Tae Jin An

Nation-Based Occurrence and Endogenous Biological Reduction of Mycotoxins in Medicinal Herbs and Spices

Medicinal herbs have been increasingly used for therapeutic purposes against a diverse range of human diseases worldwide. Moreover, the health benefits of spices have been extensively recognized in recent studies. However, inevitable contaminants, including mycotoxins, in medicinal herbs and spices can cause serious problems for humans in spite of their health benefits. Along with the different nation-based occurrences of mycotoxins, the ultimate exposure and toxicities can be diversely influenced by the endogenous food components in different commodities of the medicinal herbs and spices. The phytochemicals in these food stuffs can influence mold growth, mycotoxin production and biological action of the mycotoxins in exposed crops, as well as in animal and human bodies. The present review focuses on the occurrence of mycotoxins in medicinal herbs and spices and the biological interaction between mold, mycotoxin and herbal components. These networks will provide insights into the methods of mycotoxin reduction and toxicological risk assessment of mycotoxin-contaminated medicinal food components in the environment and biological organisms.

Effects of Eco-Friendly Organic Fertilizer on Growth and Yield of Angelica gigas Nakai

This experiment was carried out to investigate the effect of several organic compost on the growth and root yield of Angelica gigas Nakai with organic cultivation. After fertilizing the soil with organic fertilizer, the dry weight of liming fertilizer showed a slow change, while microorganism fertilizer decreased about 29% until 20 day after fertilizing. At 110 days after fertilizing, microorganism fertilizer decreased more than liming fertilizer. Liming fertilizer decomposed slowly, while microorganism fertilizer decomposed early on rapidly but gently after 20 days in decomposed rate of organic fertilizer. Dried root yields per 10a of A. gigas were not significance between 277.6kg in conventional fertilizer and 277.7kg, 280.5kg in N 1.5, N 2.0 times of microorganism fertilizer. Decursin and decursinol angelate contents in A. gigas were 9.08 ~ 9.07% from N 1.0 and N 1.5 times in liming fertilizer, and 7.94 ~ 8.12% from N 1.5 times and N 2.0 times in microorganism fertilizer, compared to 7.31% of conventional treatment.

Establishing Optimal Germination for Stored Rheum palmatum L. Seeds

*Department of Applied Plant Sciences, College of Agriculture and Life Science, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 200-701, Korea.**Department of herbal medicine resource, Kangwon National University, Samcheok 245-907, Korea.***Ganagwon Agricultural Research & Extension Services, Crop & Agriculture Management Research Section, Chuncheon 200-150, Korea.****Department of Herbal Crop Research, NIHHS, RDA, Eumseong 369-873, Korea.ABSTRACT : This study evaluated the germination rate of Rheum palmatum L. in Korea as affected by storage temper-ature, germination temperature, and a soaking treatment. The germination rate of R. palmatum L. stored at various con-ditions for 8 weeks was > 60%. The highest germination rate occurred at 25

Induction of human microsomal prostaglandin E synthase 1 by activated oncogene RhoA GTPase in A549 human epithelial cancer cells.

Oncogenic RhoA GTPase has been investigated as a mediator of pro-inflammatory responses and aggressive carcinogenesis. Among the various targets of RhoA-linked signals, pro-inflammatory prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)), a major prostaglandin metabolite, was assessed in epithelial cancer cells. RhoA activation increased PGE(2) levels and gene expression of the rate-limiting PGE(2) producing enzymes, cyclooxygenase-2 and microsomal prostaglandin E synthase 1 (mPGES-1). In particular, human mPGES-1 was induced by RhoA via transcriptional activation in control and interleukin (IL)-1β-activated cancer cells. To address the involvement of potent signaling pathways in RhoA-activated mPGES-1 induction, various signaling inhibitors were screened for their effects on mPGES-1 promoter activity. RhoA activation enhanced basal and IL-1β-mediated phosphorylated nuclear factor-κB and extracellular signal-regulated kinase1/2 proteins, all of which were positively involved in RhoA-induced gene expression of mPGES-1. As one potent down-stream transcription factor of ERK1/2 signals, early growth response gene 1 product also mediated RhoA-induced gene expression of mPGES-1 by enhancing transcriptional activity. Since oncogene-triggered PGE(2) production is a critical modulator of epithelial tumor cells, RhoA-associated mPGES-1 represents a promising chemo-preventive or therapeutic target for epithelial inflammation and its associated cancers.

Identification of Fungal Pathogen Causing Seedling Rot of Lithospermum erythrorhizon and Study on the Optimum Growing Temperature for Decreasing of the Seedling Rot

*Department of Herbal Crop Research, NIHHS, RDA, Eumseong 369-873, Korea.**College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 305-764, Korea.ABSTRACT : This study was conducted to isolate and identify the fungal pathogen causing seedling rot of Lithospermumerythrorhizon Siebold & Zuccarini, and to know the optimum growing temperature for decreasing seedling rot of Lithosper-mum erythrorhizon . On the basis of morphological characteristics, EF-1a sequence analysis, and pathogenecity to host plant,the fungi isolated from seedling rot and seeds of Lithospermum erythrorhizon were identified as Fusarium fujikuroi, indicat-ing that disease causing fungus is seed-borne pathogen. Optimum temperature for germination of seeds of Lithospermumerythrorhizon was 15 ~ 20℃, but pathogenicity of Fusarium fujikuroi was shown more readily at 25 ~ 30℃. These resultssuggested that seedling culture of Lithospermum erythrorhizon between 15℃ and 20℃ might reduce seedling rot of Lithos-permum erythrorhizon caused by seed-borne pathogen Fusarium fujikuroi.Key Words : Lithospermum erythrorhizon , Seedling Rot, Fusarium fujikuroi, Pathogen

Prevalence, Characterization, and Mycotoxin Production Ability of Fusarium Species on Korean Adlay (Coix lacrymal-jobi L.) Seeds

Adlay seed samples were collected from three adlay growing regions (Yeoncheon, Hwasun, and Eumseong region) in Korea during 2012. Among all the samples collected, 400 seeds were tested for fungal occurrence by standard blotter and test tube agar methods and different taxonomic groups of fungal genera were detected. The most predominant fungal genera encountered were Fusarium, Phoma, Alternaria, Cladosporium, Curvularia, Cochliobolus and Leptosphaerulina. Fusarium species accounted for 45.6% of all species found; and, with phylogenetic analysis based on the combined sequences of two protein coding genes (EF-1α and β-tubulin), 10 Fusarium species were characterized namely, F. incarnatum (11.67%), F. kyushuense (10.33%), F. fujikuroi (8.67%), F. concentricum (6.00%), F. asiaticum (5.67%), F. graminearum (1.67%), F. miscanthi (0.67%), F. polyphialidicum (0.33%), F. armeniacum (0.33%), and F. thapsinum (0.33%). The Fusarium species were then examined for their morphological characteristics to confirm their identity. Morphological observations of the species correlated well with and confirmed their molecular identification. The ability of these isolates to produce the mycotoxins fumonisin (FUM) and zearalenone (ZEN) was tested by the ELISA quantitative analysis method. The result revealed that FUM was produced only by F. fujikuroi and that ZEN was produced by F. asiaticum and F. graminearum.

Changes of Major Components and Growth Characteristics According to Harvesting Times of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge

Background : This study examined the effect of harvesting time on the growth, yield characteristics, and major beneficial components in Salvia miltiorrhiza. Methods and Results : Although plant height, stem diameter and branch length were not affected by harvesting time, the number of stems was highest when harvested in mid October. There were no differences in root length and thickness, however, the rhizome was thicker when it was harvested at the end of October or early November than when it was harvested in early and mid October. The dried root weight also showed a similar pattern. However, there was a statistically significant increase to 408 kg (16%) in the rhizome weight when in late October and a rise to 455 kg (29%) when harvested in early November. Harvest time had little effect on the content of the major component of S. miltiorrhiza. For example, salvianolic acid content rose from 9.42 to 9.64% with later harvest times, and tanshinone content was tended to be slightly more increased in mid October which S. miltiorrhiza has 0.22% tanshinon than in early October. Conclusions : According to these results, the optimum harvest time for S. miltiorrhiza is early November when plant or major component yields are hightest. There were no significant harvest time effects on the major beneficial components.

Synergistic Effect of Brazilein in Combination with Hygromycin-b against Staphylococcus aureus

*Department of Herbal Crop Research, NIHHS, RDA, Eumseong 369-873, Korea.**Department of Oriental Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy and Wonkwang-Oriental Medicines Research Institute,Institute of Biotechnology, Wonkwang University, Iksan 570-749, Korea.***BK21 Plus Team, Professional Graduate School of Oriental Medicine, Wonkwang University, Iksan 570-749, Korea.ABSTRACT : Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a substantial contributor to morbidity and mortality.In search of a natural products capable of inhibiting this multidrug resistant bacteria, we have investigated the antimicro-bial activity of brazilein (BRZ) isolated from Caesalpinia sappan L. (Leguminosae) against 8 different strains of Staphylococ-cus aureus (S. aureus). New antimicrobial activity was found using the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs), brothdilution as well as checkerboard method. Against the 8 strains, the minimum inhibitory concentrations of BRZ were in therange of 62.5-500㎍/mL. From those results we performed the checkerboard test to determine the synergism of BRZ incombination with Hygromycin-b (HgB) against 4 strains. The combined activity of BRZ and HgB against 4 strains resultedin a fractional inhibitory concentrations index (FICI) ranging from 0.18-0.5. The effect of BRZ with HgB was found to besynergistic. We found that BRZ reduced the MICs of HgB. BRZ and HgB could lead to the development of new combinationantibiotics against MRSA infection. Key Words : Antibacterial Effect, Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Brazilein, Hygromycin-b

Distribution of Medicinal Plants and Vascular Plants Growing at Yangsan Region of Nakdong River, Korea

Department of Biology, College of Science, Kyungsung University, Busan 608-736, Korea. ***Jeollanamdo Agricultural Research and Extension Services, Naju 542-821, Korea.****Cheongyang Boxthorn Experiment Station, Cheongyang 345-872, Korea.*****Department of Horticultural Science, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 361-763, Korea.ABSTRACT : This study was carried out to survey the vascular plants in 6 regions including around Hopo-Bridge of Yang-san region at waterfronts of Nakdong river, Korea. Distributed plants were surveyed from April to November, 2011. Thevascular plants in 6 regions (around Mulgeum-chuisujang, Mulgeum-station, Jeungsan-ri, Hopo-bridge, Kumoh-bridge andlower part of Yangsan-stream) were total 135 taxa of 3 divisions, 4 classes, 37 orders, 66 families, 116 genera, 114 species, 2subspecies and 19 varieties. The most number of species is Campanulales of 14.1% in Dicotyledoneae of 81.5% among totalspecies. Regional distribution of species is mainly around Mulgeum-chuisujang and Jeungsan-ri as 61% among total species,and other regions is in 24 ~ 44%. Ecologically, there were herbaceous plants 75% and woody plants 25%, and 9 species ofaquatic plants in herbaceous plants. Medicinal (herbal) plants included in KP (The Korean Pharmacopoeia) and KHP (TheKorean Herbal Pharmacopoeia) were 56 species including Platycodon grandiflorum (Jacq.) A. De Candolle, Peucedanumjaponicum Thunberg and etc., and folk herb plants were 14 species including Metaplexis japonica Makino, Commelina com-munis Linne and etc. among total 135 species.Key Words : Medicinal Plants, Herb, Vegetation, Nakdong-river, Waterfronts, Herb-Garden

Variation of Yield and Loganin Content According to Harvesting Stage of Dipsacus asperoides Wall

Background: This study aimed to investigate the effect of harvest time on the growth, yield characteristics and loganin content in Dipsacus asperoides Wall. Methods and Results: Dipsacus asperoides seedlings were planted within a nursery environment in early May 2015 and harvested in early, middle and late October 2015, and early November 2015. Harvest time did not result significant differences in the plant height, stem diameter, branch length, leaf width and aboveground dry weight moreover, no significant differences were observed in root length, number of roots and root diameter. However, the diameter of lateral roots was greater in the harvests from the late October and period thereafter. The highest values of root dry weight and yield were recorded in early November. Specifically, the yield significantly increased from 205 kg/10 a (index: 100) in early October to 358 kg/10 a (index: 175) in early November, in terms of root part weight. Loganin contents of D. asperoides differed significantly among harvest times raging from 0.0766% in early October to 0.1704% in late November, thereby showing an increasing trend in later harvest times. Conclusions: These results suggest that the optimum harvest time for D. asperoides is early November, when the yield is the highest. Harvest time significantly affected loganin contents, which constantly increased from early October until early November.