• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.65-71
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• 2011

Eupatorium japonicum belongs to a family of Asteraceae plants and flowers of E. japonicum have been consumed as a tea. In this study, we investigated whether E. japonicum extract inhibits lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory responses in Raw264.7 macrophages. The cells were treated with various concentrations (0, 1, 2.5, 5, or 10 mg/L) of 70% ethanol extract from E. japonicum flowers (EJE) in Raw264.7 cells. LPS-induced nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin $E_2$ ($PGE_2$) production were inhibited by EJE up to 67% and 49% of these productions, respectively without any reduction of viable cell numbers. EJE reduced LPS-induced expression of inducible NO synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 proteins and their corresponding mRNA levels. Additionally, EJE decreased the levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1${\beta}$, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$ mRNA. EJE was further fractionated with water, butanol, ethylacetate (EA), hexane, or methylene chloride (MC). Among the resulting five fractions, EA and MC, respectively from EJE significantly inhibited LPS-induced NO production (each inhibition rate was 85.3% of 10 mg/L EA fraction and 97.2% of 10 mg/L MC fraction) without significant cytotoxicity in Raw264.7 cells. These results indicate that EJE exhibits powerful effects of anti-inflammation and can be developed as a potential anti-inflammatory agent.

• The Journal of the Korean Society for Microbiology
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.185-193
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• 1987

Ten species of herbae, which have been used to treat cancers in Chinese medicine, were tested to investigate their mutagenicity or antimutagenicity in S. typhimurium TA97, TA98, TA100, TA1535, and TA1538. Scolopendra centipede was weakly active in reversion of the frameshift mutation in S. typhimurium TA97 strain and the base-pair substitution in TA100 and TA1535 strains. Other herbae such as Coix lachryma, Dianthus superbus, Tricanthoshse kirilowii, Eupatorium formosanum, Lithospermum erythrorhizon, Ansaema japonicum, Curcuma zedoaria, Helicteres angustifolia, and Euonymus sieboldianus did not show any of the mutagenic potential, regardless of the metabolic activation with rat hepatic microsomal fraction. Dianthus superbus, Eupatorium formosanum, and Euonymus sieboldianus exhibited suppressive activities on microbial mutagenesis of N-methyl-N'-nitrosoguanidine, a base-pair substitution mutagen, in TA1535 and TA100 tester strains. The antimutagenic activities of Dianthus superbus and Euonymus sieboldianus appeared to be dose-dependant.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.213-219
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• 2011

The metastatic effect of Eupatorium japonicum extract (EJE) on MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells was investigated. MDA-MB-231 cells were treated with various concentrations of EJE (0, 5, 10 and $20{\mu}g/mL$). EJE inhibited cell migration, invasion and adhesion of MDA-MB-231 cells in dose-dependent manners. Gelatin zymography exhibited that EJE significantly down regulated secretion of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 and MMP-2. EJE decreased the protein levels of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-1 but increased TIMP-2 levels. Additionally, EJE reduced the protein and mRNA levels of urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM). In several solvent fractions of EJE, the hexane fraction markedly decreased MDAMB-231 cell migration. Thus, these finding suggest that EJE may be a potential antimetastatic agent, which can considerably inhibit the metastatic and invasive capacity of breast cancer cells.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.441-449
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• 2013

This study was conducted to select some useful plants as functional material candidates. A total of 38 plants were preliminarily screened for the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. The preliminarily selected 8 plants were further investigated to verify the in vitro inhibitory effect on inflammation and oxidative stress. Boehmeria platanifolia (root), Carpinus coreana (branch), and Eupatorium japonicum (leaf) inhibited the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated RAW 264.7 cells. Eupatorium japonicum (leaf) suppressed the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), whereas Boehmeria platanifolia (root) and Prunus yedoensis (branch) inhibited the transcription of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-${\kappa}B$). Treatment with the extracts ($2.5{\sim}20{\mu}g/ml$) of Abutilon theophrasti (leaf, flower/seed) and Hemistepta lyrata (stem) did not show toxicity on RAW 264.7 cell proliferation, but treatment with $2.5{\mu}g/ml$ of Boehmeria platanifolia (root) exhibited cell toxicity. Carpinus coreana (branch) and Prunus yedoensis (branch) showed potent scavenging activities on peroxynitrite. Akebia quinata (flower), Carpinus coreana (branch), and Prunus yedoensis (branch) effectively inhibited reactive oxygen species (ROS). Abutilon theophrasti (leaf), Boehmeria platanifolia (root), Carpinus coreana (branch), and Eupatorium japonicum (leaf) exhibited strong inhibitory capacity with regard to nitric oxide (NO) production. The results suggested that Abutilon theophrasti (leaf) has in vitro anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities, and that is a useful functional material candidate.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.540-543
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• 2007

We have investigated the vegetation in the peninsula located in Ongjeong-Li Seomyeon in Youngweol-gun. Since this is a limestone area, boxtrees, Abelia mosanensis T. H. Chung ex Nakai, and Selaginella stauntoniana Spring were abundant, as these are types of vegetation characteristic of limestone areas. Pinus densiflora S. et Z. was the most dominant woody plant, but vegetational changes, such as the dominance of Quercus variabilis Blume, Quercus dentata Thunb, and Quercus mongolica Fischer, were observed in spots. In particular, the growth of nursery plants of pinus densiflora S. et Z. was not observed, and young trees like Quercus mongolica Fischer grow as low vegetation of Pinus densiflora S. et Z.. Thus, the ecological succession of Quercus mongolica Fischer is predicted. Outside the investigation area, as herbaceous plants, various vegetations were observed, including Selaginella stauntoniana Spring, Thalictrum coreanum H. Lev., Mukdenia rossii(Oliv.) Koidz., Platanthera freynii Kraenzl., Cephalanthera longibracteata Blume, Potentilla dickinsii Franch., Patrinia rupestris(Pall.) Juss., Swertia pseudochinensis H. Hara, Vicia venosa(Willd.) Maxim., Pyrola japonica Klenze ex Alef., Disporum smilacinum A. Gray, Artemisia stolonifera(Maxim.) Kom. for. Stolonifera, Smilax nipponica Miq., Adenophora triphylla var. japonica(Regel) H. Hara, Isodon inflexus(Thunb.) Kudo, Gentiana scabra Bunge for. Scabra, Polygonatum odoratum var. pluriflorum(Miq.) Ohwi, Dioscorea quinqueloba Thunb., Syneilesis palmata(Thunb.) Maxim., Asparagus schoberioides Kunth, Eupatorium japonicum Thunb. ex Murray, Galium kinuta Nakai & Hara, Saxifraga fortunei var. incisolobata, Lilium amabile Palib., Siberian iris, Dictamnus dasycarpus Turcz., Atractylodes ovata(Thunb.) DC., and Lysimachia clethroides Duby.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.200-209
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• 2012

To search for the co-relationships between insect-pollinators and the plant species of Asteraceae, insects visiting in flower and the flowers in Korea, were studied from April 2010 to October 2011. The sum of flower visiting degrees are shown 38 in Lepidoptera, 38 in Diptera, 36 in Hymenoptera, and the lowest 6 in Coleoptera, respectively. 65 insect species are identified pollinators, Hymenoptera 13 species(Apidae 11 sp., Formicidae 2 sp.), Lepidoptera 29 species(Pieridae 5sp., Nymphalidae 12 sp., Satyridae 3 sp., Hesperirdae 3 sp., Lycaenidae 2 sp., Danaidae 1 sp., Moth 2 sp.), Diptera 16 species(Tachinidae 1 sp., Syrphidae 12 sp., Muscidae 1sp., Others 2 sp.), and Coleoptera 6 species(Cetoniidae 1 sp., Cermbycidae 3 sp., Chrysomelidae 1 sp., Mordellidae 1 sp.). 31 pollinator species visits the flower of $Erigeron$ $annuus$, next 15 pollinator species does the flower of $Eupatorium$ $japonicum$, and then 13 pollinator species does the flower of $Aster$ $ageratoides$. Only 2 pollinator species visit the flower of $Tephroseris$ $kirilowii$, $Ixeridium$ $dentatum$, $Inula$ $britannica$ var. $japonica$, $Carduus$ $crispus$, $Ligularia$ $fischeri$, $Ainsliaea$ $acerifolia$, $Synurus$ $deltoides$, $Cirsium$ $setidens$, $Crepidiastrum$ $enticulatum$ and $Dendranthema$ $boreale$. Pollinators of Lepidoptera visit more frequently white flower than yellow or purple one. This study found out that mutualisic relations between plants and insect pollinators is carried out in Korea.

• FLOWER RESEARCH JOURNAL
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.271-278
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• 2009

The attempts to develop natural antioxidants have been made with aerial part of 16 Compositae species by analyzing their phenolic compound contents, scavenging activities on 1,l-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) radicals, ferrous ion chelating effects and inhibition effects on peroxidation of linoleic acids. Total polyphenol and flavonoid contents were highest in Matricaria recutica. Scavenging activity on DPPH and ABTS radicals were highest with extracts of Echinacea angustifolia and Serratula coronata var. insularis f. insularis, respectively. Aerial palt extracts of all species showed lower DPPH scavenging activity than ascorbic acid and 2,6-Di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenol (BHT). But Serratula coronata var. insularis f. insularis demonstrated higher ABTS scavenging activity than ascorbic acid and BHT. In Hieracium pilosella, Echinacea angustifolia, Matricaria reculica extracts showed higher ABTS scavenging activity than BHT. Ferrous ion chelating effects was highest with Matricaria recutica extract, but the effects were much lower than ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA). The inhibition activity in lipid peroxidation of linoleic acids was highest in Eupatorium japonicum with 90.06% inhibition 4 days after reaction and 40.52% after 24 days. This demonstrated higher inhibition activity and longer lasting than BHT. Aerial part of Matricaria recutica for extraction source, rather than flower, has higher potential for antiox.idant material. In conclusion, development of natural antioxidants in Compositae is possible by studying antioxidant activity of each species.