• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.490-505
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• 2000

Mugwort (Artemisia sp.) abounds on hedgebank, waysides and grassy places in most part of Europe, Asia and Northern America. This herb has long been associated with witch-craft and magic as a protective charm. Mugwort has been a value as a foodstuff of relieving famine. Proximate composition of mugwort is similar to green vegetables, but it has high level in calcium, potassium and vitamin A content. For medicinal uses, the leaves are harvested twice in spring and autumn before the plant comes into flower and are dried for later uses. Aqueous or organic solvents extracts often have physiologically active constituents. Some extracts of mugwort include cineol, thujone, borneol, camphor, caryophyllene, coumarin, cubebene, pinene, linalool, absinthin etc. The dried leaves have traditionally been used as an antihelmintic, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, antitumor, hepatic stimulant, chologogue, emmenagogue, febrifuge, stomachic, tonic etc. Mugwort has been used the dried or green leaves as a flavoring and coloring agents for tea, cake. pastry, bread, noodle, alcoholic liquor, soap and hygienic band.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.49 no.5
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• pp.524-531
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• 2017

The study aimed to investigate the antioxidant activity and neuroprotective effect of the ethyl acetate fraction from Orostachys japonicus A. Berger extract (EFOJ) and its main constituent compounds. Among all fractions, the highest content of total phenolics was found in EFOJ. The antioxidant activity of EFOJ was confirmed through the 2,2-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS), 1-1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays and the inhibitory effect of malondialdehyde (MDA). In addition, we ascertained that EFOJ not only decreased the intracellular ROS level, but also protected the neuronal cells against $H_2O_2$-induced oxidative stress. In liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis, the following were found to be the main compounds of EFOJ: quercetin-3-O-glucoside, kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside, kaempferol-3-O-glucoside, and kaempferol-3-O-rhamnoside. Consequently, these results suggested that the protective effect on neuronal cells was based on the antioxidant activities of the physiologically active compounds of Orostachys japonicus A. Berger extract, which could therefore help to mitigate neurodegenerative diseases.