This study was carried out to investigate the inhibitory effect of Angelicae Dahuricae Radix (ADR) extract on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) induced by cigarette smoke condensate (CSC) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in mice. COPD was induced by intratracheal instillation of LPS and CSC 5 times for 12 days; this increased airway hyperresoponsiveness (AHR) and inflammatory cells in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). ADR extract was administered orally at a dose of 50 and 200 mg/kg. The concentration of imperatorin, a major component of ADR and therefore used as a measure of quality control, was 0.098%±0.018%. Treatment of the mice with ADR extract (50 and 200 mg/kg) alleviated AHR and reduced inflammatory cell counts. Treatment with cyclosporin A (CSA; 10 mg/kg) also modulated AHR and reduced inflammatory cells effectively. Compared with CSA treatment, treatment with ADR (50 mg/kg) extract reduced neutrophil and CD4+/CD3+ cell counts by 22.67% and 44.92%, respectively. In addition, compared with CSA treatment, treatment ADR 200 mg/kg reduced neutrophils, CD4+/CD3+ cells and CD8+/CD3+ cells, by 32.10%, 83.17% and 82.11%, respectively. These results indicate that ADR extract may have an inhibitory effect on COPD induced by LPS and CSC in mice.

HACCP methodology was applied in the post-harvest processing and storage of domestic medicinal produces. Particularly in terms of mold and mycotoxin contamination, candidate critical control points (CCP) in the conventional practice in Korean farms were selected and monitored by comparing with on the standard guided processing and storage. When each processing of Angelicae Gigantis Radix were assessed for their safety, the drying steps such as the sun drying or the thermal drying depending on each farm made differences in mold contamination. Moreover, the storage conditions before or after the processing were another critical determinant in the fungal contamination. In other words, storage under 4˚C rather than at room temperature was favorable for reducing mold growth in the harvested crops. Occurrence rate of Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in Angelicae Gigantis Radix were 12.8%, but amount of AFB1 in all the collected samples were below 10 ppb regulatory limit allowed in Korea. However, for a few samples of Angelicae Gigantis Radix, still relatively high levels of total amount of the major aflatoxins (aflatoxin B1 + B2 + G1 + G2) were observed around 0.18~49.94 ppb, which is not regulated presently in Korea. It thus can be suggested that post-harvest processing and storage of Korean medicinal crops need further investigation and monitoring to establish the Good Agricultural Practice (GAP), particularly to minimize microbial risk including mold and mycotoxin contamination under the changing climate. Additionally, it is also warranted for new enacting of regulatory limits for total aflatoxins in the medicinal crops.

'Angelicae Pubescentis Radix' (APR) is an important oriental medical preparation. In Korea, Aralia continentalis has been recognized as the source plant of APR. Aralia cordata, which is difficult to distinguish from A. continentalis, and Heracleum moellendorffii, which is frequently used in lieu of A. continentalis, are traded in Korean herbal markets. In contrast, in China, Angelica pubescens is recognized as the source plant of APR. In this study, we devised a method not only to discriminate A. contientalis from A. cordata, but also to discriminate both A. contientalis and A. cordata from H. moellendorffii and A. pubescens. Based on the discrepancy in the sequences of specific regions of ITS, we designed a Cont F/ Cont R primer set to amplify a 173 bp PCR band that appears only in A. continentalis. Additionally, we designed an Ara F/ Ara R primer set to amplify a 278 bp PCR band that appears in both A. continentalis and A. cordata. Using these primer sets and the ST R primer to confirm the PCR amplification results, we developed a simple multiplex PCR method for differentiating A. continentalis from A. cordata and to concurrently differentiate both A. continentalis and A. cordata from other APR herbs.

당귀류 약재의 기원식물에 대해 해부형태적 특징을 관찰하고, 이를 통하여 당귀 기원 및 국내유통 당귀류 약재의 판별에 이용코자 실험한 결과는 다음과 같다. 기원식물 뿌리의 해부형태특징은 정상 2기생장, 주피발달, 유세포내 전분함유 등이 공통점이었고, 후각세포층은 참당귀와 왜당귀에서 관찰되었으며 피층의 유실분포는 참당귀와 중국당귀에서 관찰되었다. 또한 참당귀에서만 속성후벽세포가 다량 관찰되었다. 잎의 표피세포는 중국당귀가 가장 컸으며 세포표면의 형태는 참당귀와 중국당귀는 거친 주름이져 있었고, 왜당귀는 완만한 굴곡이 관찰되었다. 3종의 기공은 모두 불규칙형 부세포를 가지고 있었고 참당귀가 mm2당 600개 이상으로 가장 많은 기공이 분포하고 있었다. 모용은 참당귀에서만 원뿔형으로 관찰되었다. 엽병은 3종식물에서 모두 유조직이 잘 발달된 형태였고 환상으로 병립유관속이 발달하고 있었다. 국내 유통 당귀류 약재의 판별에 있어서 해부형태적 특징을 정리하여 간단한 동정 KEY를 적용하여 만든 검색표가 유용하게 활용될 수 있었다. 검색표를 이용하여 전국 7개 지점에서 수집한 약재를 판별한 결과, 당귀 (국산) 또는 토당귀로 유통되는 약재는 참당귀 (A. gigas)로 동정되었고, 일당귀로 유통되는 약재는 왜당귀(A. acutiloba)로 동정되었다. 중국당귀는 현재 시중 유통되지 않고 있으며 본연구에서 사용된 약재 중국당귀는 중국 현지에서 직접 구입해 온 것으로 중국당귀 (A. sinensis)의 뿌리와 동일한 횡단면 형태를 관찰할 수 있었다. 그러므로, 현재 국내 유통되는 당귀류 약재는 (토)당귀의 경우는 KP에서 규정하는 것과 동일기원이었으며, 일당귀는 일본약국방(JP,2001)에서 규정하는 것과 동일한 기원으로 당귀류 유통약재의 기원상에 오류는 없었다.

천궁에서는 butylidene phthalide, butyl phthalide, senkyunolide, cnidilide + neocnidilide 및 ligustilide가 동정되었으며, 이들 성분의 70% 이상을 ligustilide와 senkyunolide가 차지하였다. Phthalide류 총량으로 볼 때 연길산 및 안국산의 중국재배 천궁은 한국재배종보다 약간 높은 경향이었으나, 길림산은 한국 재배종보다 뒤떨어지는 것으로 나타났으며 각 성분의 함량도 낮아 품질이 나쁜 것으로 확인되었다. 또한, 중국의 연길산 천궁은 ligustilide와 senkyunolide의 광분해생성물인 butylidene phthalide 및 butyl phthalide함량이 높아 유통기간과 보관상의 문제가 있었다고 판단되어져 약재 수입시 유의하여야 할 것으로 사료된다. 당귀에서는 butylidene phthalide와 ligustilide가 동정 되었으며, 전체의 약 90%를 ligustilide가 차지하였다. 우리나라 재배종 당귀 중의 ligustilide 함량은 중국 연길산의 상품 및 하품보다 높았으나, 안국산 및 길림산보다는 낮았다. 그러나 길림산을 제외한 중국산 당귀는 ligustilide의 광분해산물로 생성되는 butylidene phthalide함량이 우리 나라 재배종에 비하여 훨씬 높은 것으로 나타나, 천궁에서와 같이 중국산 약재의 유통과 보관상의 문제점이 제기되었다.

The medicinal constituents contained in Korean and Chinese Angelicae dahuricae Radix were compared by confirming their qualities. From the extracts of Angelicae dahuricae Radix, oxypeucedanin, imperatorin, and alloisoimperatorin etc. furanocoumarin derivatives were identified by GC/MS analysis. Through GC/FID analysis, the furanocoumarin derivatives content of Baizi cultivated in Korea was more than that cultivated in China, except for one cultivated at Ankuk province, and so confirmed to possess, on the whole, good quality medicinal constituents by content, as compared with the ones cultivated in China.