We conducted a series of in vitro experiments to evaluate the anticancer effect of photodynamic therapy using hypericin and 532㎚ DPSS (diode pumped solid state laser). The cultured KB cells were treated with serial concentrations of hypericin ranging from 0.01㎍/㎖ to 5㎍/㎖ (two-fold dilution) with variable laser dosage (10J, 20J, 30J). The cell viability was evaluated by MTT assay. The type of cell death was detected by fluorescent microscope using Hoechst 33342 / PI (propidium iodide) stain methods. In this study, IC50 value with hypericin-mediated PDT with 10J DPSS laser was 35 ng/ml. The maximum cytotoxicity with Photofrin II-based PDT was observed at high drug concentrations(> 90 ng/ml) independent with laser dose. And the in vitro PDT effects depended on the laser dose and drug concentrations were displayed by the difference in the type of cell death, namely apoptosis or necrosis. According to this result, the hypericin based photodynamic therapy with DPSS laser was effective photodynamic therapy.

2003년 6, 8월에 지리산과 전남 담양군의 병풍산에서 자생하는 고추나물과 물레나물을 채집하여 TLC 분석을 하고, TLC-densitometry를 이용해 정량한 결과, 물레나물에서는 hypericin이 확인되지 않은 반면, 고추나물의 꽃봉오리와 잎에서는 다량의 hyepricin이 확인되었다. 그리고 지리산에 자생하는 고추나물보다 병풍산 고추나물의 hypericin함량이 더 높게 나타났고, 고도가 낮을수록 hypericin 함량이 높은 것으로 나타났다. 채집 시기별로 비교했을 때, 병풍산은 6월보다 7월에서 hypericin함량이 높게 나타났고, 지리산에서는 7월에 가장 진하게 보였다. St. John's wort와 고추나물을 비교하였을 때, 2.22 mg/l hypericin을 함유한 St. John's wort 보다 3.2 mg/l의 함량을 보이는 병풍산 고추나물에서 hypericin함량이 더 높은 것으로 확인되었다.