• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.63-82
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• 1993

In the middle areas of South Korea, we collected 308 wild herbaceous species for studying the possibility of landscaping and, growing them at West in Yongin country of Kyunggi province. We observed their vegetative and flowering characteristic. And the result is as follow: 1. 76 species(24.7%) such as Hosta capitata, etc. of them are thought useful for flower-bedding or landscaping for park and ground-covering, while 94 species(30.6%) are regarded useful for ground-covering, potting and indoor-planting. They are Nepatica maxima and Thaliticum minus var. hypoleucum, etc. 46 species(15%) seems to be useful for flower-bedding, ground-covering and potting. 2. 264(85.7%) of all the observed species are for the enjoyment of their flowers, while 36 species(11.4%) for the enjoyment of their leaves, and 9 species(2.9%) for their fruit. They are Viburnum dilatatum, etc. 3. As for the relation of their habits to light conditions, 148 species(48%) grow int he full sun of more than 50,000Lux, 138 species(44.8%) usually in in the half shade of 20,000 to 30,000Lux, 15 species(4.9%) in the shade of some 10,000Lux, and 7 speciese grow either in the full sun or in the shde. 4. some species such as Wasabia koreansa, Allium succuliferum, Asterglehni, Ligulariafisheri, Ligularia stenocephala Epimedium koreanum are considered available as edible plants as well as ornamentals plants, and Houttuynia cordata. Saururus chinensis, Epimedium koreanum need to be further developed not only as ornamental plants but also medicinal plants.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.143-149
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• 2009

Among aging diseases, the most basic problem is a decrease in bone mineral density. Patients with osteoporosis are steadily increasing in the world. This study was investigated to show the relationship between osteoporotic effects and oxidative damage. Water extracts of 15 medicinal plants and ethanol extracts of 14 medicinal plants with known anti-osteoporotic effects, were tested for their radical scavenging activity using DPPH, ABTS, SRSA and FRAP assay. Water extract of Cornus officinalis, Rubus coreanus and ethanol extract of Rubus coreanus, Viscium album var. coloratum, Cimicifuga heracleifolia showed about 15-20 mg/g of total phenolic contents. Water extract of Cornus officinalis, Rubus coreanus and Epimedium koreanum showed high radical scavenging activity. Ethanol extract of Drynaria fortunei, Cornus officinalis, Rubus coreanus, Gentiana scabra and Astragalus membranaceus showed high radical scavenging activity. Water extract of Drynaria fortunei, Cornus officinalis, Nelumbo nucifera, Epimedium koreanum, and Gentiana scabra showed very strong protective effect against oxidative damage to DNA. These results suggest the correlation between anti-osteoporotic effects and antioxidative effects.

• Journal of Convergence Korean Medicine
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.23-27
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• 2023

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the ameliorative effects of the Epimedium koreanum Nakai (EK) on menopausal obesity in mice. Methods: To induce the menopausal obesity, female C57BL/6J mice were ovariectomized and fed with high fat diet for 12 weeks. 17β-estradiol was injected as a positive control and the extract of EK was orally administered 5 times per week for 6 weeks. Body weight, uterine weight and visceral fat weight were measured. The size of the adipocyte in visceral fat tissues was estimated by Hematoxylin and eosin staining. Fasting glucose level was estimated in serum. Results: Body weight and visceral fat weight were significantly decreased by EK treatment, while the uterine weight/body weight was increased in high fat diet-fed ovariectomized mice. The diameter of adipocyte in the visceral fat tissues was markedly reduced in EK-treated menopausal obese mice. In addition, the fasting blood glucose level was inhibited by oral EK administration. Conclusion: In conclusion, these results showed that EK has ameliorative effects on overweight after menopause. EK could be one of the alternative therapy for treating menopausal obesity.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.514-521
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• 2010

Epimedium koreanum nakai (EKN) has been used for treatment of reproductive disorders. In this study, we evaluated the effects of EKN water extract on the 2-bromopropane (2-BP) induced reproductive dysfunction. The daily sperm production (DSP), sperm counts and histological changes of reproductive organs were investigated after 4 weeks of EKN administration in 2-BP induced reproductive damaged rats. Although the weights of epididymis and seminal vesicle were increased dose-dependently, they were lower than control group. DSP of EKN-dosing groups were increased compared to control group. In EKN-dosing groups, the number of degenerative seminiferous tubules and the number of epididymal tubules showing epithelial cell vacuolation and decreased spermatozoa in the lumen were significantly (p < 0.01) decreased compared to control group dose-dependently. Significant (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01) increases of the number of sertoli cells, spermatogonia, patchytene spermatocytes, round spermatids and elongated spermatids were observed in EKN-dosing groups compared control group. Consequently, based on the results, EKN water extract could treat 2-BP induced reproductive damages dramatically.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.51-56
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• 1998

This study was carried out to evaluate environmental and ecological characteristics of natural habitat for cultivation of Epimedium koreanum. Habitat of E. koreanum was the slope foot of mountain descending gradually toward mostly northwest from top of mountain with slope of $2{\sim}20%$ and the altitude ranged from 60 to 400m above the sea level. Some physiochemical characteristics of habitat soil were as follows: pH, $4.1{\sim}5.8$, organic matters content, $4.9{\sim}6.6%$ and cation exchange capacity, $14.8{\sim}34.3\;me/100g$ soil, respectively. Habitats were shaded by deciduous broad-leaved tree mainly, and compared with those of naked area, relative photon flux density was $3.5{\sim}13.1%$ and relative luminance was $3.3{\sim}11.9%$ due to shading. Air temperature of habitat under shade was $4.3{\sim}6.5^{\circ}C$ lower than that of naked area. Habitat soil temperature was lower than that of naked area but temperature range was smaller than that of naked area. E. koreanum plants were growing with semishading plants under shade of tree leaf. From investigation of natural characteristics of habitat, it was concluded that E. koreanum plant would grow at place with a little change in temperature and moisture of soil which was caused by shading and mulching with litterfall of broad-leaved tree.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.155-160
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• 2003

This study was carried out to investigate propagation characteristics of seedling and rhizome in Epimedium koreanum NAKAI. Seed germination essentially needed after-ripening duration after harvesting for 250days and more by stratification. At $20^{\circ}C$ seed emergence days and root length were 8 and 0.46cm respectively. The above-ground part of E. koreanum grew until 60days after root cutting and the underground part of it grew after that time. The optimum amount of organic fertilizer was fermented cow-manure with husk 2,000kg/10a that showed $57.5cm^2$ in leaf area per plant, 6.2cm in new rhizome length, and 0.43% in icariin content, an index component of E. koreanum, while inorganic N-fertilizer made E. koreanum worse as it increased. In nutriculture extruded rice hull media was better for growth than perlite media at 1/2 NHRI solution.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.833-842
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• 2020

Background: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a commonly encountered large intestine disease in the contemporary world that terminates into colorectal cancer; therefore, the timely treatment of UC is of major concern. Panax ginseng Meyer is an extensively consumed herbal commodity in South East Asian countries, especially Korea. It exhibits a wide range of biologically beneficial qualities for almost head-to-toe ailments in the body. Epimedium koreanum Nakai (EKN) is also a widely used traditional Korean herbal medicine used for treating infertility, rheumatism, and cardiovascular diseases. Materials and methods: Separately the anti-inflammatory activities of both red ginseng extracts (RGEs) and EKNs had been demonstrated in the past in various inflammatory models; however, we sought to unravel the anti-inflammatory activities of the combination of these two extracts in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis in mice model because the allopathic remedies for UC involve more side effects than benefits. Results: Our results have shown that the combination of RGE + EKN synergistically alleviated the macroscopic lesions in DSS-induced colitic mice such as colon shortening, hematochezia, and weight loss. Moreover, it restored the histopathological lesions in mice and decreased the levels of proinflammatory mediators and cytokines through the repression of nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) and nucleotide-binding domain (NOD)-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP-3) expression. In vitro, this combination also reduced the magnitude of nitric acid (NO), proinflammatory mediators and cytokine through NF-κB and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways in RAW 264.7 mouse macrophage cells. Conclusion: In the light of these findings, we can endorse this combination extract as a functional food for the prophylactic as well as therapeutic treatment of UC in humans together with allopathic remedies.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.29-36
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• 2002

Epimedium koreanum Nakai(EKN) has traditionally been well-known as a herbal medicine for the promotion of stamina and the improving sexual activity of human in oriental countries including Korea and China. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of dietary supplementation of EKN water-extract(0.025%,w/v) on age-related change of xenobiotic metabolizing system in rat liver. Long-term supply of the EKN extract to rats did not induce any discernible signs. However, the mass of liver and kidney were slightly increased by the dietary supplementation. Level of cytochrome P450, NADPH cytochrome P450 reductase, P450 dependent ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase benzphetamine N-demethylase and glutathione-S-transferase in liver were decreased with age, but, these activities in 24 months of age were declined more in rats supplied with EKN extract. Level of cytochrome b5 and NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase were also decreased with age, however, there was no significant difference between with and without EKN extract. These results indicate that long-term supplementation of EKN extract to rats from weaning to 24 months may be a burden on the liver function in old age, and may aggregate the decline of xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes activities in old age.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.40 no.10
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• pp.1397-1403
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• 2011

Epimedium koreanum Nakai is a wild medicinal plant commonly consumed in South Korea due to its health beneficial effects. In the present study, the antioxidative, antimutagenic and immunological activities of E. koreanum Nakai extracts were investigated for their use in food. The yields of icariin compounds from the ethanol extract as well as the ethyl acetate, butanol, hexane, water, and chloroform fractions of E. koreanum were 27.9, 2.5, 1.7, 1.4, and 1.3 ${\mu}g/g$, respectively. The icariin components (295.5 ${\mu}g/g$) were collected from the ethyl acetate fraction by thin layer chromatography (TLC) and analyzed via high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The antioxidant activities of each fraction were as follows: ethyl acetate (49.0 ${\mu}g/mL$), butanol (59.2 ${\mu}g/mL$), hexane (119.8 ${\mu}g/mL$), water (122.0 ${\mu}g/mL$), and chloroform (138.5 ${\mu}g/mL$), based on $RC_{50}$ ${\mu}g/mL$. Icariin, isolated and identified as the main component, showed strong antioxidant activity with a $RC_{50}$ value of 15.3 ${\mu}g/mL$, which was higher than those of ascorbic acid (19.5 ${\mu}g/mL$) and ${\alpha}$-tocopherol (18.2 ${\mu}g/mL$). In an Ames test, none of the fractions produced mutagenic effects on Salmonella Typhimurium TA98 and TA100. In an immunomodulating activity test, the effects of E. koreanum Nakai on B cells (Rhamos) and T cells (Jurkat) were investigated. These results show that the growth and viability of B and T cells were increased by isolated icariin components for 1.27 and 1.28 fold, respectively. These results also provide preliminary data for the development of E. koreanum Nakai as an edible food material.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Veterinary Clinics Conference
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• 2008.05a
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• pp.71-71
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• 2008