• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.94-101
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• 2000

On the purpose of development of antioxidative compounds from natural sources, 38 plants known to have antioxidant activity have been examined concerning DPPH radical scavenging activity. Among 13 plants exhibiting the activity, the seed of Carthamus tinctorius L, was selected as resources to search for active compounds due to rareness of study. The seed of the plant has been used as edible oil or preventive and remedial drugs for osteoporosis, arthritis. To reveal the principal component manifesting the antioxidant activity, the MeOH extracts was successively solvent-fractionated with EtOAc, n-BuOH and water. In order to isolate active component from the EtOAc fractions, application of silica gel column chromatographies and activity tests were repeated for a active component to be isolated. Its chmical structure was determined to be N-feruloylserotonin, a conjugated serotonin compound, by the interpretation of spectral data, NMR. MS and the adaptation of chemical reactions.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.344-350
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• 2012

Previously, we showed that Dangguisoo-san (DGSS), an herbal formula that has been traditionally used for the treatment of blood stagnation, is also applicable for inflammatory lung diseases. Activation of Nrf2, an anti-inflammatory transcription factor, and suppression of NF-${\kappa}B$, a pro-inflammatory transcription factor, were suggested as an underlying mechanism. However, the constituents responsible for these activities remain unidentified. To this end, we prepared the water extracts of the 9 constituents of DGSS and tested for their effect on Nrf2 by using an Nrf2-Luciferase reporter cell line and western blot analysis. Results show that Carthamus tinctorius L.(CT), one of the 9 constituents of DGSS, strongly activated Nrf2. Similarly, when measured the effect of the 9 constituents on NF-${\kappa}B$ by using an NF-${\kappa}B$-Luciferase reporter cell line and western blotting for nuclear p65, indicative of activated NF-${\kappa}B$, most constituents were capable of suppressing NF-${\kappa}B$ in various degrees. However, CT and Cyperus rotundus L. (CR) strongly suppressed NF-${\kappa}B$ activity elicited by LPS. Of note, CT activated Nrf2 and suppressed NF-${\kappa}B$ strongly as well. Our results contributes to corroborating the anti-inflammatory effects of DGSS by identifying CT and CR as two major herbs responsible for activating Nrf2 and suppressing NF-${\kappa}B$. These results suggest that CT and CR represent some of the effects of DGSS in the regulation of inflammation.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.336-339
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• 2006

This study was conducted to provide the genetic diversity on Safflower collections and to identify the variations which could be utilized in Safflower breeding. The RAPDs analysis was used to clarify the genetic relationships among 32 Safflower collections. Among 37 primers applied in RAPD analysis, 25 primers that generated appropriate PCR products for identification of the genetic characters in safflower collections were used. Amplified PCR showed the highly reproducible bands at $0.1{\sim}4.0kb$. The number of bands amplified in each primer showed the variations ranging from 1 to 9, with the average of 5.6. A total of 25 bands were identified among twenty-five selected primers and 23 bands (19.2%) showed polymorphism. Based on the similarity value of 0.042 in dendrogram derived from the cluster analysis, the 32 Safflower collections were classified into 6 groups. The two main groups, II and III included 12 collections (38%) and 12 collections (38%), respectively.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.297-304
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• 2016

The seed of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L) has been reported to suppress human cancer cell proliferation. However, the mechanisms by which safflower seed inhibits cancer cell proliferation have remained nuclear. In this study, the inhibitory effect of the safflower seed (SS) on the proliferation of human colorectal cancer cells and the potential mechanism of action were examined. SS inhibited markedly the proliferation of human colorectal cancer cells (HCT116, SW480, LoVo and HT-29). In addition, SS suppressed the proliferation of human breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7). SS treatment decreased cyclin D1 protein level in human colorectal cancer cells and breast cancer cells. But, SS-mediated downregulated mRNA level of cyclin D1 was not observed. Inhibition of proteasomal degradation by MG132 attenuated cyclin D1 downregulation by SS and the half-life of cyclin D1 was decreased in SS-treated cells. In addition, SS increased cyclin D1 phosphorylation at threonine-286 and a point mutation of threonine-286 to alanine attenuated SS-mediated cyclin D1 degradation. Inhibition of ERK1/2 by PD98059 suppressed cyclin D1 phosphorylation and downregulation of cyclin D1 by SS. In conclusion, SS has anti-proliferative activity by inducing cyclin D1 proteasomal degradation through ERK1/2-dependent threonine-286 phosphorylation of cyclin D1. These findings suggest that possibly its extract could be used for treating colorectal cancer.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.213-218
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• 2000

Morphological characteristics of 16 collected safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.)accessions were studied at Gyongbuk A.T.A. Uisong Medicinal Plant Experiment Station in 1998. As for plant height, 5 lines were tall(more than 131cm), which were mainly foreign safflower. Middle and small were 5 and 6 accessions, respectively. Number of branch per plant was 11∼13 in 2 accessions of domestic safflowers while foreign safflowers have more than 50 branches per plant. Leaf shapes were oblong(3 lines), lanceolate(10 lines) and broadly linear(3 lines). There were three types of leaf margin shape which were repand(7 lines), serrate(4 lines) and parted serrate(5 lines). Flower color was white(1 line), yellow(13 lines) and red orange(2 lines). As for flower head shape, 14 lines were conical and 2 lines were flattened. There were thorns on bract of flower head in 11 lines but in 5 lines there were not. Domestic safflower lines had seeds of conical shape. Contrastively, seed shapes of foreign saffower lines were oval.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.545-559
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• 1998

Magnoliae cortex has been used as a drug for treatment of fractures in Chinese medicine and safflower(Carthamus tinctorius $Linn{\acute{e}}$) has been traditionally used for treatment of blood stasis. The purpose of present study was to examine the biologic effects of magnoliae cortex extract and safflower extract mixture(MSM) on human periodontal ligament cells and fetal rat calvarial osteoblasts and on healing of rat calvarial defects. The ethanolic extracts of magnoliae cortex(MCE), safflower seed(SSE), Zea May L(ZML) were prepared as positive control group. MSM mixed to the ratios of 1 : 1, 1 : 2, 1 : 5 and 1 : 10 were used as test group. The effects of each agents on the growth and survival, ALPase activity, cell proliferation and tissue regenerative effect of each extracts was evaluated by histomorphometric measuring of newly formed bone on the 8 mm defect in rat calvaria after oral administration of 2 ratio groups(1 : 5 and 1 : 10) at 3 different doses (0.1, 0.25 and 0.5g/kg per day). MSM stimulated the growth and survival rate of osteoblasts and PDL cells more than any other agents. The growth and survival rate were increased as the proportion of safflower seed extract was increased. MCE, SSE, ZML stimulated the ALPase activity of osteoblast and PDL cell in comparison to the negative control group. But all groups of MSM regardless of ratio of safflower seed extract stimulated the ALPase activity than any other agent. The ALPase activity was also increased as the proportion of safflower seed extract was increased. Although MCE, SSE, ZML stimulated the proliferation of osteoblasts. 1 : 5 and 1 : 10 ratio MSM showed significant increase in stimulation of proliferation of osteoblasts. No agent significantly increased proliferation of PDL cells. Significant new bone formation were seen where 1 : 5 ratio, 0.5g/kg group and 1 : 10 ratio, 0.25, 0.5g/kg groups were used. These results show that magnoliae cortex extract and safflower seed extract mixture can potentially increase bone regeneration ability.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.37 no.9
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• pp.1162-1167
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• 2008

This study was to investigate the chemical compositions of germinated (GSS)- and ungerminated (UGSS)-safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) seeds. GSS had higher amount of sugar and crude fiber than UGSS, but less amounts of protein and lipid. Levels of $\alpha$-tocopherol and essential amino acids of GSS were higher than those of UGSS, although there are no difference in fatty acid composition between GSS and UGSS. Among the nine phenolic compounds detected, five phenolic compounds, except for two lignans and two flavonoids, were found in both GSS and UGSS. Four serotonin derivatives accounted for about 80 per cent of total phenolic compounds, and levels of five phenolic compounds decreased slightly with germination. These results suggest that germination may enhance the functionality of safflower seed by increasing nutritional compositions and by decreasing phenolic compounds with bitter taste and cathartic effects.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Postharvest Science and Technology of Agricultural Products Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.22-39
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• 2003

Biological activity of phenolic compounds in seeds and leaves of safflower (Carthamu tinctorius L.) were evaluated using several in vitro and in vivo assays. Six phenolic constituents were isolated from the seeds and identified as N-feruloylserotonia, N- (p-coumaroyl)serotonin, matairesinol, 8′-hydroxyarctigenin, acacetin 7-O-$\beta$-D-glucoside (tilianine) and acacetin. Six phenolic compounds exhibited considerable antioxidative activity, and especially two serotonins showed potent DPPH radical scavenging activity and antiperoxidative activity against rat liver microsomal lipid peroxidation induced by the hydroxyl radical generated via a Fenton-type reaction. Additionally, six phenolic compounds possessed comparable cytotoxicity against three cancer cells, Hela cell, MCF-7 and HepG2 cell, and particularly acacetin and its glycosides had the most potent cytotoxicity. Moreover, we found that feeding safflower seeds attenuated bone loss, and lowered levels of plasma and liver lipids in ovariectomized rats. Serotonins, lignans and flavones stimulated proliferation of the osteoblast-like cells in a dose-dependent manner (10$^{-15}$ ~10$^{-6}$ M), as potently as E$_2$ (17$\beta$-estradiol). Particularly, serotonins were mainly responsible for bone-protecting and lipid lowering effects in ovariectomized rats. Meanwhile, eight flavonoids, including a novel quercetin-7-O-(6"-O-acetyl)-$\beta$-D-glucopyranoside and seven kown flavonoids, luteolin quercetin, luteolin 7-O-$\beta$-D-glucopyranoside, luteolin-7-O-(6"-O-acetyl)-$\beta$-D-gluco-pyranoside, quercetin 7-O- -glucopyranoside, acacetin 7-O-$\beta$-D-glucuronide and apigenin-6-C-$\beta$-D-glucopyranosyl-8-C-$\beta$-D-glucopyranoside were first isolated and identified from safflower leaf. Among these flavonoids, luteolin-acetyl-glucoside and $\beta$quercetin- acetyl-glucoside showed potent antioxidative activities against 2-deoxyribose degradation and lipid peroxidation in rat liver microsomes. Luteolin, quercetin and their corresponding glycosides also exhibited strong antioxidative activity, while acacetin glucuronide and apigenin-6, 8-di-C-glucoside were relatively less active. Finally, changes in phenolic compositions were also determined by HPLC in the safflower seed and leaf during growth stages and roasting process to produce standardized supplement powerds. These results suggest that phenolic compounds in the roasted safflower seed and leaf may be useful as potential sources of therapeutic agents against several pathological disorders such as carcinogenesis, atherosclerosis and osteoporosis.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.301-309
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• 2001

This study was conducted to provide the basic information on safflower collections and to identify the variations which could be utilized in safflower breeding programs. The agronomic characteristics was used to clarify the genetic relationships among safflower collections and to classify them into distint genetic groups. There were 21 early maturing collections with less than 80 days in number of days from planting to flowering. The number of primary and secondary branches ranged ${3.8{\sim}14.8\;and\;0{\sim}26.9}$, respectively, and two collections, IT201434 and IT202723, were found to be high branch types. The 101 safflower collections were classified into 11 groups based on the complete linkage cluster analysis using agronomic characteristics. The I, II, III, IV, IX, X and ? groups included the 25%, 33%, 14%, 8%, 2%, 1% and 1% of the collections, respectively. All the collections in the group III were Korean landraces. The collections in group X could be characterized as early emergence, late flowering and high yield components such as the number of capitula per plant, number of seeds per capitula and seed weight per plant. The number of capitula per plant and seed weight per plant, i.e., the two main yield components, had the highly significant positive correlations with stem diameter, number of the primary branches, number of the secondary branches, number of leaves and leaf length.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.200-205
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• 2011

In this study, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of ethanol extracts from medicinal herb mixtures were investigated in vitro. Contents of total polyphenols in ethanol extracts from Houttuynia cordata Thunb. (HC), Carthamus tinctorius L. (CT), and MIX-2 (Houttuynia cordata Thunb., Acanthopanax gracilistylus Smith, Carthamus tinctorius L., Kalopanax pictus) were 58.98, 60.79 and 57.74 mg/g respectively. Radical scavenging activities of the ethanol extracts were examined using ${\alpha},{\alpha}$-diphenyl-${\beta}$-picrylhydrazyl radicals and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) assay. Anti-inflammatory effects of ethanol extracts from medicinal herbs composites were examined using 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and nitric oxide (NO) inhibition assays. The ethanol extracts from medicinal herb mixtures showed higher 5-LO and COX-2 inhibition activities than those from single medicinal herbs. The ethanol extracts from medicinal herb mixtures also showed strong anti-inflammatory activity through inhibition of NO production.