• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.193-200
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• 2021

Sophora flavescens Ait. (Fabaceae) is a medicinal plant widely founded in Northeast Asia, and its dried root (Kushen) has been used as a traditional Chinese herbal medicine. The therapeutic effects of Kushen in micturition disorder was not investigated comprehensively yet. In the present study, we examined and compared the efficacy of three batches of Kushen extract using different ethanol content through an in vitro cell-based assay. Among them, we chose the batch with the highest efficacy and augmented the volume of extract for industrial purpose. The bulk extract was examined in its efficacy in the in vitro cell-based assay, and the therapeutic effects through an in vivo behavioral assay of OAB rats. The main components of the extracts were analyzed by liquid chromatography. Cytotoxicity of the extracts was investigated by MTT assay. The overall efficacy of the extract was as much as, or more than, kurarinone, a potent BK_Ca channel activator. Thus, the extract was a potent relaxant of urinary smooth muscle by upregulating the activity of BK_Ca channel. The Kushen extract could be explored as an alternative medicine against overactive bladder patients indicating severe dysfunction of BK_Ca channel.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.104-108
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• 2001

The tremor which has been showed most frequently in the clinic has various reasons, which is common in the dyskinesias and has rhythmic vibration involuntarily. The purpose of this study is to give an account of the effects of the Korean herbal medicine therapy which is based on the constitutional medicine for the patient who has suffered from tremor which is accompanied with diarrhea in the lacunar infarction. The subject is a 70-year-old woman who has had the symptoms caused by lacunar infarction, which are tremor, right side weakness, right facial palsy, dizziness, chest discomfort, and chronic diarrhea, dipsia, abdominal discomfort, andominal pain and so forth. We have diagnosed her as Shaoyangin(少陽人) Mangyin(亡陰證) and have prescribed Huashi Kushen Tang(滑石苦蔘湯) in accordance with the principle of Pyoeumganggi(表陰降氣). The consequence is that the accompanied tremor and diarrhea and general depressed condition have improved.

• Mycobiology
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.24-32
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• 2018

Improper disposal of herb residues in China has caused severe problems to the surrounding environment and human safety. Three herb residues, i.e., compound Kushen injection residues (CKI) and part one and part two of Qizhitongluo Capsule residues (QC1 and QC2, respectively), were used for the cultivation of Pleurotus ostreatus. The effect of the supplementation of corncobs (CC) with different herb residues on yield, nutritional composition, and antioxidant activity of P. ostreatus was investigated. Compared to the control, the higher mycelial growth rate was observed on substrates CC +30% CKI and CC +30% QC1, while the higher yield was obtained from substrates CC +30% QC2 and CC +30% CKI. Moreover, chemical analysis of fruit bodies revealed that the addition of herb residues to CC significantly increased proteins, amino acids, ashes, minerals (Na and Ca), and total phenolic contents but significantly reduced carbohydrates and $IC_{50}$ values of DPPH radicals. In addition, no heavy metals (Pb, Cd, and As) were detected in the fruiting bodies harvested from different substrate combinations. These results demonstrated that mixtures of CC with herb residues might be utilized as a novel, practical, and easily available substrate for the cultivation of P. ostreatus, which is beneficial for the effective management of herb residues.