This study was conducted to investigate the anti-obesity effect of Discorea Japonica Thunb. fermented with Monascus After inducing obesity by feeding hight fat diet (diet induced obesity model: DIO) for four weeks, each 8 rats were assigned to normal (Nor), high fat diet (HF), high fat diet containing orlistat (PC), high fat diet containing different concentration of Discorea Japonica Thunb. fermented with Monascus (UPDM_L, UPDM_H) and Discorea Japonica Thunb. (UPD) extract. Although the UPD, UPDM_L (ultrafine pulverized Discorea Japonica Thunb. fermented with Monascus: 400 mg/kg) and UPDM_H (DIO oral administration ultrafine pulverized Discorea Japonica Thunb. fermented with Monascus: 800 mg/kg) showed weight gain inhibition effects, the results of poor obesity inhibition rather than PC were confirmed. However, it showed a more effective weight loss effect in UPDM_H than UPD, and significantly reduced the weight of epididymal fat and subcutaneous fat. Furthermore, the possibility of anti-obesity effects of Discorea Japonica Thunb. fermented with Monascus can be confirmed by observing the effects of reducing serum total cholesterol, triglyceride and LDL concentrations, reducing ALT and AST levels, and inhibiting fat build-up in liver tissue. It is believed that Discorea Japonica Thunb. fermented with Monascus can be expected to utilize as a functional material that is important to improve anti-obesity and metabolic syndrome.

This studies were conducted to develop cultivation methods on three Asclepiadaceae fami-lies(Cynanchum wilfordii Hemsley, C. auriculatum Royle ex Wight and Metaplexis japonica Makino) ofwhich products are conventionally used as medicinal materials by analyzing plant growth. The variationof leaf weight of Asclepiadaceae families showed culmination point at August 15, and the stem showedhighest growth on August 30. The root weight increased linearly during the growth. The days for sprout-ing was most shortened in the Cynanchum wilfordii as 18 days, and C. auriculatum, Metaplexis japonicafollowed after. The seed harvesting dates was Oct. 8 in the Cynanchum wilfordii, Oct. 23 in the Metaplexisjaponica, and Nov. 1 in the C. auriculatum, respectively.

The present study reports the protective properties of a total methanol extract of B. platyphylla var. japonica against ultraviolet (UV)-C irradiation. Pretreatment of Chinese hamster fibroblast (V79-4) cells with a total methanol extract significantly increased cell survival following 300J/m² of UV-C irradiation. The total methanol extract was further fractionated into 5 fractions: n-hexane, dichloromethane, ethylacetate, n-butanol and water fractions. Among these fractions, B. platyphylla var. japonica ethylacetate, butanol and water fractions showed significant protective effects against the cellular damage induced by UV-C irradiation. In order to elucidate the mechanism underlying this protective effect, DPPH (Editor note: abbreviations should be spelled out at first use.) radical scavenging and lipid peroxidation inhibitory activity were measured. Significant radical scavenging and lipid peroxidation inhibitory activities were observed for the ethylacetate fraction. In summary, the present data demonstrate that an extract of B. platyphylla var. japonica has a significant protective effect against UV-C irradiation. The underlying mechanism of this protective effect may involve radical scavenging and inhibition of lipid peroxidation by the B. platyphylla var. japonica extract.

These studies were conducted to discriminate Cynanchum wilfordii, C. auriculatum, Metaplexis japonica, andPolygonum multiflorum by morphological characters. Cynanchum wilfordii, C. auriculatum, and Metaplexis japonica(Ascle-piadaceae) were easily distinguished from Polygonum multiflorum by twining stem to the left, producing opposite leaves,having laticiferous stems and leaves at cutting cross-sectionally, and lacking lignification of the stem. Four species had differ-ent morphological characters of flower. Comparing four species to fruit type, three species of Asclepiadaceae had follicle,while Polygonum multiflorum had achene with three wings. Follicle shape was lanceolate, narrowly lanceolate, and widelylanceolate in C. wilfordii, C. auriculatum, and Metaplexis japonica, respectively. Whereas seed color of four species was darkbrown similarly, seed shape and 1,000 seed weight were useful characters to discrimate between three species ofAsclepiadaceae and Polygonum multiflorum. Shape and color of root were thickened and yellowish brown in C. wilfordii andC. auriculatum. They were thin and long and white in Metaplexis japonica, and fusiform and reddish brown in Polygonummultiflorum. They would be useful characters to distinguish Cynanchum spp., Metaplexis japonica, and Polygonummultiflorum, however, impossible characters to discriminate between C. wilfordii and C. auriculatum.

In the present study, the proximate composition, sugar, minerals, total phenolic and flavonoid compounds, and amino acids in Calystegia japonica (C. japonica) were measured to determine if it can be used as a nutritional and functional material for the development of valuable foods. The mean crude protein, fat, and ash contents of the leaves were 5.75, 2.46, and 7.77%, respectively. The soluble-protein contents of the leaves and roots were 146.78 and 33.67 mg%, respectively. The reducing-sugar and free-sugar contents of the leaves were 682.70 and 166.00 mg%, respectively, and those of the roots were 2,934.89 and 37.70 mg%. The mineral content of the leaves was 3,122.13 mg%, and that of the roots was 1,540.85 mg%. The three elements Ca, K, and Mg were very rich in all their parts, with minerals accounting for 96-99% of their total mineral contents. The total phenolic compound of the leaves was 3,028.89 mg%, and the total flavonoid compound was 382.67 mg%. The phenolic and flavonoid compounds in the leaves were more than 7.6 times those in the roots. The free-amino acid levels in the leaves and roots were 2,467.15 and 1,334.81 mg%, respectively. The results of the comparison of the leaves and roots of C. japonica showed that the leaves had a rich proximate composition consisting of minerals, total phenolic and flavonoid compounds, and amino acid. This suggests that C. japonica leaves are potentially useful sources of functional and favorite foods and nutraceuticals.

인동과에 속하는 인동덩굴(Lonicera japonica Thunb., LJ) 추출물이 활성산소의 일종인 glucose oxidase(GO)에 미치는 영향을 배양 C6 glioma 세포를 재료로 알아보았으며, 또한 LJ 추출물의 항산화 효과를 전자공여능(DPPH-radical scavenging activity)을 비롯하여 항산화 효소의 하나인 SOD의 활성과 비슷한 superoxide dismutase(SOD)-유사활성(SOD-like activity), 지질과산화 억제능(lipid peroxidation inhibitory activity) 및 lactate dehydrogenase(DH) 활성에 의하여 조사하였다. 본 연구에서 GO는 처리 농도 의존적으로 대조군에 비하여 배양 C6 glioma 세포의 생존율을 유의하게 감소시킴으로서 세포독성을 나타냈으며(P<0.01), 이 때 XTT50값은 35 mU·mL-1에서 나타났다. 또한, LJ 추출물은 GO에 의하여 감소된 세포생존율을 유의하게 증가시킴으로써 GO의 세포독성을 방어하였다. 한편, LJ 추출물은 전자공여능을 비롯한 SOD-유사활성, 지질과산화 억제능 및 LDH의 활성 감소를 보임으로서 항산화 효과를 나타냈다. 이상의 결과로부터 LJ 추출물은 항산화 효과에 의하여 GO의 세포독성을 유효하게 방어한 것으로 나타났다.