• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.41 no.spc1
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• pp.123-144
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• 1996

This review deals briefly with the various medicinal components(mainly saikosaponins), their biological activities and the variation of their contents by different cultivation environment and plant parts in Bupleurum species. Bupleuri radix, a crude drug, is the root of Bupleurum falcatum L. (Korea, Japan), B. chinense(China), and their related species (Umbelliferae). There are over 120 species in Bupleurum genus throughout world, mainly Asian area, and over 5 species in Korea, investigated up to now. These plants contain many physiological active compounds and the principal components are saikosaponins. Major activities of this crude drug and saikosaponins are the anti-inflammatory and antihepatotoxic activities. Saikosaponins and their derivatives in Bupleurum spp. have been chemically studied, isolated and identified over 70 compounds in over 50 species. Other components, physiologically active ones, also have been investigated, which are the groups of lignan, flavonoid, essential oil, polyacetylene, polysaccharide, etc. Saikosaponins belong to the group of triterpenoid saponin chemotaxonomically and occur the accumulation and turnover in plant tissues through secondary metabolism, mevalonic acid pathway. The contents and kinds of saikosaponins and other components in Bupleurum spp. plants are various due to different species and growing environments, as the plant growth characters and yield are various. Most of medicinal plants as well as Bupleurum species are very useful as agricultural products and traditional medicines, and also are very valuable as genetic resources and natural products. So we need to collect, evaluate, preserve, and utilize various medicinal plants, and also to under-stand secondary metabolism and improve the breeding and cultivation techniques for the safe production of crude drugs with high quality and yielding.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.22-30
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• 1987

Evaluation method of crude drug preparations was studied in Saengmaek-san. Zig-zag TLC scanning profiles and high performance liquid chromatograms were obtained from Saengmaek-san and its each crude drug. A method using TLC densitometry and high performance liquid chromatography was established for the precise determination of ginsenoside $Rb_1$ in Saengmaek-san containing Ginseng Radix. Consequently, ginsenosicle $Rb_1$ content was 0.45-0.48 mg per g of Saengmaek-san. This method was found to be useful for the quality evaluation of oriental medicinal preparations.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.187-197
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• 2012

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to find a reasonable solution to a current status of drug classification between the drugs of western conventional (allopathic) medicine and Korean medicine. A clear and distinct concept on the drugs of allopathic medicine and Korean medicine based on reasonable concepts and broad consensus is a pressing issue in Korea, and will facilitate the development of herbal medicinal products and pharmaceutical industry. Methods : Considering the issue of drug classification from domestic and international regulations, we reviewed the current Drug Law of Korea and China, Guidance for Industry, Botanical Drug Products of USA, Directive 2004/24/EC of the European parliament and of the council. Results : In Korea, the drug classification of allopathic medicine and Korean medicine is quite vague even though differential licensure system is enforced for the clinicians of allopathic medicine and Korean medicine field. According to the definition in the Drug Law, the scope of Korean medicine drug is so broad that even a drug made of single-compound material, as well as herbal extract of crude mixture, is regarded as a drug of Korean medicine, as long as the material may be separated from medicinal herbs, animal tissues, or mineral resources. Only new compound not found in natural resources are outside of the scope of Korean medicine drug. In USA and EU, medicinal products manufactured from herbs are approved by separate regulations for the herbs with special waivers. In China, the category of new medicine and the definition of allopathic medicine and traditional chinese medicine are clearly specified and classified. Conclusions : As medicines are validated therapeutic materials for efficacy and toxicity, we suggest that generally the concept of conventional medicines is based on a single compound that has been synthesized and individually validated and that of Korean medicines is based on a compound extracted from natural materials or a complex of compounds that has been validated as a whole in its totality.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.18 no.9
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• pp.1312-1315
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• 2008

High throughput-drug screening plays a pivotal role for early stage of drug discovery process. In the course of assay development for screening of cell death-inducing agents, a protocol that is simple, time-saving, and high throughput-compatible was designed which was confirmed that the protocol can be worked by a HTS-compatible machine. In 96-well format, PC-3 cancer cells (1${\times}10^{4}$ cells/ml) were cultured for 24 hr. After 24 h-incubation with various medicinal plants extracts, the cells were then stained with DAPI for 30 min. The fluorescence intensity of the stained cells was measured semi-automatically with a multilabel counter. To test whether the present assay system effectively works, we screened about 850 medicinal plant extracts, and selected 1 positive crude extracts that contained cell death-inducing activity. These results suggest that the protocol is highly amenable to HTS implementation for a cell death-inducing agent(s).

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.247-253
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• 2006

The antitumor activity of crude saponin mixture obtained from Luffa tuberosa (Roxb.) (Fam; Cucurbitaceae) hairy roots (CSLT) in mice transplanted with Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) was investigated. The EAC-bearing mice receiving 150 and $300{\mu}g/kg$ body weight, (i.p) of CSLT have shown a dose dependent elevation in tumor-tree survival and a highest number of survivors were observed after administration of CSLT $(300{\mu}g/kg)$, which was considered as an optimum dose for its antineoplastic action. The mean survival time (MST) for this dose was approximately $47.1{\pm}0.74d$, when compared with $19.0{\pm}0.36d$ of untreated control. Administration of $300{\mu}g/kg$ CSLT resulted in 130% long-term increased survival time. The measurement of body weight, tumor volume, packed cell volume, viable and non-viable count indicated the efficacy of CSLT in tumor-bearing mice, there was a significant recovery in hematological profiles, and there was depletion in lipid peroxidation levels, and the antioxidant enzyme activities such as GSH, SOD and CAT were restored to near the normal levels. The CSLT was found to be devoid of conspicuous short-term toxicity in the mice when animals were intraperitoneally injected with 250, 500, 750 and $1000{\mu}g/kg$ bodyweight. The treated mice showed conspicuous toxic symptoms only at a dose of $1500{\mu}g/kg$. Mortality of the animals was monitored up to 14 d post drug treatment, $1/7^{th}$ of the $LD_{50}$ dose has been considered for the optimal antineoplastic activity.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.42-46
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• 1996

The medicinal formula, Kilkyungtang (KKT) and two modified Kilkyungtangs (KKT-1 and KKT-2), which were supplemented by the additional crude drug, Houttuyniae herba (KKT-1), and Oldenlandiae diffusae herba (KKT-2) to KKT, had been applied widely as decoctions for the treatment of malignant tumors. Cytotoxic activities against two tumor cell lines, A549 and $B16-F_0$ were investigated. However, none of them were found to exhibit significant cytotoxicity upon tested tumor cells below the concentration of $1000{\mu}g/ml$. However, cytotoxic activities of three reputed antitumor agents, i.e., mitomycin C (MMC), cisplatin (CPT) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) was significantly potentiated by the combined treatment of them with KKT, KKT-1 and KKT-2 respectively, especially against A549 (human non small cell lung adenocarcinoma), in vitro.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.37-41
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• 1996

The prescription, Kilkyungtang (KKT), which originally consists of twelve kinds of medicinal plant materials and was used as a decoction for the treatment of malignant tumors and two modified Kilkyungtangs (KKT-1 and KKT-2), supplemented by the additional crude drug to KKT (KKT-1:Houttuyniae herba, and KKT-2:Oldenlandiae diffusae herba) were investigated on their antitumoral properties, in vivo respectively. All KKTs were found to exhibit significant life time-prolonging effects when they were administered orally to Sarcoma-180 bearing ICR mice for 7 days. (ILS was estimated as 20% in KKT, 42% in KKT-1 and 57% in KKT-2). A profound lessening of tumor weights was also observed when KKTs were administered to $B16-F_0$ bearing C57B/6 mice.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.203-206
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• 2018

Objectives: There is an increasing number of complex diseases that are progressively more difficult to be controlled using the conventional "single compound, single target" approach as demonstrated in our current modern drug development. TCM might be the new cornerstone of treatment alternative when the current treatment option is no longer as effective or that we have exhausted it as an option. Orthogonal stimulus-response compatibility group study is one of the most frequently employed formulas to produce optimal herbal combination for treatment of multi-syndromic diseases. This approach could solve the relatively low efficacy single drug therapy usage and chronic adverse effects caused by long terms administration of drugs that has been reported in the field of pharmacology and medicine Methods: The present review was based on the Science Direct database search for those related to the TCM and the development of antihypertensive TCM herbal combination using orthogonal stimulus-response compatibility group studies approach. Results: Recent studies have demonstrated that the orthogonal stimulus-response compatibility group study approach was most frequently used to formulate TCM herbal combination based on the TCM principles upon the selection of herbs, and the resulting formulated TCM formula exhibited desired outcomes in treating one of global concerned complex multi-syndromic diseases, the hypertension. These promising therapeutic effects were claimed to have been attributed by the holistic signaling mechanism pathways employed by the crude combination of herbs. Conclusion: The present review could serve as a guide and prove the feasibility of TCM principles to be used for future pharmacological drug research development.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.227-232
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• 2011

The roots of Platycodon grandiflorum has been widely used as a crude drug or a food stuff. Unfortunately, the output and the quality is not regular and highly dependent on the cultivation area and cultivation method. Therefore, seedling cultivation study of this plant under structure with various fertilizer supply was performed. As a result, significant big difference between ammonia nitrogen and nitrate nitrogen content was shown in the root at seedling stage while the difference was not significant in the aerial parts. Fresh weight of the root (7.73 g plant$^{-1}$) was higher in the group treated with three major nutrients (N, P and K) than in those treated with three major nutrients and calcium or magnesium or both calcium and magnesium, and non-treated group (2.69 g plant$^{-1}$). Total nitrogen content was recognized to be significantly correlated with root weight, plant height, number of leaves and weight of aerial parts. Ammonium nitrogen content was more correlated the growth of P. grandiflorum than nitrate nitrogen. For phosphoric acid, significant correlation was also shown with the four growth factors.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.361-366
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• 2002

A. capillaris Thunberg is often used as a medicinal herb. This analysis on A. capillaris Thunberg, showing its natural ingredients and nutritive elements, is to provide a better understanding of its content and help find more various ways of use. The ingredients of A. capillaris Thunberg are as follows : 14.12% of crude protein, 4.80% of crude lipid, 2.30% of crude ash, 8.10% of crude fiber, and the rest of the ingredients are vitamins and minerals. Minerals are 3295.02 mg% of K, 2787.01 mg% of P, 1436.01 mg% of Ca, 172.32 mg% of Mg, 21.23 mg% of Fe, 18.02 mg% of Mn, 8.11 mg% of Na, 1.24 mg% of Cu, and 0.002 mg% of Sn, and vitamins are 18602.00 ug% of $\beta$-carotene and 5.82 mg% of ascorbic acid. Fatty acids in A. capillaris Thunberg are of 23.86% of oleic acids (C18:1), 46.67% of saturated fatty acids, 33.40% of monousaturated fatty acids, and 19.83% of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Oleic acid (C18:1) is the most abundant fatty acid in A. capillaris Thunberg. P/S is 0.24. A. capillaris Thunberg contains about 20 kinds of amino acid. The total amount of amino acids is 1345.29 mg%, which can be divided into 79.95% of amino acids and 13.11% of essential amino acids. This 79.95% of amino acids consist of proline, tyrosine, asparagines, glutamic acid, and valine with amount of 438.58mg%, 310.20mg%, 120.30mg%, 118.66mg%, and 88.02mg% respectively. The essential amino acid is 176.83mg%. It is shown that A. capillaris Thunberg contatins various nutrients such as minerals, vitamins, fatty acids, and amino acids, so A. capillaris Thunberg can be regarded as a highly nutritious food.