This study was performed to assess the antioxidant activities and whitening effects of Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb on melanin synthesis. The whitening effects of Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb water extracts were examined by in vitro mushroom tyrosinase assay and B16BL6 melanoma cells. We assessed inhibitory effect of Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb water extract on expression of melanogenic enzyme proteins including tyrosinase, tyrosinase-related protein 1 (TRP-1) and tyrosinase-related protein 2 (TRP-2) in B16BL6 cells. Inhibitory effect of Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb onto free radical generation was determined by measuring DPPH and hydroxyl radical scavenging activitie. Our results indicated that Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb water extract effectively inhibited free radical generation. In DPPH and hydroxy radical scavenging activity, Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb water extract had a potent anti-oxidant activity in a dose-dependent manner. They significantly inhibited tyrosinase activity in vitro and in B16BL6 melanoma cells. Also, Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb suppressed the expression of tyrosinase in B16BL6 melanoma cells. These results show that Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb inhibited melanin production on the melanogenesis. The underlying mechanism of Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb on whitening activity may be due to the inhibition of tyrosinase activity. We suggest that Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb may be useful as new natural active ingredients for antioxidant and whitening cosmetics.

본 연구에서는 유전적으로 제2형 당뇨를 가진 Goto-Kakizaki 흰쥐의 간 세포액에 함유된 당대사 관련 주요 효소인 glucokinase(GK)와 acetyl-CoA carboxylase(ACC)의 활성 및 α-glucosidase 저해 활성을 측정하였다. 사용된 소재로는 지골피(Lycium chinense), 동충하초(Cordyceps militaris), 가시오가피(Acanthopanax senticosus)를 선정하였고, 이를 단독으로 사용하기 보다는 유효성분의 항당뇨 효능에 대한 상승효과를 알아보기 위하여 일정비율로 혼합하였다. 각 소재들을 일정 비율로 혼합한 모든 추출물에서 GK와 ACC의 활성이 증가하였으며, 가시오가피와 동충하초의 혼합 비율이 높아질수록 효소의 활성 증가율도 높아진 것으로 나타났다. 이는 지골피와 가시오가피, 동충하초의 상승작용 때문으로 사료된다. α-glucosidase의 저해 활성은 JDG 5(1:6:6) 처리군에서 acarbose 보다 높은 억제율을 나타내었다. 결론적으로 지골피, 가시오가피, 동충하초의 혼합 비율이 1:6:6 일 때 당대사 관련 효소인 GK와 ACC 효소를 활성화시키고, α-glucosidase의 활성을 저해하여 흡수된 당의 이용에 유리하게 작용함으로써 항당뇨 효과를 나타낼 수 있을 것으로 사료된다.

The present study was conducted to investigate the anti-allergic reaction with Glycyrrhiza uralensis. We examined cell viability, β-hexosaminidase release, IL-4 and IL-13 mRNA expression from RBL-2H3 cell after pre-treatment with 0, 100, 250, 500, 1000μg/ml of Glycyrrhiza uralensis water extracts. Effects of Glycyrrhiza uralensis on the degranulation and pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-4 and IL-13) expression were evaluated with β-hexosaminidase assay, and RT-PCR analysis. We observed that Glycyrrhiza uralensis concentrations from 100μg/ml to 1000μg/ml had no effect on cell survival. The release of β-hexosaminidase decreased significantly with all concentrations of Glycyrrhiza uralensis extracts. The expression of the IL-4 and IL-13 mRNA were decreased by Glycyrrhiza uralensis in dose-dependent manner. These results that Glycyrrhiza uralensis has an anti-histamin effects and controls IL-4, IL-13 secretion on allergic reaction.

The purpose of this research was to investigate the effect of horticultural therapy for children of developmental disability. Drawing was used as a supplementary evaluation scale because the disbilitty had many difficulties to express how they felt when they had horticultural therapy. Children with developmental disability could express their states and conditions by drawing a picture after horticultural therapy; a drawing could be a supplementary scale to communicate their interactions. This study showed that the integrative horticultural therapy combined with art therapy technique improved the effectiveness of horticultural therapy; the integrated therapy gave the disability a synergy effect of not only a supplementary evaluation scale but also a therapeutical stimulation.