• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.160-164
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• 2011

The purpose of this investigation was to extract the bioactive agents from Alpinia officinarum Hance. The methanol with ethylacetate extracts alone and combined were examined for their activities against VRE (vancomycin-resistant enterococci) and pathogenic yeast in vitro. The incidence of infections caused by VRE and other pathogenic microorganisms and the importance of using novel synergistic drug combinations has become important. Previously, we reported the antimicrobial effects of the butanol extract from Lonicera japonica and have evaluated combinations of solvent extracts, with a focus on the MeOH and EtOAc extracts from A. officinarum. In the present study, enhanced inhibitory effects were achieved by employing a combination of the two solvent extracts. The MeOH and EtOAc combination was especially effective against four VRE strains: E. faecalis (K-10-22), E. faecaium (K-11-212), E. faecalis (K-10-57) and E. faecalis (K-10-361) with MIC values of 12.5, 12.5, 6.25 and 25 ${\mu}g/ml$, respectively. Thus, the combination was more effective than other antibiotics such as kanamycin, gentamicin or tetracycline against bacteria including E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Micrococcus luteus. In addition, the combination was effective against yeasts such as Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis and Cryptococcus neoformans.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.496-500
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• 2011

The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate anti-tumor activity and detect what compounds affect its activity form $Alpinia$ $officinarum$ Hance. Two fractions, methanol and ethylacetate, were isolated by Amberlite XAD-2 resin column chromatography from methanol extract of the rhizomes of $Alpinia$ $officinarum$. In hollow fiber assay, the methanol extract and methanol fraction were found to inhibit the tumor growth against colon tumor cell lines such as Colo-320, HCT116 and WiDr. Three diarylheptanoids [5-hydroxy-1,7-diphenyl-3-heptanone, 5-hydroxy-7-(4"-hydroxy-3"-methoxyphenyl)-1-phenyl-3-heptanone and 3,5-dihydroxy-1,7-diphenylheptane] and two flavonoids [galangin and kaempheride] were isolated and identified from the methanol fraction, which is higher activity than ethylacetate fraction. Among these diarylheptanoids and flavonoids, 3,5-dihydroxy-1,7-diphenylheptane, galangin and kaempheride as active components on anti-tumor activity were mainly posited in methanol fraction.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.511-515
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• 2014

In a screen for plant-derived inhibitors of nitric oxide (NO) production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated RAW 264.7 macrophage cells, a flavonol isolated from the chloroform extract of Alpinia officinarum was isolated. The structure of the flavonol was found to be 3,5,7-trihydroxy-2-phenylchromen-4-one (galangin, GLG) by using spectroscopy. GLG exhibited an inhibitory effect ($IC_{50}$ value: $26.8{\mu}M$) on NO production in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 murine macrophage cells. Moreover, GLG suppressed expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) protein and mRNA in a dose-dependent manner.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.321-328
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• 2015

Alpiniae officinarum Rhizoma (the rhizome of Alpinia officinarum Hance, known as lesser galangal), a family of Zingiberaceae, has been used to reduce pain of infection and inflammatory diseases in Asian countries. The present study was focused to evaluate the inhibitory degranulation effect of Alpiniae officinarum Rhizoma extract in RBL-2H3 rat basophilic leukemia cells. Cell viability was measured by MTT assay. RBL-2H3 cells were stimulated by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate and calcium ionophore A23187. Mast cell degranulation was analyzed by measuring release of β-hexosaminidase in RBL-2H3 cell. Gene expression was measured by qRT-PCR and signaling molecules were detected by immunoblotting. The Alpiniae officinarum Rhizoma extract suppressed β-hexosaminidase release in dose-dependent manner and inhibited cycloxygenase-2 and tumor necrosis factor-α gene expression. Furthermore, it was found that Alpiniae officinarum Rhizoma extract reduced mitogen-activated protein kinases, especially phosphorylated p38, at 0.75 ㎎/㎖ of Alpiniae officinarum Rhizoma extract concentrations. These data show that Alpiniae officinarum Rhizoma extract has immunosuppressive effect in mast cell induced allergic inflammation.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.347-351
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• 2008

The methanol (MeOH) extract of the rhizome of Alpinia officinarum Hance (Zingiberaceae) demonstrated a potent inhibition on the proliferation of cultured human tumor cell lines such as MES-SA (human uterine carcinoma cell line), MESSA/DX5 (multidrug resistant subline of MES-SA), HCT-15 (human colorectal adenocarcinoma cell line), HCT15/CL02 (multidrug resistant subline of HCT15). The MeOH extract was fractionated into four portions by serial solvent partition, ie., methylene chloride (CH2Cl2) soluble part, ethylacetate (EtOAc) soluble part, n-butanol (BuOH) soluble part and remaining water layer. Among them, the $CH_2Cl_2$ soluble part of the extract exhibited a most potent inhibition on the proliferation of tested tumor cell lines. Bioassay-guided fractionation of the $CH_2Cl_2$ soluble part led to the isolation of five diarylheptanoid and two flavonoid constituents, i. e., galangin (1), 7-(4"-hydroxy-3"-methoxyphenyl)-1-phenylhept-4-en-3-one (2), 1,7-diphenyl-5-hydroxy-3-heptanone (3), trans,trans-1-(3'-methoxy-4'-hydroxyphenyl)-7-phenyl-5-ol-4,6-dien-3-heptanone (4), 5-methoxy-7-(4"-hydroxy-3"-methoxyphenyl)-1-phenyl-3-heptanone (5), kaempferide (6), 5-hydroxy-7-(4"-hydroxy-3"-methoxyphenyl)-1-phenyl-3-heptanone (7). Structures of the isolated active components (1 - 7) were established by chemical and spectroscopic means.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.163-170
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• 2004

Secondary phenolic metabolites play an important role in plant defense mechanisms, and increasing evidence indicates that many phenolic compounds are important in human health. To date, few studies have investigated the impact of various medicinal plants on levels of secondary plant metabolites. To address this issue, 82 species of Korean medicinal plants were screened to determine their resveratrol contents. Among 82 medicinal plants, 5 species such as Gardenia jasmonoides, Phlomis umbrosa, Rheum palmatum L., Polygala tenuifolia, Rubus chingii HU contained relatively high concentrations of resveratrol $(179.75{\sim}42.71\;{\mu}g/g)$. But, 40 species including Adenophora triphylla var. japonica HARA were only observed low concentrations or trace of resveratrol, and 20 species including Alpinia officinarum HANCE did not contain a resveratrol.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.217-226
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• 2011

The study was conducted to investigate candidate materials as anti-inflammation agent from plant resources. Activities of 33 plant parts extracts with the final concentration of 5${\mu}g/ml$ were evaluated on the several inflammation-related markers such as the release of proinflammatoty cytokine [tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-${\alpha}$) & interleukin-6 (IL-6)], nitric oxide (NO), the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and inhibitor of nuclear factor kappa-B alpha ($I{\kappa}-B{\alpha}$) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated RAW 264.7 cells. The extracts in the final concentration of 10 ${\mu}g/ml$ were also screened on peroxynitrite (ONOO$^-$) scavenging activity. Eleven extracts selected from the screening assay were verified on the inhibition activity on peroxynitrite and total reactive species oxygen (ROS) in the several concentrations. As results, Alpinia officinarum Hance (rhizome), Inula britannica var. chinensis Regel (flower), Ulmus arvifolia Jacq (trunk peel) and Aster scaber Thunb. (aerial part) showed comparatively potent anti-inflammatory activities in vitro cells or chemical level systems, and then these four plant parts should be studied on the antiinflammatory mechanism by further studies.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.25 no.10
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• pp.1156-1163
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• 2015

The present study investigated the immunomodulatory properties of four different medicinal plants in a cyclophosphamide-treated Balb/c mouse model. One of the four plants, Ulmus macrocarpa, showed partial resistance against immune suppression induced by cyclophosphamide. The bark of U. macrocarpa, commonly known as the Chinese elm, has been used as a pharmaceutical material in Korean traditional medicine to treat bacterial inflammation and induce wound healing. In this study, water extract of U. macrocarpa, named DEU-7, was used for its immunomodulating functional activity. DEU-7 increased the weight of the spleen and the number of splenocytes but did not significantly affect the liver, kidney, and thymus in vivo. A splenocyte viability assay confirmed that DEU-7 influenced ex vivo splenocyte survival. DEU-7 also increased the levels of cytokines, such as IL-2 and IL-4, and immunoglobulins, such as IgM, IgG, and IgA. These results indicated that DEU-7 is involved in the activation of T and B lymphocytes. In addition, DEU-7 was able to maintain the production of cytokines, such as TNF-α, IL-12, and IFN-γ, in the condition of cyclophosphamide-induced immune suppression, suggesting that DEU-7 activated innate immune cells, even under immune suppression. We concluded that DEU-7 aids immunological homeostasis, thereby preventing immune suppression, and aids both innate and adaptive immune response by maintaining the levels of various cytokines and immunoglobulins. Consequently, it is worth investigating the potential of DEU-7 as a supplemental source for immune-enhancing agents.