• KSBB Journal
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.394-399
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• 2013

Astragalus membranaceus Bunge is used in herbal medicine in Eastern Asian countries including Korea. In this study, we assessed the effects of A. membranaceus extract (AM) on the aquaporin-3 (AQP3) protein expression in HaCaT cells. AM did not affect viability of HaCaT cells. AQP3 expression and cell migration seem to be maximal at $100{\mu}g/mL$ concentration. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) kinase inhibitor, PD153035, blocked AM-induced AQP3 expression and cell migration. In addition, an 80% ethanol extracts of herbal prescription, SinhyoTakleesan (ST), which is composed of A. membranaceus, Angelicae gigantis, Glycyrrhiza glabra Linne, and Lonicera japonica Flos also induced AQP3 expression at $20{\mu}g/mL$ in HaCaT cells. Collectively, these results suggest that AM induce AQP3 expression via EGFR pathway.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.83-89
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• 2011

This studies were conducted to investigate the growth responses and yields of Astragalus membranaceus Bunge which were grown with organic cultivation using two organic fertilizers and two green manure crops of hairy vetch and rye in 2008 and 2009. The lengths of stems and roots were not clearly different between organic and conventional cultivations. The root diameters and the branch numbers were slightly thicker and more in all treatments of organic cultivation than that of conventional cultivation in 2008, although they were not significantly different between two cultivating methods in 2009. The dry weights of shoot and root were heavier on organic cultivation than those on conventional cultivation. The T/R ratios were commonly higher in organic culture, showing more clearly in 2008 than 2009. The yields were generally higher in organic cultivation than those in conventional cultivation in 2008 although the effect did not clear on yield in 2009. The organic cultivation using of organic fertilizers and green manure crops would be new method to have safety and qualitative products. The techniques of organic cultivation for Astragalus membranaceus Bunge would be studied more on utilizing the natural organic resources.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.151-156
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• 2014

This study was conducted to inhibit the browning of fresh-cut lotus roots by blanching in a Glycyrrhiza glabra L. and Astragalus membranaceus Bunge extract solution (0.5%). Lotus roots were cut to 1 cm using a knife. The fresh-cut lotus roots were blanched at $50^{\circ}C$ in distilled water (DW, Cont), Glycyrrhiza glabra L. extract solution (GE), and Astragalus membranaceus Bunge extract solution (AE). After treatment, they were packaged with 0.04 mm PE bags and were stored at $10^{\circ}C$ for 12 days. Their color, hardness, DPPH radical scavenging activity, pH, and total soluble solids were then investigated. During storage, the samples treated with GE and AE had high $L^*$ values. They were also found to have higher values compared to the control group in the analysis of the browning index. No difference was found, however, in the hardness analysis. With regard to the DPPH radical scavenging activity, the sample treated with Glycyrrhiza glabra L. extract had the highest activity. In the pH analysis, all the groups were found to have a decrease tendency for all the storage periods. The total soluble solids decreased in the control group and slightly increased in the AE and GE groups. These results show that blanching in Glycyrrhiza glabra L. or Astragalus membranaceus Bunge extract is effective for preventing the browning of fresh-cut lotus roots.

• 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.

• 한국약용작물학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2011.09a
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• pp.330-331
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• 2011

• 한국약용작물학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2011.04a
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• pp.322-323
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• 2011

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.45-53
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• 2023

Objectives : Network pharmacology-based research is one of useful tool to predict the possible efficacy and molecular mechanisms of natural materials with multi compounds-multi targeting effects. In this study, we investigated the functional underlying mechanisms of Astragalus membranaceus Bunge (AM) on its anti-obesity effects using a network pharmacology analysis. Methods : The constituents of AM were collected from public databases and its target genes were gathered from PubChem database. The target genes of AM were compared with the gene set of obesity to find the correlation. Then, the network was constructed by Cytoscape 3.9.1. and functional enrichment analysis was conducted to predict the most relevant pathway of AM. Results : The result showed that AM network contained the 707 nodes and 6867 edges, and 525 intersecting genes were exhibited between AM and obesity gene set, indicating that high correlation with the effects of AM on obesity. Based on GO biological process and KEGG Pathway, 'Response to lipid', 'Cellular response to lipid', 'Lipid metabolic process', 'Regulation of chemokine production', 'Regulation of lipase activity', 'Chemokine signaling pathway', 'Regulation of lipolysis in adipocytes' and 'PPAR signaling pathway' were predicted as functional pathways of AM on obesity. Conclusions : AM showed high relevance with the lipid metabolism related with the chemokine production and lipolysis pathways. This study could be a basis that AM has promising effects on obesity via network pharmacology analysis.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.371-378
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• 2020

Background: In this study, the radix of Astragalus membranaceus Bunge extract fermented by Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Weissella cibaria, and Pediococcus pentosaceus to increase the levels of isoflavonoid aglycone contents. Methods and Results: In order to change the in isoflavonoids, we fermented the radix of A. membranaceus extracts with microorganisms that have β-glucosidase activity. Besed on the β-glucosidase activity, we selected three strains, Weissella cibaria, Pediococcus pentosaceus, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. HPLC analysis revealed that the levels of isoflavonoid aglycones were increased in all fermentation cases, and the extracts fermented by S. cerevisiae showed the highest levels of isoflavonoid aglycones. We evaluated the antioxidant activity, anti-wrinkle effects and whitening effects of the S. cerevisiae-fermented extracts using the DPPH assay, tyrosinase inhibition activity assay, and collagenase inhibition activity assay. We confirmed higher activity in S. cerevisiae-fermented extracts than in control, with the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) value of 565.1 ± 59.1 ㎍/㎖ in DPPH radical scavenging activity, tyrosinase inhibition rate of 78.4 ± 0.9%, and collagenase inhibition rate of 83.8 ± 1.1%. Conclusions: We selected three stains of microorganisms showing high β-glucosidase activity, W. cibaria, P. pentosaceus and S. cerevisiae. Isoflavonoid glycones in the radix of A. membranaceus were converted to isoflavonoid aglycones by fermentation. In addition, the fermented radix of A. membranaceus exhibited antioxidant activity, anti-wrinkle effect, whitening effect and radical scavenging activity.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.251-256
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• 2000

Astragalus membranaceus has flowers that are similar to that of the legume family, but shows poor bearing when self-pollination is induced. Thus, this study was carried out observing the ripening procedure of pistils and stamens and development stages of pollen in the context of the birth and growth of the flower. As to the bearing of the flower of A. membranaceus, few pod setting and 13% pod setting were observed when self-pollination is induced by paper-bag covering or artificial pollination treated respectively. The result indicates that A. membranaceus is a cross-pollination plant. A pistil grew faster than a stamen until just before blooming. The flower size was about 17.0mm$\times$4.0mm. Pistils and stamens had the same length after flowering. Pollen mother cells passed through meiosis and mitosis when its length reached around 3.5mm, thus creating the tetrade when 4 mm long. Pollen attained full growth when the bud was about 10mm long. An anther was found to tend to dehisce when the length of a bud reached around 12.0mm. As to the shape of pollen, about 70 % were normal. 1% and 30 % were small or empty pollen respectively. The result indicates that pollen of A. membranaceus attains full growth just before anther dehiscence which occurs before blooming while pistils grow faster than stamens until before flowering.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.428-434
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• 2020

Background: This study aimed to investigate the quality characteristics of Astragalus membranaceus Bunge leaf (AMBL) fermented with lactic acid bacteria and the applicability of its biologically active compounds. Methods and Results: An assessment of physicochemical properties such as pH, total acidity, free sugars, and isoflavonoid (calycosin-7-o-β-d-glucoside, ononin, calycosin, and formononetin) was conducted. Furthermore, the levels of antioxidant compounds, including polyphenols and flavonoids, and radical scavenging activities of the extracts using 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate and 2,2-Azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) were investigated. The calycosin content in the water extract of AMBL fermented with Leuconostoc mesenteroides increased by approximately twice as much as the control. Conclusions: These results indicate that L. mesenteroides can be used to improve biological activity through fermentation, and that AMBL can be used as a functional materials and edible resource in industrial areas.