• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.341-349
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• 2013

In this study, the anti-oxidative and anti-obesity activities of two medicinal herb extracts, Tetrapanax papyriferus (TP) and Siegesbeckia pubescens (SP), were evaluated using DPPH radical scavenging activity assay, lipase enzyme inhibition assay, and the cell culture model system. Both methanol extracts of TP and SP showed DPPH radical scavenging activities dose-dependently, and the $IC_{50}$ of DPPH radical scavenging activities of the two medicinal herbs were 65.23 and 47.79 ${\mu}g/ml$, respectively. Furthermore, both extracts suppressed effectively lipase enzyme activity dose-dependently. Moreover, TP and SP extracts significantly suppressed adipocyte differentiation, lipid accumulation, triglyceride (TG) contents on 3T3-L1 preadipocytes in a dose-dependent manner without cytotoxicity. Their anti-obesity effect was modulated by cytidine-cytidine-adenosine-adenosine-thymidine (CCAAT)/enhancer binding proteins ${\alpha}$ ($C/EBP{\alpha}$), $C/EBP{\beta}$ and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ${\gamma}$ ($PPAR{\gamma}$) gene and protein expressions. Furthermore, TP and SP possessed a synergistic effect on anti-obesity activity. The identification of the active compounds that confer the anti-obesity activity of TP and SP might be needed.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.1-17
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• 2018

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of Melandrii Herba (MH), Akebia Quinata Decaisne (AQ), and Tetrapanax Papyriferus (TP) on milk secretion and aquaporin (AQP) expression in lactating mice. Methods: For the experiment, the mice were divided into three groups, which were orally administered MH (2,720 mg/kg), TP (400 mg/kg) and AQ (2,800 mg/kg) extracts respectively for 3 weeks from Day 1 after the birth, compared with the control group (C group), which was administered distilled water. A group consisted of six infantile mice per postpartum mouse. For comparison with the C group, non-pregnant SKH-1 mice were used as the virgin group. Results: 1. When it comes to the immunohistochemical staining for prolactin receptors in the mammary glands, the AQ and MH groups showed a strong immune response to the secretory epithelial cells constituting the mammary alveoli, while the TP group represented a weaker immune response. 2. In the immunohistochemical staining for AQP in the mammary glands, AQP1 showed a strong immune response in the walls of capillaries and venules around the mammary alveoli, and AQP3 in the epithelial cells constituting the mammary alveoli, and AQP5 in some tissues between the mammary alveoli. AQP1 was expressed in the order of TP group>AQ group=C group>MH group, and AQP3 was MH group and AQ group>TP group=C group, and AQP5 was MH group>C group>AQ group and TP group. 3. In the Western blot, AQP1 was expressed in the order of TP group>AQ group>C group>MH group, and AQP3 was MH group>AQ group>C group>TP roup, and AQP5 was MH group>TP Group>C group>AQ group. All of AQP1, 3, 5 expression were significantly higher in the C group than in the Virgin group. Conclusions: The administration of Akebia Quinata Decaisne, Tetrapanax Papyriferus and Melandrii Herba have the effect of improving prolactin levels in postpartum mice and increasing the expression of prolactin receptor and AQPs in the mammary glands, suggesting that lactation might be enhanced by the development of the mammary glands.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.253-262
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• 2013

In this study, we analyzed the anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory activities of seven medicinal herbs. All extracts of the tested herbs, Euryale ferox Salisbury, Echinops setifer Iljin, Amomum cardamomum Linne, Tetrapanax papyriferus, Illicium verum Hook. f., Typha orientalis Presl, and Piper longum Linne, exhibited potent anti-oxidative activity as confirmed by DPPH radical scavenging capacity. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced nitric oxide (NO) production, in the RAW 264.7 cell line, was also ameliorated by all extracts' treatments in a dose dependent manner. NO suppressive activity originated from the inhibition of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) protein expression by the extracts. Three extracts, E. ferox S., I. verum Hook. f., and P. longum L., possessed suppressive activity against, not only iNOS, but also cycloxygenase 2 (COX-2) protein expression. These three extracts may then serve as potential candidates for non steroidal analgesic inflammation drugs (NSAIDs). Furthermore, all extracts induced anti-oxidative enzyme, heme oxygenase 1, protein expression. Taken together, these results provide an important new insight into the fact that various medicinal herbs possess potent anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory activities and might be utilized as promising agents in the field of health products. Further studies for the identification of the active compounds from medicinal herbs are clearly needed.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.82-90
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• 2016

Most Araliaceae plant species distributed in Korea are economically important because of their high medicinal values. This study was conducted to develop barcode markers from sequence analysis of chloroplast DNA in 14 taxa of Araliaceae species grown in South Korea. Sequencing of seven chloroplast DNA regions was performed to establish the DNA barcode markers, as suggested by the Consortium for the Barcode of Life (CBOL). From the sequence analysis of chloroplast DNA, we identified specific sequences and nucleotides that allowed us to discriminate among each other 14 Korean Araliaceae species. The sequence in the region of psbA-trnH revealed the most frequent DNA indels and substitutions of all 7 regions studied. This psbA-trnH marker alone can discriminate among all 14 species. There are no differences between Korean and Chinese Panax ginseng in all seven sequenced chloroplast DNA regions. A phylogenetic tree constructed using the seven chloroplast DNA regions revealed that Tetrapanax papyriferus should be classified as an independent clade. The Aralia and Panax genera showed a close phylogenetic relationship. Five species in the Eleutherococcus genus were more closely related to Kalopanax septemlobus than to any Panax species.