• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.111-122
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• 2015

Objectives: Schizandrae fructus (Schizandra chinensis) is one of very common herbs, it is known as natural antioxidants, anti-inflammatory agent. Also some reports show that its extract works to regulate of dyslipidemia. This study was designed to investigate the effects of Schizandrae fructus chloroform fraction (SFCF) on serum lipid levels in dyslipidemic mice. Methods: The levels of total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein-cholesterol, triglyceride, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), fasting blood glucose in serum were measured. Histopathological and gene expression changes in liver tissue were also observed. Results: Oral administration of SFCF lowered levels of total cholesterol and triglyceride, which were elevated by high-fat diet. But SFCF did not affect on weight changes and serum AST, ALT levels in dyslipidemic mice. After carrying out gene ontological analysis, large numbers of genes in high-fat diet group were up-(347) or down-regulated (235). In SFCF treated mice, some changed expression of the genes was restored to normal levels, with a recovery rate of 17%. And it seems that fatty acid biosynthesis pathway was one of important key pathways to recovery. Conclusions: SFCF has beneficial effect on dyslipidemia, and could be used to prevent and treat cardiovascular disease.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.15-21
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• 2010

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of Lycii fructus and Astragalus membranaceus mixed extracts on immunomodulators and prevention in a streptozotocin-induced diabetes rat model. A total of 28 male rats were divided into four dietary groups and fed a commercial diet (A), commercial diet plus induced diabetes by a streptozotocin (STZ) injection (B), induced diabetes by STZ plus medicinal crop extracts(I&$H^{(R)}$) diet (C), and medicinal crop extracts (I&$H^{(R)}$) diet (D). Immunoblotting analyses revealed cytokine expression, and ELISA analyses revealed immunoglobulin E and nitric oxide production. As a results, the tumor necrosis factor-$\alpha$ (TNF-$\alpha$) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) as a inflammatory cytokine were decreased. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and signal transducer and activation of transcription 3 (STAT3) cytokine related in diabetes expression through JAK/STAT3 pathway were also decreased. Furthermore, immunoglobulin E and nitric oxide production were decreased in the serum and lens, respectively. These results suggest that Lycii fructus and Astragalus membranaceus mixed extracts provide positive effects on immunomodulators and prevention in diabetes and eye disease complications.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.22-28
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• 2017

Sophora japonica has been used for treatment of liver and blood-related diseases in herbology. We evaluated whitening activities of Sophorae Flos and Fructus. Sophorae Flos and Fructus were extracted with methanol (MeOH) and divided into petroleum ether, ethyl acetate(EtOAC) and water fraction. For whitening effect by western blot in B16 F10 cells, we analyzed it by investigating the effect of tyrosinase, TRP-l (tyrosinase-related protein 1), TRP-2 (tyrosinase-related protein 2) and MITF (microphthalmia-associated transcription factor) protein expression. The protein expressions of tyrosinase, TRP-1, TRP-2 and MITF in B16 F10 cells treated with Sophorae Flos and Fructus extract were reduced in a dose-dependant manner. Therefore, these results suggest that Sophorae Flos and Fructus have useful plant resource to be developed as functional cosmetic.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.220-228
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• 1998

The effects of herbal medicine on travecular bone area were studied using ovariectomized rat as an animal model of Type I osteoporosis and SAM P6 as that of Type II. We counted red blood cells(RBC), hemoglobin(Hb), and hematocrit(Hct) using Couter`sR method. Each traditional boiling water extract of Achyrathis Radix, Psoraleae Fructus, Rehmanniae Radix Preparat, and Cornii Fructus and a systemic water extract of Astragali Ractiex was given 5g/kg/day, p.o., for 30 days in a group of 4-5 ovariectormized rats. One ml of blood was taken by tail vein at day 0, 7, 14, 21, and 30 days after administration of the extract. The traditional hot water extract of Cervi parvumn Corni (Cervi) was given the same dose as described above for 14 days in a group of 10 SAM P6 mice and systemic water extract of Astragali Radix was administered as the same dose as above for 30 days in 10 SAM P6 mice. Travecular bone area was measured 5 mcm decalcified and stained thin bone slice by image analysis using a digitalizer. In Type I, ovariectomized rats, administration of Astragali Radix, Rhemanniae Radix Preparat, and Corni Fructus decreased in RBC, Hb and Hct. In Type II, administration of Cervi increased in RBC and Hct and that of Astragali Radix was also elevated RBC. In Type I, any administration of herbal medicine used in this study did not elevate travecular bone area significantly except Corni Fructus showed a trend of increase in travecular bone area. However, Type II, Cervi and Astragali Radix increased in both mean and total travecular bone area. Thus, there are significant difference in response of herbal medicine in different types of osteoporosis.

• Journal of Haehwa Medicine
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.31-40
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• 2002

According to the literatural study on the utility of TaeWonEum, the results were as follows 1. TaeWonEum is the prescription originally registered on Zang jie Bin's ${\ll}$Jing-Yue-Quan-Shu${\gg}$ and because of the dificiency of the renmai, the chongmai in women, it is made for the discomfort of the pregnancy 2. On the treatment of miccarriage, they were used to the methods of tonificating qi and blood, tonificating insufficiency, making flesh, eliminating wind, tonificating the spleen, clearing heat, eliminating stagnant blood, tonificating blood, growing zhang qi, etc but it is almostly used to the method of tonificating qi and blood 3. TaeWonEum is used on the purposes of tonificating the spleen and stomach, qi and blood, on the case of both the discomfort of the pregnancy by the dificiency of the renmai, the chongmai in women, and the insufficiency of fetal growth by the difficiency of the spleen and stomach, qi and blood 4. The symptoms can be used which are the fetal problem of incipient pregnancy, quickening, lumbago, distension, pallor, weakness of the mind, dizziness, cold, anorexia 5. The additional methods of TaeWonEum are as follows when much turbid enuresis is concerned, Disscoreae Rhizoma, Psoraleae Fructus, Schizandrae Fructus can be added when a patient is very difficient of qi, Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma is doubled and Astragali Radix can be added when a patient is often vomiting with asthenia-cold, Typhae Pollen can be added when a patient has fever and weak, Scutellariae Radix or Rehmanniae Radix can be added and E ucommiae Cortex can be subtracted when a patient has the colicky pain because of the difficiency of yin, Lycii Fructus can be added when a patient is at a great rage and qi is ascenting, Cyperi Rhizoma or Amomi Fructus can be added when a patient has hemorrage with trauma, Dipsaci Radix, Asini Gelatinum can be added when a patient's vomiting can not be reduced, Pinelliae Rhizoma, Zingiberis Rhizoma Recens can be added

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.59 no.6
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• pp.259-265
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• 2015

In recent, there are increasing reports about pharmacological activities of Crataegi Fructus which has been used for many centuries as medicinal and food sources in East Asia. However, its antifungal efficacy needs to be investigated. Thus, in the current study, we determined synergistic antifungal activity of the Crataegi Fructus extract (CFE) when combined with fluconazole (FLC) against disseminated candidiasis due to Candida albicans. This fungus is one of the most problematic fungal pathogens. Data resulting from a microdilution susceptibility test showed that CFE had a dose-dependent antifungal activity. When the extract was combined with FLC, the activity was synergistic. For example, the antifungal activity by the combination of CFE at $20{\mu}g/ml$ plus FLC at $0.1{\mu}g/ml$ was 4 times more effective than antifungal activity by FLC alone at the same concentration (P<0.05). In the murine model of disseminated candidiasis, the combination therapy potentiated resistance of mice, resulting in 80% of C. albicans-infected animals surviving the entire period of 40 days observation, whereas mice given CFE alone or FLC alone all died with 17 and 23 days, respectively, although they survived longer than the untreated control animals (P<0.05). The CFE's antifungal activity seemed to be related to the blockage of hyphal production of C. albicans yeast cells. In summary, CFE has a synergistic antifungal activity, which can be produced by combining CFE with FLC. Thus, our data strongly indicate that CFE may be a potential candidate as an antifungal agent for combination therapy.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.591-598
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• 1996

The water extracts of ten crude drugs were tested for the spasmolytic and anti-peptic ulcer activities on rat ileum smooth muscle contraction and aspirin-induced acute hemorrhag ic erosive gastritis respectively. The water extract of Aurantii immaturi pericarpium(AIP)($IC_{50}=1.5{\times}1O^{-2}$g/l), Aurantii nobilis pericarpium(ANP)($IC_{50}=2.5{\times}1O^{-2}$g/l), Cyperi rhizoma(CR)($IC_{50}=3.3{\times}1O^{-2}$g/l). Linderae radix(LR) ($IC_{50}=6.8{\times}1O^{-2}$), Aurantii fructus immaturus(AFI)($IC_{50}=11.8{\times}1O^{-2}$), Saussureae radix(SR)($IC_{50}=13.2{\times}1O^{-2}$g/l) and Ponciri fructus(PF)($IC_{50}=23.3{\times}1O^{-2}$g/l) showed inhibitory activity on the isometric contraction of rat ileum smooth muscle induced by electrical stimulation in a concentration-dependent manner, whereas the water extracts of Arecae pericarpium(AP), Agastachis herba(AH) and Magnoliae cortex(MC) potentiated the isometric contraction. In the aspirin-induced acute gastritis, the water extracts of MC, AP and CR reduced significantly the gastric juice secretion, gastric juice acidity and pepsin activity. They also showed protective activity of gastric mucosal layer from erosion and petichial hemorrhage in gross and histological examination.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.93-102
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• 2008

Objectives : Forsythiae Fructus (Forsythia koreana Nakai) has been used anti-inflammatory, diuretics, antidote, and antibacterials in traditional herbal medicine. The present study is focused on the inhibitory effect of Forsythiae Fructus ethanol extract (FF-E) on the production of inflammatory mediators such as NO, iNOS and proinflammatory cytokines ($TNF-{\alpha}$, $IL-1{\beta}$ and IL-6) in LPS-stimulated BV-2 cells, a mouse microglial cell line, and investigated the scavenging activity of FF-E. Methods : BV-2 cells were pre-incubated with FF-E for 30 min and then stimulated with LPS (1 ${\mu}g/m{\ell}$) at indicated times. Cell toxicity of GCF was determined by MTT assay. The levels of NO, PGE2 and cytokines were measured by Griess assay and ELISA. The mRNA and protein expressions of iNOS and cytokines were determined by RT-PCR and Western blotting. Free radical scavenging activity of GCF was determined by DPPH assay in tube test. Results : FF-E significantly inhibited the excessive production of NO, $PGE_2$, $TNF-{\alpha}$, and $IL-1{\beta}$ in LPS-stimulated BV-2 cells. In addition, FF-E attenuated the mRNA and protein expressions of iNOS, and proinflammatory cytokines. FF-E also significantly scavenged the DPPH free radicals in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusions : These results indicate that FF-E exhibits anti-inflammatory property by suppressing the transcription of inflammatory mediator genes, suggesting the anti-inflammatory property of FF-E may make it useful as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of human neurodegenerative diseases.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.789-794
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• 2005

New Korean traditional wine was developed using Gugija (Lycii fructus) and medicinal plants. Gugija wines were brewed by serial addition of Gugija root and medicinal plants into rice mash containing 1% Gugija fruit, and its physioco-chemical properties, physiological functionality, and overall acceptability were investigated. Traditional Gugija wine prepared by serial addition of 0,1% each Gugija roots and Doochung, and 1.0% each Gamcho and dandelion into the rice mash containing 1% Gugija fruit showed highest acceptability and ethanol content (16,0%). Traditional Gugija wine prepared by adding 0.1% Gugija leaf into the Gugija wine showed highest acceptability and high antihypertensive angiotensin I-converting enzyme inhibitory activity (66.1%).

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.217-242
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• 2010

Objective : This study is aimed to evaluate the effects of Evodiae Fructus herbal-acupuncture (EF-HA) at KI10 on osteoporosis induced by ovariectomy in mice. Method : Mice underwent bilateral ovariectomy. After recovering, the ovariectomized (OVX) mice were treated by needle prick, saline injection, herbal acupuncture with Evodiae Fructus (EF-HA) at KI10 for 8 weeks. Result : 1. EF-HA at KI10 significantly inhibited the overgrowth of tibia in ovariectomized mice. 2. NP at KI10 significantly restored the tibial BMD (bone mineral density) in ovariectomized mice. 3. EF-HA at KI10 significantly restored the phosphorus and creatinine levels in ovariectomized mice serum. 4. EF-HA at KI10 significantly restored the tibial Ca and P levels in ovariectomized mice. 5. EF-HA at KI10 significantly reduced the tibial osteoclast-like cells in ovariectomized mice. 6. EF-HA at KI10 significantly inhibited the overgrowth of tibial GPL (growth plate length) in ovariectomized mice. Conclusion : EF-HA at KI10 has protective and therapeutic effect for osteoporosis in ovariectomized mice. Thus, it is suggested that EF-HA can be an useful therapeutics in clinical field after further researches.