• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.12 no.7
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• pp.3317-3326
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• 2011

Physicochemical properties of Achyranthes japonica and Smilax china extracts were investigated for the purpose of functionality research on the natural bio-resources. Extraction contents were order of distilled water>methanol>ethanol solvent, the highest free aminoacids were proline from Achyranthes japonica, phosphoserine and glutamic acid from Smilax china, respectively. BI and TAC by spectrophotometric absorbance were order of methanol>ethanol>water in Smilax china leaf extract, but water>methaol>ethanol in Achyranthes japonica leaf extract. EDA was high in ethanol extract from Smilax china leaf and in methanol extract from Smilax china root, and in water extract from Achyranthes japonica. TBA value of Achyranthes japonica leaf and Smilax china leaf-ethanol extracts on olive oil was 82.1% and 84.0%, respectively, for that of an artificial antioxidant BHT. Antimicrobial effect was observed in Achyranthes japonica stem-methanol extract on Bacillus subtillis, in Smilax china leaf-ethanol extract on Bacillus subtillis, Vibrio vulnificus and Salmonella enterica, respectively. And the adsorption of Pb(II) on Achyranthes japonica was higher than that of Cd(II) on Smilax china under the same metal ion concentration.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.402-407
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• 2008

The synergistic antimicrobial effect of Achyranthes japonica Nakai (AJN) and Bifidobacterium extracellular factors against Clostridium difficile were measured using a turbidity method. Each broth supernatant of Bifidobacterium infantis ($68.8{\pm}0.02%$) and Bifidobacterium adolescentis ($33.2{\pm}0.2%$) obtained by adding ethyl acetate soluble fractionate from A. japonica Nakai ethanolic extracts (AJNEA, 100 ppm, no inhibition) showed high synergistic antimicrobial activity against C. difficile. In addition, the antimicrobial activity in a laboratory medium and yogurt products against C. difficile were evaluated. In yogurt prepared with a starter 5 (Lactobacillus acidophilus: Streptococcus thermophilus: B. adolescentis =1 : 1 : 1) and a starter 4 (L. acidophilus: S. thermophilus: B. infantis=1 : 1 : 1) and 0.5% AJNEA powder, high antimicrobial effects were recorded that measured 79.0 and 65.2%, respectively. The results indicated the potential of AJN extract for use as an antimicrobial agent. In addition, the efficiency of the antimicrobial activity of the extracts was further improved in combination with lactic acid bacteria, which suggests that they have the potential to be used as a highly effective antibiotic-tolerant microorganism prevention system. Such a strategy can be used for alternative drugs or functional food additives for treatment of antibiotic-associated diarrhea.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.31-38
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• 2024

Objectives : Achyranthes japonica Nakai (AJ) and Achyranthes bidentata Blume (AB) have been used without distinguishment. Moreover, comparative studies of AJ and AB on physiological activity in the organism levels remain fully understood. In this study, we aimed to evaluate and compare the effects of AJ and AB on anti-neuroinflammatory and neuroprotective effects. Methods : AJ and AB were extracted with distilled water (DW) and 70% ethanol (EtOH) extract. For the evaluation of anti-neuroinflammatory effects, we measured the production of nitric oxide (NO) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated BV2 microglial cells. To evaluate the neuroprotective effects, we assessed cell viability against toxicity, including hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA), and amyloid-beta (A𝛽), respectively, in PC12 or HT22 cells. Results : DW and 70% EtOH extracts of AJ and AB inhibited LPS-induced NO production in BV2 cells, with no significant differences between the origins and extraction solvents. Additionally, AJ and AB had no cytotoxicity, and exhibited the similar neuroprotective effects against H₂O₂ and 6-OHDA toxicities in PC12 cells, showing stronger activity in 70% EtOH extract compared to the DW extract. Furthermore, 70% EtOH extracts of AJ and AB protected neuronal cell against A𝛽 toxicity-induced cytotoxicity in HT22 cells. Conclusions : We demonstrated that AJ and AB have anti-neuroinflammatory and neuroprotective effects in the 70% EtOH extract compared to DW extract, with no significant differences between the species. These results suggested that AJ and AB would be the potential candidates for neurodegenerative diseases.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.29-35
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• 2014

In this study, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of ethanolic crude extract and its five different solvent subfractions (namely, ethyl acetate fraction, n-butanol fraction, chloroform fraction, n-hexane fraction and the aqueous fraction) from a mixture of four different medicinal herbs (Galla rhois, Achyranthes japonica Nakai, Terminalia chebula Retz and Glycyrrhiza uralensis) were investigated. Among all the tested mixture combination of four medicinal herbs, 5:3:1:1 ratio of Galla:Achyranthes : Terminalia : Glycyrrhiza had the best antimicrobial effects against four strains of microorganisms (Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli) and exhibited the highest DPPH radical-scavenging activity. Further sub-fractions with solvents were screened for antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. Antioxidant activity in order was ethyl acetate fraction > n-butanol fraction > chloroform fraction > nhexane fraction > aqueous fraction. The n-butanol extracted fraction showed the highest level of antimicrobial activity in com- parison to other fractions. In addition, all those fractions did not show any cytotoxicity against human skin cell CCD-986sk. These results suggest that 5:3:1:1 combination extracts of medicinal herbs (Galla : Achyranthes : Terminalia : Glycyrrhiza) may be potentially used as a safe natural antimicrobial preservative.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.25 no.12
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• pp.1370-1376
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• 2015

The 1, 1- diphenyl 2-picrylhyorazyl (DPPH) is a well-known radical and a trap (scavenger) for other radicals. Hyaluronidase (HAase) is an enzyme that depolymerizes the polysaccharide hyaluronic acid (HA) in the extracellular matrix of connective tissue. Lipoxygenase (LOX) enzyme was reported to convert the arachidonic, linoleic and other polyunsaturated fatty acid into biologically active metabolites involved in the inflammatory and immune responses. The purpose of the present study is to evaluate plant extracts as sources of natural antioxidants and to examine whether Achyranthes japonica having significant DPPH, HAase and LOX inhibitory activity. The inhibitory effect of HAase by A. japonica was assayed using a Morgan microplate assay. The antioxidant activity of the A. japonica extracts was measured on the basis of the scavenging activity of the stable 1, 1- diphenyl 2-picrylhyorazyl (DPPH) free radical. DPPH scavenging activity of matured roots of A. japonica was evaluated at 4.0 mg/ml was 87.8% and that of young roots was 86.2% at same concentration. The roots of A. japonica showed maximum inhibition of HAase activity (IC₅₀ = 27.7 μg/ml). The highest LOX inhibition was recorded in the root extract among three vegetative parts. Inhibition of HAase activity of roots may contribute towards the development of herbal medicines. Although percent inhibition of lipoxygenase by Achyranthes japonica for all young and matured groups for leaves, stems, and roots at different concentrations, there were not show a statistically significant difference (p<0.05).

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.655-663
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• 2014

Woosul (Achyranthis radix), a widely used material in food and oriental medicinal industry, has different origins of plant species in Korea, Japan and China. In Korea, woosul is designated as the radix of Achyranthes japonica Nakai (AJN) and Achyranthes bidentata Blume (ABB) in the regulation of The Korean Pharmacopoeia. However, the comparative study of hot water (HW) extracts between AJN and ABB is still rudimentary. In this study, HW extracts and its subsequent organic solvent fractions of AJB and ABB were prepared, and their in-vitro antimicrobial, antioxidant and anti-diabetes activities were evaluated. The HW extract of ABB has higher sugars and polyphenol compounds, and higher lightness and lower yellowness compared than those of AJN. Analysis of biological activities showed that the ethylacetate (EA) fraction of AJN and n-hexane fraction of ABB have antibacterial activities, and the EA fractions of AJN and ABB has strong antioxidation activities determined by radical scavenging activity and reducing power. In anti-diabetes activity assay, the EA fractions of AJN and ABB showed ${\alpha}$-amylase inhibitory activities, while the butanol fractions of AJN and ABB showed ${\alpha}$-glucosidase inhibitory activities. Our results suggest that the HW extracts of AJB and ABB have different components and extraction yields, and their subsequent fractions have different biological activity. Therefore it was concluded that the EA fraction of AJN is appropriate to develop as natural medicine, and the HW extract of AJN is suitable to woosul-tea or woosul-sikhye production.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.17-21
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• 2014

The combined new phytoformula (CAS), a mixture (5 : 3 : 2, w/w/w) of the ethanol extracts of the roots of C. officinalis and A. japonica, and the n-butanol fraction of the S. subprostrata strongly inhibited arthritic severity score as well as IL-6 production in serum of collagen-induced arthritic mice. Histological observation also indicated that the CAS-treated group showed less breakdown of joint cartilage of the collagen-treated mice. In contrast, C. officinalis alone or a combination of A. japonica and S. subprostrata did not show significant inhibitory action on the same animal model. Thus, it is thought that CAS possesses a synergistic inhibitory action on arthritic condition. All these results strongly suggest that CAS may be a potential anti-arthritic agent.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.416-424
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• 2013

In the course of a study for the development of functional foods utilizing Woosul (Achyranthis radix), the components and various biological activities of Korean Woosul (AJN: Achyranthes japonica Nakai) and Chinese Woosul (ABB: Achyranthes bidentata Blume) were compared. Woosul in Korea, including AJN and ABB, are regulated and part of the Korean Pharmacopoeia. From AJN and ABB, ethanol extracts and their subsequent organic solvent fractions were prepared and their in-vitro antimicrobial, antioxidant and anti-diabetes activities were evaluated. Although AJN and ABB have no clear distinction in terms of usage in Korea, our results suggest that AJN has higher quantities of lipid-soluble components and lower amounts of water-soluble sugars than does ABB. ABB also appears to possess greater amounts of flavonoid and polyphenol substances than AJN. Analyses of biological activities showed that the fractions of AJN were more active as antibacterial agents, and possessed more pronounced ${\alpha}$-glucosidase inhibitory activities than those of the ABB fractions. However, the antioxidant activities of the ABB fractions, as determined by DPPH anion-, ABTS cation-, nitrite-scavenging activity and reducing power, were higher than those of the AJN fractions. Our results suggest that the components and bioactivity of the extracts and subsequent fractions of AJN and ABB are different. Therefore, usage of either AJN or ABB should be carefully considered, as regards their individual properties, when the active fractions of Woosul are employed in the development of functional foods or novel plant-derived medicines.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.564-568
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• 2007

In this study, the ethanolic extracts of 40 species of traditional herbal medicines were examined for their antimicrobial activities against Clostridium difficile. Among the 43 screened traditional herbal medicines, Achyranthes Japonica Nakai (AJN), Siegesbeckia glabrescens Makino, and Phelloedendron amurense Ruprecht showed antimicrobial activities greater than 90% at a concentration of 500 ppm. According to the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) test the ethyl acetate soluble fraction of the AJN ethanolic extracts (AJNEA) showed the highest growth inhibitory activity against C. difficile, with a MIC of $625{\mu}g/mL$. In addition, the effect of AJNEA on the growth of lactic acid bacteria was investigated. AJNEA did not inhibit the growth of the tested Bifidobacterium spp. or Lactobacillus spp., with the exception of B. longum, Streptococcus thermophilus, and L. helveticus. These results indicate that AJNEA can be utilized as a potential antimicrobial agent against C. difficile related disease.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.34 no.3_spc
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• pp.427-433
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• 2021

Objective: An experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of Achyranthes japonica extracts (AJE) on the growth performance, nutrient digestibility, fecal microbial shedding, and fecal gas emission of growing pigs. Methods: A total of 180 ([Landrace×Yorkshire]×Duroc) growing pigs with initial body weight (BW) of 23.94±1.54 kg were used in this study to investigate the effects of AJE as a feed additive. Dietary treatments included: i) CON (basal diet), ii) TRT1 (basal diet+0.05% AJE), and iii) TRT2 (basal diet+0.10% AJE). Results: As a result of the dietary supplementation of 0% to 0.10% AJE, a linear increase of BW (p<0.05) on d 21 and 42, a linear increase of average daily gain (ADG) (p<0.05) during d 21 to 42, a trend in linear increase of ADG (p<0.10) during d 0 to 21 and d 0 to 42, a linear increase of gain to feed ratio (G:F) (p<0.05) during d 0 to 42, and a tendency in the linear increase of G:F during d 21 to 42 were observed in this study. Additionally, dietary supplementation of 0% to 0.10% AJE had a linear increase (p<0.05) on the apparent total tract digestibility of dry matter (DM) and energy, a linear increase (p<0.05) on lactic acid bacteria counts, a tendency in reducing (linear effect, p<0.10) coliform bacteria counts, and a linear decrease (p<0.05) in excreta H2S emission content in growing pigs. Conclusion: In conclusion, the results suggested that AJE had the potential to enhance growth performance, DM and energy digestibility, and fecal lactic acid bacteria counts, and decrease the fecal coliform bacteria counts and excreta H2S emission in growing pigs.