DNA 바코드를 기반으로 하여 외국발 국내 입항 선박에서 검출되는 편승자 해충(hitchhiker insect pests)에 대한 모니터링을 수행하였다. 국내 입항 선박 조사는 2018년 6월 1일부터 2018년 9월 17일까지 약 109일간 111개 선박에 대해 실시하였다. 모니터링 대상 해충은 ‘보고잡기법(simply collecting method by hands)’으로 확보하였으며, 총 336개체 에 대해 종동정을 실시하였다. 그 결과, 확보 해충 중 농림축산검역본부에 ‘관리해충(Regulated insect pest)’으로 등재되어 있는 Noctua pronuba를 포함하여 총 13종 21개체(Amata formosae (Erebidae, Lepidoptera, 1개체), Arippara disticha (Pyralidae, Lepidoptera, 1개체), Chondracris rosea (Acrididae, Orthoptera, 4개체), Cyrtacanthacris tatarica (Acrididae, Orthoptera, 1개체), Euhampsonia serratifera (Notodontidae, Lepidoptera, 3개체), Lemyra rhodophilodes (Erebidae, Lepidoptera, 2개체), Lymantria xylina (Erebidae, Lepidoptera, 1개체), Malacosoma dentata (Lasiocampidae, Lepidoptera, 3개체), Neochauliodes meridionalis (Corydalidae, Megaloptera, 1개체), Noctua pronuba (Noctuidae, Lepidoptera, 1개체), Parasa pastoralis (Limacodidae, Lepidoptera, 1개체), Psilogramma lukhtanovi (Sphingidae, Lepidoptera, 1개체), Syntypistis viridipicta (Notodontidae, Lepidoptera, 1개체))의 국내 미서식종이 채집되었으며, 확보된 21개체 중 15개체는 살아있는 상태로 검출되었다. 특히, 관리해충인 N. pronuba의 경우, 싱가포르에서 광양을 거쳐 포항항으로 입항한 선박에서 검출되었는데, 이 종은 유럽을 비롯하여 중동 및 중앙아시아까지 서식하는 종으로 1990년대 북미 대륙에 침입한 것으로 확인된 바 있다. 이에 따라, N. pronuba를 비롯하여 현 조사에 확인된 국내 미서식 편승자 해충의 편승 유무에 대한 정밀 모니터링 뿐만 아니라 위 종들에 대한 체계적인 위험성 평가 역시 필요할 것으로 사료된다.

4-isopropyl-2,6-bis(1-phenylethyl)aniline 1 (KTH13-AD1) is a metabolite of Cordyceps bassiana that has been traditionally used to treat various inflammatory disease. Even though it has the magnificent pharmaceutical potential, there was not much understanding on its anti-inflammatory actions. Therefore, this study was aimed to determine the anti-inflammatory effects of KTH13-AD1. We found that KTH13-AD1 suppressed nitric oxide (NO) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)- or sodium nitroprusside (SNP)-treated macrophages (RAW264.7 cells). Similarly, mRNA expression of inducible NO synthase (iNOS) and tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a) analyzed by RT-PCR and real-time PCR was also reduced by this compound. Interestingly, KTH13-AD1 also strongly diminished the levels of NF-kB-mediated luciferase activities and nuclear translocated NF-kB family proteins. In agreement with these, KTH13-AD1 suppressed the upstream signaling pathway for NF-kB activation including IkBa, IKKa/b, AKT, p85/PI3K and Src in time- and dose-dependent manners. Therefore, these results strongly suggest that KTH13-AD1 has a strong anti-inflammatory activity via suppression of the NF-kB signaling pathway.

Cordyceps species, including C. sinensis, C. militaris, C. pruinosa and C. bassiana and C. staphylindaecola are prized traditional medicinal materials. From many Cordyceps species, Cordyceps militaris is well known and is ethopharmacologically known in Far East Asian countries such as Korea, China, and Japan. Continuous scientific studies have found that these preparations are capable of exhibiting numerous pharmacological activities as anti-oxidative, anti-viral, anti-cancer, anti-fibrotic, antiinflammatory, anti-nociceptive, anti-angiogenic, anti-diabetic, and anti-obesity drugs. Many species of Cordyceps (more than 600 types) have not yet been evaluated for their pharmacological activities. A preliminary study indicated that the biological activity varied between species and even between strains of the same species. But the chemical and functional properties and constituents of Cordyceps militaris have been studies extensively. The chemical constituents of Cordyceps militaris include cordycepin (3'-deoxyadenosine) and its derivatives, ergosterol, polysaccharides, a glycoprotein and peptides containing aminoisobutyric acid. They include anti-tumour, anti-metastatic, mmunomodulatory, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, insecticidal, antimicrobial, hypolipidaemic, hypoglycaemic, anti-ageing, neuroprotective and renoprotective effects. Cordycepin is reported to possess many pharmacological activities including immunological stimulating, anti-cancer, anti-virus, insecticidal, antibacterial and anti-infection activities. Polysaccharide accounts for the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antitumour, anti-metastatic, immunomodulatory, hypoglycaemic, steroidogenic and hypolipidaemic effects. Ergosterol exhibits anti-tumour and immunomodulatory activity. The aim of this presentation is to review the chemical constituents and pharmacological actions of Cordyceps militaris.