• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.21 no.2 s.53
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• pp.103-113
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• 2006

This study examined effects of crude oil on the phase II drug-metabolizing enzymes UDP-glucuronosyl transferase (UDPGT) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) in mussel Mytilus edulis and rockfish Sebastes schlegeli, a representative bivalve and a culture fish, respectively. This work also intended indirectly to evaluate the post impact recovery from the massive oil tanker spillage accidents occurred during the summer of 1995 in the sea area off Yosu City, Chonnam. For these, enzyme activities of UDPGT and GST were examined in the fish and mussel following laboratory exposure to fresh crude oil, weathered oil, field-obtained oil residues, or in the field biota samples. Decreased GST activity was observed in rock fish following exposure to oil-soluble fraction (OSF) of fresh oil. A similar diminished GST activity was also observed after OSF of artificially weathered oil. OSF of field oil residues retrieved from the spillage area approximately 1 year later also exerted a slight inhibition of GST to rockfish. There was neither a change in UDPGT in rockfish, nor were there changes in mussel in both enzymes to any oil fractions. We could not observe any difference in the two enzymes either in rockfish or mussel sampled from the field during $1.5{\sim}2.0$ years post spillage, indicating that their enzyme systems might had been recovered by the sampling time. In conclusion, it seems that the inhibition of GST activity in rockfish is a biomarker response to crude oil exposure. The results, however, must be interpreted with care, as the inhibition nay reflect various factors such as oil concentration, duration and water temperature.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.171-177
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• 1990

Using an ethopharmacological technique, we demonstrated that saponin fraction from red ginseng root possessed a potent psychotropic actions on either intermale or maternal aggression models. A series of experiments clearly indicated that one of psychoactive ingredient is ginsenoside Rbl. Although a drug-induced debilitation of motor performance remains a possible cause of the antiaggressive affect of the drug. ginsenoside Rbl did not alter the locomotor activity of the mice during agonistic confrontations. Thus. one can eliminate the possibility that the psychotropic effect of ginsenoside Rbl might be concealed by a drug-induced impairment of motor performance. More recently, we developed a nevi model for copulatory disorder and introduced into the behavioral analysis of drug action. Male mice which has been housed individually from weaning for 5 weeks failed to manifest copulatory behavior when they encountered with the sexually receptive females. Daily administration of crude ginseng saponin during isolation housing period prevented the development of copulatory disorder, whereas both ginsenoside Rbl and Rgl were ineffective. A further experiment may be needed to explore active ingredient of ginseng saponins.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.9
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• pp.4597-4606
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• 2012

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is an uncommon adenocarcinoma which arises from the epithelial cells of the bile ducts. The aim of the study was to investigate the cytotoxicity, toxicity, and anticancer activity of a crude ethanolic extract of ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) against CCA. Cytotoxic activity against a CCA cell line (CL-6) was assessed by calcein-AM and Hoechst 33342 assays and anti-oxidant activity was evaluated using the DPPH assay. Investigation of apoptotic activity was performed by DNA fragmentation assay and induction of genes that may be involved in the resistance of CCA to anticancer drugs (MDR1, MRP1, MRP2, and MRP3) was examined by real-time PCR. To investigate anti-CCA activity in vivo, a total of 80 OV and nitrosamine (OV/DMN)-induced CCA hamsters were fed with the ginger extract at doses of 1000, 3000, and 5000 mg/kg body weight daily or every alternate day for 30 days. Control groups consisting of 10 hamsters for each group were fed with 5-fluorouracil (positive control) or distilled water (untreated control). Median $IC_{50}$ (concentration that inhibits cell growth by 50%) values for cytotoxicity and anti-oxidant activities of the crude ethanolic extract of ginger were 10.95, 53.15, and $27.86{\mu}g/ml$, respectively. More than ten DNA fragments were visualized and up to 7-9 fold up-regulation of MDR1 and MRP3 genes was observed following exposure to the ethanolic extract of ginger. Acute and subacute toxicity tests indicated absence of any significant toxicity at the maximum dose of 5,000 mg/kg body weight given by intragastric gavage. The survival time and survival rate of the CCA-bearing hamsters were significantly prolonged compared to the control group (median of 54 vs 17 weeks). Results from these in vitro and in vivo studies thus indicate promising anticancer activity of the crude ethanolic extract of ginger against CCA with the absence of any significant toxicity. Moreover, MDR1 and MRP3 may be involved in conferring resistance of CCA to the ginger extract.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.293-304
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• 1994

In order to estimate accurate originality of the important crude drugs, Gastrodia, Dendrobium, Bletilla and Cremastra spp. were investigated comparing their morphological, anatomical and physicochemical characteristics and antibacterial, antifungal activities. The results of the studies as follows: 1. In morphological and anatomical studies, Korean Gastrodia contained more mucilage duct and symbiotic fungi than imported Gastrodia. Korean Dendrobium contained starch grains but without starch grains in the imported Dendrobium from China enclosed with thicken silicified wall. The corm of Cremasta appendiculata contained raphides of bundles with mucilage while the bulbs of Tulipa edulis contained several various starch grains form. 2. In physiological and TLC analysis, crude drugs in Orchidaceae contained common constituents with fluorescence and much mucilage. 3. The EtOH extracts of Gastrodia, Dendrobium, Bletilla, Cremastra showed antibacterial activities against B. subtilis and E. coli (Dendrobium>Gastrodia>Bletilla>Cremastra). But, no antifungal activities against C. albicans, A. niger were observed.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.54-58
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• 1999

A method using coloric and spectrophotometric detection have been developed for the identification of the tertiary or quaternary alkaloids contained in Corydalis tuber and its preparations. The principle is based on the formation or decomposition of complex compounds. The complex compound of the tertiary and quaternary alkaloids have been formed by adding tetrathiocyanatocobaltate [II] ion to the test soln. Diverse crude drugs were screened using this method and the results indicated that isoquinoline, aconitine-type alkaloids in crude drugs can be readily detected. The method is simple, convenient, reproducible and applicable to the verification of the crude drug Corydalis tuber and its preparations.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.34 no.3 s.134
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• pp.197-200
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• 2003

'Chong Myung So(聰明素)' is Chinese patent medicine, which is used for nervous prostration and neuritis in Korea. This preparation consists of 18 kinds of powdered crude drugs. For the identification of individual ingredients in such powdery mixtures, microscopic method may advantageously be used as it requires only a small amount of specimens. In this study, it is demonstrated that the microscopic method is very effective for the identification of 18 crude ingredients including in 'Chong Myung So'.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.912-917
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• 2005

Physicochemical components of dried green algae, Seaweed fulvescens (Capsosiphon fulvescens) with $96.02{\pm}0.02%$ moisture content, were investigated. Crude protein, crude lipid, ash and carbohydrate content of C. fulvescens were $31.76{\pm}0.26,\;1.01{\pm}0.21,\;13.58{\pm}0.62\;and\;53.65{\pm}0.73$, respectively. Predominant minerals were Na, Mg, Ca, K and P. Fe $(122.83{\pm}11.19mg/%)\;and\;Se\;(0.90{\pm}0.07mg%)$ contents in were higher than those of other seaweeds. Major free sugars were identified as fructose, glucose, sucrose, maltose and galactose. Organic acid including L-malic acid, citric acid, tartaric acid and d-malic acid were detected. Most abundant amino acids were glutamic acid, aspartic acid and alanine. Main fatty acids were palmitic acid, linolenic acid and stearidonic acid, with 58.37% polyenes.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2000.10a
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• pp.255.2-255.2
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• 2000

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.48-53
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• 2010

GCSB-5 preparation is a purified extract from a mixture of 6 medicinal plants(Acanthopanacis Cortex, Achyranthis Radix, Saposhnikoviae Radix, Cibotii Rhizoma, Glycine Semen Nigra, Eucommiae Cortex) that have been widely used for the treatment of various bone disorders. The aim of this study was to investigate HPLC analysis method and screening of standard compound on Cibotii Rhizoma for quality standardization of a medicinal crude drug GCSB-5. Onitin-4-O-$\beta$-D-glucopyranoside was isolated from Cibotii Rhizoma as the standard compound and identified on the basis of spectroscopic data such as NMR. HPLC analysis method for the determination of onitin-4-O-$\beta$-D-glucopyranoside was established for the quality control of the medicinal plants of Cibotii Rhizoma species, GCSB-5 raw material and GCSB-5 preparation. And validation of HPLC analysis methods were conformed for verification of HPLC methods by check to specificity, linearity, intra-day precision, inter-day precision and accuracy following ICH guideline.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.319-323
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• 2006

The crude ethanolic extract of the leaves of Clerodendrum viscosum (Family: Verbenaceae) was evaluated for its antioxidant and analgesic activities to investigate the scientific basis of the traditional uses. The antioxidant property of the extract was assessed by 1, 1-diphenyl -2- picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging assay. The extract showed prominent antioxidant activity ($IC_{50}about{\sim}16{\mu}g/ml$) which was comparable to standard drug ascorbic acid ($IC_{50}about{\sim}15{\mu}g/ml$).The extract produced significant (P<0.001) writhing inhibition in acetic acid induced writhing in mice at the dose of 125 mg, 250 mg and 500 mg/kg body weight respectively, which were comparable to the standard drug diclofenac sodium. The results tend to suggest that the crude leaves extract at the above doses have antioxidant and analgesic activities and indicate that it might possess biologically active constituents having free radical scavenging and analgesic activities respectably.