• Natural Product Sciences
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• 제6권4호
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• pp.165-169
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• 2000

In vitro cytotoxic activities of cisplatin combined with Chungpesagan-tang or puerarin, which were treated with or without human intestinal bacteria, were measured. When cisplatin was combined with Chungpesagan-tang and its ingredient treated without intestinal bacteria, they did not affect the in vitro cytotoxicity of cisplatin against tumor cell lines. However, when cisplatin was combined with intestinal bacteria-treated Chungpesagan-tang and its ingredients, the cytotoxicities against SNU C4, L1210, A549 and P388 tumor cell lines were synergistically increased. Puerarin, which was isolated from Puerariae Radix, did not show in vitro cytotoxicity. However, its metabolite, daidzein, showed potent cytotoxicity against tumor cell lines and was synergistic by the combined usage of cisplatin. These results suggest that natural glycosides are not only prodrugs which can be transformed to active compounds by intestinal microflora, but the combined usage of cisplatin with natural components, such as daidzein, and herbal medicinal polyprescriptions, such as Chungpesagan-tang, may be a new method for prevention and minimization of the toxicity of cisplatin.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• 제4권1호
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• pp.15-22
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• 1998

'Banafsha' is an important herbal drug of indigenous systems of medicine. Flowers of Viola odornta L. (Violaceae) are considered to constitute the genuine drug 'Banafsha'. However, due to limited distribution of this plant, another species of Viola, i.e. V. pilosa having almost similar medicinal properties, is mostly used under this vernacular instead. Ethnobotanically also different species of Viola i.e. V. odorata, V. pilosa and V. betonicifolia are used for various ailments at different places in our country. In the present study two species of Viola, namely V. pilosa and V. betonictfolia along with the commercial samples of 'Banafsha' were studied and authenticated. It was observed that the market samples procured from Dehradun, Mumbai, Lucknow, Palampur, Ramnagar and Ranikhet showed close resemblance with Viola pilosa in having similar morphological characters like uniseriate hairs on the ovary, geniculate and clavate style, truncate stigma and almost similar TLC profiles. On the other hand the Almora sample was identified as Viola betonicifolia by the presence of large purple flowers, clavate style and convex stigma forming hump like structure. However, the market sample procured from Pathankot was found to be a mixture of two species of Viola namely, V pilosa and V. odorata having dominance of the former species.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• 제22권4호
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• pp.252-258
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• 2016

Vitex trifolia L. has been used traditionally to treat various illnesses, such as inflammation, headache, migraine, and gastrointestinal infections. We analyzed and evaluated the composition of V. trifolia leaf oil. Based on the results, we isolated abietatriene from V. trifolia leaf oil and investigated the effect of V. trifolia leaf oil and its active compound abietatriene on melanogenesis in B16F10 melanoma cells. They significantly decreased melanin contents and melanogenic factors, such as tyrosinase, TRP-1, TRP-2, and MITF dose-dependently in both protein and mRNA levels. Protein and mRNA expressions were determined by Western blot analysis and quantitative real time RT-PCR. Findings indicate that V. trifolia leaf oil and abietatriene reduce melanogenesis by regulating the expression of melanogenic factors. These results suggest that V. trifolia leaf oil and abietatriene could comprise a useful therapeutic agent for treating hyperpigmentation and used as effective skin-whitening agents.

• 대한예방한의학회지
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• 제20권2호
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• pp.87-95
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• 2016

Objectives : Traditional medicine(TM) of East Asia has been taking its status as part of complementary and alternative medicine(CAM) in the UK. However, the efficacy and safety issues make it hard to be accepted in the healthcare system. The aim of the research is to find out the current status of TM of East Asia in the UK and to discuss some issues around its acceptance as formal healthcare method. Methods : Articles, books and regulations related to the acceptance of TM of East Asia were analysed and the internet websites were visited such as Westlaw UK for legal materials, government websites for formal documents, and some UK-based associations. Keyword searches were followed and the essential parts from the articles and documents were generalised for the analysis and discussion. Results : Issues over TM of East Asia include identity as medicine, efficacy and safety, and the statutory regulation can be a measure for the acceptance. Osteopathy and chiropractic therapies came under statutory regulation among the CAM in the UK. Conclusions : TM of East Asia could be under the statutory regulation in the near future. Efficacy and safety issues are the challenging barrier. However, the approach from the viewpoint of TM of East Asia is necessary for development and good practice. The simplified registration procedure for traditional herbal medicinal product in EU can be the model. Education, evaluation, assessment and managing quality of practice are essential for the standard care and formal regulation.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• 제18권4호
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• pp.244-249
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• 2012

Angelica acutiloba is one of the most intensively cultivated medicinal plants in Korea. The roots of this plant have been used as an important herbal drug, especially for the treatment of various female disorders, as the traditional therapy in Korea and other Asian countries. Consumption of its fresh leaves as a healthy vegetable has recently increased. In this study, essential oil fractions were extracted from the roots and leaves of this plant by steam distillation. Compositions of the two oils were compared by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The antibacterial activities of the essential oil were determined against three strains of Escherichia coli. DPPH radical scavenging and reducing power tests were performed to evaluateits antioxidant activities. The cytotoxic activities of the essential oil against a human breast and a uterine cancer cell line were estimated by MTT tests. Additionally, the morphological changes after treatment of the oil fraction were observed under a microscope. The essential oil fraction and its main components, Z-ligustilide and butylidene phthalide, inhibited the growth of three E. coli strains examined, with minimum inhibiting concentrations (MICs) ranging from 1.0 mg/ml to 8.0 mg/ml. Additionally, the essential oil fraction of A. acutiloba exhibited significant DPPH free radical scavenging activity and reducing power. Significant cytotoxic activities of the A. acutiloba essential oil were observed for human uterine (Hela) and breast (MCF-7) cancer cell lines.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• 제15권2호
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• pp.60-65
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• 2009

Berberis is an important medicinal plant, of the family Berberidaceae. Different Berberis species and their parts are very common in herbal drug markets of India and world over as an adulterant/substitute to 'Daruharidra' i.e. B. aristata DC. Antimicrobial activity of 50% hydroalcoholic extracts of stem of four Berberis species viz. B. aristata DC., B. asiatica Roxb. ex DC., B. chitria Lindl. and B. lycium Royle and the isolated alkaloid berberine were tested against eleven bacterial and eight fungal strains. The extracts with the strongest antibacterial activity was obtained from B. lycium followed by B. aristata, B. asiatica and B. chitria. Based on these results it is possible to conclude that the hydroalcoholic extract and alkaloid (berberine) has stronger and broader spectrum against bacterial strains as compared to fungal strains. The result obtained in the present study authenticates and support the use of these plants in folklore medicine for treatment of various infectious diseases caused by the bacterial pathogens. However, an attempt has been made to explore the possibilities of utilizing stem part rather than roots of these species with the aim to conserve this species which is over exploited due to diverse use of its root. These findings will stimulate the search for novel, natural products as new antibacterial/antifungal agents which may be useful to pharmaceutical industries.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• 제26권2호
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• pp.165-170
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• 2020

Carica papaya is a medicinal and fruit plant owing biological activities including antioxidant, antiviral, antibacterial and anticancer. The present study aims to investigate the acetyl (AChE) and butyryl (BChE) cholinesterase inhibitory potentials of C. papaya extracts as well as their chemical compositions. The chemical composition of the active extract was identified using a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Ellman enzyme inhibition assay showed that the alkaloid-enriched leaf extract of C. papaya possessed significant anti-BChE activity with an enzyme inhibition of 75.9%. GC-MS analysis showed that the alkaloid extract composed mainly the carpaine (64.9%) - a major papaya alkaloid, and some minor constituents such as aliphatic hydrocarbons, terpenes and phenolics. Molecular docking of carpaine revealed that this molecule formed hydrogen bond and hydrophobic interactions with choline binding site and acyl pocket. This study provides some preliminary findings on the potential use of C. papaya leaf as an herbal supplement for the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• 제23권1호
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• pp.9-15
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• 2017

DF formula is comprised of three traditional herbs, Ephedra intermedia, Rheum palmatum and Lithospermum erythrorhizon, and locally used for treating of the metabolic diseases, such as obesity and diabetes in Korea. We tried to optimize the extraction conditions of two major components, (-)-ephedrine and (+)-pseudoephedrine, in DF formula using response surface methodology with Box-Behnken design (BBD). The experimental conditions with 70% for EtOH concentrations, 4.8 hour for extraction hours and 8.7 times for the solvent to material ratio were suggested for the optimized extraction of DF formula with the highest amounts of (-)-ephedrine and (+)-pseudoephedrine in the designed model.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• 제63권1호
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• pp.23-28
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• 2020

In this study, the marker compound contents of both the taproot and lateral root of Danshen (Salvia miltiorrhiza Radix), which is cultivated in Korea, were investigated. The salvianolic acid B content was the highest in the taproot (5.17-6.75%) and lateral root (3.99-5.69%). The cryptotanshinone, tanshinone I, and tanshinone IIA contents were higher in the lateral root than in the taproot of Danshen (p <0.05). Principal component analysis results revealed that the taproot was correlated to the salvianic acid A, rosmarinic acid, salvianolic acid B, and salvianolic acid A contents, whereas the lateral root was correlated to the cryptotanshinone, tanshinone I, and tanshinone IIA contents. The total phenolic content and total flavonoid content of the taproot were higher than those of the lateral root (p <0.05); however, the antioxidant activities of the taproot and lateral root of Danshen were similar. The salvianolic acid B content was correlated to the TPC of the taproot (r=0.748) and the 2,2-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid radical scavenging activity of the lateral root (r=0.847). This study could provide useful information for the classification of Danshen as a herbal medicinal product.

• 대한의생명과학회지
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• 제16권2호
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• pp.91-95
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• 2010

Meso-dihydroguaiaretic acid (MDGA) is a medicinal herbal product isolated from the bark of Machilus thunbergii Sieb. et Zucc. (Lauraceae). It exhibits a neuroprotective effect and also exerts cytotoxicity to certain cancer cells. In the present study, we investigated whether or not MDGA inhibits inflammatory reaction through the inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) generation. The results showed that MDGA (5~$25 {\mu}M$) inhibited 100 ng/ml lipopolysaccharide (LPS)- induced NO generation in macrophage Raw 264.7 cells in a concentration-dependent manner. We also measured the cytotoxic effects of MDGA on Raw 264.7 cells and found no evidence of cytotoxicity. The inhibition of NO generation by MDGA was consistent with the inhibitory effect on the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). In addition, MDGA inhibited the LPS-induced gene expression of $interleukin-1{\beta}$ $(IL-1{\beta})$ as well as tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$ $(TNF-{\alpha})$. The present results may provide that MDGA has anti-inflammatory properties through inhibition of the toll-like receptors (TLRs) pathway, and suggest that MDGA can be used as an anti-inflammatory agent.