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.

'Usul' is a traditional medicinal herb, which has anti-inflammatory activities is distributed in India, Nepal, China, Korea, Japan. Korea pharmacopeia listed 'Usul' as either a species of Achyranthes japonica (Miq.) Nakai or A. bidentata Blume. Recent taxonomic studies in China and Japan delimited these taxa as two varieties, A. bidentata Blume var. bidentata and var. japonica Miq. A multivariate morphometric study of Achyranthes bidentata complex was undertaken to assess the entities of taxa that usefully could be recognized. Five quantitative characters were reviewed and analyzed with 293 specimens from Korea. The univariate analysis of inflorescence length, interval between florets, angle between floret and floral axis indicated that ranges among all taxa were continuous. However, quantitative characters of membrane size and the number of hairs within 4 were useful to identify two varieties. In PCA, the first three principal components accounted for 89.4% of the total variance. PCA revealed that var. bidentata showed distinctions in morphological attributes from var. japonica entity. Therefore, continued recognition at the infraspecifc level for these taxa is supported.

중국에서 도입된 우슬 (Achyranthes bidentata.)을 신소득작물로 개발하기 위하여 국내 적응성을 검토하였다. A. bidentata는 25℃와 15℃에서 파종 후 각기 3일과 5일경부터 발아가 시작되었고, 10일과 15일경에는 대부분의 종자가 발아하였으며, 발아율과 발아세 모두 A. japonica보다 높게 나타났다. 초기생육 및 정식 후 60일까지는 A. bidentata의 생육이 A. japonica보다 양호하였으나, 그 후부터는 반대의 양상을 보였다. A. bidentata의 개화기와 낙엽기는 7월 10일과 9월 26일로 A. japonica에 비하여 월등히 빠르게 나타났다. A. japonica는 줄기색이 녹색 바탕에 옅은 자색을 띠는데 반하여 A. bidentata는 자색을 나타내어 두종 간의 차이가 확실하였다. A. japonica의 키와 분지수는 A. bidentata에 비하여 길고 많으나, 화방군의 길이와 화방군당 꽃수는 짧고 적었다. 뿌리의 길이, 직경, 지근수 및 천립중은 A. bidentata가 A. japonica에 비하여 짧고, 굵고, 적고, 무거운 것으로 조사되었다. A. bidentata의 수량성 (수원, 나주지역 평균)은 A. japonica와 비슷하였으며, A. bidentata는 A. japonica에 비교하여 수원보다 나주지역에서 수량 증수효과가 더욱 큰 것으로 보아 도입종인 A. bidentata의 재배적지는 따뜻한 남부지역으로 판단되었다. 이상의 결과로 한약재 우슬로 대한약전에 새로 수재된 도입우슬의 국내 재배생산 가능성이 확인되어 새로운 한약재 자원식물로 이용 가능할 것으로 기대된다.