Pharmacological studies and clinical practices have indicated that Radix Astragali, a dried root of Astragalusmembranaceus possesses a lot of biological activities, including antioxidant, hepatoprotective, anti-diabetic, tonic, diuretic,antimicrobial, antiviral, and immunological activities. These biological activities approved by the modern pharmacologicalstudies are mainly due to the constituents of Astragalus membranaceus including polysaccharides, saponins, flavonoids,amino acids, and trace elements. In resent, the main constituents in the root part showing a lot of biological activities hasbeen isolated also from the aboveground parts such as leaves and sprouts in our laboratory. However, the safety evaluationfor the aboveground parts of Astragalus membranaceus should be checked before expanding their application as one of food.In the study, a 90-day rat oral gavage study has been conducted with the extracts from Astragalus membranaceus-above-ground parts at doses of 1000, 3000, and 5000㎎/㎏/day. The following endpoints were evaluated: clinical observations, bodyweight, gross and microscopic pathology, clinical chemistry, and hematology. Based on the analysis of these endpoints, it wasestimated that NOEL (no observed effect level) for male rats and NOAEL (no observed adverse effect level) for female ratsare 5000㎎/㎏/day of the water-extracts from Astragalus membranaceus-aboveground parts.

This study was performed to determine the antimelanogenic effect and tyrosinase inhibitory activities of anthocyanin rich fraction (AN-SLP) from Liriope platyphylla Wang et Tang seeds. Anthocyanins isolated from L. platyphylla seeds revealed the presence of four major anthocyanin components, which were tentatively identified as delphinidin-3-Oglucoside, delphinidin-3-O-rutinoside, petunidin-3-O-rutinoside, and malvidin-3-O-rutinoside using semipreparative HPLC, 1H-NMR, 13C NMR, FAB-MS and LC/ES-MS. The inhibitory effect of AN-SLP on tyrosinase activity was studied using in vitro (against mushroom tyrosinase) and ex vivo (against B16 melanoma cell tyrosinase) models. Cellular tyrosinase activity was decreased by AN-SLP treatment in B 16 melanoma cells through dose dependent manner, but AN-SLP did not inhibit mushroom tyrosinase and L-DOPA oxidation directly. AN-SLP showed melanin inhibition by 53.2% at 50 μg/ml which was 0.7 times more efficient than the antimelanogenic effect of commercial arbutin and kojic acid (36.5%) also did not show cell toxicity. Additionally, AN-SLP inhibited the activity of α-glucosidase and the glycosylation of tyrosinase in melanoma cell. The resulting unsaturated glycosylation of tyrosinase makes it unstable and disturb correct transportation. From theses results, we conclude that AN-SLP could be used as anti-melanogenic agent for skin whitening.

Studies were carried to evaluated the influence of storage method by temperatures and fillers on yield and quality of seed rhizome in turmeric. Seed rhizome was stored at styrofoam box filled with rice hull and sand (3:1) or vermiculite for 30, 60 and 90 days at different temperatures (5, 10 and 15℃. compared to traditional method (rhizome only). Parameters were obtained for weight loss, cold injury, percentage of decayed in stored rhizome during storage periods. Also, the germination, growth pattern and yield from stored rhizome has been investigated. It was confirmed that storage of turmeric in stored with filled with vermiculite helps in prevention of rhizomes from microbial and fungal attack. The storage of rhizomes in styrofoam box without any filler at low temperature below 10℃. is not advocated due to heavy losses weight and decayed in management of postharvest for turmeric rhizome. Germination percentage, growth pattern and yield was maximum for rhizomes stored at styrofoam box filled with vermiculite for 90 days at 15℃. The paper outlines a brief attempt to assess the efficacy of non-chemical methods including optimal storage method (temperature and filler) of control of decay and moisture losses during storage of turmeric.

This study was carried out to select new pelleting binder and material for seeds from Fraxinus rhynchophylla Hance and Alnus sibirica Fisch. ex Turcz. The optimum treatments of the various concentrations and species of priming agents to improve seed germination of both woody medicinal plants were also estimated. Germinability was increased when the seeds of Fraxinus rhynchophylla Hance was soaked in -1.0 MPa of PEG6000 solution at 15℃ for 4 days significantly, the optimum treatment for improving germination of Alnus sibirica Fisch. ex Turcz was observed when the tested seeds was soaked in 100 mM of KCl at 15℃ for 4 days. The influence of physical and chemical properties of pelleting solid materials, the mixture of gypsum, diatomaceous earth, dalma ceramic and vermicuolite (6:1:1:1 ratio) were found as the best pelleting materials for Fraxinus rhynchophylla Hance and Alnus sibirica Fisch. ex Turcz. seeds. To satisfy the requirements of absorption and compatibility for multi-layer seed pelleting, SGPA (Starch-grafted cross-linked polyacrylates) hydrogel was prepared using starch, acrylonitrile, ceric ammonium nitrate, nitric acid, methyl alcohol and potassium hydroxide. The resulting SGPA hydrogel showed high water absorption but not plant compatibility. It suggested that seed pelleting using pelleting materials and SGPA hydrogel (multi-layer coating) after priming agent treatment is to increase germinability and seedling growth and it can reduced irrigation labours and can also save seed.