• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.32-36
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• 2018

An unrecorded cactus species, Opuntia monacantha Haw. (Cactaceae), is newly reported in Korea. It was found growing on the coast of Jeju Island. It is distinguished from other Opuntia species by the following morphological characteristics. It is an erect succulent tree, commonly 2~3 m, but can reach 4 m. It is highly branched at the top and has drooping upper branches. The cladodes are oval to obovate, narrowing basally, and glossy green. It has yellow outer tepals with a reddish median stripe on the back. It produces purple fruit with yellowish green juicy pulp, which contains several rudimentary seeds and very few mature seeds (<2). The Korean name "Wang-seon-in-jang" is given to the species, based on the height of the plants and the large cladodes.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.33 no.3 s.130
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• pp.230-237
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• 2002

Prickly pear(Opuntia ficus-indica var saboten Makino, Cactaceae) is widely used as folk medicine for burned wound, edema and indigestion. To confirm the hypolipidemic action of the extract from Cactus stem and fruit in dietary hyperlipidemic rats, variations of the lipid- or cholesterol-related components were investigated. As results these changes were significantly prevented by treatments with Cactus extracts. The effects of the extract of fruit was better than those of stem.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.32 no.4 s.127
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• pp.330-337
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• 2001

Prickly pear(Opuntia ficus-indica var. saboten Makino, Cactaceae) is a tropical or subtropical plant, which is widely used as folk medicine for burned wound, edema and indigestion. Screening on the biological properties of the fruits(OFS-Fr) and stems(OFS-St) of the plant was carried out to prove the pharmacological significance. By hot plate and acetic acid-inducing writhing methods, significant analgesic effects of OFS-Fr and OFS-St were found in mice and anti-edemic effect was observed in carrageenin-induced inflammatory rats. However, the extracts showed no significant actions on central and autonomic nervous system and blood circulatory system, which imply no toxic effects to animal.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.84-86
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• 1999

From the ethyl acetate fraction of the methanol extract of the fruits of Opuntia ficus-indica var. saboten, two dihydroflavonois were isolated and identified as (+)-trans-dihydrokaempferol (1) and (+)-trans-dihydroquercetin (2) by spectroscopic methods.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.29-37
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• 1973

Lampranthus spectabilis is an ornamental plant which belongs to one of the Aizoaceae family as an one-year herb. There are no illustrations on the references that Lampranthus spectabilis has been made use for the purpose of the medicinal plant among the traditional herb doctors and the laymen. However, it has the specific characteristics to be analogous to the Cactaceae family in the botanical classification. Besides, mescaline, the main ingredient of Peyote cactus, demonstrates the sympathomimetic effect as well as the psychotomimetic effect. The authors called our attention to the resemblance to the botanical family between Aisoaceae and Cactaceae, and made a survey whether the alcohol extract of Lampranthus spectabilis might possess any pharmacological effect on the isolated heart of clam or not. The results of the experiment were as follows. 1. Administration of LX to the isolated heart of clam produced an inhibitory effect on the cardiac motility in proportion to its concentration $10^{-4}$, $5{\times}10^{-4}$ and $10^{-3}\;g/ml$ respectively. 2. Administration of LX $5{\times}10^{-4$ and $10^{-3}\;g/ml$ produced the blockade effect on the cardiac motility pretreated with serotonin $10^{-7}$ and $10^{-4}\;g/ml$, as well as with methysergide $10^{-6}$ and $10^{-5}\;g/ml$. 3. Administration of LX $5{\times}10^{-4}\;g/ml$ produced no effect on the cardiac motility pretreated with acetylcholine $10^{-7}\;g/ml$. 4. Administration of LX $5{\times}10^{-4}\;g/ml$ produced the blockade effect on the cardiac motility pretreated with barium chloride $10^{-4}\;g/ml$, as well as with prostaglandin $20\;{\mu}g$. Consequently, it is concluded that the alcohol extract of Lampranthus spectabilis has an effect of depression on the motility of the isolated heart of clam. Its mechanism of action might be due to a direct action on the heart.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.33 no.3 s.130
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• pp.238-244
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• 2002

The extracts from stem and fruit of Cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica var. saboten Makino) were applied to confirm the antiatherosclerotic effects in subacute alcoholic hyperlipidemic rats. It was observed that several indications of hyperlipidemia were prevented or changed by the treatments of the extracts but activities of hepatic HMG-CoA reductase and alcohol dehydrogenase were not affected, which suggest that the extracts may promote the fecal excretion and delay the absorption of alcohol in hyperlipidemic rats.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.90-93
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• 2001

The effects of the dried fruit powder of Opuntia ficus-indica var. saboten (OF-f) were investigated on gastric lesion and ulcer models in rats. It showed significant inhibition in HCl ethanol and HCl aspirin induced gastric lesion at a dose of 600 mg/kg, p.o. OF-f also showed significant inhibition in indomethacin induced gastric lesion at the doses of 200 and 600 mg/kg, p.o. However, it did not affect aspirin and Shay ulcer in rats. It also did not affect the gastric juice secretion, acid output and pH. These data suggest that OF-f possesses pronounced inhibitory action on gastric lesion of rats.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.254-258
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• 2007

Five flavonoids, isorhamnetin 3-O-${\beta}$-D-galactosyl-4'-O-${\beta}$-D-glucoside (1), isorhamnetin 3,4'-di-O-${\beta}$-D-glucoside (2), isorhamnetin 3-O-${\beta}$-D-(6-O-${\alpha}$-L-rhamnosyl)glucosyl-4'-O-${\beta}$-D-glucoside (3), isorhamnetin 3-O-${\beta}$-D-(6-O-${\alpha}$-L-rhamnosyl)glucoside (4), and isorhamnetin 3-O-${\beta}$-D-(6-O-${\alpha}$-L-rhamnosyl) galactoside (5) were isolated from the stems of Opuntia humifusa (Raf.) Raf. and their structures were identified based on LC-MS and NMR data.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.67-70
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• 2002

The effects of the dried stem powder of Opuntia ficus-indica var. saboten (OF-s) were investigated on gastric lesion and ulcer models in rats. It showed significant inhibition in HCl·ethanolinduced gastric lesion at the doses of 200 and 600 mg/kg p.o. and in HCl·aspirin-induced gastric lesion at 600 mg/kg p.o. OF-s also showed significant inhibition in indomethacin-induced gastric lesion at the doses of 200 and 600 mg/kg, p.o. However, it did not affect both the aspirin-induced and Shay ulcers in rats. It also did not affect gastric juice secretion, acid output and pH. These data indicate that OF-s only possesses pronounced inhibitory action on gastric lesion without antiulcer activity in rats.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.43-54
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• 1974

The cactus family Cactaceae, numbering about 1,500 species, is a fleshy-stemmed perennial plant which is principally distributed in the south and north America. On the other hand, the cactus plant is presumed to be introduced into Korea in 1912-1945, thereafter it has been cultivated merely in favor of ornamentation with the exception of being occasionally used as medication among laymen. Opuntia elata which belongs to Opuntia genus, the Cactaceae family is one of the cacti being cultivated a great deal in Korea. Cho et. al. reported in 1974 that Opuntia dilenii manifested the cardiac inhibitory effect and oxytocic effect, and its mechanism might be partially due to the direct action. Besides this, there are few reports on the pharmacological research concerning Opuntia genus to be demonstrated in Korea. However, some other cacti have the remarkable pharmacological effects; the active ingredients, mescaline, anhalamine, anhalanine, etc. from Peyote cactus (Lophophora williamsii) belonging to Lophophora genus have the psychotomimetic and sympathomimetic effects, and the cardioactive glycosides from Cactus Grandifolius (Selenicereus grandiflorus) belonging to Cereus genus have the cardioactive and diuretic effects. The authors hereby inquired into this study to find out the propriety of the pharmacological properties of the ethanol extract of Opuntia elata (EX) on the heart, blood pressure, respiration, intestine and uterus in the experimental animals. The results of the experiment were as follows: 1. Administration of EX manifested the cardiac inhibitory effect caused by the negative inotropic action in the isolated heart of frog, and the pretreatment of atropine did not affect the inhibitory effect produced by EX. 2. Administration of EX manifested the transient hypotensive effect in the intact rabbit, and the pretreatment of atropine did not affect the hypotensive effect produced by EX. 3. Administration of the small dose of EX manifested no significant effect, but moderate dose or more the stimulating effect, and the large dose the asphyxia on the respiratory motility in the intact rabbit. 4. Administration of EX manifested the sustained augmentation of contractility in the excised duodenum of rabbit, and the pretreatment of atropine did not affect the stimulating effect produced by EX. 5. Administration of EX manifested the sustained augmentation of contractility in the excised pregnant uterus of rabbit, and the pretreatment of atropine and oxytocin did not affect the oxytocic effect produced by EX, but that of barium chloride more or less stimulated the oxytocic effect produced by EX.