• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.56-74
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• 1996

Prostaglandin $H_2$ synthase is the pharmacological target site of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs. Inhibitory effects on cyclooxygenase activity of the synthase by extracts prepared from herbal medicines and wild plants in Korea have been estimated. Sixteen species out of 612 species exhibited more than 50% of inhibition on the enzyme activity. The active extracts prepared from Carex humilis, Celastrus orbiculatus, Eugenia caryophyllata, Gleditsia japonica var. koraiensis, Glycyrrhiza grabra, Glycyrrhiza uralensis, Gyrophora exculenta, Lespedeza maximowiczii, Morus alba, Persicaria conspicua, Prunus salicina, pterocarya stenoptera, Rheum undulatum, Vitis amurensis, and Vitis coignetiae have been sequentially washed with methylene chloride, ethyl acetate, n-butanol. Among the solvent fractions of the active herbal extracts, ethyl acetate fraction of Carex humilis exhibited the highest inhibitory effect on the cyclooxygenase activity of prostaglandin $H_2$ synthase.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.129-136
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• 2010

In order to evaluate anti-wrinkle activity of Carex humilis extract, free radical scavenging activity, elastase inhibitory activity and reduction of expression Matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) mRNA and MMP-1 protein were investigated. The roots of Carex humilis were extracted with 95 % ethanol and successively partitioned with organic solvents with increasing polarity of the solvents. Each fraction of organic solvent were investigated by using free radical scavenging activity and elastase inhibitory activity test. Among them, EtOAc fraction showed antioxidant activity ($SC_{50}$=4.89 ${\mu}g/mL$) and elastase inhibitory activity ($IC_{50}$=23.5 ${\mu}g/mL$). EtOAc fraction was developed on silica gel by open-column chromatography and consecutively re-developed on C18 resin by prep-HPLC to give ${\alpha}$-viniferin as a major component, which was confirmed by spectrometric analysis. In the assay on expression of MMP-1 mRNA by RT-PCR and protein by western-blot, EtOAc layer (10 ~ 100 ${\mu}g/mL$) was reduced about 50 ~ 60 %, 50 ~ 65 % respectively and ${\alpha}$-viniferin (0.5 ~ 2 ${\mu}g/mL$) was inhibited about 60 ~ 75 %, 55 ~ 65 % respectively in human fibroblast. Therefore, our findings suggest that EtOAc layer of Carex humilis containing ${\alpha}$-viniferin can be useful as an active ingredient for cosmeceuticals of anti-wrinkle effects.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.9
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• pp.1287-1293
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• 2010

The spatial distribution of alleles and geographical distances of a Carex humilis population on Mt. Giri in Korea were studied. A total of 102 DNA fragments (bands) were found among 107 plants. Among these 102 bands, 48 (47.1%) bands were polymorphic. In a simple variability of subpopulations by the percentage of polymorphic bands, distances I and V exhibited the lowest variation (16.7%). Distance VIII showed the highest variation (22.6%). The total genetic diversity (H) was 0.076 across species. Class VIII had the highest H (0.093), while class I had the lowest (0.063). Genetic similarity of individuals was found among subpopulations at up to a scale of 60 m distance, and this was partly due to a combination of alleles. Within the Mt. Giri population, a strong spatial structure was observed for RAPD markers, indicating a very low amount of migration among subpopulations and that the distribution of individual genotypes of a given population was clumped. The present study demonstrated that analysis of RAPD markers could be successfully used to study the spatial and genetic structures of C. humilis.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.456-461
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• 1997

Tyrosinase is known to accelerate the melanin polymer biosynthesis in melanocyte, so tyrosinase inhibitors hinder the melanin polymer biosynthesis and are useful not only for th e material used in cosmetics as skin-whitening agents but also as the remedy for disturbances in pigmentation. During our search for new melanin biosynthesis inhibitors from natural sources, 130 higher plants were tested for the inhibitory effect against tyrosinase activity by the mushroom tyrosinase assay. Among them, Carex humilis ($IC_{50}$, 10vg/ml), Sophora flavescence ($IC_{50},\;20{\sim}50{mu}g/ml$) and Styrax japonica ($IC_{50},\;10{\mu}g/ml$) inhibited the tyrosinase activity strongly.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.144-148
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• 1992

This experiment was carried out to investigate on the flora and cardinal wild mushroom in Tricholoma matsutake producing sites at the Namweon area. The results were as follows: Flora of Tricholoma matsutake producing sites were prevailed over at tree layer (Pinus densiflora S. et. Z.), shrub layer (Rhododendora mucronulatum TURCZ., Quercus serrata THUNB.) and herb layer (Carex humilis LEYSS.). Piedominant wild mushrooms were Boletaceae (Suillusplacidus Bon.) and Ramariaceae (Ramaria botrytis Fr.)

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.89 no.2
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• pp.173-184
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• 2000

The aim of this study was to characterize the forest vegetation and site of Tongdaesan(Odaesan National Park) for ecological forest management. The deciduous forests of Tongdaesan are the result of cool, temperate climate. Direction and slope morphology contribute to differences in species composition and vegetaion structure. Based on the BRAUN-BLANQUET-approach, 242 releves were recorded and subsequently classified. The vegetation could be divided into two forest community groups, seven forest communities, and several groups. South exposed, dry slopes were covered with forests of the Quercus mongolica-Acer pseudo-sieboldianum community group. Differential species included grasses and sedges, e.g., Calamagrostis langsdorfii, Carex humilis and C. lanceolata. Quercus mongolica-Acer pseudo-sieboldianum community group could be subdivided into Rhododendron mucronulatum var. ciliatum community, Lespedeza${\times}$tomentella community, Carex humilis-Maackia amurensis community, Quercus mongolica-Acer pseudosieboldianum typical community and Pimpinella brachycarpa community. Carex humilis-Maackia amurensis community was divided into Galium kinuta subcommunity and typical subcommunity. Pimpinella brachycarpa community was divided into Vicia venosa var. cuspidata subcommunity and typical subcommunity. On north exposed, more humid and moist sites, forests of the Dryopteris crassirhizoma-Cornus controversa community group were found. This group was subdivided into Acer tschonoskii var. rubripes-Acer tegmentosum community and Deutzia glabrata-Ulmus laciniata community. Deutzia glabrata-Ulmus laciniata community was divided into Acer tegmentosum subcommunity, Saxifraga punctata subcommunity and typical subcommunity.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.301-338
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• 2002

Morphological characters of sections Rhomboidales (four taxa) and Digitatae (seven taxa) of the subgen. Eucarex (genus Carex, Cyperaceae) were reexamined. The epidermal patterns of perigynium, achene and leaf were investigated by SEM and LM. Morphological characters such as length and width of stem, leaf, bract, spike, scale, perigynium and achene, and shape of cross-sectioned stem, spike, scale, apex of scale, perigynium, beak and base of perigynium, achene, hair present or absent in perigynium, number of involucre and epidermal pattern of perigynium, achene and leaf(shape of fundamental epidermal cell and cell wall, type of silica body, shape of beak epidermal cell and cell wall in perigynium, subsidiary cell shape, size and frequency of stomatal complex of leaf) were useful for the identification of the observed 11 taxa. According to the current study, examined 11 taxa of sections Rhomboidales and Digitatae were distinct from each other regarding by length of leaf, stem, pistillate scale and perigynium, shape and epidermal cell of perigynium beak. C. lanceolata and C. humilis have been confused due to similar morphological characters. C. lanceolata and C. humilis were distinct, however with respect to from length of stem, leaf ligule present or absent, shape of cross-sectioned stem, epidermal patterns of perigynium, achene and leaf. And C. lanceolata could be distinguished from C. pediformis by shape of perigynium and achene, shape of cross-sectioned of stem, epidermal pattern of perigynium, achene and leaf.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.443-452
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• 1994

A phytosociological study of the forest vegetation was carried out in Mt. Chongok and Mt. Tuta from June, 1992 to August, 1993. The forest vegetation was classified into 1 order, 2 alliances, 1 suballiance and 4 communities; Vaccinium hirtum v. koreanum-Quercus monogolica community, Carex humilis v. nana-Pinus densiflora community, Sasa borealis-Carapinus laxiflora community, Plectranthus inflexus-Quercus variabilis community. Actual vegetation map was drawn in 1:25,000 scale.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.213.1-213.1
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• 2003

Alpha-viniferin was isolated from Carex humilis (Cyperaceae), and showed anti-inflammatory effects on carrageenin or histamine-induced paw edema in mice. To understand mode of the anti-inflammatory action. effects of alpha-viniferin on cyclooxygenase (COX)-2, iNOS, oxygen radicals and proinflammatory cytokines have been analyzed. Alpha-viniferin showed selective inhibitory effect with an IC50 value of 5 $\mu\textrm{m}$ on COX-2 activity but showed weak inhibitory effect on the synthesis of COX-2 transcript which was identified by RT-PCR. (omitted)

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.61-67
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• 2010

The chemical components in plant cuticular wax can be used as markers to estimate the species composition of the diet of grazing animals. In this experiment, composition of the diet of yak on the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau was estimated using n-alkane analysis. During the grazing period, samples of whole plants of the species present, plus fecal samples voided by the yak, were collected, air-dried and ground prior to the extraction of cuticular wax n-alkanes. The species composition of the yak diets was estimated by relating fecal alkane contents to those of the plant species, using the 'ATWHAT'software package. The results showed that the n-alkane technique can detect the main dietary components selected by yak. The diet consumed by yak contained 33% Kobresia humilis, 67% Stipa aliena in summer pasture; 26% Potentilla anserine, 74% Carex qinghaiensis in autumn pasture; 52% Carex qinghaiensis, 32% Heteropappus bowerii and 16% Saussurea semifasciata in winter pasture and 5% Carex qinghaiensis, 95% Achnatherum splendens in spring pasture. The apparent selection for forbs is likely to be a reason for nutritional constraint of yak inhabiting alpine environments.