Osteoporosis induces a bone mineral density loss due to imbalance of bone homeostasis that is achieved by osteoclasts (which are involved in bone resorption) and osteoblasts (which are involved in bone formation). Thus, this study was performed to evaluate the effects of hot water extract of the Achyranthes bidentata Blume (ABB) and Panax ginseng (Gin) on osteoclast and osteoblast differentiation. In this study, there was no cytotoxicity by ABB, 50 and 100 μg/ml of Gin significantly decreased cell viability of RANKL-induced osteoclast in RAW264.7 cell (p < 0.01). But, it was 50 μg/ml of ABB and Gin mixtures increased due to protective action of ABB. Furthermore, Gin contained groups (Gin, ABB and Gin mixtures) were inhibitory effects on osteoclast differentiation and bone resorption, and increased in osteoblast differentiation activity. Gin clearly inhibited RANKL-induced osteoclast differentiation by decreased calcitonin and TRAP (p < 0.01). Also, these extracts significantly increased calcium accumulation formation of osteoblastic differentiation reagents-induced osteoblast in MC3T3-E1 cell (p < 0.05). These results suggest that ABB and Gin mixtures may be a potential as drug for the treatment of osteoporosis.

In traditional Korean and Chinese medicine, safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) for the treatment of centralnervous system-related symptoms such as tremor, seizure, stroke and epilepsy. We investigated the effects of safflower couldinfluence cerebral ischemia-induced neuronal and cognitive impairments. Administration of safflower for 1 day(200㎎/㎏ body weight, p.o.) increased the survival of hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons after transient global brainischemia. And neurological functions measured as short term memory. Post-treatment with safflower for 2 times decreasedthe induction/reduction - induced production of neuronal cell loss from global cerebral ischemia. Safflower markedlydecreased neuronal cell death and also caused a decrease in the content of thiobarbituric acid-reacting substances(TBARS) (55.2±9.4µmol mg-¹) and significant improvement of activities of glutathione (GSH) (27.2±5.0µmol mg-¹) inhippocampus. We conclude that treatment with safflower attenuated learning and memory deficits, and neuronal cell lossinduced by global cerebral ischemia. These results suggest that safflower may be a potential candidate for the treatment ofvascular dementia.

Ginsenosides of roots in Panax ginseng were analyzed by metabolic-targeting HPLC using the partial leastsquares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and compared depending on sowing methods between direct seeding andtransplanting method. Score plots derived from PLS-DA could identify the sowing method between the direct seeding andtransplanting method in P. ginseng roots. The ginsenoside compounds were assigned as Rg1, Re, Rf, Rg2, Rb1, Rc,Rb2, Rb3, and Rd. Contents of Re, Rf, Rg2, Rb1, Rc, Rb3, and Rd of main roots produced from the transplanting methodwere relatively higher than those of samples produced from direct seeding method. Also, contents of Rg1, Re, Rf, Rg2, Rb1,Rc, Rb2, Rb3, and Rd of lateral roots from the transplanted samples were relatively higher than those of samples producedfrom direct seeding method. Therefore, HPLC with PLS-DA analysis can be a straightforward tool for identificationof ginsenosides in main or lateral roots of P. ginseng obtained from two different seeding methods between directand transplanting methods.

Achyrantes japonica (AJ) has been used to treat edema and arthritis in the traditional Korean medicine. Toelucidate the anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive effects of ethanol extract of AJ, the carrageenan-induced pawedema using a plethysmometer and thermal hypersensitivity using the plantar test were measured. Ibuprofen was used asa control drug. Treatment with AJ (200㎎/kg p.o.) significantly reduced paw edema, compared to the carrageenan -treated rats. In the plantar test, the thermal withdrawal latency in AJ - treated group was significantly increased than thecarrageenan - treated group. The results indicate that AJ could have be the anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive prop-erties.

Objective The aim of this work was to ascertain whether the memory disturbance following scopolamine administration and the neuroprotective effect of could be evidenced in global cerebral ischemia by evaluating improved cognitive capacity in the rats. Materials and Methods Neuronal cell density was measured by counting viable cells in the left and right CA1 regions of three coronal sections of 30 um. Behavior test; Acquisition deficits after ischemia.. Use passive avoidance test. Results Neuroprotective effect of GB at 100mg/kg is 87.3%. Representative photomicrographs of cresyl violet-stained hippocampal regions of either sham-operated animals(A,B) or animals that had been subjected to 10 min ischemia followed by the treatment with either saline (C,D) or 100mg/kg of Ginkgo biloba (E,F). Boxed regions in A, C, and E are shown in B, D, and F, respectively. The 10 min ischemia caused selective and delayed neuronal cell loss in the hippocampal CA1 region (C,D). In contrast, GB treatment conferred neuroprotection by markedly reducing the number of damaged pyramidal cells in the CA1 subfield (E,F). Scale bar is 100 um. Effect of GB on scopolamine induced memory deficits in the passive avoidance test. At 30 min after trainining trials, scopolamine(1mg/kg i.p.) or the same volume of saline was administered to rats. At 30 min after scopolamine injection, the rats were treated with GB(100mg/kg). Acquisition trials were carried out 30 min after GB treatment. At 24 hr after acquisition trials, the test trials were carried out. Data represents mean ± SEM (n=6).