• Korean Journal of Oriental Medicine
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.145-152
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• 2001

Dried parts of the herb medicines are difficult to distinguish morphologically. Heracleum moellendorffii cordata has often been sold instead of Aralia cordata in herbal medicine markets. Therefore, this study was conducted to develop the key for discrimination between them using the RAPD analysis and morphological characteristics. Thirty decarmer oligonucleotide primers were screened for the RAPD analysis, and four primers generated distinct RAPD markers specific to Aralia cordata, Angelica pubescens maxim f. biserrata, and Heracleum moellendorffii. The specific RAPD patterns generated by the selected primers were reproducible from dried materials. In comparison of morphological characteristics, Aralia cordata seems to be entirely developed in xylem fiber, but not developed in pith.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.191-201
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• 2005

Background & Objective: Articular cartilage is a potential target for drugs designed to inhibit the activity of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) to stop or slow the destruction of the proteoglycan and collagen in the cartilage extracellular matrix. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Aralia cordata Thunb. in inhibiting the release of glycosaminoglycan (GAG), the degradation of collagen, and MMP activity in rabbit articular cartilage explants. Methods : The cartilage-protective effects of Aralia cordata Thunb. were evaluated by using glycosaminoglycan degradation assay, collagen degradation assay, colorimetric analysis of MMP activity, measurement of lactate dehydrogenase activity and histological analysis in rabbit cartilage explants culture. Results : Interleukin-la (IL-1a) rapidly induced GAG, but collagen was much less readily released from cartilage explants. Aralia cordata Thunb. significantly inhibited GAG and collagen release in a concentration-dependent manner. Aralia cordata Thunb. dose-dependently inhibited MMP-3 and MMP-13 expression and activities from IL-1a-treated cartilage explants cultures when tested at concentrations ranging from 0.02 to 0.2 mg/ml. Aralia cordata Thunb. had no harmful effect on chondrocytes viability or cartilage morphology in cartilage explants. Histological analysis indicated that Aralia cordata Thunb. reduced the degradation of the cartilage matrix compared with that of IL -1a-treated cartilage explants.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.301-305
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• 2014

The aim of our study is to investigate the anti-nociceptive and anti-inflammatory properties of an ethanol extract of the leaf and stem of Aralia cordata. Writhing responses induced by acetic acid, tail immersion test, and formalin-induced paw pain response for nociception and formalin-induced paw edema for inflammation were evaluated in mice. A. cordata (50 - 200 mg/kg, p.o.) and ibuprofen (100 mg/kg, p.o.), a positive non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), inhibited the acetic acid-induced writhing response, but they did not protect the thermal nociception in tail immersion test. However, morphine (5 mg/kg, s.c.) used as positive opioid control alleviated both the acetic acid-induced writhing response and thermal nociception in tail immersion test. In the formalin test, A. cordata (50 - 200mg/kg) and ibuprofen (200mg/kg) inhibited the second phase response (peripheral inflammatory response), but not the first phase response (central response), whereas morphine inhibited both phase pain responses. Both A. cordata (100 mg/kg) and ibuprofen (200 mg/kg) significantly alleviated the formalin-induced increase of paw thickness, the index of inflammation. These results show for the first time that the leaf and stem of A. cordata has a significant anti-nociceptive effect that seems to be peripheral, but not central. A. cordata also displays an anti-inflammatory activity in an acute inflammation model. The present study supports a possible use of the leaf and stem of A. cordata to treat pain and inflammation.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.114-123
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• 2007

Osteoarthritis is characterized by cartilage degradation and chondrocytes death. Chondrocyte death is induced by the apotosis through special mechanisms including the activation of caspase-3. On the basis of this background, this study was designed to examine the cartilage protective and anti-apototic effects of Aralia Cordata in in vtro and in collagenase-induced arthritis rabbit model. To conduct in vitro study, chondrocytes culturedfrom rabbit knee joint were treated by 5 ng/ml IL-1a.For in vivo experiment, collagenase-induced arthritis (CIA) rabbit model was made via intraarticular injection with 0.25 ml of collagenase solution. Aralia cordata pharmacopuncture (ACP) was administrated on bilateral Dokbi acupoint (ST35) of rabbits at a dosage of 150 ${\mu}g/kg$ once a day for 28 days after the initiation of the CIA induction. In the study by using CIA rabbit model in vivo, ACP showed the inhibition of cartilage degradation in histological analysis. Aralia cordata also showed anti-apoptotic effect both in vitro and in vivo study. In chondrocytes treated by IL-1a, Aralia cordata inhibited caspase-3 activity and enhanced the proliferation of IL-1a-induced dedifferentiated chondrocytes. ACP showed the inhibition effect on the caspase-3 expression and activity from CIA rabbit model. This study indicates that ACP inhibits the cartilage destruction and the chondrocyte apotosis through downregulation of caspase-3 activity. These data suggest that ACP has a beneficial effect on preventing articular cartilage destruction in osteoarthrtis.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.329-337
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• 2010

'Angelicae Pubescentis Radix' (APR) is an important oriental medical preparation. In Korea, Aralia continentalis has been recognized as the source plant of APR. Aralia cordata, which is difficult to distinguish from A. continentalis, and Heracleum moellendorffii, which is frequently used in lieu of A. continentalis, are traded in Korean herbal markets. In contrast, in China, Angelica pubescens is recognized as the source plant of APR. In this study, we devised a method not only to discriminate A. contientalis from A. cordata, but also to discriminate both A. contientalis and A. cordata from H. moellendorffii and A. pubescens. Based on the discrepancy in the sequences of specific regions of ITS, we designed a Cont F/ Cont R primer set to amplify a 173 bp PCR band that appears only in A. continentalis. Additionally, we designed an Ara F/ Ara R primer set to amplify a 278 bp PCR band that appears in both A. continentalis and A. cordata. Using these primer sets and the ST R primer to confirm the PCR amplification results, we developed a simple multiplex PCR method for differentiating A. continentalis from A. cordata and to concurrently differentiate both A. continentalis and A. cordata from other APR herbs.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.397-400
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• 1997

The experiment was carried out to determine the optimum fertilization level showing high quality on Aralia cordata Thunb. Plant height of fertilization(27-15-27kg) was promoted significantly compared with conventional fertilization(17-9-17kg). This effect was followed with increment of blanched length. Among underground parts, main root length was increased in conventional fertilization, and more cultural year was prolonged, the more yield of dry root weight was increased. Fresh leaf yield to produce high quality of Aralia cordata plant was remarkably increased about 6% in fertilization of 27-15-27kg per 10a. As a result, to produce higher good quality of the plant. the optimum fertilization level was 27-15-27kg per 10a.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.634-640
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• 2018

Aralia cordata (A. cordata), which belongs to Araliaceae, is a perennial herb widely distributed in East Asia. We evaluated the anti-inflammatory effect of stems (AC-S), roots (AC-R) and leaves (AC-L) extracted with 100% methanol of A. cordata and elucidated the potential signaling pathway in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. The AC-L showed a strong anti-inflammatory activity through inhibition of NO production. AC-L dose-dependently inhibited NO production by suppressing iNOS, COX-2 and $IL-{\beta}$ expression in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. AC-L inhibited the degradation and phosphorylation of $I{\kappa}B-{\alpha}$, which donated to the inhibition of p65 nuclear accumulation and $NF-{\kappa}B$ activation. Furthermore, AC-L suppressed the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and p38. These results suggested that AC-L may utilize anti-inflammatory activity by blocking $NF-{\kappa}B$ and MAPK signaling pathway and indicated that the AC-L can be used as a natural anti-inflammatory drugs.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.213-216
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• 2008

Continentalic acid (CA, (-)-pimara-8(14), 15-diene-19-oic acid) was isolated from the roots of Aralia cordata (Araliaceae) using bioassay-guided fractionation of a crude chloroform extract. The antibacterial activity of CA against Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus gallinarium was estimated by determining minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs). CA exhibited potent activity against standard vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) and vancomycin-susceptible enterococci (VSE), with MICs and MBCs values between 4 and $8{\mu}g/mL$ and 4 and $16{\mu}g/mL$, respectively. This compound exhibited potent activity against strains of VRE, which are highly resistant to clinically useful antibiotics. These findings suggest that continentalic acid may be useful in controlling enterococcal infection.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.1576-1580
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• 2007

Aralia cordata Thunb. (Araliaceae, ACT) is an remarkable herbal plant that has been widely used in traditional oriental medicine for the treatment of inflammatory diseases and cardiovascular disorders. In this study, we have established a vascular aging model in rats by orally administrating excessive vitamin $D_2$ (500,000 IU/kg/day) for 4 days followed by feeding high cholesterol diet for 16 weeks and then rats were randomly divided into control group, high cholesterol diet (HCD) group, HCD+ACT (30 mg/kg) and HCD+ACT (60 mg/kg) group. ACT (30, 60) significantly reduced total cholesterol (TC) content compared with HCD, but no significant differences in the serum lipids. Secondly, we measured the serum levels of Oxidized Low-dencity Lipoprotein (OxLDL) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in order to further investigate the anti-vascular aging mechanism of ACT. The results, ACT (30, 60) treatments decreased OxLDL, MDA　content　and increased Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase activity compared with HCD treatments. The results suggested that ACT inhibited OxLDL production rather than serum lipids lowering and that ACT could be used as potential anti-atherosclerotic agent in aged cells.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.20-25
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• 2010

Fourteen compounds were isolated from the n-BuOH fraction of the roots of Aralia cordata (syn. = A. continentalis). Through spectroscopic method, the chemical structures were elucidated as: caffeic acid (1), protocatechuic acid (2), thymidine (3), uridine (4), methyl-$\alpha$-D-fructofuranoside (5), a mixture (3 : 1) of $\beta$-D-fructopyranoside and $\beta$-D-fructofuranoside (6), 1-methyl 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-$\beta$-carboline-3-carboxylic acid (7), methyl-$\beta$-D-fructofuranoside (8), sucrose (9), 5-caffeoylquinic acid (chlorogenic acid) (10), 3-caffeoylquinic acid (neochlorogenic acid) (11), 4-caffeoylquinic acid (cryptochlorogenic acid) (12), 3,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid (13), and 1-kestose [$\beta$-D-fructofuranosyl-($2{\rightarrow}1$)-$\beta$-D-fructofuranosyl-($2{\rightarrow}1$)-$\alpha$-D-glucopyranoside] (14). Among them, compounds 5, 7, 8, and 10 - 14 were isolated from this plant for the first time.