• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.202-206
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• 2007

Petasites japonicus (Compositae) is a perennial herb which has been used as treatment of antitussive, expectorant, sedatives, paralysis, diurectics in folk remedies. The pharmacological studies of this natural drug have not yet estabilished. So, we examined anti-lipid peroxidative effects and liver protective effect on $CCl_4$ induced lipid peroxidation and hepatotoxicity in rats. In vivo liver lipid, MeOH Ex. revealed significant increase of anti-lipid peroxidative effects according to concentration dependently. In chemical parameters obtained from serum analysis, MeOH Ex. as a increase of medicine concentration (0.25 g/kg, 0.5 g/kg, 1.0 g/kg), GOT, GPT, AlP decreased. In 0.5 g/kg GPT administered group, there was relative in GOT, AlP. Cholesterol decreased in 1.0 g/kg and 1.0 g/kg administered group, BUN decreased relatively in 1.0 g/kg administered group.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.968-972
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• 1998

Allium tuberosum Rotter(Liliaceae) is a perennial herb of which leaves are used for food. Leek has been reported to have pharmacological effects including alleviations of abdominal pain, diarrhea, hematemesis, snakebite, and asthma. To investigate the effect of dietary leek supplementation on the drug-metaboizing enzymes, quinone reductase(QR) and arylhydrocarbon hydroxylase(AHH) activities in the liver, stomach, small intestine and lung, and on the plasma testosterone and dihydrosterone hormone levels, mice were fed 2% and 5% leek diets for 8 weeks. Quinone reductase, an anticarcinogenic enzyme, was significantly induced in stomach, small intestine, and lung but slightly lowered in hepatic tissue in the experimental groups compared to control group. Arylhydrocarbon hydroxylase activity, involved in bioactivation of procarcinogens, was significantly decreased in liver and lung. Leek feeding led to the reduction in the plasma level of dihydrotestosterone which is associated with the incidence of prostate cancer. These findings support the potential chemopreventive activity of leek supplementation.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.438-453
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• 2007

Oriental Medicine Shopping District in Kyungdong Market developed through moving the Jongro which has been the center of oriental medicine since Joseon dynasty period. This shopping district grows up as a wholesale center based on convenient traffics. In 1994, herb clinics are major industry. But in 2007 the number of herb clinics has been reduced, while drug stores have increased. And doctors' age becomes older. Oriental Medicine Shopping District in Kyungdong Market occupies the center-stage of medicinal stuff's distribution and approximately 70% of the stuff come from other parts of the country. The district seems to be developing and modernizing comparing to the past. But it is not true. In this paper, I explain this phenomenon as "inertia about place". Oriental Medicine Shopping District in Kyungdong Market is suffering, but it tries to raise itself as the biggest oriental medicine market and new tourist site for they are designated as Hanbang Special District.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.202-210
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• 1997

Protective effect of DA-9601, an extract of Artemisia Herb, against ethanol-induced gastric mucosal injury was evaluated in rats. In the prophylactic study, DA-9601 exhibited total protection (99.4%) against absolute ethanol-induced gastropathy, And the protective effect of DA-9601 lasted up to 2 hours, which was longer than those of other contemporary mucoprotectants. In the treatment study, DA-9601 significantly facilitated the healing of 70% ethanol-induced mucosal damage, which was superior to cetraxate, a commonly used anti-ulcer drug. The mechanisms of mucoprotection of DA-9601 were also assessed. DA-9601 increased the release of prostaglandin E$_2$ from murine neutrophils in a dose-dependent manner in vitro. The cytoprotective effect of DA-9601 against ethanol-induced mucosal damage was significantly diminished by the concommitant injection of N$\omega$-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 5 mg/kg, i.v.), a non-specific nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor, while it was not affected by preinjection of indomethacin (5 mg/kg, s.c.), a prostaglandins-depletor. And it was found that DA-9601 significantly enhanced adaptive cytoprotective action of 10% ethanol against absolute ethanol (56.9$\pm$6.5 vs 23.0$\pm$3.3 mm$^2$, p<0.05, mean$\pm$SEM), though its exact underlying mechanism remains to be clarified. The present fin[lings demonstrate that DA-9601 exerts gastroprotecticv actions for the stomach against ethanol through several different underlying mechanisms, in which prostanglandins and NO are involved. In conclusion, the results obtained suggest that DA-9601 can be useful both in prevention and treatment of ethanol-induced gastric damage.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.106-110
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• 2003

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) has long been considered an important cause of severe lower respiratory tract infection in infants and young children throughout the world. Unfortunately, no effective treatment of RSV exists. Therefore, New agents are needed to reduce the impact of RSV. We have studied the anti-viral effect of traditional Chinese midicinal herbs for over ten years and find Herba Patrinea (a Chinese medicinal herb) has the anti-RSV effect in vitro. In this study, the Herba Patrinea was extracted with hot water, condensed and sterilized. The cytotoxicity of the aqueous extract was tested by adding the diluted extract directly to HeLa cells and its effect on anti-RSV was estimated by the CPEI assay. As a result, the median cytotoxic concentration $(CC_{50})$ of Herba Patrinea was 32 mg/ ml by morphological observation, the median effective concentration (50% effective concentration, $EC_{50}$) of the Herba Patrinea against replication of the Long strain of RSV in HeLa cells were 1.25 mg/ml. The selectivity index $(SI=CC_{50}/EC{50})$ is 25.6. Moreover, Herba Patrinea gave a dose-dependent response in inhibiting RSV. In time of addition experiment, Herba Patrinea inhibited replication of RSV in HeLa cells when it was added at 0h, 2h, and 4h after virus infection. In summary, the results of this study suggest Herba Patrinea may be a novel anti-RSV drug and it is worthy of further studying.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.657-661
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• 2014

Gilbert's syndrome is one that shows a benign course with intermittent unconjugate hyperbilirubinemia without any evidence of hepatobiliary tract disease or hemolysis. It is often found in a health examination or blood laboratory test by chance. In particular, patients who are taking drugs, including herbal medicine should be careful for their medication due to the possibility of associations with changes in liver function because of drug metabolism, sometimes they have to quit the use of the medication for a certain period and often they should get an additional test. Two male patients increased serum total bilirubin level without other systemic symptoms in screening test for clinical herb medicine pharmacokinetics study. Therefor they was diagnosed with suspected Gilbert's syndrome. They had been calory deprivation test with 24 hours fasting state. They also performed liver function test and ultrasonogram for evaluation of hepatobiliary tract disease. Total serum bilirubin was markedly increased, especially unconjugate bilirubin level higher over the two times than base line after they had been calory deprivation for 24 hours, They was not found another abnormality all laboratory results and physical examination. This study is a report on two cases of hyperbilirubinemia, diagnosed as Gilbert's syndrome, which were found in the process of a clinical pharmacokinetic study of a decoction of medicinal herbs.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.596-604
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• 2007

For countless time, many have been made in our oriental medicine. To understand such prescription and to use, we must study the monarch(jun), minister(chen), adjuvant(zou) and guide(shi) theory that is most of the prescription structure principle's the basis. The monarch is the center of the prescription. Two kind is greatly in the method to select the monarch, in the prescription. One method is that a medicinal herb of the high class of medical herb of the Sinnong's Classic becomes the monarch, and the other method is a medicinal herbs which there is most many qunantity in the prescription becomes the monarch. Additionally, a medicinal herbs name of a prescription name can become the monarch. The minister assist the monarch and this is a criteria of the prescription grouping with the monarch. The minister has close relation with the monarch. The adjuvant helps the monarch and the minister nature of drug or restains. So this makes the prescription effectiveness act accurately. The guide does the activity to help the harmony of the prescription and the activity to help the prescription to act in correct place. If we understand the monarch, minister, adjuvant and guide theory well, we have some advantage. The interpreting of the prescription comes to De easy. and, an application range of the prescription is enhanced. the increase and decrease of the medicinal herbs comes to be easy in the prescription. Finally that theory will be used for the principle to make new prescription.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.7-13
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• 2012

Objectives : Reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been associated with pathogenic processes including carcinogenesis through direct effect on DNA directly and by acting as a tumor promoter. Therefore, it has been regarded that ROS may be a major target for cancer prevention. The root of Paeonia lactiflora pall (PL), a traditional Chinese herb, has been a component of effective prescriptions for treatment of liver disease. Also, there are some reports about the antioxidant activities of the extracts from PL. However, little has been known about the effects of PL against oxidative damage. This work aimed to elucidate the anti-oxidant effects of Paeonia lactiflora pall (PL) in the non-cellular system and cellular system. Methods : Antioxidant activities of PL were evaluated by hydroxyl radical scavenging assay and $Fe^{2+}$ chelating assay. Anti-oxidative effect of PL was evaluated by ${\varphi}X$-174 RF I plasmid DNA cleavage assay in non-cellular system. In addition, DNA migration assay, expression level of phospho-H2AX, MTT assay and lipid peroxidation assay were performed for evaluate the anti-oxidative effect of PL in cellular system. Results : PL had a dose-dependent hydroxyl radical scavenging and $Fe^{2+}$ chelating capacity. In addition, PL inhibited oxidative DNA and cell damage induced by hydroxyl radical in non-cellular system and cellular system. Conclusion : Taken together, P. lactiflora pall may be possible for the application to a potential drug for treating the oxidative diseases such as cancer.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.27-32
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• 2010

This study was conducted to monitor aflatoxins in various medicinal herbs, providing available data for the safety of those products. To monitor aflatoxins in medicinal herbs, a total of 400 samples of 40 different herbs were collected in commercial retailers in Seoul, Daejeon, Gwangju, Daegu, and Busan from March to August, 2008. The samples that passed the sensory evaluation were tested for aflatoxins. Aflatoxins in samples were analyzed by HPLC-florescence coupled with photochemical enhancement. Samples were extracted with 70% methanol and then diluted to the appropriate concentration. A refining process was performed using an immunoaffinity column. The analytical method used in this study was validated. The $R^2$ value for aflatoxin $B_1$ was 0.99946, and the detection range was from 0.25 to 10.0 ng/mL. The accuracy of the analysis was ranged from 83.2% to 101.8%. The relative standard deviation (RSD) in the aflatoxin $B_1$ analysis was 3.4%, demonstrating the precision of this method. In addition, the detection limit and quantitative analysis limit of aflatoxin $B_1$ was $0.53\;{\mu}g/kg$ and $1.76\;{\mu}g/kg$, respectively. These results indicated that the analytical method used in this study was appropriate. The results of HPLC showed that 1% (4 samples) of the samples may contain aflatoxins. The concentration of quantified aflatoxin was $2.3\;{\mu}g/kg$ for both Quisqualis fructus and Remotiflori radix samples. The other samples were below the limit of quantification. Moreover, the concentration of aflatoxin $B_1$ which is made by specific fungi were below the level of regulation. Only 20% of aflatoxin $B_1$ were transferred to hot water. Therefore, the levels of aflatoxins in medicinal herbs were considered to be safe especially considering the aflatoxin transfer ratio.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.253-260
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• 2008

Comparative study was performed on heavy metal contents among domestic herbal medicines and imported one. The heavy metal contents in 89 samples of 65 types of herbal medicines were measured by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) and mercury analyzer. The mean values of heavy metal contents (mg/kg) for herbal medicines were as follows: Hg, 0.010 (domestic: 0.010, imported: 0.010); Pb, 0.380 (domestic: 0.311, imported: 0.449); Cd, 0.080 (domestic: 0.101, imported: 0.059); As, 2.085 (domestic: 1.845, imported: 2.324); Mn, 31.564 (domestic: 33.844, imported: 29.283); Zn, 15.436 (domestic: 18.703, imported: 12.168); Cu, 3.406 (domestic: 3.374, imported: 3.437); Fe, 134.944 (domestic: 108.327, imported: 161.561). The measured values of Hg, Pb and Cd of domestic and imported herbal medicines showed lower levels than the recommended levels of those in herbal medicines by WHO/PHARM (Pb : not more than 5 mg/kg, Cd : not more than 0.3 mg/kg). This results will he used as a basic data for the future legislation on the regulation and control of heavy metal contents of herbal medicines.