• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.175-182
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• 2017

Background: Ginseng is a perennial crop grown for more than four years in the same place. Therefore, it is highly affected by the soil environment, especially nutrients in the soil. The present study was carried out to investigate to the influence of boron and iron concentrations on the physiological status, growth, and mineral uptake of ginseng to obtain the basic information for diagnosing a physiological disorder in ginseng plants. Methods and Results: The boron and iron concentrations were controlled at 3, 30, 150, 300 and 2, 20, 100, $200mg/{\ell}$, respectively. When treated with $150mg/{\ell}$ of boron, the ginseng plants showed yellowing or necrosis symptoms at the edge or end of their leaves. Compared with the $3mg/{\ell}$ treatment, the root weight decreased by 13 and 24% in the 150 and $300mg/{\ell}$ treatments, respectively. When treated with $20mg/{\ell}$ of iron, the ginseng plants showed yellowing between the veins of the leaves followed by the formation of brown spots. The root weight gradually decreased with increasing iron concentration. Approximately 55% decrease in root weight was observed upon treatment with $200mg/{\ell}$ of iron. Conclusions: The boron toxicity occurs in the leaves of ginseng at the boron concentration of approximately 1,900 mg/kg or more. The iron toxicity occurs at the iron concentration of approximately 120 mg/kg for leaves and 270 mg/kg for roots.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.79-85
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• 2010

Objectives : This study was conducted to evaluate the acute toxicity and safety of Gumiganghwal-tang (Jiuweiqianghou-tang) in Sprague-Dawley rats though the current regulatory guideline. Methods : The preliminary study showed that the single oral administration of Gumiganghwal-tang(Jiuweiqianghou-tang) did not induce any toxic effect at a dose level of 2000 mg/kg. Based on the results, 2000 mg/kg was selected as the limited dose. In this study, 10 rats of each sex were randomly assigned to two groups of 5 rats each and were administrated singly by gavage at dose levels of 0 and 2000 mg/kg. Mortalities, clinical signs, and body weight changes were monitored for the 15-day period following administration. At the end of observation period, all animals were sacrificed and complete gross postmortem examinations were performed. Results : Throughout the study period, no treatment-related deaths were observed. There were no adverse effects on clinical signs, body weight, and gross findings at all treatment groups. Conclusions : These results showed that the single oral adminstration of Gumiganghwal-tang(Jiuweiqianghou-tang) did not cause any toxic effect at the dose levels of 2000 mg/kg in rats. In conclusion, the $LD_{50}$ of Gumiganghwal-tang (Jiuweiqianghou-tang) was considered to be over 2000 mg/kg body for both sexes.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.289-300
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• 2016

Objectives : Taglisodog-eum(TSE), a poly herbal formula, has been widely used to improve carbuncles by removing inflammation of the lymphatic channels in Traditional Korean Medicine. We previousely reported the action mechanism of TSE on experimental atopic dermatitis and the establishment of formulation for TSE ointment. In this study, we examined the toxicity test on skin and eye irritation by TSE ointment to prove the safety of Taglisodog-eum ointment in clinical use. Methods : Acute skin toxicity of the TSE ointment was evaluated in Sprague-Dawley(SD) rats. After dermal administration of TSE ointment(2,000mg/kg), body weight, mortality, and clinical signs of the rats were observed for 14days. Primary skin irritation and ocular irritation tests for TSE ointment were performed in male New Zealand White Rabbits. In dermal and ocular irritation test, body weight, mortality, clinical signs, Primary Irritation Index(P.I.I.), and The Index of Acute Ocular Irritaion(I.A.O.I.) of rabbit were observed after applying at abraded skin and eye balls with Taglisodog-eum ointment. Results : In the results of acute skin toxicity, no significant differences were found in body weight, the clinical sign and the mortality between control and TSE ointment treated group. In primary dermal irritation test, body weight, the clinical sign and the mortality were not significantly changed and Primary Irritation Index(P.I.I.) was 0.8, indicating TSE ointment as weak irritant material. In ocular irritation test, The Index of Acute Ocular Irritaion was 0.0, indicating TSE ointment as non-irritating to the eye of the rabbits. To evaluate toxicity of the TSE ointment in animal test, body weight, the clinical signs, the skin and eye irritation check were conducted; TSE ointment was considered to be weak dermal irritant in test animals. The no response of eye irritation test was observed in this experimental condition. Conclusions : According to the above toxicity test, We consider that this results is helpful for saying about the safety of TSE ointment in clinical use.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.32-35
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• 1996

SKI306X is a herbal extract prepared from three herbs Clematis mandshurica, Trichosanthes kirilowii and Prunella vulgaris. It showed strong antiinflammatory actions on carrageenan-induced edema, acetic acid-induced pain, adjuvant-induced arthritis, and oxygen radical-generated reactions. In this study, the acute toxicity of SKI306X was evaluated in rats by a single oral administration. Thirty male and thirty female rats were divided into 6 groups according to the dose levels, respectively. After oral administration of SKI306X with several doses (5.0 g/kg, 3.3 g/kg, 2.2 g/kg, 1.5 g/kg, 1.0 g/kg), mortality, clinical signs, body weight, and gross findings in organs were examined. No toxic effect was shown in terms of mortality, clinical signs, body weight changes and gross findings. It is suggested the LD$_{50}$ of SKI306X would be more than 5.0 g/kg in rats.s.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.14-19
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• 1982

Potential toxicity of 15 medicinal plants used for herbal drugs, which were also described as being tonic for hematopoietic system or being toxic for the system in a oriental book 'Dong Ee Bo Gam', were evaluated in mice. Six plants among 15 plants tested appeared to exhibit acute toxicity along with bone marrow depression or with abnormally enhancing the $^3H-thymidine$ incorporation into DNA biosynthesis in bone marrow cells. Six plants were Paeonia albiflora, Pharbitis nil, Cemphalia lapidescens, Scutellaria baicalensis, Akebia quinata and Glycyrriza uralensis.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.255-261
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• 2005

Gami-Samhwang-San, a herbal prescription for obesity treatment, is composed of seven crude herbs such as Rehmanniae Radix Preparata, Ephedrae Herba, Scutellariae Radix, Acori Gramineri Rhizoma, Polygalae Radix, Typhae Pollen, Armeniacae Semen, Menthae Herba. In this study, marker substances in n-butanol fraction (SH-21-B) from Gami-Samhwang-San were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and acute toxicity of standardized SH-21-B was evaluated by good laboratory practices (GLP) guideline of Korea Food and Drug Administration. Therefore we confirmed that there were baicalin of 15.92%, amygdalin of 6.57% and ephedrine of 2.49% in SH-21-B. SH-21-B was administered in rats at dose of 0 mg/kg, 2,000 mg/kg, and 5,000mg/kg. Clinical signs of both sexes of rats were observed daily for 14 days after single oral administration. Two female rats one administered at 2,000 mg/kg and the other administered at 5,000 mg/kg, died, but no dead animal was observed among male rats. Therefore $LD_{50}$ in the female rat is observed to be 8,710 mg/kg, and MLD (Minimun Lethal Dose) of the male rat is observed to be more than 5,000 mg/kg.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.131-143
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• 2011

Objective : The aims of this study are to investigate the trend of internet journalism about the toxicity and safety of the herbal medicine, and to suggest the regulatory solution of the issue. Method : In this study, we had searched the internet news article published from 2001 to 2011 in the five major portal sites-NAVER, DAUM, Nate, Google Korean, and Yahoo Korean. The search terms were 'herbal medicine', 'adverse event', 'toxicity'. If the articles described the same event in the same form and tone, the articles were considered overlapping. The overlapped articles were excluded. The articles were categorized by the form and tone. The form categories were straight news, interpretative story, editorial, interview, and the tone categories are the positive, the negative, and the neutral. The regulations were searched about the negative issue. Result : Total 56 articles were reviewed. There were 19 positive articles, 29 negative articles, 8 neutral articles. Most negative issues have the proper regulations, but insufficient measures for the adverse event reporting system. Conclusion : The herbal medicine specified adverse event reporting system is essential.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.1-17
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• 2004

Objective : To compare and examine how adjustment of pH and electrolyte can affect the efficacy of cultivated wild ginseng distilled herbal acupuncture, we've administered pure cultivated wild ginseng distilled herbal acupuncture and pH and electrolyte adjusted cultivated wild ginseng distilled herbal acupuncture on A549 human lung cancer lines. Then mRNA and proteins which take parts in apoptosis were examined. Methods : Pure cultivated wild ginseng distilled herbal acupuncture treated group was set as the control group and pH and electrolyte adjusted cultivated wild ginseng distilled herbal acupuncture groups were administered on A549 human lung cancer lines. Cell toxicity was carefully examined and from the analysis of DNA fragmentation, RT-PCR, and Western blot, manifestation of mRNA and proteins which are associated with apoptosis were inspected. Results : The following results were obtained on apoptosis of A549 human lung cancer lines after administering pH and electrolyte adjusted cultivated wild ginseng distilled herbal acupuncture. 1. Measuring cell toxicity of lung cancer cells, higher cell toxicity was detected at pH and electrolyte adjusted groups and the results were concentration dependent. 2. Through DNA fragmentation, we were able to confirm cell destruction in all groups. 3. Experiment groups treated with cultivated wild ginseng distilled herbal acupuncture showed inhibition of Bcl-2 and COX-2 at mRNA and Protein level, whileas increase of Bax was shown. 4. Manifestation of p21, p53, Cyclin E, and Cyclin D1 were confirmed in all groups. 5. Extrication of Cytochrome C was detected at all groups, as well as increased activity of the enzyme caspase-3 and caspase-9, and PARP fragmentation were confirmed. Conclusions : From the above results, we can carefully deduce cell destruction of A549 human lung cancer lines were induced by Apoptosis. At the same concentration level, cell destruction efficacy was better with adjusted pH and electrolyte. Cultivated wild ginseng distilled herbal acupuncture also showed decrease of Bcl-2 and COX-2, as well as increase of Bax. Since cultivated wild ginseng distilled herbal acupuncture increases manifestation of p21, p53, Cyclin E, and Cyclin D1, it affects cellular cycle and through these phenomena, we can consider extrication of Cytochrome C, increase of caspase, and PARP fragmentation are the results.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.391-397
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• 1998

The toxicity evaluation of oriental herbal drugs is of great concern at present. Bojungchisup-tang (BCST, in Korean), a decocted medicine of oriental herbal mixture, is now well used in clinic at oriental hospitals for the treatment of edema of several diseases in practice. However, the toxicity of the oriental herbal decocted medicines such as genetic toxicity is not well defined until now. In this respect, to clarify the genetic toxicity of BCST, in vitro chromosome aberration assay with Chinese hamster lung (CHL) fibroblasts and in vivo supravital micronucleus assay with mouse peripheral reticulocytes were performed in this study. In the chromosome aberration assay, we used 5,000 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ml BCST as maximum concentration because no remarkable cytotoxicity in CHL cells was observed both in the presence and absence of S-9 metabolic activation system. No statistical significant differences of chromosome aberrations were observed in CHL cells treated with 5,000, 2,500 and 1,250 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ml BCST for 6 hour both in the presence and absence of S-9 metabolic activation. However, very weak positive result (6.5-8.0% aberration) of BCST was obtained in the absence of S-9 metabolic activation system at 5,000 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ml BCST when treated for 24 hour, i.e. 1.5 normal cell cycle time. And also, in vivo clastogenicity of BCST was studied by acridine orange-supravital staining micronucleus assay using mouse peripheral reticulocytes. We used 2,000 mg/kg as the highest oral dose in this micronucleus assay because no acute oral toxicity of BCST was observed in mice. The optimum induction time of micronucleated reticulocytes (MNRETS) was determined as 36 hours after oral administration of 2,000 mg/kg BCST. No significant differences of MNRETs between control and BCST treatment groups were observed in vivo micronucieus assay. From these results, BCST revealed very weak positive result in chromosome aberration assay in vitro with CHL cells and no clastogenicity in micronucieus assay in vivo.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.1134-1139
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• 2004

This study was conducted to investigate the application possibility of leaf and stem extract(LSE) from the mixture of leaf and stem of ginseng radix(Panax Ginseng CA Meyer). This study measured antifatigue effects by rota-rod test and swimming test. Also we examined the cell toxicity in normal liver and kidney cells, and acute toxicity in mice. Dropping times of LSE treated group decreased about 39-83% compared to the control group according to supplementation intake levels. Swimming time in LSE treated group increased compared to the control group at short and long supplementation. Negative effects were not found from the results of the cell toxicity. Also acute toxicity not shown. These results imply that the leaf and stem of ginseng radix could be used as possible food resources and functional food material and feed stuff.