Traditionally, the root of Lithospermum erythrorhizon Sieb. et Zucc(L.E) has been used as efficacious therapy for inflammation, burns, frostbite and skin ailments (e.g eczema and psoriasis). It contains isohexenylnaphthoquinone derivatives (shikonin and its esters) and furylhydroquinones (shikonofurans) in lipophilic fractions and caffeic acid oligomers (rosmarinic acid, lithospermic acid B) in polar fractions. Recently, new preparative isolation and analysis procedures of shikonin along with its oligomers from the extract of L. erythrorhizon by the combination of high-speed counter-current chromatography with high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection have also been introduced. Although there have been many reports on the wound healing, antiinflammatory, and anticancer effects, the research on the effects of anti-atopic dermatitis of the root of L. erythrorhizon were relatively scarce. However, in recent years, new information gathered from research efforts, on the anti-atopic dermatitis properties of the extract or constituents of L. erythrorhizon has been accumulated. In this paper, the findings and advance on the in vitro and in vivo activities of L. erythrorhizon and its constituents especially focused on antiinflammatory and anti-atopic dermatitis effects are summarized. The phytochemical constituents of L. erythrorhizon or its tissue cultures are also presented. Although there are few to verify or refute its activity in human, one result of clinical study of the extract of L. erythrorhizon on the atopic dermatitis patients was introduced to assess the possibility of its clinical use. The reported mechanisms of action and in vivo pharmacological studies in different animal models for the various types of extracts or constituents of L. erythrorhizon are supportive of its therapeutic potential or dietary supplement, however, more evidence from clinically relevant models, as well as systemic studies on the active constituents or the various types of standardized extracts at the cellular and molecular level, are required.

Korean folk medicine 'GaJi' has been used to treat a boil, cough, mushroom poisoning and stomach cancer. The botanical origin of the crude drug has never been studied pharmacognostically. To clarify the botanical origin of 'GaJi', the morphological and anatomical characteristics of the stems of Solanum species growing in Korea, i.e. S. japonense Nakai, S. lyratum Thunb., S. melongena L., S. nigrum L. were compared. As a result, it was determined that GaJi was the stem of Solanum melongena L.

Crude drug 'InDong(忍冬)' has been used mainly to cure common cold, high fever and gonorrhea. With regard to the botanical origin of InDong, it has been considered to be Lonicera species of Caprifoliaceae, but there was no pharmacognostical conformation on it. To clarify the botanical origin of 'InDong', the anatomical characteristics of the branches of Lonicera species growing wild in Korea, Lonicera japonica and L. japonica forma. chinensis were studied. As a result, it was clarified that InDong was the branches of Lonicera japonica.

Six triterpenoid compounds, friedelin (1), $3{\alpha}$-hydroxy-2-friedelanone (2), canophyllol (3), oleanolic aldehyde acetate (4), ursolic acid (5), and pachysandiol A (6) were isolated from the methylene chloride soluble fraction of the roots of A. japonica. The chemical structures of compounds 1-6 were determined by the basis of physico-chemical properties and spectroscopic methods such as 1D and 2D NMR. These compounds were isolated from this plant for the first time. For the isolated compounds (1-3), the inhibitory effect of IL-6 production in TNF-$\alpha$ stimulated MG-63 was examined. Among the isolates, $3{\alpha}$-hydroxy-2-friedelanone (2) showed potent inhibitory effect on IL-6 production in TNF-$3{\alpha}$ stimulated MG-63.

Extensive phytochemical investigation of the methanol extract from the whole plant of Youngia japonica (Asteraceae) led us to the isolation of a new guaiane-type sesquiterpene (1), together with three related guaianolides, youngiajaponicoside A (2), crepiside H (3) and crepeside E (4). The chemical structure of 1 was elucidated by the aid of spectroscopic analyses including 2D-NMR experiments (COSY, HMBC, HMQC and ROESY). The isolated components (1-4) were evaluated for the inhibitory effect on the proliferation of four cultured human tumor cell lines such as A549, SK-OV-3, SK-MEL-2 and HCT-15, in vitro.

The rhizome of Cibotium barometz has been used for variety of bone disease as a traditional medicine. In the present study, we examined the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of 85% methanol extract of C. barometz. C. barometz exhibited potent scavenging effect on 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical, superoxide radical and nitric oxide radical. In IFN-$\gamma$/LPS-stimulated mouse peritoneal macrophage model, C. barometz suppressed nitric oxide production and IL-6 secretion dose-dependently. Moreover, C. barometz showed decreased iNOS and COX-2 expression without notable cytotoxicity. These results suggest that C. barometz may be an useful agent as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent.

The present study was designed to explore an immunostimulating activity of crude extracts of Macrolepiota procera, and a combination therapy of cisplatin and Macrolepiota procera extracts which can potentiate the anti-cancer activity of cisplatin. For these, water extraction of Macrolepiota procera were performed at $4^{\circ}C$(MPE-4) and $100^{\circ}C$(MPE-100). In experimental metastasis of colon26-M3.1 cells, prophylactic intravenous administration of MPE ($80-2,000{\mu}g$/mouse) inhibited tumor metastasis compared with tumor control. Peritoneal macrophages stimulated with MPE produced IL-12 as well as induced tumoricidal activity. In an analysis of NK-cell activity, i.v. administration of MPE ($200{\mu}g$/mouse) significantly augmented NK cytotoxicity to YAC-1 tumor cells. The combination treatments of cisplatin ($20{\mu}g$) and MPE ($100{\mu}g$) exhibited prolongation of lifespan in colon26-M3.1 tumor bearing mouse. These results suggested that MPE stimulate immune system non-specifically and application as adjuvant in cancer treatment.

Mistletoe (Viscum album) is a common name for many species of semi-parasitic plants which grow on deciduous trees all over the world. In this study, the immunomodulatory activity of the water-extract of Korean mistletoe fruits (KMFWE), was investigated on murine peritoneal macrophages. The culture supernatants of KMF-WE-stimulated murine peritoneal macrophages showed the increased production of IFN-$\gamma$, IL-$1{\beta}$ and TNF-$\alpha$, in a dose-dependent manner. KMF-WE also induced chemokine production from murine peritoneal macrophages such as RANTES, MCP-1, MIP-$1{\alpha}$ and MIP-$1{\beta}$, as well as nitric oxide (NO) production, in a dose-dependent manner. The gel filtration fraction revealed F-1, which is the early-eluted and high molecular weight product, is the major fraction of KMF-WE to activate the murine peritoneal macrophage to induce cytokines, chemokines and NO. The nature of F-1 fraction needs to be examined in detail in further studies to define the regulatory mechanisms of cytokine or chemokine induction by KMF-WE on macrophages. These results suggest that KMF-WE possess a potent immunostimulant activity and can be a promising candidate available for development of immunomodulators.

This study was performed to the activity of antioxidant and anti-diabetic from Zanthoxylum schnifolium fruit. The Zanthoxylum schnifolium fruits were extracted with water, 100% methanol, 100% ethanol, 70% methanol and 70% ethanol. The activities of each extracts were measured by antioxidant tests, such as total phenolic contents, total flavonoid contents, hydroxyl radical activity, DPPH radical scavenging activity, reducing power and $\alpha$-glucosidase inhibition activity assay. The water extract represented the highest activity in the antioxidants properties in vitro, including hydroxyl radical activity, DPPH radical scavenging activity, reducing power. Furthermore, water extract also showed significantly high total phenolic contents but the 100% methanol extract showed high total flavonoid contents estimated as $196.48{\mu}g/mg$. The $IC_{50}$ values for $\alpha$-glucosidase inhibition activity of the 100% ethanol and 100% methanol extracts were $275.66{\mu}g/mg$ and $261.44{\mu}g/mg$. Our results indicated that the Zanthoxylum schnifolium fruit expected to be useful as antioxidants.

This study was carried out to utilize non-toxic solvents instead of harmful solvents for the TLC(Thin Layer Chromatography) identification test of herbal medicines. It is recommended not to use harmful solvent such as chloroform at a viewpoint of clean analysis. In this study, we revised the identification test of 10 items in the Korea Pharmacopoeia(KP) and the Korean Herbal Pharmacopoeia(KHP) such as Cornus officinalis S. containing the harmful solvents on the developing solvent and established identification test that is utilized non-toxic solvents by HPTLC(High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography).

A simple and reliable reverse phase HPLC method was developed to determine pharmacologically active marker compounds of Ephedrae Herba, Phytolaccae Radix and Polyporus. The stability test of water-extract of three natural medicines were examined for six months. However, no significant change in the content of the marker compounds of each extract observed during the time of investigation.

The capability of the solvents for extracting the bioactive saponins from the roots of Platycodon grandiflorum (Campanulaceae) was investigated to obtain an ideal extract which contained bioactive saponins with high quality and high quantity. The content of eight representative saponins in extracts, such as deapioplatycoside E, platycoside E, platyconic acid A and platycodin D, platycodin $D_3$, platycodin $D_2$, polygalacin $D_2$, polygalacin D were analyzed simultaneousely by the modified HPLC analytical method. The validation test of the modified qualitative and quantitative analytical method employing the ELSD equipped HPLC for eight representative saponins in the roots extract of P. grandiflorum showed a good linearity, precision and accuracy. the correlation coefficient ($r^2$) values of the calbration curves for each saponins were observed to be over 0.9990. LOD and LOQ of each saponin was calculated as $0.10{\mu}g{\sim}0.40{\mu}g$ (LOD) and $0.40{\mu}g{\sim}0.80{\mu}g$ (LOQ), respectively. Recovery rates of each saponin were also calculated as over 98%, respectively. With exception of two saponins, platyconic acid A and platycodin D, The content of eight saponins in extracts was decreased proportionally to the increment of the water ratio of solvent for extraction. Consequently, as aquous alcohol was used as a solvent for extracting the saponin components from powdered roots of P. grandiflorum, the water content in the aquous alcohol was seemed to be a critical factor for extracting efficacy. The 60-80% ratio of alcohol in the aquous alcohol were deduced to be suitable and recommendable for the preparation of roots extract of P. grandiflorum which contained saponins with high quality and high quantity.