• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.216-221
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• 1999

The NAD(P)-linked $3{\alpha}-Hydroxysteroid$ $dehydrogenase(3{\alpha}-HSD)$ of rat liver cytosol is powerfully inhibited by the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in rank-order of their therapeutic potency, and this observation has now been developed into a rapid screen for predicting the potency of products that show anti-inflammatory effect. Five-plants were screened by using this method. Among them, BuOH-fraction of Mucuna birdwoodiana showed strong inhibitory effect on $3{\alpha}-HSD$, and three isoflavone compounds were isolated. Inhibitory activates of isolated compounds were compared.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.105-108
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• 2003

During our research program to find DNA strand-scission agents from higher plants, the MeOH extracts of the stems of Mucuna birdwoodiana Tutcher. (Leguminosae) exhibited the most potent activity with an $IC_{50}$ value of $4.9\;{\mu}g/ml$. Thus, detailed laboratory investigation was performed, and led to the isolation of known compounds, $({\pm})$-catechin (1) and (-)-epicatechin(2) as active principles. Compounds 1 and 2 showed significant activity of DNA strand-scission with $IC_{50}$ values of 10.8 and $7.5\;{\mu}g/ml$, respectively (positive control, bleomycin: $IC_{50}\;3.3\;{\mu}g/ml$.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.162-164
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• 2002

The methanol extracts of 42 Korean indigenous plants were evaluated for the DNA strand-scission activity. As a result, the 17 extracts were found to be active in the criteria of $IC_{50}$}<$25\;{\mu}g/ml$. Among others, the MeOH extracts of Caesalpinia sappan and Mucuna birdwoodiana showed the most potent DNA strand-scission activity with $IC_{50}$ values of 5.9 and $4.9\;{\mu}g/ml$, respectively. Therefore, the partition and fractionation for C. sappan were performed and tested in the DNA strand-scission assay system for further bioassay-guided fractionation.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.922-928
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• 2010

This study was carried out to develop safe and novel anticoagulation agents from oriental medicinal herbs. From 33 medicinal herbs, 40 different ethanol extracts were prepared according to place of origin or extraction parts, and anticoagulation activities were evaluated by determination of thrombin time (TT), prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT). The average water content and average extraction ratio for the medicinal herbs were $6.85{\pm}2.26%$ and $5.27{\pm}4.25%$, respectively. Evaluation of TT at various concentrations of the extract led to the selection of Mucuna birdwoodiana, Prunus armeniaca, Cacalia ainsliaeiflora, Cinnamonum aromaticum, and Rhus javanica Linneas potent antithrombosis medicinal herbs. Evaluation of PT and aPTT showed that the extracts of R.javanica Linne, M. birdwoodiana, and P. armeniaca have strong anticoagulation activities. Determination of hemolytic activities of 40 different ethanol extracts against human red blood cells, however, showed that only M. birdwoodiana, C. ainsliaeiflora, C. aromaticum, and R. javanica Linnehas strong anticoagulation activity without hemolytic activity at a concentration of 500 mg/ml. Our results suggest that oriental medicinal herbs, which are under a mass-production system, have potentialas a safe and novel source of anticoagulants, as well being a thrombin-specific and coagulation factor-specific inhibitor.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.161-168
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• 2011

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) has been shown to play an important role in the development of the diabetic complications. The AGEs inhibitors or cross-link breakers attenuate various functional and structural manifestations of diabetic complications. In this study, 69 China herbal medicines have been investigated with an in vitro evaluation system using AGEs inhibitory activity. Of these, 28 herbal medicines $IC_{50}$=<50 ${\mu}g/ml$) were found to have stronger AGEs inhibitory activity compared with aminoguanidine ($IC_{50}$=59.77 ${\mu}g/ml$). Particularly, 5 herbal medicines, Camptotheca acuminata (stem, leaf), Eurya groffii (stem, leaf), Cornus Capitata (leaf), Mucuna birdwoodiana (root), Nelumbo nucifera (fruit, seed) showed more potent inhibitory activity (approximately 6-27 fold) than the positive control aminoguanidine.