Prostaglandin (PG) E2 is an important mediator of skin wound healing without excessive scarring and gastric ulcer healing. However, PGE2 has a short lifetime in vivo because it is metabolized rapidly by 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase (15-PGDH). Ethanol extract of Eriobotryae folium (EFEE) elevated intracellular and extracellular PGE2 levels in HaCaT cells and inhibited 15-PGDH (ED50 : 168.4μg/mL) with relatively low cytotoxicity (IC50 : 250.0μg/mL). Real-time PCR analysis showed that mRNA expression of cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 and COX-2 enzymes were increased and prostaglandin transporter (PGT) was decreased in HaCaT cells by EFEE. Moreover, wound healing effect of EFEE (168.4μg/mL) was comparable to that of TGF-β1 (300 pg/mL) as a positive control. These results demonstrate that EFEE may be valuable therapeutic materials for the treatment of PGE2 level dependent diseases.

The association of colorectal cancer with ulcerative colitis (UC) is well-recognized. However, not much is known regarding the increased risk of extra-intestinal malignancies with UC. Several studies have revealed that patients with UC are at in-creased risk of hepatobiliary cancer, nonmelanoma skin cancer, and myeloid leukemia. A 41-year-old man was diagnosed with UC in 1993 and had three relapses over the next three years. Six months after the fourth remission, he developed pan-cytopenia and was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). He achieved complete remissions of APL through chemotherapies, and, since then, no recurrences of APL and UC were observed.

This study was conducted to investigate the antioxidative activity and tyrosinase inhibitory activity of 50%ethanol extract and its fractions from the branch of Rhododendron schlippenbachii. In DPPH radical scavenging ability,butanol and ethyl acetate fractions showed 59.98% and 55.17% of relative activity compared with positive control (ascorbicacid), but the 50% ethanol extract showed relatively low activity. In nitric oxide (NO) scavenging ability, the ethyl acetateand butanol fractions showed 141.80% and 131.55% relative activity compared with ascorbic acid as used for posi-tive control. On the other hand, tyrosinase inhibitory activity of the ethyl acetate and butanol fractions showed about twicehigher activity than positive control (arbutin). It means that the ethyl acetate and butanol fractions from the extract of R.schlippenbachii branch has ability for used as effective radical scavenger and tyrosinase inhibitor.

This study was carried out to investigate the antibacterial activity against pathogens of acne and the anti-inflammatory effect of 75% ethanol extract and its fractions from the leaves of Prunus sargentii. In the antibacterial activity by the disc diffusion assay, the extract showed the highest effect against Propionibacterium acnes, Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis in 5 mg/disc. However, the ethyl acetate fraction showed the highest antibacterial activity in 1 mg/disc. On the other hand, the hexane and chloroform fraction showed strong nitric oxide (NO) production inhibitory effect in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated Raw 264.7 cell. In the cell viability of Raw 264.7 by MTT assay, the extract and all fractions were exhibited normal viabilities as nontoxic result. Consequently, the extract from the leaves of P. sargentii and its ethyl acetate fraction could be applicable to functional materials for antibacterial activity related fields. Moreover, the hexane and chloroform fraction could be applicable to candidate materials as anti-inflammatory agent.

In this study, we investigated the antibacterial activity, antioxidative activity and whitening effect of 75% ethanol extracts from different parts of Prunus sargentii. The total phenolic compound content of the branch extract was 277.92 mg/g as the highest level. In the measurement of DPPH radical scavenging ability, SC50 values of the cork layer and branch extract were 26.79 μg/ml and 30.13 μg/ml. In nitric oxide (NO) scavenging ability, SC50 values of the branch and leaf extract were 49.19 μg/ml and 55.55 μg/ml. All extracts exhibited higher NO scavenging ability than ascorbic acid used as positive control. On the other hand, in antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus aureus by disc diffusion assay, the pure bark extract showed the highest activity. Moreover, tyrosinase inhibitory activity of cork layer, pure bark and branch extracts showed higher activity than arbutin used as positive control. In the cytotoxicity measurement by MTT assay, leaf extract was exhibited Raw 264.7 cell viabilities of 44.68~61.83% as cytotoxic result in tested concentration. In conclusion, the branch extract of Prunus sargentii will be a functional materials without damage compared to other parts such as pure bark or cork layer in the plant.

This experiment was carried out to obtain the cytotoxicity and antioxidative activity of Artemisiae Argi Folium. The total polyphenol contents in the ethyl acetate fraction of the ethanol extract and the methanol extract were 430.27mg/g and 427.84mg/g, respectively. In DPPH radical scavenging ability, SC50 values of the ethyl acetate fraction of the ethanol extract and the methanol extract were 32.64 μg/ml and 27.70 μg/ml as the same level of statistical with ascorbic acid. In the cytotoxicity measurement by MTT assay, the chloroform and hexane fraction, and each extract were exhibited higher cytotoxicity than the other fractions. In particular, the ethyl acetate fractions appeared high activity in DPPH radical scavenging ability were began to show cytotoxicity in 125 μg/ml. As a result, the ethyl acetate fraction of Artemisiae Argi Folium extract was the most highly active fraction in antioxidative activity. However, for the use of extracts and fractions from Artemisiae Argi Folium to related fields, the setting of appropriate concentration is required.

In this study, we investigated on antioxidative activity and nitric oxide production inhibitory activity of various solvent extracts of Lespedeza bicolor. The total polyphenol content of the methanol extract was 192.6 mg/g and flavonoid content of the acetone extract was 40.6 mg/g, as the highest content. In DPPH radical scavenging ability, SC50 values of the ethanol and methanol extract were exhibited 0.69mg/ml and 0.89mg/ml, respectively. However, in nitric oxide(NO) scavenging ability, SC50 values of the acetone was exhibited 0.72mg/ml as the highest activity. Moreover, the acetone extract showed strong NO production inhibitory effect in lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-stimulated Raw 264.7 cell. In the cytotoxicity measurement by MTT assay, the extracts were exhibited Raw 264.7 cell viabilities of 92.57~129.04% as nontoxic result in concentration of 65~650μg/ml. As a result, the acetone extract of L. bicolor could be applicable to functional materials for anti-inflammatory related fields.

The study was conducted to investigate functional materials as skin whitening and anti-inflammatory agent from Taraxacum officinale and Taraxacum coreanum. The total polyphenol and flavonoid content in the ethanol extract of Taraxacum officinale were found to be 64.07mg/g and 32.46mg/g, respectively. In tyrosinase inhibitory activity, the hot water extract of Taraxacum coreanum was higher than the other extracts. However, in nitric oxide (NO) scavenging ability, the ethanol extract of Taraxacum coreanum was higher than the other extracts. the ethanol extract of Taraxacum coreanum showed strong NO production inhibitory effect in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated Raw 264.7 cell. In the cell viability measurement by MTT assay and the lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay against L929 cell, the extracts were exhibited fine cell viabilities and normal LDH release levels as nontoxic result in sample concentration of 250~1000μg/ml. As a result, the ethanol extract and the hot water extract of Taraxacum coreanum could be applicable to functional materials for anti-inflammatory and skin whitening related fields, respectively.

In this study, we investigated antioxidative activity, antibacterial activity against pathogenic strains including methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and tyrosinase inhibitory activity in 75% ethanol extract of Taraxacum coreanum and its fractions. The total polyphenol and flavonoid contents of the extract were 238.59mg/g and 33.18mg/g and the total polyphenol and flavonoid contents of the ethyl acetate fraction were 427.81mg/g and 148.90mg/g as the highest content of fractions. In DPPH radical scavenging ability, SC50 values of the ethyl acetate and butanol fraction were 38.40μg/ml and 82.28 μg/ml, respectively. In antibacterial activity by the disc diffusion assay against S. aureus, S. epidermidis and MRSA, the ethyl acetate fraction showed stronger antibacterial activity than other fractions and the extract. Especially, the ethyl acetate fraction was exhibited effective antibacterial activity against MRSA. In the cytotoxicity measurement by MTT assay, the extract and fractions were exhibited Raw 264.7 cell viabilities of 96.32~143.21% as nontoxic result in concentration of 5~100 μg/ml. As a result, the ethyl acetate fraction of the 75% ethanol extract from T. coreanum could be applicable to functional materials for related fields.