Tissue culture systems to optimize regeneration plant species of Ocimum spp were evaluated as a method to micropropagate individual plants and to better study their biology in vitro. Ocimum species were also evaluated for the production of natural plant products during and following the regeneration process. The primary goal of this project was to enhance the regeneration efficiency of basil. Several factors were examined using different Ocimum species and commercial varieties. The effect of cytokinin combination, activated charcoal, gelling agents, and different carbon sources were investigated. Anthocyanin callus spots were produced only in four varieties among six tested. 'Sweet Dani' showed the best results on anthocyanin accumulation, while 'African beauty', 'Tree basil' and 'Methylcinnamate' produced only a few spots. Shoot regeneration was only achieved from 'Sweet Dani' explants. As the activated charcoal concentration increased, callus formation rate decreased respectively compare to the controls for all varieties. There was a decrease in callus growth with increasing concentration of agar and phytagel.

This study was carried out to develop convenient and reproducible methods for identifying the genetic relationship among germplasms of Panax species based on molecular genetics. Using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) analyses, genetic polymorphism of the Panax species was investigated with following cultivars and accessions, such as Chunpoong, Yunpoong, Kopoong, Sunpoong, and Kumpoong in domestic cultivars, Hwangsuk, Jakyung and Suckju in domestic accessions, and Panax quinquefolius L. and Panax japonicus C.A. Meyer in foreign introduced accessions, respectively. Specific DNA fragments ranging from 200 to 3,000 base pairs in size could be obtained with various ISSR and RAPD primers under the optimized PCR conditions. The dissimilarity coefficients among the genetic polymorphisms of ginseng cultivars and accessions were calculated from 0.26 to 0.90 in RAPD and from 0.12 to 0.89 in ISSR analysis, respectively. Eleven plant samples were grouped siblings together with cultivars and parents based on cluster analysis of genetic distance depending on genetic property such as origin of the species. In results, both RAPD and ISSR analyses were useful for identifying the genetic relationship among cultivars and accessions of Panax species at DNA level.

An analysis of RAPD-PCR (random amplified polymorphic DNA-polymerase chain reaction) was performed with three Angelica species (A. gigas Nakai, A. sinensis (Olive.) Diels and A. acutiloba Kitag) in an effort to distinguish between members of these three species. Two arbitrary primers (OPC02, OPD11) out of80 primers tested, produced 17 species-specific fragments among the three species. Eight fragments were specific for A. sinensis, four fragments specific for A. gigas, five specific for A. acutiloba. When primers OPC02 and OPD11 were used in the polymerase chain reaction, RAPD-PCR fragments that were specific for each of the three species were generated simultaneously. Primer OPC02 produced eight species-specific fragments: four were specific for A. sinensis, one for A. gigas, and three for A. acutiloba. Primer OPD11 produced nine speciesspecific fragments: four for A. sinensis, three for A. gigas, and two for A. acutiloba. The RAPD-PCR markers that were generated with these two primers should rapidly identify members of the three Angelica species. The consistency of the identifications made with these species-specific RAPD-PCR markers was demonstrated by the observation that each respective marker was generated from three accessions of each species, all with different origins. We also performed the RAPD-PCR analysis with the dried Angelica root samples that randomly collected from marketed and from the OPC02 primer, obtained a A. gigasspecific band and the band were cloned and sequenced.

Caulis Bambusae in Taenia is widely used in Korea and China due to its various pharmacological activity. The present study aims to investigate the effect of the methanol extract of Caulis Bambusae in Taenia (CB) from Phyllostachys nigra Munro var. henonis Stapf (Gramineae) on amyloid β protein (25-35) (Aβ (25-35)), a synthetic 25-35 amyloid peptide, -induced neurotoxicity using cultured rat cortical neurons. CB, over a concentration range of 10-50μg/μl, inhibited the Aβ (25-35) (10 μM)-induced neuronal cell death, as assessed by a 3-[4,5-dimethyIthiazole-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and the number of apoptotic nuclei, evidenced by Hoechst 33342 staining. CB (50 μg/μl) inhibited glutamate release into medium induced by 10 μM Aβ, (25-35) which was measured by HPLC. Pretreatment of CB (50 μg/μl) inhibited 10μM Aβ (25-35)-induced elevation of cytosolic calcium concentration ([Ca2+]c), which was measured by a fluorescent dye, fluo-4 AM, and generation of reactive oxygen species. These results suggest that CB prevents Aβ (25-35)-induced neuronal ell damage in vitro.

The purpose of this study is to explore the concept of a logistics hub, identify key factors and milestones for its development, and give some recommendations and implications to developing countries. For this the countries competing to be Logistics hub in Northeast Asia (NEA), such as South Korea, japan and China, are taken into consideration These countries have under its priority policies the development of a logistics hub vision to become the central area of the region achieving microeconomic and macroeconomic prosperity. Based on the review of the relevant literature, five factors came up as key determinants for the development of a hub project: 1. Logistics services support and infrastructure. 2. Business environment. 3. Economic determinants. 4. Political support and 5. Access to international markets. These are going to be analyzed together with its different variables, using statistical methods.

Myristica fragrans seed from Myristica fragrans Houtt (Myristicaceae) has various pharmacological activities peripherally and centrally. The present study aims to investigate the effect of the methanol extract of Myristica fragrans seed (MF) on kainic acid (KA)-induced neurotoxicity in primary cultured rat cerebellar granule neuron. MF, over a concentration range of 0.05 to 5 μg/ml inhibited KA (500 μM)-induced neuronal cell death, which was measured by trypan blue exclusion test and 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. MF (0.5 mug/ml) inhibited glutamate release into medium induced by KA (500 μM), which was measured by HPLC. Pretreatment of MF (0.5 mug/ml) inhibited KA (500 μM)-induced elevation of cytosolic calcium concentration ([Ca2+]c), which was measured by a fluorescent dye, Fura 2-AM, and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). These results suggest that MF prevents KA-induced neuronal cell damage in vitro.

Interspecific hybrids between onion (Allium cepa L.) and green onion (Allium fistulosum L.) were produced using pistillate parents of two male sterile onion (msC1, msC2) and one male sterile green onion line (msF1), and pollen parents of one male fertile

This study was carried out to compare the major volatile components in essential oil from different origin of Atractylodes spp. which is being traded as a crude herbal drug in Korean herbal markets. From the two Atractylodes of major volatile components were similarly detected such as the β-selinene, β-sesquiphellandrene, germacrene B, 2,7-dimethoxy-2-methylnaphthalene and 9-methoxy-2,3-dihydrofuro3,2-qcoumarin. Among the volatile components, the major components were 2,7-dimethoxy-2-methylnaphthalene (40.98%), 9-methoxy-2,3-dihydrofuro 3,2-q coumarin (15.74%), and β-sesquiphellandrene (1.98%) in both Atractylodes. As a results, It was found that the two Atractylodes were the same species which was being traded in the Korean herbal markets as the A. japonica. not to different species of A. japonica and A. macrocephalla, respectively.

The experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of medicinal plants on ethanol-metabolism. Sprague Dawley rats divided into 6 groups (n=8), fed with 10% ethanol and diets supplemented with each 1% of four plant extracts, α-tocopherol (as positive control) and fiber (as negative control) for 4 weeks. Group supplemented with plant extract of Ulmus davidiana showed the most high value (322 nM NADH/min/mg protein) in alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) activity among the experimented groups (144~312 nM NADH/min/mg protein) at p〈0.05. Groups fed with Lagerstroemia indica and Zelkova serrata extract-supplemented diets indicated high activity in aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH, 16.7 & 12.3 M NADH/min/mg protein), which were comparatively lower than 20.1 M NADH/min/mg protein of α-tocopherol fed group. All of the groups fed with plant extracts indicated very low GPT activities (13.9~17.3 IU/l) compared to those (146.1 & 128.6 IU/l) fed with α-tocopherol and fiber at p〈0.05. From these results, it is suggested that Lagerstroemia indica have a potent ethanol-metabolizing activity.

Four medicinal plants selected from preliminary screening study were evaluated in the aspects of their antioxidant activities in alcohol-intoxicated rats. Rats fed 1% α-tocopherol-supplemented diet as positive control and ones done α-tocopherol-deficient diet as negative control were compared with ones done the plant extract-supplemented diet (n=8). After the administration of the experimental diets for 4 weeks, typical increments in activities of manganese-superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-px) indicated in alcohol-intoxicated rats, were not observed in ones fed Lagerstroemia and Ulmus extract-supplemented diet. The content of thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS), the product of lipid peroxidation, did not increased in rats fed plant extracts-supplemented diet except for Terminalia. From the results, it is concluded that Lagerstroemia and Ulmus have physiologically efficient antioxidant activities.

This study was carried out to establish an optimum method for identifying the volatile components of Magnolia ovobata Thunb. using the dynamic headspace (Purge & Trap) and simultaneous distillation and extraction (SDE) method. Between the two different identification analysis, the volatile components were more easily detected in the SDE than the Purge & Trap method. Among the identified volatile components, the 12 compounds were detected to have similar retention times and match quality within the 45 minutes in both identification methods. The maximum values of the major volatile components were detected differently by SDE and (Purge & Trap) method such as α-pinene (3.4, 18.2%), β-pinene (3.5, 10.3%), l-limonene (5.2, 15.4%). These results indicated that the Dynamic Headspace (Purge & Trap) was much more reliable method for identifying the volatile components of Magnolia ovobata Thunb. as compared to the SDE method.

‘Jopummil’ was bred from the cross between SW88416-B-0 with the early maturity and short culm, and the F1 hybrid between OR8500494P and “Bezostaya” in 1990. It was examined as ‘Suwon 284’ in the regional yield trials(RYT) from 1999 to 2001. It was a near-

Polygalae Radix (PR) from Polygala tenuifolia. (Polygalaceae) is traditionally used in China and Korea, since this herb has a sedative, antiinflammatory, and antibacterial agent. To extend pharmacological actions of PR in the CNS on the basis of its CNS inhibitory effect, the present study examined whether PR has the neuroprotective action against kainic acid (KA) -induced cell death in primarily cultured rat cerebellar granule neurons. PR, over a concentration range of 0.05 to 5μg/ml inhibited KA (500 μM)-induced neuronal cell death, which was measured by a trypan blue exclusion test and a 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-y1]-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. PR (0.5μg/ml) inhibited glutamate release into medium induced by KA (500 μM), which was measured by HPLC. Pretreatment of PR (0.5μg/ml) inhibited KA (500 μM)-induced elevation of cytosolic calcium concentration ([Ca2+]c) which was measured by a fluorescent dye, Fura 2-AM, and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). These results suggest that PR prevents KA-induced neuronal cell damage in vitro.

The various plant organs of fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) were investigated to identify their volatile components using Dynamic Headspace (purge & trap). They showed slight differences concerning the volatile components both qualitatively and quantitatively. Results revealed that trans-anethole (12.65%) was the major compound in the leaf. The highest compound was α-pinene (28.78%), and trans-anethole (7.90%) was highly detected in the stem. The maximum values were 5.64, 4.59, 1.58, 1.51, and 1.04% for α-pinene, γ-terpinene, β-pinene, 1,8-cineol and fenchone, respectively in the flower. However, very little trans-anethole was detected (0.27%) in the flower. From these results, it was suggested that the major components were different depending on the plant organs. However it was demonstrated that the related plant organs like flower-fruit and leaf-stem contained the similar components.

To identify the variation of the RAPD patterns between two Atractylodes species, 52 kinds of random primers were applied to each eight of A japonica and A. macrocephala genomic DNA. Ten primers of 52 primers could be used to discriminate between the species and 18 polymorphisms among 67 scored DNA fragments (18 fragments are specific for A. japonica and A. macrocephala) were generated using these primers, 26.9% of which were polymorphic. RAPD data from the 10 primers was used for cluster analysis. The cluster analysis of RAPD markers showed that the two groups are genetically distinct. On the other hand, to identify the variation of the AFLP patterns and select the species specific AFLP markers, eight combinations of EcoRI/MseI primers were applied to the bulked A. japonica and A. macrocephala genomic DNA. Consequently, three combinations of EcoRI/MseI primers (EcoRI /Mse I ; AAC/CTA, AAC/CAA, AAG/CTA) used in this study revealed 176 reliable AFLP markers, 42.0% of which were polymorphic. 74 polymorphisms out of 176 scored DNA fragments were enough to clearly discriminate between two Atractylodes species.