The present study is designed to explore an anti-tumor activity on crude extracts of Oplopanax elatus. Water extractions of Oplopanax elatus were performed at 100℃(OeE-100). OeE-100 doses up to 62.5 ㎍/㎖ had no cytotoxicity on the tumor cell lines in vitro. In experimental lung metastasis of colon26-M3.1 carcinoma or B16-BL6 melanoma, the prophylactic intravenous (4~100 ㎍/mouse) or oral (2 ㎎/mouse) administration of OeE-100 significantly inhibited tumor metastasis as compared with tumor controls. Peritoneal macrophages stimulated with OeE-100 produced various cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-12. In an analysis of NK-cell activities, i.v. administration of OeE-100 (10~100 ㎍/mouse) significantly augmented the cytotoxicity to YAC-1 tumor cells. Vaccination of mice with boiling-treated tumor cells (BT-vaccine) in combination with OeE-100 (100 ㎍/mouse) showed higher inhibitions in tumor metastasis when compared with the mice of BT-vaccine treatment. In addition, the splenocytes from OeE-100 admixed BT-vaccine immunized mice secreted a higher concentration of Th1 type cytokine such as IFN-γ. These results suggested that the OeE-100 stimulated immune system and was a good candidate adjuvant of anti-tumor immune responses.

Background : Oplopanax elatus Nakai. is distributed in Korea and China. In this study, we have used high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to compare the internal standards contents [uracil, adenosine, protocatechuic acid, syringin (eleutheroside B) and scoparone (6,7-dimethoxycoumarin)], and compared the antioxidant activity. Methods and Results : Samples were prepared two different temperature conditions (90℃ and 100℃). Total phenolic contents and total flavonoid contents were analyzed while gallic acid and quercetin were used as standard. Anti-oxidant activities were measured by determination of DPPH and reducing power assay. HPLC was reported as five standard compounds equivalent using the following linear equation based on the calibration curve. According to the results, the anti-oxidant effects of Korean O. elatus Nakai. stem extracts in 90℃ water showed more activity than that of Chinese in DPPH assay. However, the amount of internal compounds was higher in Chinese O. elatus Nakai.. The anti-oxidant effects of Korean O. elatus Nakai. stem extracts in 90℃ water showed more activity than Korean O. elatus Nakai. stem extracts in 100℃ water in DPPH assay. In this study, we had found that, at over the 100℃ temperature all the anti-oxidant effects of O. elatus Nakai. extracts were reduced. However, all five standard compounds were detected at similar value. Conclusion : These results suggests that Korean O. elatus Nakai. has higher anti-oxidant activities which can be use for bioactivity assay.

Background : Oplopanax elatus, comnonly called Asian devil’s club, is distributed in the northern high mountains of the Korean peninsula, northeastern China, and southeastern Russia. Its root is traditionally used to treat asthma, depressive states, chronic fatigue syndrome, and hypertension, neurasthenia, hypopiesis, schizophrenia, cardiovascular problems, diabetes mellitus, impotence, emaciation, hypotension cough, rheumatism, arthritis, gastrointestinal disorders, and wounds. Plant cell and tissue culture techniques for the mass production of adventitious roots in suspension culture allows a high proliferation rate, stable accumulation rate, and production of valuable compounds. Methods and Results : The plants were cultured on 1/4 MS medium with 1% sucrose and 1% plant agar for 3 month and they transferred to pot. The pots were contained of soil, soil + pelite (1 : 1), and soil + sand (1 : 1), respectively. The plants were measured plant length, leaf length, and leaf number. The number of leaves have represented as similar result of 7.44 ± 1.34 ㎝ in soil and 7.56 ± 1.26 ㎝ on soil + pelite. The 3.22 ± 0.53 ㎝ of plant length and the 6.57 ± 0.51 ㎝ of leaves length were highest on soil. Conclusion : The survival rate depending on soil types of Oplopanax elatus was confirmed to exist in these cases of soil and soil+pelite. However, they all died in condition of soil+vermiculite. The number of leaves have no difference and the length of plant and the length of leaves were longest on soil.

This study was carried out to select the appropriate medium (especially, carbon and nitrogen source, potassium phosphate and pH) for somatic embryogenesis in order to develop the rapid mass production system in suspension culture of Oplopanax elatus Nakai. Direct somatic embryos were obtained from root explants in the hormone free suspension culture (MS). Combination of NH4NO3 and KNO3 at the ratio of 1650 (mg/l) : 1900 (mg/l) obtained the better result to produce somatic embryo in suspension culture. MS medium supplemented with 170mg/l KH2PO4. The addition of 1 and 3% sucrose was effective for formation of embryogenic callus. Therefore, this report will be helped to improve the establishment for suspension culture in Oplopanax elatus Nakai.

Effects of Oplopanax elatus have known to various pharmaceutical therapies. However, chemical prosperities in the plant are rarely investigated. In order to detect biological activity, we evaluated the antioxidant activity of five fractions from methanolic extracts in each part of O. elatus. Also, contents of polyphenols and polysaccharides were measured. Five fractions were of sub-fractions using n-hexane, ethyl-acetate, n-butanol, and water from methanolic extracts. Ethylacetate and n-butanol fractions from stem and root exhibited strong antioxidant activity and high total phenolics content. On the HPLC analysis, ten free phenolics, including p-hydroxybenzoic acid, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, syringic acid, p-cou maric acid, ferulic acid, naringin, hesperidin, quercetin and trans-cinnamic acid, were identified from the fractions and were shown to different quantitative proportions. Furthermore, ethylacetate and n-butanol fraction had the highest amount of chlorogenic acids, one of the cinnamic acid derivatives possessing pharmacological properties. These results indicated that the fractions of O. elatus, as well as methanolic extracts, could be used as natural antioxidative ingredients.