The phytochemical study of the underground parts of Gardenia jasminoides var. radicans Makino (Rubiaceae) led to the isolation of five coumarins. On the basis of spectroscopic evidences, the structures of these compounds were charaterized as ferulic acid(l), 5,8-di-(3-methyl-2,3-dihydroxybutyloxylpsoralen)(2), skimmin(3), uracil(4), $3-0-{\alpha}-D-glucopyranosyl-(1{\rightarrow}4)-{\beta}-D-glucopyranosyloxypeucedanin$ hydrates(5), respectively.

This study was performed to evaluate hepatoprotective effect of Daewhang-whangryunhaedok-Tang(DWT) on liver injured rats induced by $CCl_4$ and the acute oral toxicity of it in mice. The activities of serum transaminase(ALT/AST), alkaline phosphatase(ALP) and lactic dehydrogenase (LDH), the levels of serum total cholesterol(TC) and triglyceride(TG), change of liver enlargement, and inhibitory activities of lipid peroxidation, catalase and glutathione-S-transferase(GST) in liver microsome were determined in hepatotoxic rats induced by $CCl_4$ DWT DWT was significantly reduced the serum ALT, AST, ALP, LDH, TC and TG levels. And, the increase of lipid peroxidation, decrease of catalase and GST activities in the liver microsome of $CCl_4$-intoxicated rat were significantly improved by the treatment of DWT. Male and female mice were administered maximum dosages of 5,000 mg/kg b.w. of DWT. After single oral administration of DWT to mice, we observed them daily for 2 weeks. DWT did not induce any toxic signs in the mortalities, clinical signs, body weight changes, and gross necropsy findings of mice. Based on these results, it is concluded that DWT may have the hepatoprotective effect on $CCl_4$ induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Also, DWT may have no side effect and its $LD_{50}$ value may be over 5,000 mg/kg b.w. in mice.

Helicobacter pylori infection is associated with type B gastritis, peptic ulcer, and gastric cancer. The vacuolation of cells induced by H. pylori is thought to be essential for the initiation and maintenance of gastric infection. The roles of H. pylori cytotoxin, urease, and ammonia in the vacuolation of HeLa cells were determined. Ammonium chloride augmented the neutral red uptake induced by H. pylori toxin. Acetohydroxamic acid (AHA) failed to block the neutral red uptake induced by H. pylori toxin. Leweifang significantly prevented the vacuolation of HeLa cells induced by H. pylori toxin or H. pylori toxin and ammonium chloride. Further investigation is required to determine the mechanisms of Leweifang for the inhibition of vacuole formation of eukaryotic cells in response to the H. pylori toxin.

Assay-guided fractionation of the methanol extract of the leaves of Albizzia julibrissin has furnished quercitrin (1) and afzelin (2) as the scavengers of DPPH radical. Quercitrin and afzelin showed scavenging activity of DPPH free radical with the $IC_{50}$ values of 17.3 and 71.5 ${\mu}M$, respectively.

Antidiabetic effects of the acid hydrolysate of silk fibroin were investigated by oral administration to animal models for diabetes mellitus, Fibroin protein was extracted from cocoon and digested to peptides of low-molecular weight range (mainly below 3,000) and amino acids by acid hydrolysis, Feeding of the fibroin hydrolysate resulted in a significant recovering effect on reduction of body weight gain and a lowering effect on blood glucose gain in streptozotocin-induced diabetic Sprague Dawley rats (STZ rats) which were used as an insulin-dependent diabetic animal model. But the body weight and blood glucose level in C57BL/KsJ-db/db mice (db/db mice), an non-insulin-dependent diabetic animal model, were not changed significantly by the feeding, On the other hand, plasma leptin levels increased according to increased feeding amount of the hydrolysate in STZ rats and db/db mice in common, It was concluded from the results that the fibroin hydrolysate might stimulate the insulin secretion by recovering or activating pancreatic ${\beta}$ cells and result in the increased plasma leptin level. It was also deduced that the antidiabetic improvements in body weight and blood glucose gain in STZ were thought to be due to the increased insulin secretion, but in db/db mice of which the diabetic symptoms were caused by insulin resistance, the stimulated secretion of insulin was unlikely to be able to change body weight and blood glucose level significantly.

Albizzia julibrissin belonging to the family Leguminosae has been used for the treatment of contusion, sore throat, amnesia, and insomnia in Oriental traditional medicine. The water extract of A. julibrissin induced apoptosis in Jurkat T-acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cells as measured by cell morphology. The capability of this herb medicine to induce apoptosis was associated with proteolytic cleavage of specific target protein such as beta-catenin protein suggesting the possible involvement of caspases. The purpose of the present study is also to investigate the effect of A. julibrissin on cell cycle progression. Our results showed that GI checkpoint related gene products (cyclin D1, cyclin dependent kinase 4, retinoblastoma, E2F1) were decreased in their protein levels in a dose-dependent manners after treatment of the extract. These results indicate that the increase of apoptotic cell death by A. julibrissin may be due to the inhibition of cell cycle progression in wild type p53-lacking Jurkat cells.

The MeOH ext., $CH_2Cl_2$ Frac., EtOAc Frac., n-BuOH Frac., and $H_2O$ Frac. of 23 Korean medicinal herbs were prepared and were tested the inhibitory effects on Cytochrome P450 (Cyp) 1A1/2, 2B1/2, 2E1. Among the tested samples, the extracts of Selaginella tamariscina, Euonymus alatus, Salvia miltiorhiza, Angelica acutiloba, Rheum palmatum, Paeonia moutan, Scutellaria barbata, Tribulus terrestris, Hedyotis diffusa, Curcuma zedoaria, Rehmania glutinosa, Trogopterus xanthipes, Melandryum firmum, Achyranthes bidentata, Leonurus sibricus, Panax ginseng, Paeonia lactiflora, Poncirus trifoliata, Cnidium officinale, Cyperus rotundus, Corydalis ternata showed significant inhibitory effects on Cyp 1A1/2, 2B1/2, 2E1. The $IC_{50}$ values of those extracts were found to be below $50\;{\mu}g/ml$.

Three iridoid glycosides were isolated from the whole plant of Melampyrum setaceum var. nakaianum. On the basis of spectroscopic and chemical evidence, their structures were elucidated as mussaenoside, 10-benzoylcatalpol and melampyroside (10-benzoylaucubin).

Zanthoxyli Fructus has been used in traditional medicine for the treatment of analgesic, gastric disorder, rheumatism etc. In order to evaluate the quality of Zanthoxyli Fructus, the method of isolation and quantitative determination of xanthoxylin as a standard compound has been developed. The HPLC method, using the mobile phase of acetonitrile-water (4:6), showed that the amount of xanthoxylin wεre in the rangε of 0.01 to 2.67%.

Amentoflavone, naturally occurring biflavonoid, isolated from the leaves of Ginko biloba, selectively inhibited human seceretory phospholipase $A_2$. This compound potently and irreversibly inhibited human group IIA in a dose dependent manner with an $IC_50$ about $3\;{\mu}M$. Amentoflavone inhibited phospholipase $A_2$ by a noncompetitive manner with the apparent Ki value of $1{\times}10^{-5}M$. In addition, the inhibitory activity of amentoflavone is rather specific against group IIA phospholipase $A_2$ than group IB phospholipase $A_2$. Furthermore, this compound strong inhibit histamine release from $A_{23187}$ treated rat peritoneal mast cells. These results indicate naturally occurring biflavonoid represents a novel anti-inflammatory agent.

"Jeong Dan Whan(征丹丸)" is a Chinesε patent medicine, which is used for acute and chronic indigestion, dyspepsia, vomiting in Korea. This medicine consist of 14 kinds of powdered crude drugs. For the identification of individual ingredients in such powdery mixtures, microscopic method may advantageously be used as it requires only a small amount of specimens. In this paper, the effectiveness of this method is exemplified by the identification of the ingredients in "Jeong Dan Whan" which contains 14 powder crude drug ingredients.

The purpose of this research was to investigate the effects of dried orange peel compound intaking and exercise training on the physique, body fat, and concentration bloodlipid in obese women. Ninety-seven volunteers(mean age 21.47 ${\pm}$ 1.47 yrs), all over 30% of body fat, agreed to Participate and were placed in 4 groups: dried orange peel compound intaking and exercise group(n=25), only exercise group(n=25), only dried orange peel compound intaking group(n=24), and control group(n=20). The subjects who joined this project were asked to take dried orange peel compound(2 times/day, 30 ml/time) or participate in exercise program(3 times/week, 70 min/day), depending on particular group for 12 weeks. They were tested on their height, weight, circumference of chest, abdomen, hip, and thigh, body fat%, total-cholesterol(TC), HDL-C, LDL-c, and triglyceride(TG) at the beginning and the end of the 12-weeks program. For data analysis, paired t-tests and ANCOVAs were used. The intaking of dried orange peel compound was influenced on weight, circumference of chest, abdomen, hip, and thigh, body fat%, HDL-C, LDL-C, and TG. The exercise participation had almost same effects on those dependent variables. Furthermore, the dried orange peel compound intaking along with exercise training was the most effective on those dependent variables among them. Therefore, these results indicate that dried orange peel compound intaking, like exercise, may be useful for controling weight, body fat, HDL-C, LDL-C, and TG.

71종의 베트남 약용식물을 메탄올로 추출하여 얻은 80개의 추출물을 $100\:{\mu}g/mL$의 농도로 조제하여 인체 페암세포인 A549세포에 대한 세포독성을 측정하였다. 9개의 추출물이 30% 이하의 암세포 생존율을 나타내었으며, 이들 중 Meliosma pinnata (VK03, 4%), Goniothalamus vietnamensis (VK05, 06, 0%), Garcinia sp. (VK50, 51, 0%) 그리고 Aglaia aphanamixis (VK63, 11 %)는 15% 이하의 암세포 생존율을 나타내었다. Goniothalamus vietnamensis의 잎과 뿌리 그리고 Garcinia species의 잎의 메탄올 추출물은 $100\:{\mu}g/mL$의 농도에서 암세포의 성장을 100% 억제하였다.

The methanol extracts of 162 herbal medicines were screened for the inhibitory activity against VHR dualspecificity protein tyrosine phosphatase (DS-PTPase). Seventeen medicinal plants, Scutellaria baicalensis, Cuscuta chinensis, Caesalpinia sappan, Arecae pericarpium, Rubus coreanus, Machilus thunbergii, Amsonia elliptica Cinnamomum cassia, Arisaema erubescens, Pueraria thunbergiana, Dendrobium moniliforme, Mentha arvensis, Peucedanum japonicum, Salvia miltiorrhiza, Leonurus sibiricus, Siegesbeckia orientalis, Prunella vulgaris showed potent VHR DS-PTPase inhibitory activity.