonum bistorta (Polygonaceae). On the basis of spectral data, these compounds were established as caffeic acid, quercimeritrin, avicularin, gallic acid and protocatechuic acid. The inhibitory activies on $3{\alpha}-hydroxysteroid$ dehydrogenase $(3\;{\alpha}-HSD)$ of isolated compounds were compared. $IC_{50}$ value of isolated compounds were $133.57\;{\mu}g/ml\;(caffeic\;acid)$, $89.1\;{\mu}g/ml\;(quercimeritrin)$, $189.85\;{\mu}g/ml\;(avicularin)$, $140.69\;{\mu}g/ml\;(gallic\;acid)$ and $165.27\;{\mu}g/ml\;(protocatechuic\;acid)$ respectively. Although all compounds showed lower inhibition activities than BuOH fraction $(IC_{50}<50\;{\mu}g/ml)$ of Polygonum bistorta, it showed higher inhibition activities than aspirin $(IC_{50}\;246.81\;{\mu}g/ml)$.