• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.356-362
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• 2014

Allergic diseases have increased rapidly over the past decades, affecting an estimated 20~30% of the population in developed countries. In this study, we investigated whether or not a typical costal sand dune plant Carex pumila (CPE) suppresses the activation of mast cells and IgE-mediated allergic response in vitro and in vivo. As the results, the extract of Carex pumila inhibited antigen-stimulated degranulation in RBL-2H3 cells and Bone marrow-derived mast cells (BMMCs), and IgE-mediated passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) in mice. CPE also suppressed the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, TNF-${\alpha}$ and IL-4, in antigen-stimulated mast cells. As its mechanism of action, CPE inhibited the activation of Syk in $Fc{\varepsilon}RI$-mediated signalling pathway, and that of LAT, a downstream adaptor molecule of Syk, in a dose-dependent manner. CPE also suppressed the activation of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases, p38, ERK1/2, JNK, and Akt. Altogether, CPE inhibited mast cell activation and IgE-mediated allergic response by antigen through suppressing the activation of Syk. These results suggest that CPE may be useful for the treatment of allergic diseases.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.249-257
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• 2018

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are associated with the invasion and metastasis of malignant tumors composed of cancer cells in an increased state of expression. This study evaluates the inhibitory effect of Carex pumila on MMP-2 and MMP-9 activity in phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA)-stimulated HT-1080 human fibrosarcoma cells using gelatin zymography, MMPs enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot assay. C. pumila was extracted twice with dichloromethane ($CH_2Cl_2$) and methanol (MeOH). Treatment with $CH_2Cl_2$ extract and MeOH extract in PMA-stimulated HT-1080 cells effectively reduced the production of MMP-2 and 9. Also, the combined crude extracts ($CH_2Cl_2$ and MeOH) significantly inhibited the enzymatic activities and the expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in mRNA and protein levels. The combined crude extracts were partitioned between $CH_2Cl_2$ and water. The organic layer was further fractionated with n-hexane, 85% aqueous methanol (85% aq.MeOH) and the aqueous layer was separated into n-butanol and water, successively. Of the fractions, 85% aq.MeOH fraction showed the highest inhibitory activity of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in gelatin zymography and MMP ELISA kit. Furthermore, 85% aq.MeOH fraction most significantly suppressed cell migration. In RT-PCR and Western blot assay, n-butanol and 85% aq.MeOH fractions exerted the greatest inhibition on mRNA and protein expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9, respectively. As a result, C. pumila can be used as a good anti-invasive agent source.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2022.09a
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• pp.118-118
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• 2022

Carex pumila Thunb. is a plant native to East Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. However, its effect on skin melanogenesis has not been investigated. In the present study, we evaluated its anti-melanogenic properties using B16F10 melanoma cells and zebrafish larvae in the presence or absence of α-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH). In this study we revealed that concentrations below 50 µg/mL did not induce any cytotoxicity in B16F10 melanoma cells and cardiotoxicity in zebrafish larvae. However, 50 µg/mL treatment significantly inhibited α-MSH-induced extracellular (from 181.24% α 0.62% to 105.15% α 0.31%) and intracellular melanin contents (from 119.8% α 1.2% to 53.4% α 1.7%) as well as intracellular tyrosinase activity (from 143.9% α 4.2% to 103.7% α 1.4%) in B16F10 melanoma cells. At 25 µg/mL and 50 µg/mL concentrations, it could significantly inhibit α-MSH induced hyperpigmentation in zebrafish larvae (from 100% α 2.3% to 60.7% α 1.3% and 47.5% α 1.9% respectively). Additionally, the extract suppressed α-MSH-induced cAMP-CREB-MITF signaling pathway and consequently inhibited tyrosinase expression in B16F10 melanoma cells. In conclusion, our results indicate that this plant extract could suppress the cAMP-CREB-MITF axis which consequently inhibits tyrosinase mediated melanogenesis.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.125-132
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• 2003

This study was executed by China along with the Tumen river, which formed border of North Korea and China. As a result 91 family, 282 genera, 363 species, 57 variety 4 species, total 424 taxa of vascular plants were identified. The examination area was include the region that had various vegetation such as upper swampy land, seashore dune, a river, a high mountain grassy plain, deciduous tree zone, evergreen coniferous forest zone. The followings are representative plants, which found in an examination area but not in South Korea. Picea koraiensis, Larix gmelini var. principis-ruprechtii, Betula playphylla, Ulmus pumila, Populus koreana, Ledum palustre var. diversipilosum, Rhododendron parvifolium, Salix brachypoda, Phacelurus latifolius, Carex gotoi, Carex capricornis, Calla palustris, Aquilegia flabellata var. pumila, Lilium davuricum, Astragalus membranaceus, Trifolium lupinaster, Ledebourieila seselodeds, Polemonium racemosum, Scutellaria baicalensis, Linnaea borealis, Thladiantha dubia, Inula helenium, Trollius hondoensis, Hypocaeris ciliata, Aconitum kirinense, Aconitum arcuatum, Potentilla viscosa var. macrophylla. And there are 21 rare and endangered species, which Korean Forest Sevice designated, such as Aconitum koreanum, Acorus calamus var. angustatus, Polygonatum stenophyllum, Drosera rotundifolia, Iris setosa, Jeffersonia dubia, Lilium davuricum, Lilium cernum, Paeonia obovata, Penthorum chinense, Phacelurus latifolius, Rosa marretii, Sparganium stoloniferum, Thymus quinquecostatus, Trillium tschonoskii, Utricularia japonica, Tripterospermum japonicum, Vaccinium uliginosum, Vaccinium vitis-idaea, etc. Especially, plants like, Acanthopanax senticosus, Jeffersonia dubia and Lillum cernum which have high values of ornamental, and medical use are in an extinction crisis. High swampy land was formed to upper stream of Tumen river. It showed representative vegitation, like Carex sp., Scirpus radirans, Eriophorum latifolium. Wetlands plant and a dune plant were mixed in down stream area of Tumen river. On a dune, seashore plants, such as Carex kobomugi, Salsola collina, Raphanus sativus var. raphanistroides, Rosa rugosa, Scutellaria strigillosa, Linaria japonica, Phacelurus latifolius were appeared frequently.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.139-144
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• 2009

This study was conducted to evaluate the vegetation, distribution and growth pattern of Glehnia littoralis community by the DCA ordination method in eastern coast of Korea. The number of plant species growth with G. littoralis in natural habitat was found 51 taxa, and species of high frequency among 51 taxa was Ixeris repens, Calystegia soldanella, Carex kobomugi, Elymus mollis, Lathyrus japonica and Zoysia macrostachya. Indicator species of Z. macrostachya, Linaria japonica, C. soldanella, I. repens, Carex pumila, Artemisia capillaris, Oenothera biennis, L. japonica and E. mollis in G. littoralis community was differential species of syntaxonomy. C. kobomugi, Z. macrostachya, E. mollis, Cynodon dactylon and L. japonica was the distribution in dryness sand and moisture sandyloam, I. repens, C. soldanella, L. japonica and C. pumila was the distribution in dryness sand. In coastal dune, I. repens, C. soldanella, Salsola komarovi and G. littoralis combined strength of the distribution, and sand of coast was typical of the habitat.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.56-65
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• 2007

The aim of this study is to provide a fundamental data which can be applied to management conservation, and restoration of coastal sand dune vegetation by determining the classification and distribution of community, and ecological characteristics of the habitat. This research was performed by the Braun-Blanquet's method. The coastal sand dune vegetation of Uido (I.) was composed with 9 communities as follows : Vitex rotundifolia community, Zoysia macrostachya community, Carex kobomugi community, Iachaemum anthephoroides community, Imperata cylindrica var. koenigii community, Carex pumila community, Calystegia soldanella community Messerschmidia sibirica community and Pinus thunbergii community, the evergreen needle-leaved forest. The constancy degree showed high in Calystegia soldanella (77%), Vitex rotundifolia (74%), Carex kobomugi (66%), Zoysia macrostachya (50%) and Imperata cylindrica var. koenigii (47%). However the highest constancy degree Calystegia soldanella has, it turned out to have low net contribution degree (NCD) in each community. In terms of the distribution and growth feature of the composition species in the coastal sand dune, Vitex rotundifolia, Carex kobomuri and Zoysia macrostachya were widely distributed from unstable sand dune to stable one but Iachaemum anthephoroides and Imperata cylindrica var. koenigii were mainly found at the stable sand dune. Carex kobomugi was especially dominant at the unstable sand dune where the sand continued to be deposited. On the other hand, Carer pumila and Messerschmidia sibirica showed regional distributions around fresh water.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.177-186
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• 1983

Vegetation types and their standing crop in the sand dune on the south coast of Korea was investigated by the method of Curtis, J.T. and McIntosh, R.P. (1951). The relationship between vegetation types and environmental factors was also analyzed. The dominant species in the vegetations of the south coast sand dune were Carex pumila, Calystegia soldamella, Imperata cylindrica var. koenigii, Vitex rotundifolia, Ixeris repens, Carex kobomugi, Zoysia macrostachya. The species density in the sand dune vegetation increased with the distance from the coast, psammophyte and rhizome psammophyte decreased with the distance from the coast but other plants increased. The standing crop of the sand dune vegetatiion was average $53.79g/m^2$. An individual standing crop of Vitex routundifolia and Carex kobomugi varied with the curve of secondary degree. The salt content of the sand dune soil from 2.95 to 11.78 mg %, and it was not significant differences among stands, but it was varied with the distance form the coast. Negative relationship between warmth index and aboveground standing crop was found and the formula y=283.8886 - 2.4910X could be estimated.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.135-142
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• 2007

We used the Braun-Blanquet method to study coastal dune vegetation of South Korea. Coastal vegetation was monitored in thirty sites from April 2004 to September 2005. Seventeen plant communities were classified into five groups as follows: A. Two associations of herbaceous sand dune plants in Salsoletea komarovii Ohba, Miyawaki et Tx. 1973 (Calystegia soldanella community, Lathyrus japonicus-Calystegia soldanella community), B. Twelve associations of herbaceous perennial sand dune plants in Glehnietea littoralis Ohba, Miyawaki et Tx. 1973 (Carex pumila community, Elymus mollis community, Vitex rotundifolia-Elymus mollis community, Ixeris repens community, Elymus mollis-Ixeris repens community, Lathyrus japonicus community, Messershmidia sibirica community, Glehnia littoralis community, Carex kobomugi community, Calystegia solda-nella-Carex kobomugi community, Ishaemum anthephoroides community, Zoysia macrostachya community), C. One association of shrubby perennial sand dune plant in Viticetea rotundifoliae Ohba, Miyawaki et Tx. 1973 (Vitex rotundifolia community), D. One association of shrubby perennial sand dune plant in Rosetea multiflorae Ohba, Miyawaki et Tx. 1973 (Rosa rugosa community), E. The naturalized community (Diodia teres community).

• Journal of Korean Society of Coastal and Ocean Engineers
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.50-56
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• 2011

To make conservative port and coast ecosystems and creative the greenspace, We were investigated with characteristic of flora, environmental factors, types of port, adaptive species, minimum conservation area and plantation model. In 50 sites of study areas, there are 19 families and 174 species of vascular plants and 19 families and 48 species of halophytes. Dominant communities in port ecosystem contains Carex kobomugi community, Elymus mollis community, Carex pumila community, Ixeris repens community, Vitex rutundifolia community, Calystegia soldandlla community, Rosa rugosa community, Lathyrus japonica community, Salsola komarovi community, Cynodon dactylon community, Tetragonia tetragonioides community, Suaeda japonica community, Suaeda maritima community, Zoysia sinica community and Phragmites communis community. We carried out Canonical Correspondence Analysis(CCA) for ordinations on the vegetation and plant communities-environmental variable matrices in 50 sites. The communities tended to cluster into three types: Clay marsh, Sand marsh, Sand gravel marsh types. Adaptive species in habitate types are selected that sand marsh-type communities in ports contained Elymus mollis community, Ixeris repens community, Carex kobomugi community, Carex pumila community, Clay marsh-type communities contained Suaeda japonica community, Phragmites communis community, Zoysia sinica community and Suaeda maritima community, Sand gravel marsh-type communities contained Vitex rutundifolia community, Calystegia soldandlla community. We are conducted the estimation of minimal area for plantation of adaptive plant species and carried out guide line and plantation model for creation of green space in port ecosystem.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.8 no.6
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• pp.59-68
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• 2005

This study was carried out to investigate soil properties, ordination, and vegetation of the coastal sand dune in Sinduri, Taean-Gun. 1. The Orobanche coerulescens and Ixeris repens that are a peculiar species were found in Sinduri coastal sand dune and the Salix purpurea var. japonica that is an endemic species of korea was found in that place. The plant communities was categorized into seven groups, such as Rosa rugosa community, Vitex rotundifolia communit, Carex kobomugi community, Imperata cylndrica var. koenigii community, Carex pumila community, Artemisia capillaris community, and Calamagrostis epigeios community. 2. The soil organic matter, total nitrogen, available phosphorous concentrations, and cation exchange capacity were lower in the study sites than in forest soil of seashore. There was little difference in soil exchangeable Ca, Mg, and K concentrations between in the study site and in the forest soil of seashore. The soil pH was ranged from 5.69 to 7.63. The soil texture in the study site was sand or loamy sand. 3. The results of the correlation between Sinduri coastal sand dune community and environmental factor are as follows; the soil pH was the most effect to the community distribution, and CEC, total nitrogen, soil organic matter, and the amount of silt in soil have some correlation with community distribution. 4. The results of the correlation between Sinduri coastal sand dune community and soil characteristics are as follows; the Calamagrostis epigeios community was found in area that have high soil moisture content; the Rosa rugosa community was found in area that have high soil CEC, organic matter concentration, and total nitrogen concentration, and low soil pH; the Vitex rotundifolia community, Carex kobomugi community, and Artemisia capillaris community were found in area that have low soil CEC, organic matter concentration, and total nitrogen concentration, and high soil pH; the Imperata cylndrica var. koenigii community and Carex pumila community were found in area that have medium soil CEC, organic matter concentration, total nitrogen concentration, and soil pH.