• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
• /
• v.16 no.4
• /
• pp.707-713
• /
• 2002

Astragali radix (AR) is one of the oldest and mast frequently used crude drug for traditional medicine in many Asian countries. This study designed to investigate the hepatoprotective effects of the aqueous extracted AR (ARE) against acetaminophen (APAP)-induced hepatic damage in ICR mice. APAP at the dose of 450 mg/kg i.p produced liver damage in ICR mice. Serum enzyme activities of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and sorbitol dehydrogenese was dramatically decreased up to control level by pretreatment of ARE. However, hepatic glutathione level did not show a significant change between the tested groups. We also investigated TNF α mRNA gene expression on APAP-induced liver damage by RT-PCR. APAP dramatically induced TNF α mRNA gene expression in ICR mice. Pretreatment of mice with ARE led to a marked decrease of TNF α mRNA gene expression. These data indicate that 1) ARE has clearly revealed a hepatoprotective effect against APAP-induced hepatic damage in ICR mice, and 2) the protective effect of ARE may be, in part, associated with the regulation of TNF α mRNA gene expression.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
• /
• v.37 no.1 s.144
• /
• pp.48-52
• /
• 2006

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are largely involved in the pathogenesis of diabetic complications. As part of our ongoing project directed toward the discovery of preventive and/or delay agents for diabetic complications from natural sources, 92 Korean traditional herbal medicines have been investigated with an in vitro evaluation system using AGEs inhibitory activity. Of these, 17 herbal medicines exhibited a significant inhibitory activity against AGEs formation. Particularly, 9 herbal medicines, i.e., Cinnamomi Cortex, Artemisiae Argyi Herba, Ammoni Tsao-ko Fructus, Menthae Herba, Amomi Semen, Polygoni Avicularis Herba, Lycopi Herba, Salviae Radix, and Nelumbinis Semen showed more potent inhibitory activity (2-4 fold) than the positive control aminoguanidine.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
• /
• v.42 no.1
• /
• pp.46-53
• /
• 2011

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) have been postulated to play a central role in the development of diabetic complications. A variety of different agents that inhibit AGEs have been under investigation. In this study, 66 herbal medicines from China have been investigated with an in vitro evaluation system using AGEs formation inhibitory activity. Of these, 31 herbal medicines ($IC_{50}$ < $50\;{\mu}g/ml$) were found to have significant AGEs formation inhibitory activity. Particularly, 5 herbal medicines, Camptotheca acuminata (branches and leaves), Quercus franchetii (branches), Camellia pitardii (leaves, branches, and fruits), Antidesma bunius (whole plants), and Loranthus parasiticus (whole plants) showed more potent inhibitory activity (approximately 6-20 fold) than the positive control aminoguanidine ($IC_{50}=52.96\;{\mu}g/ml$).

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
• /
• v.42 no.2
• /
• pp.161-168
• /
• 2011

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) has been shown to play an important role in the development of the diabetic complications. The AGEs inhibitors or cross-link breakers attenuate various functional and structural manifestations of diabetic complications. In this study, 69 China herbal medicines have been investigated with an in vitro evaluation system using AGEs inhibitory activity. Of these, 28 herbal medicines $IC_{50}$=<50 ${\mu}g/ml$) were found to have stronger AGEs inhibitory activity compared with aminoguanidine ($IC_{50}$=59.77 ${\mu}g/ml$). Particularly, 5 herbal medicines, Camptotheca acuminata (stem, leaf), Eurya groffii (stem, leaf), Cornus Capitata (leaf), Mucuna birdwoodiana (root), Nelumbo nucifera (fruit, seed) showed more potent inhibitory activity (approximately 6-27 fold) than the positive control aminoguanidine.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
• /
• v.31 no.1
• /
• pp.1-9
• /
• 2018

As a part of an infrastructure project on medicinal herb-based remedies, we conducted a phytohemical investigation of the 100% MeOH extract from the aerial part of Boehmeria quelpaertense; our findings resulted in the isolation of flavonoids (1-2), isoquercitrin (1) and hyperoside (2). The identification and structural elucidation of these compounds were based on $^1H$-, $^{13}C-NMR$, and LC ESI IT-TOF MS data. All the compounds isolated from this plant were reported for the first time. In this study, we examined the antioxidant activity of the 1 and 2 on the hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$)-induced oxidative stress in a Rat Cardiomyoblast cell line (H9c2). The pretreatment of the flavonoids showed that it protects against $H_2O_2$-mediated cell death in the H9c2 cell line. Also, it decreases the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels by the flavonoids in the $H_2O_2$-treated H9c2 cell line. These results showed that the 1 and 2 are a source of antioxidants. As a result, they might be helpful in preventing the progress of various oxidative stress mediated diseases, including myocardial infarction.

• Journal of Evidence-Based Herbal Medicine
• /
• v.1 no.2
• /
• pp.35-43
• /
• 2008

Herbal medicines have an accurate effect on atopic dermatitis, and at the same time, they hardly have adverse reactions. However, herbal medicines are difficult to be quantitatively analyzed due to low-quality preparation and types. In addition, herbal medicines have raised many problems as they have not been standardized and their active components have not been analyzed. Patients with atopic dermatitis began to recognize the effectivity and safety of herbal medicines. Accordingly, standardization, biological analyses, animal experiments and clinical trials should be generally performed in order that herbal medicines may be recognized all over the world. A standard, which is to objectively judge the curative effect of atopic dermatitis, should be established as soon as possible. Case studies and RCTs (Randomized Controlled Trials) should be actively performed on the basis of rigid clinical trial design to the end that the curative effect of herbal medicines is recognized all the world over.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.43 no.3
• /
• pp.377-384
• /
• 2019

Background: Inflammation is widespread in the clinical pathology and closely associated to the progress of many diseases. Triterpenoid saponins as a key group of active ingredients in Panax notoginseng (Burk.) F.H. Chen were demonstrated to show antiinflammatory effects. However, the chemical structures of saponins in the leaves and stems of Panax notoginseng (PNLS) are still not fully clear. Herein, the isolation, purification and further evaluation of the antiinflammatory activity of dammarane-type triterpenoid saponins from PNLS were conducted. Methods: Silica gel and reversed-phase C8 column chromatography were used. Furthermore, preparative HPLC was used as a final purification technique to obtain minor saponins with high purities. MS, NMR experiments, and chemical methods were used in the structural identifications. The antiinflammatory activities of the isolated saponins were assessed by measuring the nitric oxide production in RAW 264.7 cells stimulated by lipopolysaccharides. Real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was used to measure the gene expressions of inflammation-related gene. Results: Eight new minor dammarane-type triterpene oligoglycosides, namely notoginsenosides LK1-LK8 (1-8) were obtained from PNLS, along with seven known ones. Among the isolated saponins, gypenoside IX significantly suppressed the nitric oxide production and inflammatory cytokines including tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$, interleukin 10, interferon-inducible protein 10 and $interleukin-1{\beta}$. Conclusion: The eight saponins may enrich and expand the chemical library of saponins in Panax genus. Moreover, it is reported for the first time that gypenoside IX showed moderate antiinflammatory activity.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
• /
• v.16 no.5
• /
• pp.905-910
• /
• 2002

To investigate an eliminatory effect of mixed extract of Hovenia dulcis Thunb, Gastrodia elata and Alnus japonica etc., on the ethanol-induced hangover, 12 hr-fasted male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 220±20 g were given mixed extract (10 mL/kg, p.o.) and administered ethanol at a dose of 3 g/kg bw (25% in distilled water) orally 30 min postdosing. Blood was collected from caudal artery at 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 hr and then the animals were sacrificed at 24 hr after the ethanol treatment. From 0 to 12 hr, the administration of mixed extract significantly decreased the area under the serum alcohol concentrations-vs.-time curves by 21 % compared with control group. In these experiments, liver function indices, such as alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and sorbitol dehydrogenase activities, showed unaltered results in all treated groups compared with the normal group. These results suggest that oral intake of the mixed extract may be effective on elimination of ethanol-induced hangover.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
• /
• v.16 no.2
• /
• pp.226-232
• /
• 2002

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of mixture of Gastrodiae rhizoma (GM) on blood amelioration in high cholesterol-diet rats. Sprague-Dawley male rats were randomly assigned to one normal diet and three high cholesterol-diet groups which contained 1 % (w/w) cholesterol diet. The groups of high cholesterol-diet were classified to control (high cholesterol-diet only), GM-1 (high cholesterol-diet and GM) and ST-1 (high cholesterol-diet and Statin drug). The body and organs weight were not significantly changed among the tested groups. Contents of serum total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol were significantly increased in cholesterol-diet groups compared with normal diet group but significantly decreased in the group of GM-1. Morphology of red blood cell in GM-1 group was similar to normal diet group but the control group had many crystals of cholesterol. Hepatic xanthine oxidase activity in the rats of high cholesterol-diet was decreased up to the levels of normal diet group according to oral administration of GM. The results of the present study demonstrate that the orally injection of GM can ameliorate the status of total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol, and repress xanthine oxidase in liver in high cholesterol-diet rats. These finding suggest that GM is expected to be an effective tea for the blood amelioration in high cholesterol-diet rats.

• Journal of Korean Medical classics
• /
• v.22 no.2
• /
• pp.305-313
• /
• 2009

With the recent increase of social demand of knowledge on traditional medicine, the construction of database is becoming a pressing matter. The reality is that while the social desire to adapt the high quality knowledge is growing fast, the field of Oriental Medicine has yet to organize its system. The number of Oriental Medical Doctors are limited, and there is no structured means of communication to expand the professional knowledge of these specialists to the public. Accordingly, an effective and structured knowledge system is in great need. In the process of building an Oriental Medicine database, prescription[方劑] and medicines[本草] are first in line. Consequently, we have taken the first step by organizing various methods to build the database containing information such as the formula, ingredients, composition, handling methods of herbal medicine written in traditional medical publications and herbal texts before the Song(宋) dynasty.