• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.53 no.spc
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• pp.121-123
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• 2008

In order to verify the efficacy of Lespedeza cuneata G. Don which have been used as a folk traditional herb medicine from ancient times, the test of antioxidant activity and the analysis of constituents were carried out. Methanol extracts from L. cuneata G. Don showed a radical scavenging activity corresponding to that of (+)-catechin as positive control at 250 ${\mu}g$/mL (ca 90% inhibition), and inhibited more than 30% of DPPH radical at low concentration of 10${\mu}g$/mL. In the present study, as a fundamental study for the specification of antioxidant components from L. cuneata G. Don, the analysis for constituents for L. cuneata with HPLC was preformed although there was no results to identify functional flavonoids such as quercetin.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.837-842
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• 2011

The purpose of this research was to investigate the effects of 50% ethylalcohol extracts of Lespedeza cuneata G. Don (LE) on the activity of murine immune cells. LE was administered orally once a day for 7 days at the dose of 250 mg/kg. LE increased the cell viability of thymocytes, splenocytes and peritoneal macrophages in vitro and in vivo system, but decreased the cell viability of thymocytes and splenocytes in the presence of concanavalin A in vivo system. Also, the administration of LE was increased the production of ${\gamma}$-interferone, but did not affect the production of interleukin-2 and interleukin-4. Furthermore, LE decreased the phagocytic activity of peritoneal macrophages in vitro and in vivo system, but enhanced the production of nitric oxide. These results suggest that LE has a immuno-regulative action via stimulation of immune cells proliferation.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.27 no.11
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• pp.1961-1970
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• 2017

Lespedeza cuneata G. Don is a traditional herb that has been associated with multiple biological activities. In this study, we investigated the antioxidative/antiaging activities and performed an active component analysis of the non-fermented and fermented (using Lactobacillus pentosus) extracts of Lespedeza cuneata G. Don. The antioxidative activities of the fermented extract were higher than those of non-fermented extracts. The elastase inhibitory activity, inhibitory effects on UV-induced MMP-1 expression, and ability to promote type I procollagen synthesis were investigated in Hs68 human fibroblasts cells. These tests also revealed that the fermented extract had increased antiaging activities compared with the non-fermented extract. A component analysis of the ethyl acetate fractions of non-fermented and fermented extracts was performed using TLC, HPLC, and LC/ESI-MS/MS to observe changes in the components before and after fermentation. Six components that were different before and after fermentation were investigated. It was thought that kaempferol and quercetin were converted from kaempferol glucosides and quercetin glucosides, respectively, via bioconversion with the fermentation strain. These results indicate that the fermented extract of L. cuneata G. Don has potential for use as a natural cosmetic material with antioxidative and antiaging effects.

• Journal of Practical Agriculture & Fisheries Research
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.99-108
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• 2017

It is Lespedeza cuneata. G. don used as a remedy for cough, asthma, premature ejaculation and so on, though it has been used for a long time. In order to investigate the possibility of using Lespedeza cuneata. G. don as a raw material for functional food, we examined useful substances through analysis. In the study, 124 useful substances were analyzed and 84 of them were found to be functional. In 6 species, 6 of them were found to be functional and 5 of them were functional. In the present study, the other useful substance, D-pinitol, also confirmed its functionality. Potassium isolespedezate and Potassium lespedezate act as antibiotics, Trifolin acts as an antibiotic and hepatoprotectant, and Vitexin acts as a hepatoprotectant. D-pinitol has shown excellent efficacy in patients with prediabetic and insulin-resistant diabetes. As it contains a large amount of useful substances, it can be utilized as a highly functional food.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.8 no.12
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• pp.31-38
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• 2017

This study was carried out to investigate the possibility of isolating the useful gene of soybean plant, anthocyanin, through NGS (Next Generation Sequencing) and molecular biology experiments. Lespedeza cuneata. G. don is a resource plant but has many useful materials. Especially, D-pinitol, which has anti-diabetic function, is contained in a large amount. However, the gene related to the biosynthesis of D-piniol has not been isolated in the non-spermatid. Lespedeza cuneata. G. don was treated with abiotic stress (drought), total RNA was extracted, and a library was constructed to perform NGS. In this way, the genes involved in D-pinitol biosynthesis were isolated and sequenced in silico. In order to support this, ononitol epimerase involved in D-pinitol amplification was identified using the Blast program and RT-PCR confirmed the increased gene expression in vitro, and the gene was isolated and identified by convergence study.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.63-69
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• 2011

In this study, the antibacterial activity and the antioxidative effects, inhibitory effects on tyrosinase of Lespedeza cuneata G. Don extracts were investigated. MIC value of ethyl acetate fraction from L. cuneata G. Don on P. ovale (0.125%) showed that the antibacterial activity of the ethyl acetate fraction was higher than methyl paraben. The aglycone fraction of L. cuneata G. Don (14.63 ${\mu}g$/mL) showed the most prominent the free radical (1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl, DPPH) scavenging activity ($FSC_{50}$). Reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging activities ($OSC_{50}$) of L. cuneata G. Don fraction on $Fe^{3+}$-EDTA/$H_2O_2$ system were investigated using the luminol-dependent chemiluminescence assay. The aglycone fraction of L. cuneata G. Don (0.07 ${\mu}g$/mL) showed the most prominent ROS scavenging activity. The protective effects of extract/fractions of L. cuneata G. Don on the rose-bengal sensitized photohemolysis of human erythrocytes were investigated. The L. cuneata G. Don extracts suppressed photohemolysis in a concentration dependent manner (1 ~ 50 ${\mu}g$/mL). The inhibitory effects ($IC_{50}$) of L. cuneata G. Don extracts on tyrosinase were determined with ethyl acetate fraction (104.83 ${\mu}g$/mL) and aglycone fraction (27.55 ${\mu}g$/mL) of L. cuneata G. Don extract. These results indicate that L. cuneata G. Don extract/fractions can function as high potential as bactericide against the pathogenic bacteria and antioxidant in biological systems, particularly skin exposed to UV radiation by scavenging $^1O_2$ and other ROS, and protect cellular membranes against ROS. Extract/fractions of L. cuneata G. Don could be applicable to new functional cosmetics for antiaging, antioxidant, and antibacterial activity.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.263-268
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• 2017

BACKGROUND: Lespedeza cuneata G. Don is a well-known medicinal plant. In this study, the biological activities of L. cuneata extracts were investigated. METHODS AND RESULTS: L. cuneata shoot was extracted with 30% ethanol and further fractionated with organic solvents. Total phenolic and flavonoid content, antioxidant activity, and matrix metalloproteinase inhibition effect of the extract and fractions were measured. Among the tested extract and fractions, the highest contents of total phenolic and flavonoids were found in ethyl acetate fraction (117.8 mg GAE/g and 35.9 mg QE/g, respectively). Ethyl acetate fraction showed the highest DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activity, and the antioxidant activity of the other fractions followed the order n-hexane fraction>ethanol extract>methyl chloroform>n-butanol fraction. Inhibitory effect on the expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP1 and MMP3) was highest in the fraction of ethyl acetate, and n-butanol fraction also significantly inhibited the expression of MMP3. Antioxidant activities of L. cuneata extracts were significantly positively related to their phenolic and flavonoid content. CONCLUSION: Ethyl acetate fraction of L. cuneata ethanol extract showed potent antioxidant and matrix metalloproteinases inhibitory activities. Those activities might be related to the high total phenolic and flavonoid content of the extract.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.911-917
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• 2016

Lespedeza cuneata G. Don is an edible perennial herb used in traditional Korean medicine. We investigated the anti-proliferative properties and mechanism of L. cuneata extract. The ethanolic extract of L. cuneata dose-and time-dependently inhibited human colorectal cancer cell proliferation. A 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was used to test the effect of the extract on proliferation of HT-29 colorectal cancer cells. The extract inhibited HT-29 cell proliferation with an $IC_{50}$ value of $554.26{\pm}8.81{\mu}g/mL$. L. cuneata extract suppressed production of pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$. Apoptosis was evaluated by analysis of DNA fragmentation, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage, caspase-3 activity, and protein expression of pro-apoptotic (Bax) and anti-apoptotic (Bcl-2). Our results demonstrated that the extract induced DNA fragmentation and characteristic morphological changes associated with apoptosis in HT-29 colorectal cancer cells. The extract also time- and dose-dependently up-regulated expression of the Bax and down-regulated expression of the Bcl-2. Furthermore, the extract dose- and time-dependently enhanced caspase-3 activity. Our findings provide evidence that L. cuneata extract may mediate its anti-proliferative effect via modulation of apoptosis.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.18 no.12
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• pp.705-711
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• 2017

Lespedeza cuneata (LC) is a herbaceous plant that grows throughout Korea. To investigate the physicochemical properties and the antioxidant activities of LC extracts and LC-soaked liquor (s. liquor), extraction with distilled water (DW) and ethanol was conducted and the extracts were compared with s. liquor. A total of 22 free amino acids from LC extract were detected, with the main ones being phosphoethanolamine 20.36>L-proline 18.02>ammonia 14.48>L-aspartic acid 12.96>${\gamma}$-amino-n-butyric acid 10.67%. The total flavonoid contents (TFC) and total phenolics contents (TPC) were in the order of s. liquor>DW>ethanol extract. The electron donating ability based on DPPH radical scavenging ability was highest for s.liquor, which equivalents 81.4% ascorbic acid in the order of s. liquor>ethanol>DW extract. The orders of ferric reducing antioxidant power and ABTS radical scavenging ability were proportional to the TFC and TPC of extracts, and in the order of s. liquor>ethanol>DW extract. The nitrite scavenging ability of s. liquor was highest among the three extracts (96.6% at pH 1.2), which was 2.6 times greater than that of DW extract.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.547-555
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• 2008

Two naturalized plants of Lespedeza from Korea are reported. L. lichiyuniae T. Nemoto, H. Ohashi & T. Itoh is similar to L. cuneata (Dum. Cours.) G. Don. and L. juncea (L. .f.) Pers. in morphology, but the species differs from them by pink or purple flowers and the under surface of leaflets and cleistogamous pods with densely hairs. L. davidii Franchet is distinguished by distinctly large leaflets from the other Korean Lespedeza and by plants covered with densely tomentose hairs from the Korean species of subgenus Macrolespedeza. In Korea two plants are found on the parks or roads prepared recently.