Streptozotocin(STZ)을 45mg/kg.b.w의 용량으로 흰쥐의 미정맥에 투여 한 후 당뇨병이 유발된 당뇨 흰쥐에게 1일 1회 7일간 1,000mg/kg의 용량으로 황기에탄올 추출물을 투여 후 glucose함량 과 당대사에 관여하는 효소인 glucose-6-phosphatase(G-6-Pase), glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PDH, glucokinase(GK)활성과 glycogen 함량, triglyceride(TG), total cholesterol등의 지질대사에 관여하는 물질들을 측정한 결과 황기 에탄올 추출물 투여군이 glucose, TG, total cholesterol등의 함량과 G-6-Pase 활성의 유의적인 감소를 나타내었으며 glycogen 함량과 G-6-PDH, GK의 활성이 유의적인 증가를 나타내었다. 이와 같이 황기 에탄올 추출물이 항당뇨 개선효과를 갖는 유효성분을 함유하고 있음을 알 수 있었다.

본 연구에서는 홍삼음료의 다양화 및 기능성 강화와 여러 기능성을 가진 황기의 식품으로의 활용에 역점을 두고, 기존의 증점제를 대신하여 동결건조 천년초열매를 첨가한 새로운 기능성 홍삼음료을 개발하고자 하였다. 먼저 높은 항산화활성을 지닌 황기추출물을 얻고자 추출용매의 지용성정도를 달리하면서(100(증류수) : 0(95% 에탄올), 75 : 25, 50 : 50, 25 : 75) 80oC에서 추출한 추출물의 항산화활성을 측정한 결과, ABTS 및 DPPH radical 소거능 실험에서 증류수의 비율이 증가할수록 추출물의 항산화력이 증가하는 것으로 나타났다. 추출용매의 온도에 의한 황기추출물의 항산화활성 차이를 알아보고자 추출용액의 온도를 달리하면서(60, 80oC) 추출한 추출물의 항산화활성을 비교해 본 결과, 80oC에서의 추출물이 증류수와 에탄올혼합비율과는 상관없이 대부분 60oC 추출물보다 높은 값을 나타내었다. 기존의 점증제를 대신하여 다양한 기능성을 함유한 천연물 소재인 천년초분말을 선택하였으며, 구아검용액과 농도별 점도를 비교해 본 결과, 구아검 0.1%(w/v) 용액과 비슷한 점도를 나타내기 위해서는 천년초분말의 경우 1-2%(w/v)의 농도가 필요한 것으로 분석되었다. 황기와 천년초 첨가가 홍삼용액의 저장성(35oC)에 미치는 영향을 조사하기 위하여 이들 용액의 pH와 총미생물수를 7일 동안 측정하였다. 홍삼용액에 황기와 천년초를 첨가한 경우, 저장 1일째부터 pH가 급격히 감소하기 시작하였으며, 저장 3일째에는 pH가 약 3.6까지 떨어진 다음, 저장 6일 이후에는 다소 pH가 증가하였으며, 천년초분말을 첨가한 용액에서는 황기의 농도증가에 의한 유의적 pH 감소는 나타나지 않았다. 천년초를 첨가한 홍삼용액의 경우 황기의 농도와는 상관없이 저장 7일째 미생물의 성장을 관찰할 수 없었으며, 천년초를 첨가하지 않은 시료에 비해 6 log cycle 이상의 큰 살균효과를 나타내었다. 황기(3, 5%, w/v), 천년초(1.2%, w/v)를 함유한 홍삼용액(5%, w/v)이 대장암 및 뇌종양세포 증식에 미치는 영향을 각각 0.5 mg/mL과 1 mg/mL의 농도에서 살펴본 결과, 종양세포에 대한 의미 있는 증식억제효과는 나타나지 않았다.

In an attempt to find natural sources of antioxidants and whitening agents, Comparisons of the antioxidative and tyrosinase inhibitory activities of various ethanol extracts of Astragali Radix, Atractylodis Rhizoma Alba and Acanthopanacis Cortex were carried out. Comparison of the four ethanol extracts revealed that, Astragali Radix had the highest electron-donating ability(72.5%) and the highest SOD-like ability(26.1%). The xanthine oxidase experiment exhibited a hindrance effect of 88.5% in Atractylodis Rhizoma Alba, 81.1% in Acanthopanacis Cortex, 75.8% in Astragali Radix. A tyrosinase inhibitory activity assay was conducted to evaluate the whitening effects of the extracts, The tyrosinase inhibitory activity was 42.1% in the Acanthopanacis Cortex, 37.2% in the Atractylodis Rhizoma Alba, 6.0% in the Astragali Radix. Based on these results, we suggest that the ethanol extracts of Astragali Radix, Atractylodis Rhizoma Alba and Acanthopanacis Cortex can be used as food and cosmetic ingredients.

Background: This study were to investigate the effect of Pediococcus pentosaceus fermented Radix astragali (AMRP) and non-fermented products (AMRNP) on collagen synthesis in the cultures of human dermal fibroblasts, and their inhibitory effects on the matrix-degrading enzymes (collagenase, elastase, and gelatinase). Methods and Results: Both AMRP and AMRNP significantly improved cell growth and proliferation of HDF cells. However, the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and Western blot analysis demonstrated that AMRP, but not AMRNP, significantly and dose-dependently stimulated the biosynthesis of type I procollagen in both aged (74 y) and young (21 y) HDF cells. Real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction revealed that expression of type I, type III procollagen and transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) mRNA was significantly stronger in AMRP-treated HDF cells than that of AMRNP-treated and un-treated HDF cells. The AMRP revealed an increase in astragaloside Ⅳ only depending on increase in fermentation period, because other astragalside converted to astragaloside Ⅳ, which it detached acyl group by fermentation processing of Pediococcus pentosaceus. Conclusion: The results also suggested that AMRP could stimulate the collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts, which is, associated with the regulation of procollagen biosynthesis resulting from AMRP-induced TGF-β1 expression and the mitogenic activity in HDF cells, and therefore, is expected to reduce the age-dependent loss of extracellular matrix proteins.

This study has been conducted to establish the optimal extraction process and HPLC analysis method for thedetermination of marker compounds as a part of the materials standardization for the development of health functionalfood materials from Astragali radix. Five extraction conditions including the shaking extraction at room temperature andthe reflux extraction at 85℃ with 30%, 50% and 95% ethanol were evaluated. Reflux extraction with 50% ethanol showedthe highest extraction yield as 27.27±2.27%, while the extraction under reflux with 95% ethanol showed significantly thelowest yield of 10.55±0.24%. The quantitative determination methods of calycosin-7-O-β-D-glucoside and calycosin asmarker compounds of Astragali radix extracts were optimized by HPLC analysis using a Thermo Hypersil column(4.6×250㎜, 5㎛) with the gradient elution of water and acetonitrile as the mobile phase at the flow rate of 0.8mL min-¹and a detection wavelength of 230㎚. The HPLC/UV method was applied successfully to the quantification of two markercompounds in Astragali radix extracts after validation of the method with the linearity, accuracy and precision. The con-tents of calycosin-7-O-β-D-glucoside and calycosin in 50% ethanol extracts by reflux extraction were significantly higher as1,700.3±30.4 and 443.6±8.4㎍ g-1, respectively, comparing with those in other extracts. The results indicate that thereflux extraction with 50% ethanol at 85℃ is optimal for the extraction of Astragali radix, and the established HPLCmethod are very useful for the evaluation of marker compounds in Astragali radix extracts to develop the health functionalmaterial from Astragali radix.

This study was conducted to determine the characteristics of fertilization process and embryo development of Astragalus membranaceus Bunge (Astragali Radix) to provide basic data needed in its breeding. A. membranaceus showed poor seed setting when self-pollination was induced. When artificial pollination was induced, it showed less than 5% bearing in late August, but more than 13% bearing from the beginning of September 4th. The flower size was about 17.0 mm×4.0 mm and pistils and stamens had the same length of 15.0mm at flowering stage. When self-pollination or cross-pollination was induced, pollen tubes extended to an ovule. While pollen tube was extending to the ovule, reproductive cell split and formed two male generative nuclei and a vegetative nucleus. In the case of self-pollination, fertilized embryo was not observed, but was formed in the case of cross-pollination. A. membranaceus is noted to have zygote self-incompatibility. In the case of cross-pollination, fertilization was observed in 6 to 8 h after pollination, where apical cell derivatives split after fertilization. A spherical pro-embryo was then formed three days after fertilization. The seed attained full shape with a seed coat showing its distinctive contour 15 days after fertilization. Thus, A. membranaceus in Leguminosae family is found to have zygote selfincompatibility although its flower shape is shown to match the self-compatibility plant.

건조 생약재인 황기, 감초 및 진피의 감마선 조사 위생화의 가능성을 검토하기 위하여 감마선 조사 후 Samonella typhimurium TA98과 TA100 균주를 이용한 유전 독성학적인 안전성을 평가하고자 하였다. 시험 대상은 오염유기체 완전 구제 선량인 10kGy의 감마선으로 조사된 시료의 열수 추출물을 대상으로 하였으며 시험농도는 대상물질이 생약재임을 고려하여 50%의 균주생장억제를 나타내는 농도를 최고 농도로 하였다. 시험은 대사 활성