This study analyzed the changes in physicochemical components of Astragalus membranaceus (AM) fermented with Phellinus linteus. Moisture content, pH, total acidity, total reducing sugar content, extraction yield, free sugar content, free amino acid and isoflavonoid (calycosin, formononetin) were investigated. The moisture content was increased during fermentation with Phellinus linteus. The pH level increased while the total acidity significantly decreased during fermentation. The reducing sugar content were in the range of 0.32~0.61%. The extraction yield using water was higher than that using 80% ethanol. The major free sugars were identified as glucose, fructose, sucrose and the content of free sugars decreased through fermentation. However, the glucose and sucrose contents of the water extracts were increased. In addition, the free amino acid increased significantly during fermentation. Finally, calycosin and formononetins contents in water extracts of after 30 days of AM fermentaion with Phellinus linteus were (3.91 mg/100 g) and (1.38 mg/100 g), respectively. These results suggest that fermentation with Phellinus linteus could be used to increase the bioactivity of AM. The mycelium-fermented AM could be a valuable source of functional material and edible resource for industry.

Background: In recent years, adjuvants have received increasing attention owing to the development of purified subunit and synthetic vaccines which are poor immunogens and require additional adjuvants to evoke an immune response. Therefore, immunologic adjuvants have been developed and tested. Plant polysaccharides have been recognized as effective biological response modifiers with low toxicity.Methods and Results: In this study, the polysaccharide from the aboveground part of Astragalus membranaceus Bunge containing immunomodulating arabino-3,6-galactan was evaluated for its hemolytic activity and adjuvant potential in the specific cellular and humoral immune responses to ovalbumin. The polysaccharide from the aboveground part of Astragalus membranaceus Bunge was co-immunized with the purified Vi capsular polysaccharide of Salmonella typhi vaccine in mice. The polysaccharide from the aboveground part of Astragalus membranaceus Bunge did not induce any hemolytic activity or side effects at doses up to 500㎍/㎖. The concanavalin A-, lipopolysaccharide-, and ovalbumin-induced splenocyte proliferation and serum ovalbumin-specific IgG, IgG1 and IgG2b antibody titers in immunized mice were significantly enhanced by AMA. Pharmacological data revealed that the polysaccharide from the aboveground part of Astragalus membranaceus Bunge increased antigen-specific antibody levels in immunized mice. The polysaccharide from the aboveground part of Astragalus membranaceus Bunge-adjuvanted purified Vi capsular polysaccharide of Salmonella typhi vaccine improved the proliferation of splenocytes and macrophages as well as stimulated cytokine production.Conclusions: These results suggest that the polysaccharide from the aboveground part of Astragalus membranaceus Bunge-adjuvanted vaccines enhanced humoral and cellular immunity and that the polysaccharide from the aboveground part of Astragalus membranaceus Bunge is a safe and efficacious adjuvant candidate suitable for use in prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines.

Background : This experiment was conducted to select GAP applying seed disinfectants in Astragalus membranaceus and Platycodon grandiflorum. Methods and Results : We carried out the chemical efficacy and injury test. For the efficacy test, we investigated fungal detection rate by seed disinfectants and for the chemical injury, we investigated germination rate and emergence rate by seed disinfectants in reference amount and fold amount. These experiments carried out two times. The results obtained are as follows. In the experiment for seed disinfectants selection of Astragalus membranaceus, all tested chemicals such as Tebuconazole emulsifiable concentrate(EC), Thiophanate-methyl + Triflumizole wettable powder(WP), Prochloraz copper chloride complex+Tebuconazole suspension concentrate(SC), Prochloraz emulsifiable concentrate(EC), Fludioxonil wetting liquid(WL) and Hexaconazol+Prochloraz emulsifiable concentrate(EC) had control value of 80% or above against seed contaminated fungi. However two chemicals such as Tebuconazole EC and Prochloraz copper chloride complex+Tebuconazole SC and two chemicals such as Prochloraz EC and Hexaconazol+Prochloraz EC exhibited chemical injury significantly in reference amount and in fold amount respectively, compared to non treated control. In the case of seed disinfectants selection of Platycodon grandiflorum, Prochloraz copper chloride complex+Tebuconazole SC, Prochloraz EC and Hexaconazol+Prochloraz EC had control value of above 80% against seed contaminated fungi except Thiophanate-methyl+Triflumizole WP and Fludioxonil WL. However Hexaconazol+Prochloraz EC and Prochloraz copper chloride complex+Tebuconazole SC exhibited chemical injury significantly in reference amount and in fold amount respectively, compared to non treated control. Conclusion : From the above results, we finally selected three items of seed disinfectants including Thiophanate-methyl+Triflumizole WP and Fludioxonil WL in Astragalus membranaceus and Prochloraz emulsion in Platycodon grandiflorum.

Background : ROS produced by oxidative stress damaged endothelial cells, and cause a variety of vascular complications. In diabetic hyperglycemia state, ROS increase. The polyol pathway occur in diabetic complications, the excess glucose is absorbed into the polyol pathway when aldose reductase increased, NADPH changes it to sorbitol. Glutathione (GSH) removes ROS. GSH level is reduced by glutathione reductase, using NADPH as an electron donor. Activation of the polyol pathway decrease NADPH, and GSH also reduced. As a result, ROS is increased. In diabetic hyperglycemia state, Glycolysis increases. Effects of increased glycolysis, protein kinase C (PKC) is increased. NAD(P)H oxidase, stimulated by PKC-dependent pathway, increases ROS in the cell. In this study, we measured the ROS scavenging activity of 5 natural products (Lycii fructus, Astragalus membranaceus, Cassia Tora, Polygonatum odoratum, Rubus Coreanus), to confirm the efficacy as diabetic antioxidants. Methods and Results : We extracted 5 natural product by distilled water and ethanol. DPPH radical scavenging activity was significantly higher in Lycii fructus, Rubus coreanus. ABTS radical scavenging activity was better Rubus coreanus, Lycii fructus, Cassia Tora. In addition to, Rubus coreanus, Cassia Tora, Lycii fructus was comparatively higher reducing power activity than other natural products. And total phenolic and flavonoid contents were much higher in Rubus coreanus compared with other extracts. Conclusion : These results suggest that Lycii fructus, Rubus coreanus can be applied as diabetic antioxidant that prevent vascular complications caused by ROS.

Background : This study was performed to investigate by antioxidant activity, total phenolic contents, total flavonoid contents, and effective component of Astragalus membranaceus treated with different artificial light Sources (fluorescent lamp, red, blue, green, white, LEP). Methods and Results : We investigated the effects of various artificial light sources on the DPPH radical activity, total phenol and flavonoid contents, tyrosinase activity and main flavonoid compounds contents (formononetin and calycosin) and other biological activities in A. membranaceus. Antioxidant activities were 53.6% as the highest level of activity under LEP light. Growth under LEP light also produced the highest total phenolic and flavonoid contents of 36.05 and 5.94 mg/ml, respectively. Extracts from plants grown under LEP light caused the highest inhibition of tyrosinase activity with inhibition of 35.37, 61.87, and 65.49%, respectively, for extract concentrations of 100 μg/ml, 500 μg/ml, and 1000 μg/ml compared with other artificial light treatments. Conclusion : Little information is available on the influence of LED and LEP light sources on antioxidant production or other biological activities in A. membranaceus. Our goal in this study was to determine the effects of LED and LEP artificial light sources on the production of new functional compounds in A. membranaceus.

Background : Astragalus membranaceus is one of the most widely used traditional medicinal herbs in Korea. Studies on the genomic of A. membranaceus resources have not been carried out so far. The present study was carried out to discriminate A. membranaceus based on genetic diversity using genomic simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. Methods and Results : We collected 5 A. membranaceus lines: Asung, Poongsung, Am-Jecheon, Am-Sancheong, and Am-China. One hundred mg of fresh leaves were used for genomic DNA extraction using the DNeasy plant DNA isolation kit (Qiagen GmbH, Hilden, Germany). 450,449 contigs were searched for 147,766 SSR candidate loci in this study using the MicroSAtellite identification tool (MISA). We selected 949 A. membranaceus genomic SSR markers that were showed variation for the five collections in silico screening with CLC genomics workbench program. The genetic diversity of all A. membranaceus resources was analyzed using 17 SSR markers employing the DNA fragment analysis method. Based on the genetic diversity analysis, these lines were classified into four distinct groups. Conclusion : These findings could be used for further research on cultivar development using molecular breeding techniques and for conservation of the genetic diversity of A. membranaceus. Furthermore, the markers could be used for marker-assisted selection for crop breeding.

This study analyzed the physicochemical characteristics of Astragalus membranaceus (AM) fermented with seven different mushroom mycelia. Physicochemical characteristics, such as contents of moisture, pH, total reducing sugars, free sugar, and isoflavonoid, were investigated. The moisture content was increased in most of the samples. The pH values of AM fermented with Phellinus linteus and Flammulina velutipes were increased, while the pH of other samples were similar to that of non-fermented AM. The reducing sugar content was in the range of 211.69~391.74 mg/100 g. The extraction yield using water was higher than that when extracted with 80% ethanol. The free sugar content was increased through fermentation with mushroom mycelia. However, the glucose contents of the 80% ethanol and water extracts were decreased. Finally, the calycosin and formononetin contents in 80% ethanol and water extracts of AM fermented with Phellinus linteus were 2,549.24 mg/g, and 827.66 mg/g for calycosin, and 1,366.69 mg/g and 221.28 mg/g for formononetin, respectively. These results suggest that fermentation with mushroom mycelia could be used to increase the bioactivity of AM. The mycelium-fermented AM might be a valuable source of functional material and edible resource for industry.

본 연구에서는 기호성을 향상시킬 수 있는 고부가가치 간장을 개발하고자 황기 첨가량에 따른 간장의 이화학적 특성 및 관능평가를 실시하였다. 식염변화에서는 황기 10% 첨가 간장에서 약간 감소하는 경향을 보였다. pH 변화는 실험군 모두 숙성기간에 따른 변화는 뚜렷하지 않았으며, 가용성 고형분 함량은 황기 10% 첨가 간장를 제외하고 모두 2개월까지 급격히 증가되었으며 그 이후 일정한 양상 을 보였다. 그 반면 황기 10% 첨가 간장는 숙성 초기에 증가되었지만 무첨가 및 황기 5% 첨가 간장 보다 낮은 경향을 보였다. 갈색도 변화는 숙성이 진행될수록 증가되 는 경향을 보였으며 조단백질 함량은 무첨가 및 황기 5% 첨가 간장은 숙성 기간이 지남에 따라 증가되는 경향을 보였지만 황기 10% 첨가구는 숙성 기간에 따른 차이를 보지 않았다. 유리 아미노산 측정결과 황기 5% 첨가 간장의 6개월 때가 가장 높은 함량을 나타내었다. 관능평가에서는 황기 5% 첨가 간장의 숙성기간이 증가됨에 따라 기호도가 점차 향상되었으며 이러한 결과를 미루어 보아 황기 5% 첨가 간장이 황기 무첨가 간장에 비해 염도가 낮고 아미노 태질소가 높으며 기호도는 6개월 때가 가장 우수하였으며, 풍미가 좋은 간장으로의 활용 가능성이 있음을 제시하였 다.

Background : A series of studies were conducted to optimize adventitious root induction in vitro from explants of Astragalus membranaceus using various nutrient media supplemented with plant hormones. Methods and Results : Levels of active components were analyzed from adventitious roots induced under different media conditions. Among the different media conditions, Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with 1.0㎎• ℓ −1 indole-3-butyric acid resulted in the greatest adventitious root induction rate. The amount of the major active component of the adventitious roots of Ama1, calycosin-7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside was higher than that of other adventitious root samples. Conclusions : These results suggest that the adventitious roots of A. membranaceus could be used for the commercial production of medicines.

The six polysaccharide fractions were prepared by chromatographic procedure from the hot water extractsof the aboveground parts of Astragalus membranaceus. These six polysaccharides from aboveground parts of Astragalusmembranaceus Bunge were tested for gut-mucosal immune activity and acute toxicity. In a view of molecular weight, the sixfractions were estimated to be 75000, 88000, 129000 and 345000 Da, respectively. Component sugar analysis indicated thatthese fractions were mainly consisted of galactose (46.3~11.8%) and arabinose (35.4~9.9%) in addition to glucose,rhamnose, fucose, arabinose, xylose, mannose, glucuronic acid and galacturonic acid. Among the six major purifiedpolysaccharides, AMA-1-b-PS2 showed highest bone merrow cell proliferation and lymphocyte of Peyer's patch stimulatingactivity. It may be concluded that intestinal immune system modulating activity of aboveground parts from Astragalusmembranaceus Bunge is caused by polysaccharides having a polygalacturonan moiety with neutral sugars such as arabinoseand galactose. In single oral dose toxicity study, no differences were observed between control and treated groups in clinicalsigns. The results indicated that lethal dose 50 (LD50) of water extracts from Astragalus membranaceus-aboveground partswas found to be higher than 5000㎎/㎏/day in this experiment. From the above results, we may suggest that Astragalusmembranaceus-aboveground parts might have useful as a safe material for functional food and pharmaceutics.