This study was conducted to investigate the biomedicinal worth of different parts of Geranium sibiricum Antioxidant, anti-inflammatoty and anticancer activities of methanolic extracts of root and shoot of Geranium sibiricum were determined. Methanolic extracts of root and shoot parts of Geranium sibiricum had antioxidant activity in the range of 40-50 jlg mL·1, and shoot extract was best in this regard. Likewise, anti-inflammatory activities of extracts was in the range of 60-100 jlg mL-1 and root extract of Geranium sibiricum seemed more useful with 87.38% higher anti-inflammatory activity than shoot with 63.63% activity. Regarding cytotoxicty test against two cancer cell line i.e. SK-Hep1 (liver) and HeLa (uterus), the methanolic extracts of shoot and root of Geranium sibiricum showed the highest toxicity with IC50 values of 10-30 jlg mL-1 and root extract proved more beneficial in this regard. In conclusion, methanolic extract of shoot of Geranium sibiricum had higher antioxidant while root extract had higher anti-inflammatoty and anticancer activities.

Plant essential oils from 26 plant species were tested for their insecticidal activities against the Japanese termite, Reticulitermes speratus Kolbe, using a fumigation bioassay. Responses varied with source, exposure time, and concentration. Among the essential oils tested, strong insecticidal activity was observed with the essential oils of ajowan (Trachyspermum ammi), allspice (Pimenta dioica), caraway (Carum carvi), dill (Anethum graveolens), geranium (Pelargonium graveolens), and litsea (Litsea cubeba). The composition of six essential oils was identified by using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The compounds thus identified were tested individually for their insecticidal activities against Japanese termites. Responses varied in a dose-dependent manner for each compound. Phenol compounds exhibited the strongest insecticidal activity among the test compounds further, alcohol and aldehyde groups were more toxic than hydrocarbons. The essential oils and compounds described herein merit further study as potential fumigants for termite control.

This study aimed to investigate the various biological activities of Geranium thunbergii such as antimicrobial activity and protective effect against oxidative damage. To evaluate its antioxidant and antimicrobial activities, we first performed methanol extraction; this methanol extract was further partitioned using various solvents. And then, its antioxidant activity was measured using various assays including total phenolic content and protection against oxidative DNA damage, and antimicrobial activities were examined using minimum inhibiting concentration (MIC) test, and paper disc method. In addition, high-performance liquid chromatography was performed to analyze the major chemical components of ethyl acetate fraction. The G. thunbergii fraction with ethyl acetate exhibited higher antioxidant and antimicrobial activities than the other fractions. The results showed that G. thunbergii ethyl acetate fraction at 50 μg/mL had strong DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities of 80.88% and 80.12%, respectively. In addition, the ethyl acetate fraction protected DNA from the oxidative damage induced by ferrous ion and hydroxyl radicals and showed high antimicrobial activity with diameter of inhibition zones ranging from 13.33 to 15.67 mm. High-performance liquid chromatography analysis revealed the major phenolic compounds of G. thunbergii to be ellagic acid and gallic acid. These results suggest that G. thunbergii might protect DNA against oxidative stress induced by reactive oxygen species and can be utilized as a natural source of antioxidant and antimicrobial agent in the food industry.

Background : Geranium Koreanum(GK), a species of the family Geranium is a perennial herb plants. We performed to determine the anti-inflammatory effects in Lipopoly -saccaride induced RAW 264.7 cell of ethanol extracts from Geranium koreanum. Methods and Results : The dried whole plants 50g of G. koreanum was refluxed three times in 0.5 L 70% ethanol for 2hr. The RAW 264.7 cells for anti-inflammatory assay were obtained from the American Tissue Culture Collection(Manassas, VA), and it cultured in DMEM containing 10% Fetal Bovine Serum(FBS) in 5%, CO2 incubator. An anti-inflammatory of G. koreanum measured by Ntrite oxide(NO) production and the protein expression levels of pro-inflammatory proteins such as COX-2 and iNOS, reductions in activation of NF-kB transcription factor. The results showed that G. koreanum was inhibited NO production and exhibited nontoxic in concentration 50~200㎍/㎖. Also, G. koreanum extracts indicate a significant reduction activation of NF-kB transcription factor and inhibition of pro-inflammatory proteins such as COX-2 and iNOS. Conclusion : The above results suggested that G. koreanum extracts expected the antiinflammatory effects and development possibility as nutraceuticals.

We evaluated the inhibitory effects of extracts and components of Geranium thunbergii on aldose reductase (AR) and galactitol formation in rat lenses with high levels of galactose as a part of our ongoing search of natural sources for therapeutic and preventive agents for diabetic complications. The inhibitory effects of water, methanol and ethanol extracts of G. thunbergii on rat lens AR (RLAR) were determined. Comparing inhibitory effects of various solvent extracts, ethanol extract showed RLAR inhibitory activity (IC50 values, 5.24 and 6.39μg/ml, respectively). The ethanol extract was fractionated to chloroform, ethyl acetate and water. Of these, the ethyl acetate fraction from ethanol extract of G. thunbergii exhibited RLAR inhibitory activity (IC50 value, 2.64μg/ml). In order to identify the bioactive components of ethyl acetate soluble fraction of ethanol extract from G. thunbergii, eight compounds, namely gallic acid (1), protocatechuic acid (2), p-hydroxybenzoic acid (3), brevifolin carboxylic acid (4), geraniin (5), ellagic acid (6), kaempferol-3-O-arabinofuranosyl-7-O-rhamnopyranoside (7), kaempferitrin (8) were isolated. The isolates were subjected to in vitro bioassays to evaluate their inhibitory activity on RLAR and galactitol formation in rat lenses. The ellagic tannins (5, 6) and flavonoid (7) exhibited strong inhibitory effects on RLAR. Also, these three compounds (5, 6 and 7) suppressed galactitol accumulation in rat lens under high galactose conditions, demonstrating the potential to prevent galactitol accumulation exo vivo. These results suggest that the extracts and components of G. thunbergii are a promising agent in the prevention or treatment of diabetic complications.

본 연구는 이질풀 추출물의 항산화 효능에 관한 연구로, 항산화 및 항노화의 기능성 화장품 소재로서의 개발 가능성을 확인하고자 하였다. 이질풀의 주요 성분으로는 tannin, (-)epicatechin, kaempferitin, kaepferol-7-rhamnoside, brevifolin, corilagin, pyrogallol, ellagitannin, geraniin, gallic acid, succinic acid, quercetin, protocatechuic acid 등이 보고되어 있다. DPPH 라디칼 소거능 평가를 통한 이질풀 추출물의 항산화 효능을 측정한 결과, 대조군인 quercetin과 비교하여 우수한 소거 활성을 확인할 수 있었다. 동일 농도(50 μg/mL)를 처리하였을 때 이질풀 추출물의 DPPH 라디칼 소거능은 약 98.33 %로 측정되었으며, quercetin의 경우 78.05 %로 측정되었다. Human keratinocyte (HaCaT)에 이질풀 추출물을 처리하여 세포 내 Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) 생성 저해능을 측정한 결과, IC50값은 이질풀 추출물과 quercetin에서 각각 43.22, 102.35 μg/mL로 측정되어 이질풀 추출물의 우수한 항산화 효능을 확인할 수 있었다. 또한 피부 자극 테스트 및 세포 독성 평가를 통하여 이질풀 추출물이 피부에 자극을 유발시키지 않는 안전한 소재임을 확인하였다.

본 연구에서는 현초 추출물의 항산화, 성분 분석 및 elastase와 tyrosinase 저해효과에 관한 실험을 수행하였다. Free radical (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl, DPPH) 소거활성(FSC50)은 50 % 에탄올 추출물(15.0 µg/mL) < ethylacetate 분획(4.5 µg/mL) < 당을 제거시킨 플라보노이드 aglycone 분획(0.9 µg/mL) 순으로 증가하였다. Luminol-의존성 화학발광법을 이용하여 Fe³+-EDTA/H₂O₂계에서 생성된 활성산소종(reactive oxygen species, ROS)에 대한 현초 추출물의 총항산화능은 50 % 에탄올 추출물(OSC50, 0.23 µg/mL) < ethylacetate 분획(0.16 µg/mL) < aglycone 분획(0.04 µg/mL)순으로, aglycone 추출물에서 가장 큰 활성을 나타내었다. 현초 추출물에 대하여 rose-bengal로 증감된 사람 적혈구의 광용혈에 대한 억제 효과를 측정하였다. 현초 추출물의 경우 농도 의존적(1 ∼ 50 µg/mL)으로 광용혈을 억제하였다. 특히 당을 제거시킨 플라보노이드 aglycone 분획에서 50 µg/mL 농도에서 τ50이 676.7 min으로 매우 큰 세포보호 효과를 나타내었다. Aglycone 분획은 tyrosinase와 elastase 저해활성(IC50)이 각각 70.0, 19.9 μg/mL로 매우 큰 활성을 나타내었다. 현초 추출물 중 ethylacetate 분획의 당 제거 반응 후 얻어진 aglycone 분획은 TLC에서 2개의 띠로 분리되었으며 HPLC 실험(370 nm)에서도 2개의 피이크로 분리되었다. 분리된 2가지 성분은 quercetin, kaempferol이었으며, 그들의 성분비는 각각 15.3 %, 82.8 %로 kaempferol의 함량이 가장 큰 것으로 나타났다. 이상의 결과들은 현초 추출물이 ¹O₂ 혹은 다른 ROS를 소광시키거나 소거함으로써 그리고 ROS에 대항하여 세포막을 보호함으로써 생체계, 특히 태양 자외선에 노출된 피부에서 항산화제로서 작용할 수 있음을 가리키며, 현초 성분에 대한 분석과 ethylactate분획의 당 제거 실험 후 얻어진 aglycone 분획의 큰 elastase 저해활성으로부터 주름개선 기능성 화장품원료로서도 응용 가능성이 있음을 시사한다.

항 식중독균성 수건 및 행주를 개발하기 위하여 이질풀 추출액 1%로 50-60에서 60분간 염색한 면직물의 염색성과 항균성을 조사하였다. 면직물의 표면색은 무매염, 명반 매염, 수산화칼슘 매염시는 그레이-옐로우로 황색계열을 나타냈으며, 황산구리 매염시는 그레이-브라운, 황산제1철 매염시는 그레이드-그린으로 나타났다. 이질풀 추출액으로 염색한 면직물의 hue 값은 20회 세탁까지는 Y계열을 나타내었으며, 30회와 40회 세탁시는 YR계열을 나타내었다. 이질풀 추출액으로 염색한 면직물은 황색포도상구균, 대장균 및 살모넬라균에 대해 무세탁시 모두 99.99%의 항균성을 보였다 세탁 30회 후의 항균성은 52.91%이상을 나타내었다.

Fruit-discharge type of forty species of Asian Geranium were examined and their evolutionary trends and taxonomic system were discussed. Two main types of seed discharge in Geranium are made the basis of its divison into subgenera: Geranium subgenus Geranium, with a ballistic expulsion of the seed from mericarp, Geranium subgenus Robertium, with forcible discharge of the mericarp with the seed in it, seperately from the awn. Variants of the seed ejecting type permit the division of Geranium subgenus Geranium into three sections. Section Geranium, these has bristles at the base of the mericarp for prevent the seed from dropping from the divergent mericarp. Section Dissect, these has prongs at the base of the mericarp for prevent the seed from dropping from the divergent mericarp. Section Tuberosa, these has no bristles and prongs at the base of the mericarp, instead, retained of seed in pre-explosive interval by twist. Geranium subgenus Robertium was divided into two sections, Section Ruberta, with deeply wrinkled on the surface of mericarp at the time of discharge. Section Batrachioides, and section Trilopha, without wrinkle on the surface of mericarp at the time of discharge. According to the seed discharge, subgenus Geranium is thought to be more advanced than subgenus Robertium.

Vegetative characters (e.g. habitat, root, ramification and habit of stem, phyllotaxy, leaf sape, shape of leaf margin, shape of division and lobe of division, number of division, thick and texture of leaf and shape of stipule) on 35 species of Asian Geranium were reviewed to discussion propriety of taxonomic character and evolutionary trends. Wilfordii group is characterized by three divided leaf, Farreri group was grown a high altitude, and Maculatum group is grouped by life cycle of anneal. Arrangement state of leaf is alternate type G, tripartitum, G. eriostemon, and G. erianthum is thought the more primitive than the other taxon, and regarded as more advanced group the sibiricum group and pseudosibiricum group which divided of leaf deeply. Shape of leaf, division degree of lobes, shape of leaf margin and number of division are considered a good identification characters because width of change are fixed between population.