• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.960-968
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• 2023

The rhizome of Phragmites communis Trin. is used for vomiting and belching by clearing stomach and the sprout is used as tea. Phragmites japonica is similar with P. communis except the color of sheath is purple. This study is aimed to compare the in vitro antioxidant activity, total polyphenol and flavonoids contents of P. communis and P. japonica. The antioxidant activities of fractions from the two Phragmites plants were evaluated by 1,1-diphenyl-2- picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging assay. The antioxidant activity varied with plant parts and extract solvents. The fractions of leaf extract from the two Phragmites plants (4.06±1.32-16.47±1.28%) showed higher antioxidant activity by DPPH assay compared with rhizome fractions of two Phragmites plants (0.00±0.00-14.15±0.07%), these are lower compared with ascorbic acid and butylhydroxyanisole (BHA). The highest ABTS radical scavenging activity was found for rhizome ether fraction, namely 74.95±0.56% and 73.04±1.85% for P. communis and P. japonica, these are higher than BHA. The total polyphenol and flavonoids contents were different with plant parts and extract solvents, likewise antioxidant activity. A significant correlation was shown between DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activity. Considering the results of this study, the leaves and stems of P. communis and P. japonica are expected to be used as natural antioxidants.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.65 no.4
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• pp.453-456
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• 2022

Phragmites communis rhizome (Phragmitis rhizoma) was extracted with 70% ethanol, and then the extract was fractionated sequentially using n-hexane, chloroform, and ethyl acetate as solvents. Among the solvent fractions of Phragmitis rhizoma extract, the polyphenol content in ethyl acetate fraction was the highest. The chloroform and ethyl acetate fractions possessed a good nitrite scavenging activity. In addition, each solvent fraction showed an effective lipid peroxidation inhibitory ability at a concentration of 10 mg/mL.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.269-273
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• 2014

Activity guided phytochemical examination of the rhizome of Phragmites communis has led to the isolation of two phenolic acids and two lignans. Structures of these compounds were elucidated as methyl gallate (1), ${\rho}$ -hydroxy cinnamic acid (2), (+) -lyoniresinol (3), (+)-lyoniresinol-9'-O-${\beta}$-D-glucopyranoside (4) by comparisons with previously reported spectral data. To investigate the melanogenesis inhibitory effects of these compounds, the melanin level and tyrosinase activity were examined in B16F10 melanoma cell. Each compound inhibited both tyrosinase activity and melanin synthesis compared with positive control, kojic acid and arbutin. These results suggest that the phenolic compounds from Phragmites communis might be developed as a potent skin whitenting cosmeceuticals.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.604-614
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• 2020

Chronological aging and photoaging affect appearance, causing wrinkles, pigmentation, texture changes, and loss of elasticity in the skin. Phragmites communis is a tall perennial herb used for its high nutritional value and for medicinal purposes, such as relief from fever and vomiting and facilitation of diuresis. In this study, we investigated the effects of ethanol extract of P. communis rhizome (PCE) on skin aging. The total flavonoid and total phenolic content in PCE were 2.92 ± 0.007 ㎍ of quercetin equivalents (QE) and 231.8 ± 0.001 ㎍ of gallic acid equivalents (GAE) per 100 mg of dried extract (n = 3). The half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of PCE for 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH) and hydrogen peroxide scavenging activities were 0.96 and 0.97 mg/mL, respectively. PCE showed inhibitory effects on tyrosinase when L-tyrosine (IC50 = 1.25 mg/mL) and L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (IC50 = 0.92 mg/mL) were used as substrates. PCE treatment up to 200 ㎍/mL for 24 h did not cause any significant cytotoxicity in B16F10 melanocytes, human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs), and HaCaT keratinocytes. In B16F10 melanocytes, PCE (25 and 50 ㎍ /mL) inhibited melanin production and cellular tyrosinase activity after challenge with α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH; p < 0.05). In HDFs, PCE suppressed the mRNA expression of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) and reduced the activity of elastase (p < 0.05). In addition, ultraviolet B (UVB)-mediated downregulation of hyaluronic acid synthase-2 gene expression in HaCaT keratinocytes was also effectively suppressed by PCE treatment. Overall, our results showed that PCE has potential anti-skin aging activity associated with the suppression of hyperpigmentation, wrinkle formation, and reduction in dryness. PCE is a promising candidate for the development of an anti-skin aging cosmetic ingredient.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.321-334
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• 2014

This study was conducted to identify plant growth promoting effects of native plant resources and medicinal plants. 65 kinds of plant extracts from 64 species were evaluated based on two rice(Oryza sativa) seedling bioassays for gibberellins and gibberellin-like substances. 12 extracts of Artemisia princeps stem and leaf, Cirsium japonicum var. maackii whole plant, Rhododendron mucronulatum branch and leaf, Phragmites communis stem, Coix lacryma-jobi var. mayuen whole plant, Lespedeza bicolor branch and leaf, Hydrangea serrata f. acuminata whole plant, Phlomis umbrosa whole plant, Glycyrrhiza uralensis Rhizome, G. uralensis stem and leaf, Angelica gigas root, and Cnidium officinale rhizome showed growth promotion of rice seedlings. Our results suggested that the parts of these plants could be the potential sources as farm-made liquid fertilizers for plant growth promotion.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.1269-1284
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• 2021

Objectives: Phragmitis Rhizoma is the fresh or dried rhizome of Phragmites communis Trin., which has been prescribed in traditional Korean medicine to relieve fever and vomiting and to nourish the body fluids. Recently, the protective effect of Phragmitis Rhizoma extract or its components on myelotoxicity and inflammatory responses have been reported, but no study has yet been conducted on oxidative stress. Methods: The present study investigated whether an ethanol extract of Phragmitis Rhizoma (PR) could protect against cellular damage induced by oxidative stress in Chang liver cells. Results: Pretreatment with PR significantly suppressed the hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂)-induced reduction of Chang cell viability and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), thereby deferring apoptosis. PR also markedly inhibited H₂O₂-induced comet tail formation and phospho-γH2AX expression, suggesting that PR protected against oxidative stress-mediated DNA damage. PR also effectively prevented the inhibition of ATP synthesis in H₂O₂-treated Chang cells by inhibiting the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, indicating that PR maintains energy metabolism through preservation of mitochondrial function while eliminating ROS generated by H₂O₂. Immunoblotting results indicated that PR attenuated the H₂O₂-induced downregulation of Bcl-2 and upregulation of Bax expression. Conclusions: PR protects against oxidative injury in Chang liver cells by regulating energy homeostasis via ROS generation blockade, which is at least partly mediated through inactivation of the mitochondria-mediated apoptosis pathway.