• Journal of Practical Agriculture & Fisheries Research
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.14-22
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• 2022

The purpose of this study is to provide evidence for discovering functional materials through the anti-inflammatory efficacy screening of randomly selected medicinal herbs. We prepared 70% ethanol extracts from 10 herbs and evaluated for the inhibitory effect of NO production on LPS-stimulated mouse macrophage cell line Raw 264.7. As a result, it was confirmed that the Chrysanthemi Zawadskii Herba (CZ) extract had the highest effect of inhibiting NO production induced by LPS. We therefore measured and compared NO inhibitory effects at different concentrations (10, 50, 250 ㎍/mL) of 70% ethanol and water extract of CZ. It was observed that both ethanol and water treatment groups inhibited NO production in a concentration-dependent manner in both ethanol and water treatment groups. In particular, it was confirmed that the CZ 70% ethanol extract (99.97%) had a higher NO inhibitory effect than the water extract (93.32%) in the high concentration (250 ㎍/mL) treatment group. There was no effect of CZ extract on cell viability at all concentrations used in the experiment. Moreover, it was shown that CZ ethanol extract remarkably inhibited the expression of VCAM-1 induced by TNF-𝛼, and it was slightly decreased even by treatment with water extract. This study suggests that Chrysanthemi Zawadskii Herba has potential as a functional substance that regulates vascular inflammation.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.322-334
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• 2024

This study investigated the content of heavy metals (Pb, Cd, As, and Hg) and SO₂ and conducted a risk assessment of 1,340 samples of 60 herbs used for food and medicine in Seoul between 2019 and 2023. The analysis was performed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), a mercury analyzer, and the Monier-Williams method. The mean values and ranges of the heavy metals were as follows: Pb, 0.327 mg/kg (not detectable [ND]-36.933); Cd, 0.083 mg/kg (ND-1.700); As, 0.075 mg/kg (ND-2.200); and Hg, 0.004 mg/kg (ND-0.047). Pb exceeded the permissible limit of 36.933 mg/kg in one sample of Poria Sclerotium. Cd exceeded the permissible limit of 1.700 mg/kg and 0.650 mg/kg in the two samples of Chrysanthemi Zawadskii Herba. The mean and range of SO₂ was 0.75 mg/kg (ND-192.00), with two samples of Gastrodiae Rhizoma exceeding the permissible limit at 192.00 mg/kg and 42.00 mg/kg. Pb was highest in the perithecium (1.377 mg/kg), followed by Cd in the cortex (0.156 mg/kg) and caulis (0.144 mg/kg), As in leaves (0.149 mg/kg), and Hg in the herba (0.009 mg/kg) and leaves (0.009 mg/kg). SO₂ was the highest in the rhizomes (4.12 mg/kg). The Pb, Cd, and Hg levels did not differ significantly between the domestic, Chinese, and imported products; however, As and SO₂ levels were the highest in the Chinese products. As a result of the risk assessment, all the margins of exposure (MOE) values of Pb, except for Poria Sclerotium, were ≥1, indicating that most samples were safe. The hazard index (HI) for Cd, As, and Hg were <100%, indicating a safety level for food and medicine. In addition, the HI for SO₂ did not exceed 1 for any of the items, indicating safe levels.