• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.380-384
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• 2003

Optimal extraction, separation and capillary rinsing conditions for capillary electrophoresis (CE) were established to discriminate the geographical origin of ligusticum root (Ligusticum wallichii) using 113 samples (domestic sample n = 62, foreign sample n = 51). Ligusticum root was extracted with 30% ethanol and separated on a uncoated fused-silica $(50\;{\mu}m{\times}27\;cm)$ capillary. Conditions for optimal analysis include: temperature, $40^{\circ}C$; voltage, 10 kV; and pressure injection time, domestic and foreign samples were 5 sec and 2 sec, respectively. The optimal separation buffer was 0.1 M phosphate buffer (pH 2.5) containing 15 mM iminodiacetic acid with 40% methanol. Under the optimal conditions established for CE, the ratio of specific peak area (peak LW-1) to other peak area (peak LW-5) was effective in discrimination geographical origin of ligusticum root. The mean accuracy for correct discrimination of geographical origin of domestic and foreign ligusticum roots were 65% and 63%, respectively.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.123-133
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• 2015

The new formular for herbal medicine-safety classification in terms of evidence-based medicine was developed and applied to evaluate various herbal medicines in the previous study. This study is aimed to evaluate the frequently-used herbal medicines inducing toxic metabolites or reactive intermediates(RI), such as Ligusticum wallichii Franch, Angelica sinensis, Glycyrrhizae Radix, Rehmanniae Radix, based on 6 safety grades calculated from human equivalent dose(HED)-based MOS(margin of safety). HED-based MOS can be explained as the ratio of theoretical ALD(approximate lethal dose) of human as $LD_1$(lethal dose of 1%)/ clinical maximum dose as $ED_{99}$(Effective dose of 99%). The herbal medicine showing the ratio less than 1 belongs to Class 1, but the herbal medicine showing the ratio more than 500 belongs to Class 6 with the lowest toxicity. As a result, they were evaluated as class 2 for Angelica sinensis and Glycyrrhizae Radix, class 3 for Ligusticum wallichii Franch and Rehmanniae Radix. These resultant grades for 4 herbal medicines were lower than the grade expected under consideration that these herbal medicines are used very frequently in oriental clinics. These low grades would be due to their ingredients which is biotransformed to toxic metabolites.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.83-90
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• 2013

Objectives : Tetramethylpyrazine (TMP) is an active ingredient in Ligusticum wallichii and has a wide range of neuroprotection effects. This study investigated anti-neuroinflammatory effect of TMP on brain regions in intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated C57BL/6 mice. Methods : TMP was administered intraperitoneally at doses of 10, 20, and 30 mg/kg at 1 h prior to LPS (3 mg/kg) i.c.v. injection. mRNA level of pro-inflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$), interleukin (IL)-$1{\beta}$ and IL-6, was measured in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, and hypothalamus tissue using real-time polymerase chain reaction at 24 h after the LPS injection. Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) positive cells in the hypothalamus was also observed using immunohistochemistry at 24 h after the LPS injection. Results : At a dose of 30 mg/kg TMP significantly attenuated up-regulation of TNF-${\alpha}$ and IL-$1{\beta}$ mRNA in the cerebral cortex and IL-$1{\beta}$ mRNA in the hippocampus. In the hypothalamus, doses of 20 mg/kg and 30 mg/kg TMP significantly attenuated up-regulation of TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-$1{\beta}$, and IL-6 mRNA induced by the LPS injection. In addition, TMP (30 mg/kg) significantly reduced the number of COX-2 positive cells in the hypothalamus. Conclusion : These results indicate that TMP has an anti-inflammatory effect on neuroinflammation, especially in the hypothalamus, induced by LPS i.c.v. injection and suggest that TMP-containing Ligusticum wallichii may play a modulatory role on the systemic responses following hypothalamic inflammation.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.1-13
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• 2013

Objectives : The pathophysiology of acute spinal cord injury(SCI) may be divided into primary and secondary mechanisms of injury. The secondary mechanism involves free radical formation, excitotoxicity, inflammation and apoptotic cell death, and sets in minutes after injury and lasts for weeks or months. During this phase the spinal tissue damages are aggravated. Therefore, secondary mechanisms of injury serve as a target for the development of neuroprotective drug against SCI. The present study investigated the effect of tetramethylpyrazine(TMP), an active ingredient purified from the rhizome of Ligusticum wallichii(川芎, chuanxiong), on neuronal apoptosis in spinal cord compression injury in rats. Methods : SCI was subjected to rats by a static compression method(35 g weight, 5 mins) and TMP was treated 3 times(30 mg/kg, i.p.) during 48 hours after the SCI. Results : TMP ameliorated the tissue damage in peri-lesion of SCI and reduced TUNEL-labeled cells both in gray matter and in white matter significantly. TMP also attenuated Bax-expressed motor neurons in the ventral horn and preserved Bcl-2-expressed motor neurons. Conclusions : These results indicate that TMP plays a protective role in apoptotic cell death of neurons and oligodendrocytes in spinal cord injury. Moreover, it is suggested that TMP and TMP-containing chuanxiong may potentially delay or protect the secondary spinal injury.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.623-631
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• 2019

Tetramethylpyrazine (TMP), an alkaloid rich in Ligusticum wallichii and fermented products, possesses multiple pharmacological activities in antioxidant, antiinflammatory, and antibacterial. This study aimed to investigate the effect of TMP (15 mg/L) on the physicochemical and gelation properties of rabbit myofibrillar proteins (MPs) with/without oxidative stress. Results showed that compared to the control, oxidative stress to MPs decreased free thiol content, gel yield, whiteness, water-holding capacity, bounder water, immobilized water, and endogenous tryptophan fluorescence intensity, but increased surface hydrophobicity, dityrosine content, and free water content (p<0.01). Without oxidative stress, MPs treated with TMP increased free thiol content, whiteness, and bound water, but decreased dityrosine content and free water (p<0.05). Under oxidative conditions, all parameters were conversely affected by TMP (p<0.01). The results suggest that TMP can be an antioxidant to decrease the concern on oxidative deterioration during meat processing and storage by improving the oxidative stability, water retention, and gel forming property of rabbit MPs.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.700-706
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• 2005

We are concerned about how to apply the theories of oriental medicine appropriately, which direction should it be taken, and how it should be developed. And it is believed to be essential for the government to make efforts to set a standard and laws to validate the medicinal effects and process of the assessment so that the systematic development can be encouraged, and to prepare guidance for the food development for national health improvement Ihis study was peformed to provide basic data that predict the usefulness of oriental medicinal herbs to remove the dampness through diuresis for excess syndrome obesity with oriental diet therapy cuisine(Yak-Sun). Five oriental medicininal herbs, Coix lachryma-jobi L, Atractylodes lancea DC., Ligusticum wallichii F., Angelica sinensis D., Zingiber officinale R. were collected and made into mixing extracts(OMCE). And we examined the effects of OMCE on body weight serum glucose, insulin and lipid profile improvement in rats fed high fat diets. Sprague-Dawley rae(230-250 g) were randomly divided into five groups : basal diet(normal diet control group, NCG), only high fat diet(High fat control group, HCG), high fat diet and supplemented with 25mg/100g body weight 50mg/100g body weight 75mg/100g body weight by OMCE(HLG, HMG, HHG). These experimental diets were fed for 6 weeks. The OME fed groups decreased more significantly in weight serum glucose insulin and lipids than the high fat control group did. These results imply that the OMCE can be used as a safe and clinically applicable ingredients for diet called Yaksun of excess syndrome obesity in human.