• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.177-182
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• 2007

This study was conducted to produce high quality ginseng seedlings by improvement of the physical properties of nursery soil. In order to select optimum nursery conditions, nursery types were treated with the yangiik nursery and semi-yangiik nursery. Soil conditioners were treated with two different materials of puffed rice husks and perlite. This experiments were tested at Gyunggido Agricultural Research and Extention Services, Hwaseng, from 2003 to 2004. Soil permeability was better at the plot of yangiik nursery than that of semi-yangjik nursery, and was better at plot of puffed rice husks than that of perlite. Soil porosity was improved 2.2% at plot of yangjiik nursery compare at that of semi-yangjik nursery, and was improved 2.0% at plot of puffed rice husks compared to control. There was no difference in the number of ginseng plants per kan among treatments. Root length was longer at plot of yangjik nursery than that of semi-yangjik nursery. More available ginseng plants per kan were obtained from the plot of yangjik nursery by more 252 seedlings than that of semi-yangjik nursery, but there was no significant difference between soil conditioners. The number of available seedlings per kan produced from yangjik nursery was 21.7% higher than those produced by semi-yangjik nursery. The number of available seedlings per kan produced from plot of puffed rice husks was 16.3% higher than that of control.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.279-282
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• 2015

In order to quantify compound K(CK), anticancer component of Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer, high titer rabbit polyclonal antibodies (pAbs) were raised against a conjugate of CK and bovine serum albumin coupled by a periodate oxidation method. Coating antigen (CK-OVA) was also prepared by the same method with OVA. As a result of optimization of antiserum dilution (2,000 fold), coating antigen ($25{\mu}g/ml$) and other condition (incubation time, temperature and washing method), ELISA method for the determination of CK was established. The measuring range extended from 0.5 ng/ml to 25 ng/ml of CK. The antibodies exhibited minor or even no cross reactivities with protopanaxatriol (1.56%) and other tested ginsenosides, $GRb_1$ (0.11%), $GRg_1$ (0.07%) except protopanaxadiol (87.2%) from the structural similarity. And the antibody showed good correlation (r=0.987) between the assay values obtained by this ELISA method and HPLC. Therefore, the ELISA method could be very useful tools for the determination of CK in biological fluids because of their high sensitivity and specificity.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.259-264
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• 2016

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Stromal cell-derived growth factor 1 (SDF-1), also known as chemokine ligand 12, and chemokine receptor type 4 are involved in cancer cell migration. Compound K (CK), a metabolite of protopanaxadiol-type ginsenoside by gut microbiota, is reported to have therapeutic potential in cancer therapy. However, the inhibitory effect of CK on SDF-1 pathway-induced migration of glioma has not yet been established. MATERIALS/METHODS: Cytotoxicity of CK in C6 glioma cells was determined using an EZ-Cytox cell viability assay kit. Cell migration was tested using the wound healing and Boyden chamber assay. Phosphorylation levels of protein kinase C $(PKC){\alpha}$ and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) were measured by western blot assay, and matrix metallopeptidases (MMP) were measured by gelatin-zymography analysis. RESULTS: CK significantly reduced the phosphorylation of $PKC{\alpha}$ and ERK1/2, expression of MMP9 and MMP2, and inhibited the migration of C6 glioma cells under SDF-1-stimulated conditions. CONCLUSIONS: CK is a cell migration inhibitor that inhibits C6 glioma cell migration by regulating its downstream signaling molecules including $PKC{\alpha}$, ERK1/2, and MMPs.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.135-141
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• 2013

A rapid, sensitive and selective analytical method was developed and validated for the determination of compound K, a major intestinal bacterial metabolite of ginsenosides in human plasma. Liquid-liquid extraction was used for sample preparation and analysis, followed by liquid chromatography tandem spectrometric analysis and an electrospray-ionization interface. Compound K was analyzed on a Phenomenex Luna C18 column ($100{\times}2.00$ mm, 3 ${\mu}m$) with the mobile phase run isocratically with 10 mM ammonium acetate-methanol-acetonitrile (5:47.5:47.5, v/v/v) at a flow rate of 0.5 mL/min. The method was validated for accuracy (relative error <12.63%), precision (coefficient of variation <9.14%), linearity, and recovery. The assay was linear over the entire range of calibration standards i.e., a concentration range of 1 ng/mL to 1,000 ng/mL ($r^2$ >0.9968). The recoveries of compound K after liquid-liquid extraction at 1, 2, 400, and 800 ng/mL were $106.00{\pm}0.08%$, $103.50{\pm}0.19%$, $111.45{\pm}5.21%$, and $89.62{\pm}34.46%$ for intra-day and $85.40{\pm}0.08%$, $94.50{\pm}0.09%$, $112.50{\pm}5.21%$, and $95.87{\pm}34.46%$ for inter-day, respectively. The lower limit of quantification of the analytical method of compound K was 1 ng/mL in human plasma. The developed method was successfully applied to a pharmacokinetic study of compound K after oral administration in ten of healthy human subjects.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 1999

Large-scale cultures of plant cell, tissue, and organ have been achieved by using BTBB. When different sized BTBBs (5 L, 20 L, 100 L, 300 L, and 500 L) were tested for the culture of yew cells (Taxus cuspidata Sieb. et Zucc.), cell growth increment reached to 94.5% in SCV after 24 days of culture with 30% of inoculation cell density. However, there were some variations in the production of taxol and its derivatives among the BTBBs of different size. Approximate 4 ㎎/l of taxol and 84 ㎎/l of total taxanes were obtained by using a 500L BTBB after 6 weeks of culture. With a 20L BTBB, about 20,000 cuttings of virus-free potatoes (cv. Dejima) could be obtained by inoculating 128 explants and maintaining 8 weeks under 16 hr light illumination. The frequency of ex vitro rooting of the cuttings revealed as more than 99% under 30% shade. By incorporating two-stage culture process consisting of multiple bulblet formation in solid medium and bulblet development in liquid medium, mass propagation of lily through bioreactor seemed to be possible. In the case of 'Marcopolo', the growth of mini-bulblets in BTBB was nearly 10 folds faster than that of the solid medium. Time course study revealed that maximum MAR yield of ginseng (Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer) in a 5 L and 20 L BTBB after 8 weeks of culture was 500 g and 2.2 ㎏, respectively. By cutting the MAR once and/or twice during the culture, the yield of root biomass could be increased more than 50% in fresh weight at the time of harvest. With initial inoculum of 500 g of sliced MAR in a 500 L BTBB, 74.8 ㎏ of adventitious root mass was obtained after 8 weeks of culture. The average content of total ginseng saponin obtained from small-scale and/or pilotscale BTBBs was approximately 1% per gram dry weight. Based on our results, we suggest that large-scale cultures of plant cell, tissue, and organ using BTBB system should be quite a feasible approach when compared with conventional method of tissue culture.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.107-113
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• 2008

In this study, we have investigated the effect of panaxatriol (PT) on phosphoinositides (PIS) breakdown and $Ca^{2+}$-elevation in thrombin-induced platelet aggregation. Thrombin (5U/ml), a potent platelet agonist which activates phospholipase $C_{\beta}$ via protease activated receptor (PAR), hydrolyzed PIS in platelet membrane. The phosphatidylinositol 4, 5-bisphosphate $(PIP_2)$ was hydrolyzed after 10 sec of the thrombin-stimulation, and both the phosphatidylinositol 4-monophosphate (PIP) and phosphatidylinositol (PI) were brokendown after 30 sec of the thrombin-stimulation. However, PT inhibited the thrombin-stimulated hydrolysis of $PIP_2$, PIP, and PI. On the other hand, thrombin increased the level of phosphatidic acid (PA) which is phosphorylated from diacylglycerol (DG) generated by PIS-hydrolysis. However, Pr inhibited the thrombin-increased PA level non-significantly. Thrombin increased cytosolic free $Ca^{2+}([Ca^{2+}])_i$) up to 72% as compared with control $(30.8{\pm}0.9 nM)$ in intact platelet. However, PT (100 ${\mu}g/ml$) inhibited the thrombin-elevated $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ to 100%. These results suggest that PT may have a beneficial effect on platelet aggregation-mediated thrombotic disease by inhibiting thrombin-induced platelet aggregation via suppression of the $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ level and PIS breakdown.

• Journal of Korean Medical classics
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.55-67
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• 2011

Through analyzing the frequencies of medicinal herb combinations in the prescriptions of "Bangyakhappyeon(方藥合編)", we could understand the characteristics of prescription composition and author's medical thoughts. So we conducted this study that analyze combination of 324 medicinal herbs in 467 prescriptions, and found meaningful combinations of 5,045. Among these, the most meaningful combination is the one of 10 herbs, Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fischer, Angelica gigas Nakai, Ziziphus jujube Mille, Atractylodes japonica Koidzumi, Poria cocas Wolf, Zingiber officinale, Rehmanniae radix preparata, Cinnamomum loureirii, Panax ginseng C.A.Meyer, Astragalus membranaceus. This combination is Sibjeondaebo-tang(Shiquandabu-tang) without Cnidium officinale and Paeonia japonica which compose Samul-tang(Siwu-tang). It means this combination is kind of modified Sibjeondaebo-tang(Shiquandabu-tang), which is more effective in tonifying qi than tonifying blood. Prescriptions of "Bangyakhappyeon(方藥合編)" involve herbs mostly used to improve weak and frail health and the herbs which are more effective in tonifying qi than tonifying blood. Through this study, we know the author' s one of medical view points on tonifying qi and blood, attaching importance to tonifying qi relatively to tonifying blood.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.79-85
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• 2007

Compound K (CK) is a final metabolite of panaxadiol ginsenosides. Although panax ginseng is known to have anti-diabetic activity, the active ingredient is not yet fully identified. Therefore, it would be interesting to know whether and how CK has an anti-diabetic activity. First, insulin secretion-stimulating activity of CK was examined using RIN-m5F cell line and primary cultured islets. CK enhanced the insulin secretion in a concentration dependent manner. This effect, however, was almost completely abolished in the presence of diazoxide, $K^+$ channel opener, indicating that the insulin secretion-stimulating activity of CK is presumably due to blockade of ATP sensitive $K^+$ channel. In addition, effects of CK on gene expressions of hepatic enzymes (phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase[PEPCK], glucose-6-phos-phatase[G6Pase]) and on adipocyte differentiation in H4IIE and 3T3-Ll cells, respectively, were examined. CK suppressed the induction of PEPCK and G6Pase mRNA expressions under the dexamethasone/cAMP stimulation condition. CK also reduced the $PPAR-{\gamma}$ mRNA expression and triglyceride accumulation in a dose dependent manner as compared to the control. The present study suggests that CK deserves to examine whether it shows an anti-diabetic activity in animal and human studies.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.55-59
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• 1978

This study was carried out to investigate the sea sonal changes of the contents of inhibitors in leaves and fruits of Ginseng plant during ripening. Three kinds of inhibitors in leaves and all parts of fruit, i.e., seed, sarcocarp and endocarp were recognized at the Rf 0.1, 0.4-0.6 and 0.8-1.0 zones by the bioassay of lettuce seed germination. Among them, the level of the inhibitor at the Rf 0.4-0.6 zone in leaf and seed increased most significantly in accordance with fruit ripening. The activities of three inhibitors found in endocarp gradually decreased during ripening.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.123-128
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• 1986

The characteristics such as characters of seed, fruit and endosperm, development of embryo, dehisced and germination rate of seeds which harvested at 10 days intervals from 20 days to 60 days after pollination were determined to clarify the optimum time for seed production of ginseng. The sizes of length, width and thickness of fruits, seeds and endosperms investigated on 20 days after pollination were not largely different from those that harvested after 60 days. But the weights of fruits and seeds were increased along with the delay of harvesting time. The seeds which harvested from 30 to 60 days showed comparatively high dehisced and germinated rates, especially 40 days in dehisced rates and 50 days in germinated rates. The embryos were rapidly grown in early stage. Lengths of the embryo on 20 days after pollination were approximately grown to 30 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$. And after 30 days pollinated, embryos were not only more rapidly grown to 213 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ but also cotyledon premodia were developed in this time and completely formed after 40 days.