• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.539-553
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• 2010

Objectives : The object of this study was to obtain accurate information (single oral dose toxicity) of Lonicerae Flos (LF; Dried flower bud parts of Lonicera japonica Thunb (Caprifoliaceae)), which has traditionally been used in Korean medicine for treating various inflammatory diseases. Methods : In order to observe the 50% lethal dose (LD 50), approximate lethal dosage (ALD) and target organs, test articles were once orally administered to female and male ICR mice at dose levels of 2,000, 1,000, 500 and 0 (control) mg/kg (body weight.). The mortality and changes on body weight, clinical signs and gross observation were monitored for 14 days after single oral treatment of LF aqueous extracts with organ weights and histopathological observations of 12 types of principle organs. Results : 1. After single oral treatment of LF aqueous extracts, we could not find any mortality and toxicological evidences up to 2,000 mg/kg treated group, the limited dosages in rodents at body and organ weights, clinical signs, gross and histopathological observations. 2. Slight diarrhea was detected in most mice treated with 2,000 mg/kg of LF aqueous extracts and male mice of LF aqueous extracts 1,000 mg/kg within 2 days after end of treatment, respectively. Conclusion : The results obtained in this study suggest that the LD 50 and ALD of LF aqueous extracts in both female and male mice after single oral treatment were considered as over 2,000 mg/kg because no mortalities were detected up to 2000 mg/kg, the highest dose recommended by KFDA and OECD. However, we also observed the possibility of digestive disorders like diarrhea when over 1,000 mg/kg of LF aqueous extracts were administered in the present study.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.877-890
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• 2017

Objectives: Lonicerae flos (LF), a dried flower part of Lonicera japonica Thunb., has been widely used in Korean medicine as anti-inflammatory and antioxidative agent. The purpose of this study was to determine the cardioprotective effects of LF, through potential antioxidant effects, on the pressure overload (PO)-induced heart failure (HF) in C57BL/6 mice after transverse aortic constriction (TAC) surgery. Methods: Resveratrol (10 mg/kg body weight) or LF (125, 250 or 500 mg/kg body weight) was orally administered, once daily for 14 days, starting 14 days after TAC surgery. Changes in the mortality, body weights, heart weights, histopathology of the heart, and antioxidant defense systems of the heart were analyzed. Results: Marked and noticeable increases of heart weights, mortalities, and hypertrophic, focal, and lytic fibrotic histological changes in the LVs were observed, with destruction of heart antioxidant defense systems after surgery. However, HF signs, induced by TAC surgery through PO, and destruction of heart antioxidant defense systems were significantly and dose-dependently inhibited by 14 days of maintained oral treatment with LF 500, 250 or 125 mg/kg. Treatment with 250 mg/kg LF was comparable to treatment with 10 mg/kg resveratrol. Conclusions: The results in this study suggest that oral administration of LF favorably relieves PO-induced HF following TAC, through increase of heart antioxidant defense systems. The overall effects of 250 mg/kg LF were similar to those of 10 mg/kg resveratrol. More detailed mechanistic studies should be conducted in the future, with screening of the biologically active compounds in LF.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.14-23
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• 2010

The vascular plants in the Haksan, Jeonju were listed 394 taxa; 94 families, 260 genera, 339 species, 1 subspecies, 46 varieties and 8 forms. Divided into woody plants were 111 taxa (28.2%) and herbaceous plants were 283 taxa (71.8%). Based on the list of rare plants by the Korea Forest Service; Viola albida (Preservation priority order : No. 202), Korean endemic plants, 6 taxa were recorded; Lespedeza maximowiczii for. tomentella, Indigofera koreana, Weigela subsessilis, etc. Specific plant species by floral region were total 19 taxa (4.8% of all 394 taxa of vascular plants); Wistaria floribunda (Planted species) in class IV, Acer palmatum (Planted species) and Melothrua japonica in class III, Nymphoides indica in class II, 15 taxa (Botrychium virginianum, Hosta capitata, Salix glandulosa, Quercus variabilis, Rhynchosia acuminatifolia, Ilex macropoda, Impatiens nolitangere, Grewia biloba var. parviflora, Vaccinium oldhami and Lonicera praeflorens, etc.) in class I. The naturalized plants in the surveyed sites were 14 families, 30 genera, 32 taxa (Bromus rigidus, Rumex obtusifolius, Chenopodium ficifloium, Amaranthus lividus, Phytolacca americana, Lepidium apetalum, Amorpha fruticosa, Geranium carolinianum, Ailanthus altissima, Euphorbia supina, Oenothera biennis, Ipomoea purpurea, Veronica persica, Bidens frondosa, etc.) and naturalization rate was 8.1% of all 394 taxa of vascular plants. The ecosystem disturbing wild plants, Rumex acetocella, Aster pilosus and Ambrosia artemisiaefolia having manage to designation with Ministry of Environment.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.1-15
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• 1977

In an attempt to deduce which plants might have been used for their anticancer activities in traditional oriental herb medicine, 127 prescriptions were selected from 'Dong-Eui-Bo-Gam', the Classic Handbook of Korean Traditional Medicine, written by $H_{UH}$ Jun and published in 1613. These are the prescriptions indicated for the systemic treatment of various tumors and some conditions resembling tumors, e.g. inflammatory masses and indurations, and they include 150 natural products of plant origin. The frequency of appearance of each medicinal plant in these selected prescriptions was compared with the frequency of its appearance in all prescriptions listed in 'Bang-Yak-Hap-Pyon', another popular Oriental Medicine Formulary in Korea, written by $H_{WANG}\;Pil-Su$ in 1885. From the latter book, $H_{ONG}$ has recently enumerated frequencies of 235 medicinal plants included in a total of 467 prescriptions. Chi-square tests revealed that 11 plant remedies appear with significantly higher frequency in the prescriptions for "tumors", and 10 for "inflammations". The plants with potential antitumor activities, in decreasing order of statistical significance, are Scirpus maritimus, Curcuma zedoaria, Prunus persica, Rheum coreanum, Foeniculum vulgare, Rhus vernifera, Daphne pseudogenkwa, Galarhaeus sieboldiana, Croton tiglium, Raphanus sativus and Galarhaeus pekinensis. The drugs for potential antibacterial or anti-inflammatory activities are Olibanum(Frankincense), Forsythia coreana, Lonicera japonica, Gleditchia officinalis, $M_{YRRH}$, Trichosanhes kirilowii, Astragalus membranaceus, Rheum coreanum, Platycodon grandiflorum and Fritillaria verticillata. Despite the uncertainties involved in the terminology of various diseases used in pre-modern medicine, and the reservations about the efficacy of remedies used for those diseases, it would be worthwhile to investigate these few selected plants for anticancer, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory or antifungal effects, employing modern scientific methodology.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.13-23
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• 2006

The vascular plants of the studied area in the Mt. Bangjang was listed 422 taxa : 106 families, 299 genera, 372 species, 1 subspecies, 46 varieties and 3 forms. Based on the list of the rare plants by the Forest Research Institute, 5 taxa were recorded in the studied areas; Lilium distichum(Preservation priority order : No. 159), Tricyrtis dilatata (No. 97), Aristolochia contorta (No. 151), Prunus yedoensis (No. 110), Patrinia saniculaefolia (No. 122) and based on the list of Korean endemic plants, 9 taxa were recorded; Cephalotaxus koreana, Carex okamotoi, Populus tomentiglandulosa, Salix purpurea var. japonica, Prunus yedoensis, Forsythia koreana, Paulownia coreana, Weigela subsessilis, Patrinia saniculaefolia. Specific plant species by floral region were total 29 taxa; Prunus yedoensis in class V, 3 taxa(Acer palmatum, Asperula lasiantha, Lonicera subhispida ) in class III, 5 taxa(Lilium distichum, Potentilla dickinsii, Caryopteris incana, Patrinia saniculaefolia, Ligularia fischeri) in class II, 20 taxa(Ulmus parvifolia, Clematis patens, Aconitum jaluense, Ilex macropoda, Grewia biloba var. parviflora etc.) in class I. The naturalized plants in this site were 13 families, 31 genera, 36 species, 2 varieties, 38 taxa and naturalization rate was 9.0% of all 422 taxa vascular plants. Because of recent rapid increase of cars and people around here, analysis shows many naturalized plants and high naturalized ratio. And wild plants disturbing ecosystem like Ambrosia artemisiifolia var. elatior have been increasing. So, it needs continuing control and conservation measures on the plant ecosystem.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.192-197
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• 2010

The seeds of Raphanus sativus L. (RSL) and Phaseolus calcaratus Roxburgh (PHCR), the root of Scutellaria baicalensis (SB), and the flower of Lonicera japonica (LJ) have been traditionally used as herbal medicines for anti-inflammation. Unlike the SB and LJ, little information is available for the scientific bases that show the anti-inflammatory mechanisms of RSL and PHCR. In this study, we prepared boiled water extracts from the medicines and determined their potentials in inhibiting nitric oxide (NO) production, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-$\alpha$ and interleukin (IL)-6 secretion in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. The effects of the medicines on serum IgE levels in ovalbumin (OVA)-administrated mice were also studied. The medicines inhibited production of TNF-$\alpha$ and IL-6, and COX-2 expression in LPSstimulated macrophages. Especially, PHCR water extract showed more potent inhibition on TNF-$\alpha$ production than SB and LJ extracts, but RSL extract did not exert these effects. Similar to the cases of SB and LJ, PHCR extract prevented the phosphorylation of $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$ and c-Jun, and the activation of NF-${\kappa}B$-DNA binding. Further, oral supplementation of PHCR extract attenuated significantly serum levels of total and OVA-specific IgE in OVAtreated animals. These results suggest a possibility that PHCR water extract can be used for the treatment of inflammatory and allergic diseases.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.50-56
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• 2012

WIN-34B showed analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects in various animal models of pain and osteoarthritis. However, the molecular mechanism by which WIN-34B inhibits pain and inflammation in vivo remains to be elucidated. We investigated the molecular mechanisms of the actions of WIN-34B using various in vitro models using fibroblast-like synoviocytes from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA FLSs), RAW264.7 cells and peritoneal macrophages. WIN-34B inhibited the level of IL-6, $PGE_2$, and MMP-13 in IL-$1{\beta}$-stimulated RA FLSs in a dose-dependent manner. The mRNA levels were also inhibited by WIN-34B. The level of $PGE_2$, NO, IL-$1{\beta}$, and TNF-${\alpha}$ were inhibited by WIN-34B at different concentrations in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. The production of NO and $PGE_2$ was inhibited by WIN-34B in a dose-dependent manner in LPS-stimulated peritoneal macrophages. All of these effects were comparable to the positive control, celecoxib or indomethacin. I${\kappa}B$B signaling pathways were inhibited by WIN-34B, and the migration of NF-${\kappa}B$ into the nucleus was inhibited, which is consistent with the degradation of $I{\kappa}B-{\alpha}$. Taken together, the results suggest that WIN-34B has potential as a therapeutic drug to reduce pain and inflammation by inhibiting the production of pro-inflammatory mediators.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.53-61
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• 2008

Objectives : The aim of this study was to investigative the effects of Gagambojungikgi-tang (GBT), a Korean herbal medicine, on the immune mediators, T cell proliferation and wound healing in the recombinant Sj26 (rSj26) antigen induced atopic dermatitis(AD) model mice. Methods : GBT is the water extracts prepared from mixture of Ginseng Radix, Astragali Radix, Angelicae gigantis Radix, Atractylodes Rhizoma alba, Aurantii nobilis Pericarpium, Glycyrrhizae Radix, Artemisia iwayomogi Herba, Scutellaria Radix, Lonicera japonica Flos. This is a modified prescription of Bojungikgi-tang, which has been used for the treatment of indigestion, and immunological disease in east-asian countries. GBT was orally administered or externally applied at difference doses. The levels of immune mediators [(IgE, IgG1, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), Th1/Th2 cytokines], T cell proliferation, and wound healing in the rSj26 or chemical antigen induced AD model BALB/c were investigated. Results : GBT dose-dependently suppressed the release of TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-$1{\beta}$ (Th1 cytokines), IL-4, IL-10 (Th2 cytokines), PGE2 (inflammatory mediators) and T cell proliferation. But GBT increased the production of IFN-${\gamma}$ (Th1 cytokine). Furthermore, A wound healing effect of GBT was similar to external application of dexamethasone. Conclusions : These results suggest that GBT suppresses the inflammatory mediators and regulates the Thl/Th2 cytokines, and promotes the wound healing. Therefore, these properties may contribute to the strong anti-AD effect of GBT.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.99-113
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• 2008

In this study, the author experimented the influence of five herbal medicines, which are Lonicera japonica Thunb, Paeonia suffruticosa Andr., Fraxinus rhynchophylla Hance, Gardenia jasminoides Ellis, Scutellaria baicalensis George which are called 'Chungyulyak(淸熱藥)' on drug metabolizing enzyme cytochrome P450 3A4 in Human Liver Microsome. Above all, the reason for this study is that herbal medicines can be assumed that herbs might have interactions with drugs, other herbs, alcohol and chemicals whether those are much better synergy effects than expected effects when the medicine was treated alone or not. As a result, we showed that all of five traditional herbal medicines had no CYP 3A4 inhibition effect on 10, 20, 30, 40, $50{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ doses in Human Liver Microsome. However, this result are mostly not enough to prove that PMT has a CYP 3A4 inhibition effect. Moreover, it is not that those rates showed that those herbal medicines have CYP 3A4 induction effect. In conclusion, the result could support that those herbal medicines are more safe than chemical drugs even if this is the basic step to prove that result. Therefore, more specific studies to support this result, which are Kinetic study, cell and animal study then finally until clinical research, are required.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.144-154
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• 1995

The fruit color characteristics and persisting period of deciduous woody landscape plants were investigated through the field survey in Suwon region from January 1, 1992 to March 20, 1993. The summary of the study results was as follows; The total fruit color persisting period was about 320 days from May 1, 1992 when Prunus mume was beginning of fruit coloring, to March 20, 1993 when the fruits of Platanus occidentalis and platanus X acerifolia were persisting. And the plants of fruit persisting period over 60 days after leaf falling were Vibumum erosum, Ilex serrata, Ilex verticillata 'Christmas Cheer', Platanus X acerifolia, Platanus occidentalis, Berberis thunbergii 'Atropupurea', Ligustrum obtusifolium. According to the KBS standard color number, 52.6% of of the fruit color were red, 18.9% yellow, 11.6% black, green 9.5%, white 2.1%, violet 1.1%, and red is followed black 4.2%. Evodia daniellii, Ilex verticillata 'Christmas Cheer', Ilex serrata, Ginkgo biloba, Lindera obtusiloba, and Lindera erythrocarpa should be planted male and female species together for fruits. We got the new information on the fruit color characteritics and persisting period of Malus 'Hopa', Malus 'Almey', Malus 'Pioneer X', Acer rubrum, Malus prunifolia, Pyrus serotina, Berberis thunbergii 'Atropurpurea', Vibumum rhytidophyllum, Rosa spp. Vitis vinifera, Vaccinium angustifolium, Ilex verticillata 'Christmas Cheer', Magnolia stellata, Aronia arbutifolia, Sorbus alnifolia, Lonicera japonica var. aueroreticulta, and Ligustrum X vicaryi. And we need to introduce new cultivars of woody landscape plants including Malus spp, Berberis spp, Sorbus alnifolia yellow autumn leaf clone etc. for the better planting design. The fruit persisting period of woody landscape plants studied by fruit name was that sorosis 276 days, samara 155 days, legume 153 days, hip 133 days, pome was 124 days, drupe 92 days, berry 73 days, capsule 67 days, follicle 55 days and nut 52 days respectively.