Background : Mountain ginseng adventitious roots are being produced in large quantities by using plant tissue cultivation techniques to overcome the disadvantages of recent cultivation techniques. In this study, we intend to provide basic data on the development of cosmetic products by measuring the antioxidants of mountain ginseng adventitious roots extracted from each ethanol concentration and the activity of tyrosinase and elastase enzyme inhibition. Methods and Results : After drying, the mountain ginseng adventitious roots, it was crushed to less than 0.5 ㎜. for testing. It was then extracted at 70℃ for 180 minutes, adding 10 times its weight to each ethanol concentration (0, 20, 40, 60 and 80%) and filtered. The extract is depressurised and used in experiments after freeze-drying. The total phenols and flavonoids content measurement showed the most content in 80% ethanol extract. However, Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity, ferric reducing antioxidant power showed the best ability in 60% ethanol extract. In addition, the active measurements of tyrosinase and elastase enzyme inhibition performed to check skin whitening and wrinkles improvement showed the highest activity in the 80% ethanol extract. Conclusion : As a result, the optimum conditions for the use of natural antioxidants and functional foods were maximized when it is extracted with 60% ethanol. It is also expected to be valuable as a natural cosmetics material when extracted with 80% ethanol as a solvent when combined with the results of enzyme inhibition activity.

Background: Invasion of these invasive plants in the ecosystem threatens the habitat of endemic species, reduces biodiversity, and causes a disturbance in the ecological system. Hypochaeris radicata L. (Asteraceae), the most invasive plant in Korea, particularly in Jeju Island, invades farmlands, and autochthonous forests, resulting in the establishment of monocultures and modification of the ecosystem structure. Methods and Results: In this study was, we evaluated the biological activity of 70% ethanolic extracts from different parts of Hypochaeris radicata L. The biological activities of 70% ethanolic extracts of different parts, such as flower, leaf, stem, and root, of H. radicata were investigated. The total polyphenol content was highest in flower extracts (50.82 ± 3.16 ㎎ · GAE/g). In addition, the highest flavonoid content was observed in flower extract (15.19 ± 2.03㎎ · QE/g). The flower extract of H. radicata exhibited stronger DPPH radical-scavenging activities, ABTS radical scavenging activities, and reducing power than the other parts. The flower extract of H. radicata was observed to have the highest tyrosinase and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities. Conclusions: The flower extracts of H. radicata exhibited remarkable antioxidant activity as well as tyrosinase and α-glucosidase inhibitory effects. These activities might be related to the phenolic compounds present in the H. radicata flower extract.

Background : Extraction is the first and the most important step in the recovery and purification of bio-active compounds from plant materials. Many important factors such as solvent, solvent composition, solvent to solid ratio, pH, and temperature significantly influence the extraction efficiency of bio-active compounds. Factorial design of a limited set of variables is advantageous when compared to the conventional method which varies a single parameter per trial. Methods and Results : The objective of this study was to screen independent factors, namely, ethanol concentration (60 – 100%), extraction temperature (40 – 80℃), time (6 – 18 hours), and liquid to solid ratio (10 – 50 ㎖/g) on the recovery of the extract yield, antioxidant capacity, phenolic and flavonoid contents from Dendropanax morbifera leaf using factorial design. Total flavonoid content of extract was determined by colorimetric method with aluminum chloride, while antioxidant activity was screened using the DPPH radical scavenging activity, TEAC and FRAP assays. Full factorial design was employed to determine the significant contribution of the above factors towards antioxidant capacity (TEAC, DPPH and FRAP), and flavonoid contents. Among, all the factors examined, ethanol concentration and extraction temperature are very significant (p < 0.0001), in obtaining higher antioxidant activity, total flavonoid contents. Conclusion : Two level full factorial design screening was successfully employed to determine the significant factors, which are ethanol concentration, temperature, time and liquid to solid ratio in contributing to high antioxidant capacity (TEAC, DPPH and FRAP), and flavonoid content determination from Dendropanax morbifera leaf. From the results obtained, ethanol concentration and temperature was very significant (p < 0.0001), in obtaining higher antioxidant activity and flavonoid contents. Further work on optimization using these significant factors are in progress.

Background : Some of invasive plants, which were introduced from foreign countries, have caused problems in Korea. Invasion of these invasive plants in the ecosystem threatens the habitat of endemic species, reducing biodiversity, and causing a disturbance in the ecological system. Hypochaeris radicata L. (Asteraceae), the most invasive plants in Korea, particularly in Jeju Island, invade farmland, and autochthonous forest, establishing monocultures and modifying the ecosystem structure. This invasive species has become a serious environmental problem because they displace the indigenous plant species. This study was conducted to evaluate the antioxidantive effects of ethanolic extracts from different parts (root, stem, seed and leaf) of the invasive exotic species Hypochaeris radicata L. Methods and Results : The aim of present study was to estimate the total phenolic and flavonoid contents and to investigate in vitro antioxidant potential of ethanolic leaf, root, seed, and stem extracts of the Hypochaeris radicata. Antioxidant activity was assessed by using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) assay, reducing power activity, [2,2-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid)] ABTS+ assay and ferrous ion chelating activity. The total phenolic and flavonoid contents were also determined and expressed in gallic acid and quercetin equivalent respectively. The results of the study indicate that the ethanolic extracts of the leaf, root, seed, and stem of H. radicata posses significant scavenging activity against DPPH (21.25% for leaf, 34.98% for root, 60.76% for seed and 45.25% for stem at 250 μg/ml each) and ABTS+ radical scavenging activity (14.85% for leaf, 17.40% for root, 35.91% for seed and 24.70% for stem at 250 μg/ml each), reducing power activity (0.178 absorbance at 300 μg/ml for leaf, 0.211 absorbance at 300 μg/ml for root, 0.447 absorbance at 300 μg/ml for seed, 0.276 absorbance at 300 μg/ml for stem). The free radical scavenging and antioxidant activities may be attributed to the presence of adequate phenolic (gallic acid content is 361.92.98 μg/g in leaf, 356.59μg/g in root, 719.72 μg/g in seed and 512.08 μg/g stem) and flavonoid compounds (219.52 μg/g in leaf, 75.67μg/g in root, 281.39 μg/g in seed and 215.66 μg/g stem). This study revealed that the ethanolic extracts of both leaf, root, seed and stem of H. radicata has demonstrated significant antioxidant activity. Conclusion : In conclusion, the present study has demonstrated that Hypochaeris radicata seed ethanol extracts are rich in phenolics and have a strong antioxidant activity and a radical-scavenging action in all of the tested methods. This suggests that Hypochaeris radicata is a good source of natural antioxidants.

Background : More than 1250 bamboo species, belonging to 75 genera, are distributed all over the world. Sasa quelpaertensis Nakai is a type of bamboo grass widely distributed in Halla mountain, Jeju Island, which has been used as antidiabetic, anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory drugs. In this study, we investigated the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of Sasa quelpaertensis Nakai leaf extracted with different ethanol concentration and demonstrated the potent bioactivities of the extracts suitable to be used as natural antioxidant compounds or pharmaceutical supplements. Methods and Results : Antioxidant and anti-microbial activities of Sasa quelpaertensis Nakai extracts were studied. At first, different ethanol concentrations (0, 20, 40, 60 and 80%) were compared for determining of the best solvent for extraction of phenolic compounds from Sasa quelpaertensis Nakai. Forty percent Ethanol extract with 990.01±28.9 (mg of gallic acid equivalents/g sample) were the best solvent in the extraction of phenolic compounds. But, 60% ethanolic extracts were highest antioxidant activity appeared such as DPPH radical scavenging (IC50 21.20±0.42 μg/ml), ABTS radical scavenging (IC50 49.85±1.27 μg/ml) and reducing power. However, 80% ethanol extracts showed the strongest SOD like activity. The anti-microbial capacity was screened against Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria, and yeast. Sixty percent and 80% ethanol extracts inhibited the growth of Gram positive bacteria; Bacillus cereus was the most susceptible one with MIC of 125 μ g/ml and 250 μg/ml for the 60% and 80% extracts, respectively. Conclusion : The results of this study show that the extract of Sasa quelpaertensis Nakai can be used as easily accessible source of natural antioxidants and as a possible food supplement or in pharmaceutical industry. However, the components responsible for the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of both extracts of Sasa quelpaertensis Nakai are currently unclear. Therefore, it is suggested that further works should be performed on the isolation and identification of the antioxidant components in Sasa quelpaertensis Nakai.

Background : The Aralia cordata and Dendropanax morbifera, belonging to the family Araliacea, is a perennial herbaceous species. Although its beneficial effects for several chronic diseases are well-known, the role of its effects on chronic intestinal inflammation, colon carcinogenis are limited. Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are chronic inflammatory disorders of gastrointestinal tract. It has been reported that IBD is associated with colon cancer which is one of the most common types of cancer diagnosed and a major cause of cancer-related mortality. Methods and Results : The present study hypothesized that Araliacea family would exert a protective effect on inflammation and dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis mouse model. Effect of Aralia cordata extracts (ACE) and Dendropanax morbifera leaf extracts (DMLE) on pro-inflammatory markers, mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling (MAPKs), activation of nuclear factor κB (NF- κB) in THP-1 human monocyte and HT-29 colon epithelial cell model were investigated. In addition, colon inflammation inhibitory effects of ACE and DMLE on the characteristics of in DSS-induced colitis model. Results showed that ACE, DMLE attenuated the severity of DSS-induced colitis, as assessed by disease activity index scores, shrinkage of colon length, and histopathologic changes and infirmatory cytokine concentration. Furthermore, ACE treatment significantly suppressed the colon carcinogenesis in AOM/DSS induced colon cancer model. The apoptosis induction abilities of the DMLE were studied by analyzing the expressions of Bcl2 family protein, caspase, Annexin V/PI staining and DNA fragmentation. According to our results, DMLE significantly induced cell death in SW-480 cells. Apoptosis was determined by cell morphology and electrophoresis of DNA fragmentations. Furthermore, treatment with DMLE also induced the increase in caspase activity, pro-apoptotic proteins (Bax and Bad) and the decrease in anti-apoptotic proteins (Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL). In addition, DMLE induce cell cycle arrested at the G1/S phase in SW-480 cells and exhibited significant inhibition on the expressions of G1/S phase specific CDK, cyclin and up regulation of CDK inhibitors. Conclusion : Taken together, these results provide evidence that ACE and DMLE prevention colon cancer by regulating inflammation, colitis, and colon carcinogenesis which indicates its benefit for colon health.