Solvent extracts of 17 plants collected in Cheju Island were investigated for their biological properties related to cosmeceuticals such as tyrosinase and hyaluronidase inhibition and also radical scavenging effects. The chloroform fraction of Phytolacca esculenta root exhibited strong inhibition against tyrosinase activity. No fraction showed significant hyaluronidase inhibition. Some solvent extracts of plants such as Achyranthes japonica and Artemisia princeps showed considerable radical scavenging activities.

During the screening for inhibitors of nitric oxide production in LPS-activated macrophage, RAW 264.7 cells, two coumarins were isolated from chloroform extract of the root of Polygonum cuspidatum. They were identified as decursin (1) and decursinol angelate (2) on the basis of spectroscopic methods. The $IC_{50}$ values of these compounds on NO production were $0.76\;{\mu}M$ (1) and $2.6\;{\mu}M$ (2), respectively. However, the iNOS activity was not inhibited by treatment with these compounds. Their inhibitory effect on NO production seems to result from the suppression of iNOS induction through the suppression of NF-kB activity.

Scillascilloside E-3 (1) and E-1 (2) were isolated from the bulbs of Scilla scilloides. The cytotoxic activities of these compounds were tested against murine (B16/F-10, 3LL) and human cancer cell lines (MCF7, PC-3, HT29, LOX-IMVI, A549 and HT1080). These compounds exhibited a significant cytotoxic activities against all tested cancer cells. Futhermore, the contents of 1 and 2 in S. scilloides are 43.2 and 27.9 mg/kg, respectively.

The inhibitory effects of methanol extracts of 135 medicinal herbs on diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT) activity were investigated. DGAT was partially purified from rat liver. Eleven kinds of methanol extracts of medicinal herbs including Evodiae Fructus showed a mild inhibitory effect with the concentration of $125\;{\mu}g/ml$ (above 40% inhibition). Six kinds of methanol extracts including Ephedrae Herba exhibited a weak inhibition. Among them, three kinds of butanol extracts (Sophorae Radix, Arecae Semen, Caesalpiniae Lignum) and the chloroform extracts of Evodiae Fructus showed significant inhibitory activities (above 60% inhibition) at the same concentration.

This study was carried out to determine the 11 organochlorine, 7 organophosphorus residual pesticides in 251 crude drugs. These residual pesticides in herbal drugs were extracted with acetonitrile and the extracts were cleaned up via LC-florisil solid phase extraction column. The prepared samples were assayed for pesticide residues using GC-ECD, NPD with capillary column and identified by GC-MSD. Recoveries were $63.9{\sim}111.5%$ in the organochlorine pesticides and $69.8{\sim}92.4%$ in the organophosphorus pesticides, and detection limits were $0.001{\sim}0.65\;ppm$ in the organochlorine pesticides and $0.0009{\sim}0.0074\;ppm$ in the organophosphorus pesticides. Pesticide residues were detected in 9 cases.

The water extracts of 82 Korean medicinal herbs were prepared and were examined for the binding affinity on the glycine binding site of NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) receptor prepared by the synaptic membranes from the forebrains of male Sprague-Dawley rats. Among the tested, the extracts of Dioscoreae Rhizoma, Hoveniae Semen cum Fructus, Astragali Radix, Armeniacae Semen, Huttuynia cordata Herba, Acanthopanacis Cortex, Aurantii nobilis Pericarpium, Phellinus linteus, Amomi Fructus, Artemisiae capillaris Herba, Polyporus, Agastachis Herba and of Galli Stomachichum Corium were found to exhibit significant competitions with $[^3H]-MDL$ 105,519 for the glycine specific binding site of NMDA receptor in a dose dependent manner, respectively.

The water extracts of 82 Korean medicinal herbs were examined for the binding affinity on the recombinant human muscarinic acetylcholine receptor subtype 1 $(mAChR-M_1)$ produced from the CHO (Chinese Hamster Ovary) cell line. Of those tested, the extracts of Coptidis Rhizoma, Phellodendri Cortex, Hedyotis Herba and of Terminariae Fructus were found to exhibit a significant competition with $[^3H]$ N-methyl-scopolamine for the specific binding to $mAChR-M_1$ in a dose dependent manner, respectively.

To explore the possible cancer therapeutic application of "Bo-yang-hwan-oh-tang" (BH), a herbal medicinal recipe used for improvement of blood stasis, we have examined its direct cytotoxicity against tumor cell, and induction of cytotoxic activity of lymphocytes. Water extract of BH alone did not exhibit direct cytotoxicity to Yac-1 target cells even with high concentrations (10 mg/ml). By exposure for 3 days, BH did not induce any nonspecific cytotoxic activity of mouse spleen cells, either, when assessed in a 4 hr $^{51}Cr-release$ assay. However, when BH was added during CD3 stimulation of non-adherent spleen cells, non-specific CTL activity was markedly promoted in a dose dependent manner. In contrast, BH did not alter activated NK cell activity following IL-2 stimulation. These data suggest that BH does not induce but upregulates non-specific CTL effecter function and that activated NK cell does not respond to BH. For elucidation of the mechanism underlying this function of BH, time kinetic study for IL-2 production using ELISA was undertaken. IL-2 production following CD3 stimulation was significantly augmented and higher level of IL-2 is sustained over 3 days in the culture medium by BH treatment. Moreover, addition of exogenous IL-2 during CD3 stimulation resulted in a similar level of cytotoxicity between control and BH-treated culture. These data indicate that the BH-mediated upregulation of non-specific CTL activity is contributed by augmentation of IL-2 production. Our data imply the possible application of BH for combination therapy of cancer with non-specific activator.

Korean folk medicine 'Koaeng I Bab' has been used to cure hemorrhoid, boil and dermatopathy and as an antidote. The botanical origin of the crude drug has not been studied pharmacognostically. To clarify the botanical origin of 'Koaeng I Bab', the morphological and anatomical characteristics of the leaves of Oxalis species growing in Korea, i.e. O. acetosella, O. acetosella var. purpurascens, O. corniculata, O. obtriangulata were studied. As the result, the botanical origin of 'Koaeng I Bab' has been proved to be O. corniculata and O. acetosella var. purpurascens.

The leaves and flowers of Hemisteptia lyrata Bunge (Compositae) have been used for cure sour throat and treat tumors in traditional chinese medicine. As a result of the chemical investigation, two compounds were isolated from the $CHCl_3$ extract of the flowers of H. lyrata. On the basis of spectroscopic experiments, their structures were identified as 8-hydroxy-3-keto-10(14)-guaien-12,6-oxide (Isoamberboin) and 3,8-dihydroxy-4(15),10(14),11(13)-guaiatrien-12,6-oxide (8-Hydroxyzaluzanin C). They were first isolated from the genus Hemisteptia.

The anti-inflammatory activity of water extract of Mahaengeuigam-Tang(MHEGTWE) was examined using the carrageenin and acetic acid induced edema, croton oil induced granuloma pouch, and adjuvant arthritis in rats. In addition, the acute toxicity, analgesic and antipyretic effects of MHEGTWE were investigated by the general experimental methods. In acute toxicity test in mice, MHEGTWE showed 10% mortality at 2400 mg/kg(p.o), but it did not showed at 1200 mg/kg(i.p). It was also showed significant analgesic action on the writhing syndrome induced by 0.7% acetic acid at 600 mg/kg(p.o) and its antipyretic activity was observed in the typhoid vaccine induced fevered rats at 300 mg/kg(p.o). By the oral administration of the MHEGTWE, the significant anti-inflammatory activity was observed on 1% carrageenin induced edema, and it significantly inhibited the granuloma and exudate formation in rats. In the adjuvant arthritis experiment, the MHEGTWE decreased the hind paw edema in rats for 19 days. The results suggest that MHEGTWE has analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic action.

The present study was undertaken to elucidate the hypoglycemic effect and inhibitory effect of Cudrania tricuspidata root bark on aldose reductase activity. C. tricuspidata MeOH ext. 1,000 mg/kg showed a significant blood glucose lowering effect on alloxan-induced hyperglycemic rats and increasing body weight. C. tricuspidata MeOH ext. showed a potent inhibitory effect on bovine lens aldose reductase.

The present study was designed for the improvement of routine measurement of superoxide and hydroxyl radical scavenging activities utilized by a microplate reader. Superoxide radical scavenging activity by the ascorbic acid, which is a well-known superoxide scavenger, was determined in a dose-dependent manner. Hydroxyl radical scavenging activity by the thiourea, which is a well-known hydroxyl radical scavenger, was also well detected in a dose-dependent manner. Our results suggest that the use of microplate reader to assay the superoxide and hydroxyl radical scavenging activities improves the accuracy of data and enables the use of much smaller amounts of samples and/or reagents, with much simpler experimental procedure. Therefore, These methods appear to be suitable for screening of superoxide and hydroxyl radical scavenging activities in both the plant medicinal extracts and the isolated compounds.