• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.270-274
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• 2011

The prevalence of atopic dermatitis has markedly increased in recent years but the mechanism has not been clearly revealed. Recent study exhibited that atopic dermatitis was exacerbated by the increase of proteinase-activated receptor (PAR)-2 expression, which activated $I{\kappa}B$ kinase --> nuclear factor kappa B. Therefore, we determined whether the allergens of dust mites induced the expression of PAR-2, intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1, adehision molecule), interleukins (IL)-6 in HaCaT keratocytes and which herbal 1,3-butylene glycol extracts (Mori Cortex Radicis, Sanguisorba officinalis L., Arctium lappa Linne, Torilis japonica DC, Melia azedarach Linne var. japoinca Makino) suppressed their expression. Dust mite allergen increased PAR-2, ICAM-1 and IL-6 expression in HaCaT cells in a dose-dependent manner up to $3{\mu}g/mL$ but their expression reached the plateau over the dosages. The allergen ($3{\mu}g/mL$) also secreted more cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$ and IL-6 into the media. Among five different herbal extracts ($50{\mu}g/mL$), Mori Cortex Radicis and Sanguisorba officinalis L. suppressed the PAR-2, ICAM-1 and IL-6 expression in HaCaT cells, which was activated by dust mite allergen ($3{\mu}g/mL$) and they also reduced the secretion of TNF-${\alpha}$ and IL-6 into the media. In conclusion, Mori Cortex Radicis and Sanguisorba officinalis L. can effectively reduce the prevalence and progression of atopic dermatitis by dute mite allergen.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.160-166
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• 2005

The present study was carried out to investigate the hypoglycemic effect of a polyherbal aqueous extract (Curcuma longa Linn., Emblica officinalis Gaertn., Trigonella foenum-graecum Linn., Enicostemma littorale Blume) in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Short term experiments showed a decrease in blood glucose levels at $2^{nd}\;hr$ of administration of the aqueous extract in alloxan-induced diabetic rats with increase in serum insulin levels. The extract did not show any effect on blood glucose or serum insulin levels in normoglycaemic rats. Treatment with the extract (1.5 g dry plant equivalent extarct/100 g body weight/day) for 20 days in diabetic rats showed a significant decrease in blood glucose and glycosylated haemoglobin levels and an increase in serum insulin levels. The aqueous extract also showed an enhanced glucose-induced insulin release at 11.1 mM glucose from isolated rat pancreatic islets. The extract did not show any toxicity at the particular dose used.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.620-626
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• 2016

In this study, we investigated the total phenolic and flavonoid contents, antioxidant activity and cellular protective effects against oxidative stress on human skin cells in 50% ethanol extract and its fractions of Calendula officinalis (C. officinalis) flowers. We measured the antioxidant effects of 50% ethanol extract and its fractions of C. officinalis flowers on the free radical scavenging activity ($FSC_{50}$), the reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging activities ($OSC_{50}$) and the inhibition of intracellular ROS generation in human skin cells. These results showed that the antioxidant effect of the ethyl acetate and aglycone fraction was more than the 50% ethanol extract of C. officinalis flowers. We also investigated the cellular protective activity and the results showed that treatment of the ethyl acetate fraction ($0.05-3.13{\mu}g/mL$) protects human skin cells in a concentration-dependent manner when the skin cell damages were induced by treating them with $H_2O_2$. In addition, the aglycone fraction ($1.56-3.13{\mu}g/mL$) shows cellular protective effects on the UV-induced cell damages in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that the fractions of C. officinalis flowers can function as a natural antioxidant agent of cosmetics in human skin cells exposed to oxidative stress by ROS scavenging effects.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.316-320
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• 2008

Ten compounds, (+)-pinoresinol (1), (-)-balanophonin (2), gallicin (3), vanillin (4), 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde (5), coniferaldehyde (6), betulinic acid (7), ursolic acid (8), 5-hydroxymethyl furfural (9), and malic acid (10), were isolated from a EtOAc-soluble fraction of the seeds of Cornus officinalis. The structures of these compounds were elucidated by spectroscopic methods as well as by comparison with reported values. Compounds 1, 2, and 4-7 were isolated from this species for the first time. All the isolates (1-10) were subjected to an in vitro bioassay to evaluate their inhibitory activity against advanced glycation end products (AGEs) formation. Among these, compounds 2 and 3 showed the significant inhibitory activity on AGEs formation with $IC_{50}$ values of 27.81 and 18.04${\mu}M$, respectively.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.205-211
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• 2003

Stem bark of Cinchona sp. (Rubiaceae) is one of the well known drugs for its therapeutic values in traditional as well as modern medicine. Even though a lot of work has been carried out on quinoline alkaloids of Cinchona, its phenolic constituents received very little attention. In the present study, we evaluated antioxidant properties of C. officinalis stem bark methanolic extract and water extract containing phenolic compounds (total phenolics 21.37, 5.18% w/w respectively in the two extracts) in different in vitro and ex vivo models viz., antiradical activity by DPPH reduction, superoxide radical scavenging activity in riboflavin/light/NBT system, nitric oxide radical scavenging activity in sodium nitroprusside/Greiss reagent system and inhibition of lipid peroxidation induced by iron-ADP-ascorbate in liver homogenate and haemolysis of erythrocytes induced by phenylhydrazine in erythrocyte membrane stabilization study. Both the extracts exhibited very good antioxidant activity in all the models tested. The phenolic compounds including tannins present in the stem bark seem to offer protection from the oxidative damage.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.441-445
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• 2012

Cadmium is an important occupational and environmental pollutant that damages various organs, especially renal proximal tubular cells. We examined the effect of aqueous extract of Buddleja officinalis (ABO) on cadmium chloride ($CdCl_2$)-induced cytotoxicity in HK-2 human renal proximal tubular cells. HK-2 cells were preincubated with ABO (50, 100, 200 and 400 ${\mu}g/ml$) for 3 hr and then treated with 10 ${\mu}M$ $CdCl_2$ for 24 hr. The effect of ABO on $CdCl_2$-induced cytotoxicity in HK-2 cells was investigated by using MTT assay, morphological observation, flow cytometric analysis and Western blot. The results of the MTT assay and morphological observation indicated that $CdCl_2$-induced cytotoxicity was prevented by pretreatment with ABO. In flow cytometric analysis, ABO reduced sub-G1 peak (apoptotic peak) in $CdCl_2$-treated cells. $CdCl_2$-induced procaspase-3 proteolysis and PARP cleavage reduced by pretreatment with ABO. These results suggest that ABO effectively inhibited $CdCl_2$-induced cytotoxicity in HK-2 cells.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.29 no.7
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• pp.541-547
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• 2006

Four alkaloids (1-4), three quinolone alkaloids (5-7), and three flavanoid glucosides (8-10) were isolated from the fruits of Evodia officinalis Dode, and their structures were determined from chemical and spectral data. Compounds, 3, 8, 9 and 10 were isolated from this plant for the first time. Of these compounds, 1-3 and 5-7 exhibited moderate cytotoxicities against cultured human colon carcinoma (HT-29), human breast carcinoma (MCF-7), and human hepatoblastoma (HepG-2). Compound 8 showed strong inhibitory effects on DNA topoisomerases I and II (70 and 96% inhibition at a concentration of $20\;{\mu}M$, respectively).

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.404-410
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• 2017

Background: Hair loss related syndromes are increasing due to environmental pollution and stress. Hair care products are mainly prepared by mixing chemicals and natural extracts, such as those obtained from medicinal plants. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of 70% ethanol extracts from the flowers of Calendula officinalis, fruit body of Phellinus linteus, and the whole plant of Houttuynia cordata on the growth of CCD-986 cells, hair follicle dermal papilla cells (HFDPC), and 3T3-L1 cells. Methods and Results: All sample extracts at all concentrations, except for that from P. linteus fruit body at $500{\mu}g/m{\ell}$, were cytotoxic to CCD-986 cells. However, none of the sample extracts were cytotoxic to HFDPC. The lipid differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells regulates hair regeneration via secretion of platelet derived growth factor. The 70% ethanol extract of H. cordata whole plant promoted hair growth. Adipogenesis rate significantly increased in a treatment concentration-dependent manner. Conclusions: These results suggest that 70% ethanol extracts of C. officinalis flower, P. linteus fruit body and H. cordata could be used for the development of hair care products.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.827-838
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• 2017

Twenty male soccer players volunteered as the experimental subjects. The subjects were randomly assigned to the "Winter training with Cornus officinalis extract intake group"(WCI; n=10) and "Winter training group"(WT; n=10). The variables of blood fatigue substance, muscle damage and liver function where measured in all the subjects before the start of the Cornus officinalis intake after at the end of the 4 weeks winter training. Winter training program was proceeded with 6 days a week for 4 weeks. Exercise intensity was measured using the HRR(70~95%). Changes in the heart rate were also measured with the Polar. WCI group were ingested 80 mL of Cornus officinalis extract after every breakfast and dinner for 4 weeks. The test data were analyzed by paired t-test, and independent t-test(%diff), and the alpha level of p<.05 was set for all tests of significance. Lactate in WCI group had significantly decreased, and the changes between the groups were significantly lower in the WCI group than in the WT group. Ammonia in WCI group had significantly increased. CK in WCI group had significantly decreased. LDH in both group had significantly decreased. AST in WCI group had significantly decreased, and the changes between the groups were significantly lower in the WCI group than in the WT group. ALT in WCI group had significantly decreased. In conclusion, the results of this study show that Cornus officinalis extract seem to have a positive influence on blood fatigue substance, muscle damage and liver function. Therefore Cornus officinalis extract is considered to be able to contribute an ergogenic aids.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.117-123
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• 2009

Magnolia extract, prepared from the Chinese herb Magnolia officinalis, is known for its potent anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects. In this report, we showed that Magnolia extract inhibits adipocyte differentiation, as evidenced by reduced triglyceride (TG) accumulation. Also, Magnolia extract increased hormone sensitive lipase (HSL) protein level, and decreased the adipogenic transcription factor peroxisome proliferator activated receptor (PPAR)-${\gamma}$ protein and their corresponding mRNA. Our results suggest a potential apllication of Magnolia extract as anti-obesity agents inhibits adipocyte differentiation through the down-regulation of adipogenic transcription factors and other adipocyte-specific genes.