This study was carried out to investigate the residual sulfur dioxide residues (SO2) in commercial medicinal herbs in Korea in 2013. Among a total of 116 samples of 11 different kinds of herbs, 71 samples (11 Kinds) were domestic, and 45 samples (10 Kinds) were imported. The residual contents of SO2 in the samples were determinated by a modified Monier-Williams method. Of the 116 samples, 6 samples (5.2%, 4 Kinds) failed to meet the regulations for sulfur dioxide residues of KFDA in medicinal herbs. Among 6 unsuitable samples, 1 samples (1.4%) were domestic, and 5 samples (11.1%, 3 Kinds) were imported. The highest amount of sulfur dioxide residues was 1546.3 mg/kg (Lycii Fructus) in the domestic samples. Regardless of region, SO2 contents were not found at Anemarrhenae Rhizoma, Citri Unshius Pericarpium, Eucommiae Cortex, Forsythiae Fructus, Gardeniae Fructus, Leonuri Herba and Lonicerae Folium et caulis. These data will be used as a basic data for the future legislation on the regulation and control of sulfur dioxide of herbal medicines.

Molecular phylogenetic analysis was conducted to evaluate the taxonomic relationships of genus Arisaema L. distributed in Korea and the molecular phylogenetic characteristics of three authentic Arisaema species for the herbal medicine Arisaematis Rhizoma (the rhizomes of A. amurense, A. heterophyllum, and A. erubescens). The sequences of three DNA barcodes (rDNA-ITS, matK, and rbcL) were analyzed using 50 samples of nine taxa consisted of eight Korean and one Chinese Arisaema with one outgroup (Dracunculus vulgaris). Both individual and combined phylogenetic analyses of three DNA barcode sequences revealed that the treated nine taxa are independently classified into six distinct clades (Clade I, A. amurense f. amurense and A. amurense f. serratum; Clade II, A. serratum and A. takesimense; Clade III, A. ringens; Clade IV, A. erubescens; Clade V, A. heterophyllum; Clade VI, A. thunbergii subsp. thunbergii and A. thunbergii subsp. geomundoense). These six clades were reasonably divided into three individual sections, Pedatisecta, Sinarisaema, and Tortuosa. Futhermore, the results of comparative DNA barcode sequences analyses provided a significant information for the taxonomic reconsideration of Arisaema L. at the specific and intraspecific level. However, we could not confirm the taxonomic characteristics or identity among the three authentic medicinal species through the molecular phylogenetic analyses of genus Arisaema L. for Arisaematis Rhizoma.

The Ponciri fructus immaturus (Poncirus trifoliata Rafinesque) has been used in oriental medicine for uterinecontraction, stomachache, abdominal distension and cardiovascular diseases. Two main compounds, poncirin and naringinwere successfully analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and carried out method validation accordingto ICH guideline. A successful resolution and retention times were obtained with a C18 reversed phase column, at an 1㎖min−¹ flow rate, with a gradient elution of a mixture of methanol, water and acetonitrile. Poncirin and naringin showed goodlinearity (R²>0.999) in relatively wide concentration ranged. The recovery of each compound was 95.81~101.48% withR.S.D. values less than 1.0%. The application of ultrasound-assisted extraction was shown to be more efficient in extractingponcirin and naringin from Ponciri fructus immaturus. The predicted optimal poncirin and naringin yield were poncirin2.15%, naringin 1.65% under an extraction temperature of 40℃, an extraction time of 10 min in a solvent of 70% methanol.

This study was conducted to investigate the residual contents of sulfur dioxide (SO2) in commercial medicinal herbs in Korea in 2012. Among a total of 136 samples of 16 different kinds of herbs, 86 samples (15 Kinds) were domestic, and 50 samples (14 Kinds) were imported. Sulfur dioxide in the samples was measured by a modified Monier-Williams method. Of the 136 samples, 17 samples (12.5%, 6 Kinds) failed to meet the regulations for sulfur dioxide residues of KFDA in medicinal herbs. Among 17 unsuitable samples, 7 samples (8.1%, 3 Kinds) were domestic, and 10 samples (20.0%, 6 Kinds) were imported. The highest amount of sulfur dioxide residues was 3,167.94 mg/kg (Lycii Fructus) in the domestic samples. The detection frequency of sulfur dioxide by medicinal herb parts used, Rhizoma 25.7%, Flos 20.0%. Cortex 12.5%, Radix 15.3%, Fructus 7.6%, p-value 0.011. This results will be used as a basic data for the future legislation on the quality estimation and safety of medicinal herbs.

This study was conducted to determine the contents of heavy metal in commercial herbal medicines. The monitoring of lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury was carried out on 100 samples with 10 kinds of herbal medicines. The contents of heavy metal were measured by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) and mercury analyzer. The mean values of heavy metal contents for herbal medicines were Pb 1.87 mg/kg, As 0.39 mg/kg, Cd 0.26 mg/kg and Hg 0.021 mg/kg. Of the total samples, 19 samples (19%, 4 types) were violated the KFDA regulatory guidance of heavy metal in herbal medicines (9 samples on Pb, 10 samples on Cd). Among these 19 unsuitable samples, 16 samples were domestic and 3 samples were imported. Therefore, we need continuously monitoring to ensure confidence and safety for these herbal medicines.

Rhubarb is the well-known and frequently used herbal medicine for the treatment of constipation, inflammation, and cancer. As described in the Korea and Chinese Pharmacopoeia, rhubarb consists of the roots and rhizomes of Rheum palmatum, R. officinale, and R. tanguticum. However, the pharmacological differences among rhubarb have not been scientifically established. In the present study, we investigated and compared the inhibitory effects of 70% ethanolic extracts from R. palmatum (RPE), R. officinale (ROE), R. nobile (RNE), and R. franzenbachii (RFE) on the production of inflammatory mediators, nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), interlukin-1beta (IL-1β), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) in RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. ROE, RNE, and RFE significantly inhibited the release of NO, PGE2, IL-1β, and TNF-α. RPE significantly reduced the release of IL-1β, but not NO, PGE2, and TNF-α. Overall, RFE was found to inhibit the release of PGE2 and IL-1β, to a far greater degree than RPE, ROE, and RNE. Our results indicate that RFE possess the strongest anti-inflammatory activity among 4 tested rhubarb.