Vitis amurensis, Aralia cordata, and Glycyrrhizae radix have been widely used in Korea, China, and Japan because of their anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory activities. The present study investigated the anti-nociceptive and antiinflammatory properties of an ethanol extract (SSB) of a mixture of three medicinal plants of Vitis amurensis (stem and leaf), Aralia cordata (stem and leaf), and Glycyrrhizae radix. Anti-nociceptive activity was determined using chemical (acetic acid and formalin) and thermal (hot plate) stimuli-induced algesia tests. Formalin-induced paw edema was evaluated for anti-inflammatory activity. SSB (25–100 mg/kg, p.o.) and ibuprofen (100 mg/kg, p.o.), a positive nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), significantly inhibited the acetic acid-induced writhing response caused by peripherally mediated algesia, but failed to protect thermal nociception in the hot plate test that was employed for centrally mediated analgesic activity. However, morphine (5 mg/kg, s.c.) used as a positive opioid control alleviated the acetic acid-induced writhing response and thermal nociception in the hot plate test. In the formalin test, SSB (50 and 100 mg/kg, p.o.) inhibited the second phase response (peripheral inflammatory algesia), but not the first phase response (central algesia), whereas morphine inhibited both phases of the pain response. Both SSB (25-100 mg/kg, p.o.) and ibuprofen (200 mg/kg) caused significant reduction of the formalin-induced increase of paw thickness, which was the index of inflammation. These results suggest that SSB has a significant anti-nociceptive activity that seems to be peripheral, but not central. SSB also displays antiinflammatory activity in an acute inflammatory model. The present study supports a possible use of SSB to treat pain and inflammation.

Vitis amurensis, Aralia cordata, and Glycyrrhizae radix have been widely used as oriental medicinal plants in Korea, China and Japan and found to possess anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory activities. A previous study demonstrated a protection of an ethanol extract (SSB) of a mixture of three medicinal plants of Vitis amurensis, Aralia cordata, and Glycyrrhizae radix against β amyloid protein-induced memory impairment. The current study was conducted to investigate the neuroprotective effect of SSB against ischemiainduced brain injury. Transient focal cerebral ischemia was induced by 2 hr middle cerebral artery occlusion followed by 24 hr reperfusion (MCAO/reperfusion) in rats. Oral administration of SSB (5, 10 and 25 mg/kg) 30 min before and 1 h after MCAO, and 1 h after reperfusion reduced MCAO/ reperfusion-induced brain infarct and edema formation. SSB also inhibited development of behavioral disabilities in MCAO/reperfusion-treated rats. Exposure of cultured cortical neurons to 500 μM glutamate for 12 hr resulted in neuronal cell death. SSB (1-10 μg/mL) inhibited glutamateinduced neuronal death, elevation of intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i), and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). These results suggest that the neuroprotective effect of SSB against ischemia-induced brain damage might be associated with its anti-excitotoxic activity and that SSB may have a therapeutic role for prevention of neurodegeneration in stroke.

Continentalic acid (CA, (-)-pimara-8(14), 15-diene-19-oic acid) was isolated from the roots of Aralia cordata (Araliaceae) using bioassay-guided fractionation of a crude chloroform extract. The antibacterial activity of CA against Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus gallinarium was estimated by determining minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs). CA exhibited potent activity against standard vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) and vancomycin-susceptible enterococci (VSE), with MICs and MBCs values between 4 and 8μg/mL and 4 and 16μg/mL, respectively. This compound exhibited potent activity against strains of VRE, which are highly resistant to clinically useful antibiotics. These findings suggest that continentalic acid may be useful in controlling enterococcal infection.

Aralia cordata (A. cordata), which belongs to Araliaceae, is a perennial herb widely distributed in East Asia. We evaluated the anti-inflammatory effect of stems (AC-S), roots (AC-R) and leaves (AC-L) extracted with 100% methanol of A. cordata and elucidated the potential signaling pathway in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. The AC-L showed a strong anti-inflammatory activity through inhibition of NO production. AC-L dose-dependently inhibited NO production by suppressing iNOS, COX-2 and IL-β expression in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. AC-L inhibited the degradation and phosphorylation of IκB-α, which donated to the inhibition of p65 nuclear accumulation and NF-κB activation. Furthermore, AC-L suppressed the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and p38. These results suggested that AC-L may utilize anti-inflammatory activity by blocking NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathway and indicated that the AC-L can be used as a natural anti-inflammatory drugs.

Background: In this study, we evaluated the anti-cancer activity and potential molecular mechanism of 70% ethanol extracts of the root of Aralia cordata var. continentalis (Kitagawa) Y. C. Chu (RAc-E70) against human colorectal cancer cells. Methods and Results: RAc-E70 suppressed the proliferation of the human colorectal cancer cell lines, HCT116 and SW480. Although RAc-E70 reduction cyclin D1 expression at the protein and mRNA levels, RAc-E70-induced reduction in cyclin D1 protein level occurred more dramatically than that of cyclin D1 mRNA. The RAc-E70-induced downregulation of cyclin D1 expression was attenuated in the presence of MG132. Additionally, RAc-E70 reduced HA-cyclin D1 levels in HCT116 cells transfected with HA-tagged wild type-cyclin D1 expression vector. RAc-E70-mediated cyclin D1 degradation was blocked in the presence of LiCl, a GSK3β inhibitorbut, but not PD98059, an ERK1/2 inhibitor and SB203580, a p38 inhibitor. Furthermore, RAc-E70 phosphorylated cyclin D1 at threonine-286 (T286), and LiCl-induced GSK3β inhibition reduced the RAc-E70-mediated phosphorylation of cyclin D1 at T286. Conclusions: Our results suggested that RAc-E70 may downregulate cyclin D1 expression as a potential anti-cancer target through GSK3β-dependent cyclin D1 degradation. Based on these findings, RAc-E70 maybe a potential candidate for the development of chemopreventive or therapeutic agents for human colorectal cancer.

The present study investigated an ethanol extract (SSB) of a mixture of three medicinal plants of Vitisamurensis, Aralia cordata, and Glycyrrhizae radix for possible neuroprotective effects on neurotoxicity induced byAmyloid β protein (Aβ) (25-35) in cultured rat cortical neurons and antidementia activity in mice. Exposure of cultured cor-tical neurons to 15μM Aβ (25-35) for 36h induced neuronal apoptotic death. At 1-30㎍/㎖, SSB inhibited neuronal death,elevation of intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca²+]i), and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) induced by Aβ(25-35) in cultured cortical neurons. Memory impairment and increase of acetylcholinesterase activity induced by intra-cerebroventricular injection of mice with 16nmol Aβ (25-35) was inhibited by chronic treatment with SSB (25, 50 and100㎎/㎏, p.o., for 8 days). From these results, it is suggested that antidementia effect of SSB is due to its neuroprotectiveeffect against Aβ (25-35)-induced neurotoxicity and that SSB may have a therapeutic role in preventing the progression ofAlzheimer’s disease.

This study was conducted to improve the managing and storing methods of the seeds of Aralia cordata var. continentalis (Kitagawa) Y.C.Chu, to examine the viability and the germination ability of seeds with different storing conditions and methods, and to develop new ways to propagate and have better healthy seedling. Therefore, the germination rate, days required for germinating seeds, and early growth responses of Aralia cordata var. continentalis (Kitagawa) Y.C.Chu were investigated with different storing temperatures, durations and methods. The germination rate was higher in stratified storage than that in dry storage condition. The highest germination rate was with outdoor temperature at 30 days after stratified storage. The days required for germinating seeds were less than 10 days with the treatment of 25℃ and outdoor temperature in stratified storage. In dry condition, they were shorter with 4℃ and 25℃ than those with -20℃ and outdoor temperature. Leaf number of seedling was higher in stratified storage compared to that in dry condition, while it was not clearly different according to storage temperatures and durations. Leaf length and leaf width of seedling was not difference among the treatment of storage methods, temperatures, and durations. Stem length of seedling was higher in stratified storage than those in dry condition, while root length was not clearly different among the treatments. It would be assumed that temperatures, methods and durations of storage could affect much to the germination rate and the early seedling growth response.

사람들의 생명연장과 각종 만성질환, 악성종양 등의 증가에 따른 우수한 항생제의 계속적인 개발로 많은 생명을 구할 수 있게 되었지만 반면 항생제를 지나치게 사용하여 이에 많은 부작용이 생기고 내성균도 많아지면서 중증감염이 증가되어 여러 가지의 새로운 문제점에 직면하게 되었다. 안전성이 있는 새로운 항균물질의 개발 목적으로 예비 검색 결과 선택된 독활을 추출하여 컬럼 크로마토그래피를 반복 수행한 결과 2종의 항균 효과를 보여주는 화합물을 분리하였다 이들 화합물은 물리 화학적 성질 및 분광학적 분석을 통하여 화합물 1은 mp가 166~167℃인 백색침상, C20H30O2의 분자식을 갖는 (-)-pimara-8(14), 15-dien-19-oic acid 즉, continentalic acld으로 동정하였으며, 화합물 2는 mp가 164~165℃인 백색침상, C29H48O의 분자식을 갖는 (24E)-stigmasta-5, 22-dien-3β-ol, 즉 stigmasterol으로 동정하였으며 항균효과를 측정한 결과 두 화합물 모두 유의성 있는 결과를 나타내었으며, 이 중 화합물 1인 continentalic acid이 더욱 우수한 활성을 나타내었다. 특히 그람 양성균인 S. aureus에서 MIC가 7.8 μg/ml, E. faecalis에서는 MIC가 12.5 μg/ml에서 비교적 강한 억제 효과를 보였으며, 화합물 2에서는 S. aureus에서 MIC가 7.8 μg/ml, S. epidemidis에서는 MIC가 12.5 μg/ml에서 억제 효과를 보여 주었으나 그람 음성균에서 100 μg/ml 이상으로 항균활성이 측정되지 않았다. 따라서 화합물 1과 화합물 2는 그람 양성균에 대한 새로운 항균제로 개발에 유용한 화합물이 될 것으로 기대된다.

두릅나무과에 속하는 다년생 숙근식물인 땅두릅(Aralia cordata Thunb.)의 양질 다수확 재배를 위한 적정 시비수준을 구명하기 위하여 실험을 수행하였던 바 얻어진 결과를 요약하면 다음과 같다. 1. 시비수준에 따른 지상부의 초장은 관행인 17-9-17kg보다 27-15-27kg에서 28.3cm로 생육이 우세하였으며 이러한 경향은 연화장의 결과와 마찬가지로 관행 시비수준이 7.0cm인 것보다 10.3cm로 양호한 결과를 보였다. 2. 지하부의 생육특성중 주근장은 관행시비에서 10.5cm로 처리간에 가장 높은 수치를 보였다. 3. 시비수준에 따른 년차별 건근중은 재배년수가 길어질수록 건근중의 증가를 보였으며 평균적으로 볼 때 관행시비인 17-0-17kg이 272kg인 것과 비교해 보면 27-15-27kg에서 310kg으로 약 14%정도 건근중의 증수효과를 보이는 것으로 나타났다. 4. 땅두릅의 연화재배를 통한 연화장의 엽수량은 관행시비구읜 17-9-17kg에서 391kgdlsrjt 보다 27-15-27kg 시비구에서 415kg으로 나타난 지상부의 건근 수량과 마찬가지로 가장 높은 수익성을 보이는 것으로 나타났다. 5. 이상의 결과를 종합해 볼 때 지상부의 엽수량과 지하부의 건근수량의 양질 다수확 재배를 위해서는 시비수준을 10a당 27-15-27kg으로 시용하는 것이 유리한 것으로 사료되었다.