• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.377-384
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• 2019

Background: Inflammation is widespread in the clinical pathology and closely associated to the progress of many diseases. Triterpenoid saponins as a key group of active ingredients in Panax notoginseng (Burk.) F.H. Chen were demonstrated to show antiinflammatory effects. However, the chemical structures of saponins in the leaves and stems of Panax notoginseng (PNLS) are still not fully clear. Herein, the isolation, purification and further evaluation of the antiinflammatory activity of dammarane-type triterpenoid saponins from PNLS were conducted. Methods: Silica gel and reversed-phase C8 column chromatography were used. Furthermore, preparative HPLC was used as a final purification technique to obtain minor saponins with high purities. MS, NMR experiments, and chemical methods were used in the structural identifications. The antiinflammatory activities of the isolated saponins were assessed by measuring the nitric oxide production in RAW 264.7 cells stimulated by lipopolysaccharides. Real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was used to measure the gene expressions of inflammation-related gene. Results: Eight new minor dammarane-type triterpene oligoglycosides, namely notoginsenosides LK1-LK8 (1-8) were obtained from PNLS, along with seven known ones. Among the isolated saponins, gypenoside IX significantly suppressed the nitric oxide production and inflammatory cytokines including tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$, interleukin 10, interferon-inducible protein 10 and $interleukin-1{\beta}$. Conclusion: The eight saponins may enrich and expand the chemical library of saponins in Panax genus. Moreover, it is reported for the first time that gypenoside IX showed moderate antiinflammatory activity.

• Journal of Evidence-Based Herbal Medicine
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.35-43
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• 2008

Herbal medicines have an accurate effect on atopic dermatitis, and at the same time, they hardly have adverse reactions. However, herbal medicines are difficult to be quantitatively analyzed due to low-quality preparation and types. In addition, herbal medicines have raised many problems as they have not been standardized and their active components have not been analyzed. Patients with atopic dermatitis began to recognize the effectivity and safety of herbal medicines. Accordingly, standardization, biological analyses, animal experiments and clinical trials should be generally performed in order that herbal medicines may be recognized all over the world. A standard, which is to objectively judge the curative effect of atopic dermatitis, should be established as soon as possible. Case studies and RCTs (Randomized Controlled Trials) should be actively performed on the basis of rigid clinical trial design to the end that the curative effect of herbal medicines is recognized all the world over.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.707-713
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• 2002

Astragali radix (AR) is one of the oldest and mast frequently used crude drug for traditional medicine in many Asian countries. This study designed to investigate the hepatoprotective effects of the aqueous extracted AR (ARE) against acetaminophen (APAP)-induced hepatic damage in ICR mice. APAP at the dose of 450 mg/kg i.p produced liver damage in ICR mice. Serum enzyme activities of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and sorbitol dehydrogenese was dramatically decreased up to control level by pretreatment of ARE. However, hepatic glutathione level did not show a significant change between the tested groups. We also investigated TNF α mRNA gene expression on APAP-induced liver damage by RT-PCR. APAP dramatically induced TNF α mRNA gene expression in ICR mice. Pretreatment of mice with ARE led to a marked decrease of TNF α mRNA gene expression. These data indicate that 1) ARE has clearly revealed a hepatoprotective effect against APAP-induced hepatic damage in ICR mice, and 2) the protective effect of ARE may be, in part, associated with the regulation of TNF α mRNA gene expression.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.37 no.1 s.144
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• pp.48-52
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• 2006

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are largely involved in the pathogenesis of diabetic complications. As part of our ongoing project directed toward the discovery of preventive and/or delay agents for diabetic complications from natural sources, 92 Korean traditional herbal medicines have been investigated with an in vitro evaluation system using AGEs inhibitory activity. Of these, 17 herbal medicines exhibited a significant inhibitory activity against AGEs formation. Particularly, 9 herbal medicines, i.e., Cinnamomi Cortex, Artemisiae Argyi Herba, Ammoni Tsao-ko Fructus, Menthae Herba, Amomi Semen, Polygoni Avicularis Herba, Lycopi Herba, Salviae Radix, and Nelumbinis Semen showed more potent inhibitory activity (2-4 fold) than the positive control aminoguanidine.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.371-378
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• 2011

Aldose reductase (AR) has been implicated in the development of the diabetic complications. To discover novel treatments for diabetic complications from natural sources, 65 Korean herbal medicines have been investigated for inhibitory activities on AR. Of these, 23 herbal medicines exhibited a significant inhibitory activity compared with 3,3-tetramethyleneglutaric acid (TMG). Particularly, 8 herbal medicines, Acer tataricum (twig, stem and leaf), Acer tataricum (fruit), Rhododendron schlippenbachii (twig, stem and leaf), Weigela subsessilis (twig, stem and leaf), Acer mono (branch and leaf), Ailanthus altissima (twig, stem and leaf), Lindera obtusiloba (branch and leaf), Solidago serotina (whole plant) showed three times more potent inhibitory activity than the positive control, TMG.

• The Journal of Korean Medical History
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.99-112
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• 2020

In this study, we examine the changes to Korean medicine that occurred when 'proprietary medicines' (賣藥) swept through the pharmaceutical market during the Japanese occupation (1910-1945 C.E.). Proprietary medicine during the Japanese colonial period took various forms including ready-made, over-the-counter, patent, and nostrum type pharmaceuticals. This paper examines how Korean medicine, which was the dominant form of medicine during the Joseon Dynasty, was forced to adapt to the rise of proprietary medicines. We found that the prescription of Korean medicine herbal decoctions became more like proprietary medicine in the way that they were formulated. In addition, prescriptions in Korean medicine books were reformulated with prescriptions and medicines from outside the tradition. Proprietary medicines, many of which were made with secret recipes handed down in a family, also attracted attention. Such prescriptions were made famous through advertisements and further influenced future Korean medicine doctors. New prescriptions took advantage of the trust and authority existing in traditional Korean medicine by introducing ginseng and traditional medicinal herbs such as deer antler velvet (鹿茸, Cervi Parvum Cornu). This paper argues that proprietary medicine of the Japanese colonial period distorted the concept of traditional herbal medicine.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.46-53
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• 2011

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) have been postulated to play a central role in the development of diabetic complications. A variety of different agents that inhibit AGEs have been under investigation. In this study, 66 herbal medicines from China have been investigated with an in vitro evaluation system using AGEs formation inhibitory activity. Of these, 31 herbal medicines ($IC_{50}$ < $50\;{\mu}g/ml$) were found to have significant AGEs formation inhibitory activity. Particularly, 5 herbal medicines, Camptotheca acuminata (branches and leaves), Quercus franchetii (branches), Camellia pitardii (leaves, branches, and fruits), Antidesma bunius (whole plants), and Loranthus parasiticus (whole plants) showed more potent inhibitory activity (approximately 6-20 fold) than the positive control aminoguanidine ($IC_{50}=52.96\;{\mu}g/ml$).

• CELLMED
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.18.1-18.16
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• 2012

An oncology-specific database called OncoRx (http://bit.ly/cancerRx) was previously set up in cyberspace to aid clinicians in identifying interactions of anticancer drugs (ACDs) and chemotherapy regimens with traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) and complementary and alternative medicines (CAMs). Since then, users have requested the drug-CAM interactions (DCIs) of 5 specific CAMs (cranberry, melatonin, co-enzyme Q10, huachansu, reishi mushroom) to be updated in the database. Pharmacokinetic properties (metabolism, enzyme induction/inhibition, elimination), TCM properties and DCIs of each CAM were collated with 117 ACDs using 9 hardcopy compendia and online databases as resources. Additionally, individual ACDs and CAMs were used as keywords for PubMed searches in combination with the terms 'anticancer drugs', 'drug interactions', 'herb-drug/drug-herb interactions', 'pharmacokinetic interactions' and 'pharmacodynamic interactions'. DCI parameters consisted of interaction effects, evidence summaries, proposed management plans and alternative non-interacting CAMs, together with relevant citations and update dates of the DCIs. OncoRx is also used as a case to introduce the "Four Pharmaco-cybernetic Maxims" of quality, quantity, relationship and manner to developers of digital healthcare tools. Its role in Hayne's "5S" hierarchy of research evidence is also presented. OncoRx is meant to complement existing DCI resources for clinicians and alternative medicine practitioners as an additional drug information resource that provides evidence-based DCI information for ACD-CAM interactions.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.161-168
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• 2011

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) has been shown to play an important role in the development of the diabetic complications. The AGEs inhibitors or cross-link breakers attenuate various functional and structural manifestations of diabetic complications. In this study, 69 China herbal medicines have been investigated with an in vitro evaluation system using AGEs inhibitory activity. Of these, 28 herbal medicines $IC_{50}$=<50 ${\mu}g/ml$) were found to have stronger AGEs inhibitory activity compared with aminoguanidine ($IC_{50}$=59.77 ${\mu}g/ml$). Particularly, 5 herbal medicines, Camptotheca acuminata (stem, leaf), Eurya groffii (stem, leaf), Cornus Capitata (leaf), Mucuna birdwoodiana (root), Nelumbo nucifera (fruit, seed) showed more potent inhibitory activity (approximately 6-27 fold) than the positive control aminoguanidine.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2018

As a part of an infrastructure project on medicinal herb-based remedies, we conducted a phytohemical investigation of the 100% MeOH extract from the aerial part of Boehmeria quelpaertense; our findings resulted in the isolation of flavonoids (1-2), isoquercitrin (1) and hyperoside (2). The identification and structural elucidation of these compounds were based on $^1H$-, $^{13}C-NMR$, and LC ESI IT-TOF MS data. All the compounds isolated from this plant were reported for the first time. In this study, we examined the antioxidant activity of the 1 and 2 on the hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$)-induced oxidative stress in a Rat Cardiomyoblast cell line (H9c2). The pretreatment of the flavonoids showed that it protects against $H_2O_2$-mediated cell death in the H9c2 cell line. Also, it decreases the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels by the flavonoids in the $H_2O_2$-treated H9c2 cell line. These results showed that the 1 and 2 are a source of antioxidants. As a result, they might be helpful in preventing the progress of various oxidative stress mediated diseases, including myocardial infarction.