• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.178-185
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• 2014

Leonuri Fructus, a semen of Leonuri Herba, has been used for the treatment of menstrual disorders such as amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea and leukorrhea and for the remedy of hyperemia. The present study was conducted to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effects of the Leonuri Fructus extract (Leonurus japonicus Houtt. EtOH extract; LJE) in vivo and in vitro. In vitro study, the MTT assay for cell viability was conducted to determine the non-cytotoxic concentration of LJE treatment in media. The levels of NO were measured with Griess reagent. Pro-inflammatory cytokines were detected by ELISA method. The inflammation-related proteins of this study were detected by immunoblot anlaysis. The increases of NO production and iNOS expression were detected in LPS-treated cells compared with control, but LJE attenuated the increases of NO and iNOS by LPS. LJE reduced the production of TNF-${\alpha}$ and IL-$1{\beta}$ induced by LPS stimulation. LJE suppresses the signaling pathways of NF-${\kappa}B$ and MAPKs in LPS-induced macrophage cells. In vivo study, carrageenan-induced hind paw acute edematous inflammation rat model was used for evaluation of anti-inflammatory activity of LJE. LJE significantly inhibited the increases of hind paw swelling, skin thicknesses and inflammatory cell infiltrations, and decreased the numbers of mast cell induced by carrageenan injection. These results suggest that LJE has an anti-inflammatory therapeutic potential, which is mediated through modulating NF-${\kappa}B$ activation and MAPK phosphorylation. Inhibition of the rat paw edema induced by carrageenan is considered as direct evidence that LJE may be a useful source to treat inflammation.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.1365-1380
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• 2007

Based on the theories and clinical data of oriental medicine, traditional medicinal prescriptions known to be effective to diabetic nephropathy were collected. The prescriptions were carefully examined and analyzed in order to be used as fundamental material for experiments and in clinicals. More than 40 publications related to diabetes were arranged and analyzed. Of the complications, diabetic nephropathy part of the publications were specifically focused during analysis. Data were analyzed and classified according to the quantity, prescription, differentiation of symptoms, signs and addition and subtraction of each medicine. Frequently used medicines were statistically analyzed. The most frequently used prescription was Yukmigihwang-tang(六味地黃湯) based medicine and prescriptions of its addition and subtraction, which was 15% of the total prescriptions cited. The most frequently used medicine was Astragali Radix, mentioned 192 times in the prescriptions. Hoelen was next with 180 citations, followed by Dioscoreae Rhizoma with 147 times, Rehmanniae Radix with 140, Corni Fructus with 131, Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix with 106, Angelicae Gigantis Radix with 101, Alismatis Rhizoma with 95, Rhei Rhizoma with 90, Atractylodis Rhizoma Alba with 84, Rehmanniae Radix Preparata with 78, Leonuri Herba with 74, Moutan Cortex Radicis with 66, Aconiti Lateralis Preparata Radix with 66 Cnidii Rhizoma with 65, Pseudostellaria heterophylla with 62, Liriopis Tuber with 55, Lycii Fructus with 52, Rhei Rhizoma with 49, Codonopsis Pilosulae Radix with 44, Paeoniae Radix Rubra with 44, Schisandrae Fructus with 42, Polyporus with 42, Achyranthis Radix with 41 and Euryales Semen with 40. Medicines prescribed more than 30 grams a day included Astragali Radix, Imperatae Rhizoma, Benincasae Pericarpium, Leonuri Herba, Dioscoreae Rhizoma, Plantaginis Semen, Polyporus, Hoelen, Halloysitum Rubrum, Achyranthis Radix, Arecae Pericarpium, Phaseoli Angularis Semen, Coicis Semen, Rhei Rhizoma, Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix, Sargassum, Ostreae Concha, Pseudostellaria heterophylla, Epimedii Herba, Rehmanniae Radix, Scrophulariae Radix and Polygonati Rhizoma. No scientific reports on the traditional medicinal aspects of diabetic nephropathy was searched. This analysis report would be able to provide the basis of developing new drug candidates for the treatment of diabetic nephropathy, as well as securing the EBM for the traditional medicines already being prescribed to the patients.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.29-35
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• 2000

The methanol extracts were prepared from 46 oriental medicines currently used for stroke treatment, and the effects were assessed on the excitotoxic neuronal cell death induced by L-glutamate(Glu) in primary cultured rat cortical neurons. The extracts from Angelicae gigantis Radix, Manitis Squama, Acori graminei Rhizoma, Uncariae Ramulus et Uncus, Alpiniae Fructus, Paeoniae Radix, and Cnidii Rhizoma inhibited the Glu-induced neurotoxicity with the IC$_50$ values of 95.2, 218.6, 263.3, 295.1, 297.9, 310.1, and 446.7 $\mu$g/ m$\ell$, respectively. The extracts from Arisaematis Rhizoma, Loranthi Ramulus, Anemarrhenae Rhizoma, Carthami Flos, Clematidis Radix, Bambusae Concretio Silicea, and Angelicae koreanae Radix also exhibited significant inhibition of the toxicity. In contrast, the extracts from Aconiti Tuber Araliae cordatae Radix, Curcumae Rhizoma, Leonuri Herba, Polygalae Radix, Salviae Radix, and Siegesbeckiae Herba increased the Glu-induced toxicity at the concentrations of 500 and 1000 $\mu$g/m$\ell$. Rest of the extracts evaluated in the present study showed minor or negligible inhibition. liken together the oriental medicines including Angelicae gigantis Radix, Muitis Squama, Acori graminei Rhizoma, Uncariae Ramulus et Uncus, and Alpiniae Fructus appear to exert pharmacological effects through the inhibition of excitotoxic neuronal cell death. Further studies are in progress to characterize active principles in these extracts.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.161-167
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• 2002

Angelicae gigantis radix is the root of the perennial plant, which belongs to the family Umbelliferae. However, this herbal drug is represented quite different chemical components according to its different genus name, though other herbal drugs (i.e. Leonuri Herba, Xanthii Fructus and so on) show similar constituents on the same name. The root of Angelica gigas containing the coumarin compounds is commonly used in Korea, while Angelica sinensis and Angelica acutiloba including phthalide compounds are used in China and Japan, respectively as Angelicae gigantis radix. In this paper, a nearinfrared spectroscopic method was developed to determine genus name of Angelica spp., especially A. gigas and A. sinensis which are commonly misused in herbal markets. X-ray fluorescence spectrometry and electronic nose have been also applied as nondestructive methods to discriminate A. gigas from A. sinensis according to their specific properties.

• The Journal of Korean Society of Virology
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.87-95
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• 1997

Methanol and/or boiling water extraction of 201 natural products and subsequent MTT assay using MT-4 cell line was carried out to screen the anti-HIV-1 activity. Among 97 methanol extracts, 7 extracts from Chrysanthemi Indicium Flos, Magnoliae Cortex, Machili Cortex, Reynoutriae Rhizoma, Lithospermi Radix, Agastachis Herba, and Chaenomelis Fructus showed anti-HIV-1 activity and their SI value were 2.25 to 5.77. In addition, among 119 boiling water extracts, 10 extracts from Lonicerae Caulis et Foloium, Elsholtziae Herba, Leonuri Herba, Portulacae Herba, Schizonepetae Herba, Curcumae Rhizoma, Amomi Cardamomi Fructus, Cirsii Radix et Herba, Carpesii Herba, and Siegesbeckiae Herba showed anti-HIV-1 activity and their SI value were 1.30 to 7.64. Methanol extracts of above seven natural products were fractionated and the anti-HIV-1 activity of each fraction was examined. Extraction was carried out with hexane, chloroform, butanol, and water to trace active anti-HIV-1 componets. As a result, the water fraction of Magnoliae Cortex, Machili Cortex, Reynoutriae Rhizoma, Agastachis Herba, Chaenomelis Fructus and the butanol fraction of Chrysanthemi Indicium Flos, Reynoutriae Rhizoma showed anti-HIV-1 activity and their SI value were 1.40 to 8.02. We could reach a conclusion that studies to trace the anti-HIV-1 active component of each natural products in further fractionation and to identify its structure by Infrared spectroscopy, NMR spectroscopy and gel permeation chromatography were needed.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.152-157
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• 2014

This study was carried out to investigate the residual sulfur dioxide residues ($SO_2$) in commercial medicinal herbs in Korea in 2013. Among a total of 116 samples of 11 different kinds of herbs, 71 samples (11 Kinds) were domestic, and 45 samples (10 Kinds) were imported. The residual contents of $SO_2$ in the samples were determinated by a modified Monier-Williams method. Of the 116 samples, 6 samples (5.2%, 4 Kinds) failed to meet the regulations for sulfur dioxide residues of KFDA in medicinal herbs. Among 6 unsuitable samples, 1 samples (1.4%) were domestic, and 5 samples (11.1%, 3 Kinds) were imported. The highest amount of sulfur dioxide residues was 1546.3 mg/kg (Lycii Fructus) in the domestic samples. Regardless of region, $SO_2$ contents were not found at Anemarrhenae Rhizoma, Citri Unshius Pericarpium, Eucommiae Cortex, Forsythiae Fructus, Gardeniae Fructus, Leonuri Herba and Lonicerae Folium et caulis. These data will be used as a basic data for the future legislation on the regulation and control of sulfur dioxide of herbal medicines.