• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.41 no.9
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• pp.1242-1247
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• 2012

Acer barbinerve Maxim belongs to the Aceraceae tree family and is often consumed as an Oriental medicine. In this study, we investigated whether or not ethanol extract from the bark of A. barbinerve Max. (EBA) inhibits lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory responses in Raw264.7 macrophages. EBA was fractionated using n-hexane, $CH_2Cl_2$, ethyl acetate (EtOAc), and water. Raw264.7 cells were treated with 20 ${\mu}g/mL$ of EBA and the EBA fractions. EBA inhibited LPS-induced nitric oxide (NO) production. Among the three fractions, EtOAc fraction of EBA (EFEBA) was the most effective in inhibiting LPS-induced NO production without significant cytotoxicity in Raw264.7 cells. EFEBA futher reduced LPS-induced expression of inducible NO synthase (iNOS) proteins and its corresponding mRNA. Additionally, EFEBA decreased the mRNA levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-$1{\beta}$, and tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ in LPS-treated Raw264.7 cells. Lastly, EFEBA inhibited LPS-induced degradation of the inhibitor of kappaBalpha ($I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$) as well as phosphorylation of p65 nuclear factor-${\kappa}B$ (NF-${\kappa}B$). These results indicate that EFEBA exhibits strong anti-inflammatory effects and can be developed as a potential anti-inflammatory agent.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.449-461
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• 2013

This study is contributed to examine the vegetation characteristics of the Quercus mongolica which are located in between two summits, hyangnobong and gitdaebaggybong, with dividing two regions(I, II). A total of 63 Quercus mongolica communities were enrolled in this survey. A~E, 5 communities were the result of analysed classification by TWINSPAN. Spatial distribution of the communities; 'A' community is concentrated at an altitude of about 1,300 meters in Mt. Taebaek(II region). 'B' and 'C' communities are concentrated at an altitude of between 700 and 1500 meters in Mt. Seorak and Odae(Iregion). 'D' and 'E' communities are concentrated at an altitude of below 1,100 meters in Mt. Cheongok and geumdaebong(II region), and also Mt. Seorak and Odae(Iregion). Arboral and shrub populations, maximum species diversity and height of arboral of each communities have a characteristic of decreasing according to increasing altitude gradually. And the result of studying on arboreal growth increment with up to 40-year-old trees, there is no special tendency with growth increment in the altitude of subnormal 1,100 meters, but there is a tendency that growth increment becomes lower in the altitude of more than 1,100 meters. In correlation analysis, it is -0.53 in the Quercus mongolica and Betula costata community at an altitude of over 1,000 meters, the correlation shows negative(-). It is +0.59 in the Quercus mongolica and Rubus crataegifolius community at an altitude of less than 1,000 meters, the correlation shows positive(+). And those are cognate trees with the correlation of Betula costata, Betula costata Trautv., Tripterygium regelii Sprague&Takeda., Acer barbinerve Maxim. With a summary of the results, the changes in the environment according to the elevation affect Quercus mongolica community.