Chelidonium majus (CM) contains several isoquinoline alkaloids that have been reported to have various biological activities such as anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant, immune-modulatory, and antitumoral. It has been reported that the extract of CM had an antioxidant potential, however the mechanism has not been verified. In this study, we found that CM extract activated FOXO3a. FOXO3a is a transcription factor that involved in various biological processes such as cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, DNA repair, and ROS detoxification. Transcriptional activities of FOXO3a were regulated by post-translational modifications including phosphorylation, acetylation, and ubiquitination. Protein level of FOXO3a was increased by CM extract. Promoter activities of FOXO-transcriptional target genes such as MnSOD, p27 and GADD45 were activated by CM extract in a dose dependent manner. In addition, protein level of MnSOD, major antioxidant enzyme, was increased by CM extract. Thereby ROS level was decreased by CM in old HEF cells. These results suggest that CM extract has an antioxidant activity through FOXO activation.

We evaluated the inhibitory effects of extracts and components of Geranium thunbergii on aldose reductase (AR) and galactitol formation in rat lenses with high levels of galactose as a part of our ongoing search of natural sources for therapeutic and preventive agents for diabetic complications. The inhibitory effects of water, methanol and ethanol extracts of G. thunbergii on rat lens AR (RLAR) were determined. Comparing inhibitory effects of various solvent extracts, ethanol extract showed RLAR inhibitory activity (IC50 values, 5.24 and 6.39μg/ml, respectively). The ethanol extract was fractionated to chloroform, ethyl acetate and water. Of these, the ethyl acetate fraction from ethanol extract of G. thunbergii exhibited RLAR inhibitory activity (IC50 value, 2.64μg/ml). In order to identify the bioactive components of ethyl acetate soluble fraction of ethanol extract from G. thunbergii, eight compounds, namely gallic acid (1), protocatechuic acid (2), p-hydroxybenzoic acid (3), brevifolin carboxylic acid (4), geraniin (5), ellagic acid (6), kaempferol-3-O-arabinofuranosyl-7-O-rhamnopyranoside (7), kaempferitrin (8) were isolated. The isolates were subjected to in vitro bioassays to evaluate their inhibitory activity on RLAR and galactitol formation in rat lenses. The ellagic tannins (5, 6) and flavonoid (7) exhibited strong inhibitory effects on RLAR. Also, these three compounds (5, 6 and 7) suppressed galactitol accumulation in rat lens under high galactose conditions, demonstrating the potential to prevent galactitol accumulation exo vivo. These results suggest that the extracts and components of G. thunbergii are a promising agent in the prevention or treatment of diabetic complications.

Taxifolin-3-O-β-D-xylopyranoside and quercetin-3-O-α-L-rhamnopyranoside were isolated from an EtOAc-soluble extract of the leaves of Chamaecyparis obtuse. Quercetin-3-O-α-L-rhamnopyranoside was found to possess a potent inhibitory activity of human recombinant aldose reductase in vitro, its IC50 value being 11.5 μM. Kinetic analysis showed that quercetin-3-O-α-L-rhamnopyranoside exhibited uncompetitive inhibition against DL-glyceraldehyde. Also, quercetin-3-O-α-L-rhamnopyranoside suppresses sorbitol accumulation in rat lens under high glucose conditions, demonstrating the potential to prevent sorbitol accumulation in vivo. These results suggest that this compound may be a promising agent in the prevention or treatment of diabetic complications.

In the present study, the antinociceptive profiles of Viola tricolor L. (V. tricolor L.) extract were examined in ICR mice. V. tricolor L. extract administered orally (200mg/kg) showed an antinociceptive effect as measured by the tail-flick and hot-plate tests. In addition, V. tricolor L. extract attenuated the writhing numbers in the acetic acid-induced writhing test. Furthermore, the cumulative nociceptive response time for intrathecal (i.t.) injection of substance P (0.7 μg) was diminished by V. tricolor L. extract. Intraperitoneal (i.p.) pretreatment with yohimbine (α2-adrenergic receptor antagonist) attenuated antinociceptive effect induced by V. tricolor L. extract in the writhing test. However, naloxone (opioid receptor antagonist) or methysergide (5-HT serotonergic receptor antagonist) did not affect antinociception induced by V. tricolor L. extract in the writhing test. Our results suggest that V. tricolor L. extract shows an antinociceptive property in various pain models. Furthermore, this antinociceptive effect of V. tricolor L. extract may be mediated by α2-adrenergic receptor, but not opioidergic and serotonergic receptors.

자생 상록활엽수의 부위별 재료에서 추출한 주요 정유성분으로 광나무의 꽃에는 hotrienol(9.21%), 돈나무의 잎에는 undecane(32.12%), 붓순나무의 잎에는 1,8-cineole(45.32%), 새덕이나무의 잎에는 γ-terpinene(15.62%), 생달나무의 잎에는 1,8-cineole(14.66%), 차나무의 잎에는 2-acetyl-5-methylfuran(54.51%), 황칠나무의 잎에는 γ-elemene(18.59%) 등의 성분함량이 특히 높음을 알 수 있었다.

한국특산 섬오갈피나무 및 지리산오갈피나무의 잎과 줄기에서 추출한 주요 정유성분으로, 섬오갈피나무의 경우에는 δ-3-carene (31.34%), l-limonene (17.01%), β-elemene (4.53%), trans-p-menth-2-ene-1,8-diol (3.13%), 1,8-cineole (4.73%), 1-dodecen-3-yne (2.64%), (Z)-3,7-dimethyl-1,3,6-octatriene (3.21%), 지리산오갈피나무의 경우에는 delta-3-carene (14.78%), limonene (7.24%), t-ocimene (7.22%), α-terpinolene (8.76%), gamma-elemene (4.32%), β-selinene (7.72%), veridifloral (3.25%), dodecane (2.44%) 등의 성분함량이 높음을 알 수 있었다. 특히 δ-3-carene는 섬오갈피나무 및 지리산오갈피나무에서 가장 높은 함량을 나타내었다.

가시 오갈피의 지상부 수확량과 유용성분을 증대시키기 위하여 생육이 양호한 품종을 대목으로 접목재배를 하였다. 접목재배한 가시오갈피의 유용성분의 변화를 규명하는 일환으로 정유성분의 변화를 측정한 결과를 요약하면 다음과 같다. 1. 가시오갈피 잎의 고유 성분 중에서 접목재배로 인하여 함량이 증가한 것은 calarene, α-beramotene, spathulenol 등이고, 감소한 것은 cis-caryophyllene, epizomarene, M204 (tR=2.07)이었으며, β-pinene, β-myrcene, 2,5,5,-trimethyl- 1,3,6-heptatriene, β-elemene 등은 전혀 나타나지 않았다. 2. 줄기의 고유 성분은 접목재배와 일반재배 사이에 큰 차이가 없었으며, 접목 1년생보다 3년생에서 함량이 높게 검출되었다. 가장 많이 함유한 성분은 α-bergamotene으로 27% 정도이었다. 3. 뿌리에서는 좀가시오갈피 고유 성분인 ethylbenzene, 2-furancarboxaldehyde, M134 (tR=2.11), M205 (tR=3.16) 등이 측정되지 않았고, 가시오갈피 고유 성분인 6,6-dimethyl-3-methylenbicycloheptane, M166 (tR=1.82), (+) -aromadendrene, β-bisabolene, M204 (tR=3.01) 등이 대목에 새롭게 생성 축적되었다.

생열귀나무의 채취부위 및 시기별 ascorbic acid 와 β-carotene의 함량을 조사한 결과는 다음과 같다. 1. 생열귀나무의 채취부위중 ascorbic acid 함량은 잎부분에서 가장 높았으며 과일 보다는 2.7배, 줄기와 뿌리 보다는 14배 정도 더 높았다. 2. 잎 채취시기별 ascorbic acid 함량은 11월에 채취한 잎이 9월에 채취한 잎보다 1.8배 더 높았으며, 11월에 채취한 잎이 9월에 채취한 잎보다 1.8배 더 높은 ascorbic acid를 함유하고 있었다. 3. 생열귀나무의 채취부위중 β-carotene함량은 잎부위에서 가장 높았으며, 과일보다는 3.5배 더 높았다. 4. 잎 채취시기별 β-carotene 함량은 11월에 채취한 잎이 9월에 채취한 잎보다 더 높았으나 비슷한 분포를 보였다.

삼지구엽초의 번식과 재배법을 개발하여 자생지에서의 남획과 자연 소멸을 막는 동시에 양질의 삼지구엽초 생약을 확보하긴 위한 일련의 실험중 채취시기 및 생산지에 따른 주요성분의 함량차를 비교 검토하였던바 채취시기에 따라서는 여름보다는 가을(9월 증순)에 채취한 것이 icariin성분이 월등히 높았고, 재배산과 자연산간에는 자연산이 약간 높은 경향이었다. 한편 철원지역에서 채취한 지구엽초(0.94%)에 비해 중국산(0.4%)의 icariin함량은 절반수준에 불과하여 삼지구엽초는 채취시기 및 장소에 따라 품질의 차이 가 큰 것으로 사료된다.