• Natural Product Sciences
• /
• v.25 no.3
• /
• pp.181-199
• /
• 2019

Angelica decursiva Fr. et Sav. (Umbelliferae) has traditionally been used to treat different diseases due to its antitussive, analgesic, and antipyretic activities. It is also a remedy for thick phlegm, asthma, and upper respiratory infections. Recently, the leaf of A. decursiva has been consumed as salad without showing any toxicity. This plant is a rich in different types of coumarin derivatives, including dihydroxanthyletin, psoralen, dihydropsoralen, hydroxycoumarin, and dihydropyran. Its crude extracts and pure constituents possess anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, anti-Alzheimer disease, anti-hypertension, anti-cancer, antioxidant, anthelmintic, preventing cerebral stroke, and neuroprotective activities. This valuable herb needs to be further studied and developed not only to treat these human diseases, but also to improve human health. This review provides an overview of current knowledge of A. decursiva metabolites and their biological activities to prioritize future studies.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
• /
• v.34 no.4
• /
• pp.264-271
• /
• 2016

The objective of this study was to determine the growth and light utilization efficiency of garden plants in shade area through chlorophyll fluorescence reaction analysis. Ten garden plants was grown for 75 days under 50% and 80% shading conditions. Under shading, $ET2_O/RC$, the fluorescence parameter related to electron-transport in photosystem II, was effectively enhanced. However, the electron transport flux until PSI acceptors per reaction center ($RE1_O/RC$) was reduced. These changes in photochemical parameters evoked a decrease in performance index (PI) and driving force (DF) of electron transport flux. In addition, some photochemical parameters such as $F_V$, $FV/F_O$, $RE1_O/RC$, $ET2_O/RC$, $PI_{TOTAL\;ABS}$, and $DF_{TOTAL\;ABS}$ were found to be important for shade tolerance. Three species (Pachysandra terminalis Siebold & Zucc, Physostegia virginiana L., and Carex maculata Bott) were found to be shade tolerant. Based on these results, shading factor index (SFI) deduced from photochemical parameters is useful for evaluating of shading stress of garden plants.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
• /
• v.60 no.1
• /
• pp.1-7
• /
• 2015

The photochemical characteristics were analyzed in the context of sowing time and different levels of fertilized nitrogen during the maize (Zea mays L.) growth. When maize was early sawn, the fluorescence parameters related with electron-transport, in photosystem II (PSII) and PSI, were effectively enhanced with the higher level of fertilized nitrogen. Highest values were observed in maize leaves grown in double N-fertilized plot. The photochemical parameters were declined in the progress of growth stage. In early growth stage, the fluorescence parameters were highest, and then reduced to about half of the parameters related with electron transport on PSII and PSI at middle and late growth stages. In 1/2 N plot, the photochemical energy dissipation was measured to 13% in term of active reaction center per absorbed photon resulting in decrease in performance index and driving force of electron. This decrease induced to lower the photochemical effectiveness. In 2 N plots, the electron transport flux from $Q_A$ to $Q_B$ per cross section and the number of active PSII RCs per cross section were considerably enhanced. It was clearly indicated that the connectivity between photosynthetic PSII and PSI, i.e. electron transport, was far effective.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
• /
• v.59 no.3
• /
• pp.245-251
• /
• 2014

Sorghum seed is traditionally used as health supplements and the secondary food mixed with rice in Korea. While the research of reserve protein in sorghum seed have been carried out in many countries used as major food, much less is known about reserve proteins of Korean local sorghum seeds. To obtain protein characteristics in 20 Korean local sorghum seed, quantitative content of reserve protein was determined after fractionation by modified 'Osbone' method and ${\alpha}$-kafirin of prolamin was determined by SDS-PAGE. Mean albumin, globulin, prolamin and glutelin contents based on total seed protein content of 20 Korean local sorghum seed were 6.2%, 0.9%, 57.9% and 35.1%, respectively. Sorghum cultivar with high prolamin were 'Whin-susu', 'Whin-Chalsusu', 'Whanggeum-Chalsusu', and 'Daepungshushu'. Sorghum cultivar with high ${\alpha}$-kafirin were 'Whin-susu', 'Geumsan-Chalsusu', 'Whin-Chalsusu', and 'Jangmok-susu'. Among the 20 varieties, 'Whin-susu' and 'Whin-Chalsusu' were selected as high ${\alpha}$-kafirin and prolamin sorghum cultivar, which showed 64.5 and 71.9% of prolamin contents, respectively.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
• /
• v.43 no.1
• /
• pp.132-138
• /
• 2015

Trees, cultivated in containers, are appropriate in soil deformation such as road sites with cutting and filling. This study tested the effectiveness of trees produced in containers for early rootage in street tree transplantation. For the study, Korean Mountain Ashes(Sorbus alnifolia) were used for experimental groups. The groups were categorized into three categories: trees cultivated in containers with mulching treatment(group A), trees cultivated outdoors with mulching treatment (group B), and trees cultivated in containers with weeding treatment(group C). Each group consisted of ten trees of the same size and transplanted to the experimental site. In order to compare each group's rootage, the study was carried out with the chlorophyll fluorescence method by the analysis of photochemical reaction. As a result of the study, group B had the lowest the maximum fluorescence amount(P). The amount of fluorescence increased by OJ transition of the process, and appeared to reduce the photosystem II electron transport efficiency. In photosystem II, electron transfer energy flux through photosystem I(RE1o/RC, RE1o/CS) was also reduced by more than 20% in group B. These results may imply that transplantation of container-cultivated trees with mulching treatment provides the most rapid rootage among the groups. The weeding treatment is also more effective than mulching treatment for rapid rootage of street trees.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
• /
• v.10 no.1
• /
• pp.95-102
• /
• 2005

The term pharmacognosy as applied to a constituent scientific discipline of Korean Medical Food (KMF) has been in use for nearly several years, and it refers to studies on the pharmacological properties of natural products foods. During the last half of the 20th century, pharmacognosy for KMF evolved from being a descriptive botanical subject to one having a more chemical and biological focus. At the beginning of the 21st century, teaching pharmacognosy for KMF teaching in academic culinary arts and natural healing institutions has been given new relevance as a result of the explosive growth in the use of herbal foods (health foods) in modern KMF practice. In turn, pharmacognosy for KMF research areas are continuing to expand, and now include aspects of cellular and molecular biology in relation to natural products, ethnobotany and phytotherapy, in addition to the more traditional analytical method development and phytochemistry. Examples are provided in this review of promising bioactive compounds obtained in two multidisciplinary natural product KMF development and discovery projects, aimed at the elucidation of new plant-derived cancer chemotherapeutic agents and novel cancer chemopreventives, respectively. The systematic study of KMF offers pharmacognosy groups an attractive new area of research, ranging from investigating the biologically active principles of KMF and their mode of action and potential active substance interactions, to sanitary and quality control, and involvement in clinical trials.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
• /
• v.20 no.2
• /
• pp.89-92
• /
• 2017

Aconitum Heterophyllum (A. Heterophyllum) is an indigenous medicinal plant of India and belongs to the family Ranunculaceae. A. Heterophyllum is known to possess a number of therapeutic effects. For very ancient times, this plant has been used in some formulations in the traditional healing system of India, i.e., Ayurveda. It is reported to have use in treating patients with urinary infections, diarrhea, and inflammation. It also has been used as an expectorant and for the promotion of hepatoprotective activity. The chemical studies of the plant have revealed that various parts of the plant contain alkaloids, carbohydrates, proteins and amino acids, saponins, glycosides, quinones, flavonoids, terpenoids, etc. In the present study, a comprehensive phytochemistry and pharmacognosy, as well as the medicinal properties, of A. Heterophyllum are discussed. Scientific information on the plant was collected from various sources, such as electronic sources (Google scholar, Pubmed) and some old classical text books of Ayurveda and Ethnopharmacology. The study also presents a review of the literature on A. Heterophyllum, as well as the primary pharmacological and other important findings on this medicine. This review article should provide useful information to and be a valuable tool for new researchers who are initiating studies on the plant A. Heterophyllum.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
• /
• v.43 no.4
• /
• pp.444-449
• /
• 2016

Deep rooting, which enables plants to extract water from greater soil depths, is a critical strategy for improving plant survival under water-deficient conditions. However, as it is difficult to observe intact root systems belowground, several techniques have been developed to screen deep- and shallow-rooting phenotypes in rice. Here, we introduce a simple and convenient method for deep- and shallow-rooting phenotyping using a unique combination of sand, soil, and plastic mesh netting. Vandana, a drought-tolerant rice variety, and Dongjin, a Korean japonica rice variety, were used to analyze root phenotypes. No significant differences in root length were observed in rice grown under irrigated conditions regardless of net position, whereas roots were significantly longer, and ratio of deep root (RDR) values were significantly higher in Vandana rice grown under semi-drought conditions. In summary, this simple and useful method represents a low-cost means of phenotyping the roots of rice and other crops grown in various-sized pots and at multiple plant growth stages.

• Korean Journal of Oriental Medicine
• /
• v.13 no.1 s.19
• /
• pp.139-145
• /
• 2007

Emodin is one of the main active components of a traditional Korean medicine isolated from the root and rhizomes of Rheum palmatum L. In this study, of 222 natural compounds to evaluate the anabolic activities, emodin activated bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-2 promoter in the differentiation process of mouse osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells. Emodin was shown to significantly stimulate the activity and expression of alkaline phosphatase, an earlyphase marker of osteoblastic differentiation, on the differentiation day 7, and induce the osteopontin mRNA expression from the differentiation day 14. In addition, low concentration (up to 5 M) of emodin dramatically promoted the induction of mineralization in MC3T3-E1 subclone 4 cells. The stimulatory effect of emodin on the osteoblast differentiation/mineralization could be associated with its potential to stimulate the BMP-2 gene expression. Although further studies are needed to determine the precise mechanism, this study suggests that the use of herbal medicine containing natural compounds with anabolic activity such as emodin could have a beneficial effect on bone health.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
• /
• v.8 no.4
• /
• pp.380-385
• /
• 2008

Ethanolic extracts of T. cordifolia and C. asiatica were evaluated for immunostimulatory effect in mice against sheep RBCs as antigen by three models viz. delayed type hypersensitivity reaction, ercent change in neutrophil count and haemagglutination titre. Immunostimulatory effect in the presence of immunosuppressant agent, cyclophosphamide (100 mg/kg, i.p.) was also investigated. T. cordifolia and C. asiatica significantly (p < 0.001, p < 0.05 respectively) enhanced foot pad thickness when measured after 24 hours of sheep RBC antigen challenge. Both the plant materials increased foot pad thickness even after being subjected to immunosuppressant exposure. T. cordifolia revealed enhanced neutrophil counts, while C. asiatica had no significant effect on neutrophil counts. T. cordifolia exhibited significantly (P < 0.01) elevated neutrophil levels even in the presence of cyclophosphamide administration. Both the plants exhibited humoral antibody response, as haemagglutination titre values were significantly high as compared to control. T. cordifolia and C. asiatica could combat immunosuppressant effect of cyclophosphamide (P < 0.01). This suggests that T. cordifolia and C. asiatica can be regarded as biological response modifiers and can be utilized for the development of immunostimulating agent among plant sources.