In Vitro and In Vivo Studies on Quercus acuta

Quercus acuta Thunb. (Fagaceae) (QA) is cultivated as a dietary and ornamental plant in China, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. It has been widely used as the main ingredient of acorn tofu, a traditional food in China and South Korea. The aim of this study was to determine in vitro and in vivo xanthine oxidase (XO) inhibitory and antihyperuricemic activities of an ethyl acetate extract of QA leaf (QALE) and identify its active phytochemicals using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and liquid chromatography (LC) systems. The QALE was found to possess potent in vitro antioxidant and XO inhibitory activities. In vivo study using hyperuricemic mice induced with potassium oxonate demonstrated that the QALE could inhibit hepatic XO activity at a relatively low oral dose (50 mg/kg) and significantly alleviate hyperuricemia to a similar extent as allopurinol. Several active compounds including vitamin E known to possess XO inhibitory activity were identified from the QALE. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that reports the active constituents and antihyperuricemic effect of QA, suggesting that it is feasible to use QALE as a food therapy or alternative medicine for alleviating hyperuricemia and gout

First record of the subtropical leaf-footed bug, Paradasynus spinosus Hsiao (Hemiptera:Coreidae:Dasynini) from the Korean Peninsula

Paradasynus spinosus Hsiao, 1963 (Hemiptera:Coreidae:Dasynini), with its higher taxon, the tribe Dasynini, and the genus Paradasynus, is reported from the Korean Peninsula for the first time. The morphological information such as diagnosis and description of male/female genitalia and biological note are presented with photographs and illustrations, and the possibility of its spread in Korea as an insect pest is discussed under climate change. Keywords: Coreidae, Dasynini, New record, The Korean Peninsul

Extraction Preparation and Anti-Wrinkle Biomarkers from Ilex x wandoensis C. F. Miller and M. Kim Hybrid nov., a New Plant

Ilex x wandoensis and M. Kim hybrid nov. (IW) is a new variety formed through the natural hybridization of Ilex. cornuta Thunb and Iles. integra Thunb. It was first discovered on Wando Island, Korea. IW has not been studied to date; we investigated the industrial application potential of IW leaf for the first time. We prepared hot water and solvent extracts and tested for biological activity. IW extract was confirmed to have antioxidant and anti-wrinkle effects. The hot water extract had a high antioxidant effect, and the hexane, ethyl acetate, and acetone extracts showed excellent elastase inhibitory activity. The HPLC and GC-MS analyses of β-amyrin and erythrodiol identified them as biomarkers for anti-wrinkle activity. Here, we report for the first time the active ingredients in IW leaf, representing a new plant variety, and suggest that IW extract could be developed as a cosmetic material

The Ethanol Extracts of <i>Osmanthus fragrans</i> Leaves Ameliorate the Bone Loss via the Inhibition of Osteoclastogenesis in Osteoporosis

The aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-osteoporosis effects of Osmanthus fragrans leaf ethanol extract (OFLEE) in bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMM) and animals with osteoporosis. OFLEE not only suppressed tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP)-positive cells with multiple nuclei but also decreased TRAP activity in BMM treated with macrophage colony stimulating factor (M-CSF) and receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) ligand (RANKL). The formation of F-actin rings and the expression and activation of matrix metalloproteinases were decreased by OFLEE in BMM treated with M-CSF and RANKL. OFLEE suppressed M-CSF- and RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis by inhibiting NF-κB phosphorylation, tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6, c-fos, the nuclear factor of activated T-cells, cytoplasmic 1, and cathepsin K in BMM. OFLEE downregulated reactive oxygen species, cyclooxygenase-2, inducible nitric oxide synthase, prostaglandin E2, tumor necrosis factor α, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-17, and RANKL in BMM treated with M-CSF and RANKL. Oral administration of OFLEE suppressed osteoporotic bone loss without hepatotoxicity in ovariectomy-induced osteoporosis animals. Our findings suggest that OFLEE, with anti-inflammatory effects, prevents osteoporotic bone loss through the suppression of osteoclastic differentiation in BMM and animals with osteoporosis

Tyrosinase Inhibition Antioxidant Effect and Cytotoxicity Studies of the Extracts of Cudrania tricuspidata Fruit Standardized in Chlorogenic Acid

In the present study, various extracts of C. tricuspidata fruit were prepared with varying ethanol contents and evaluated for their biomarker and biological properties. The 80% ethanolic extract showed the best tyrosinase inhibitory activity, while the 100% ethanolic extract showed the best total phenolics and flavonoids contents. The HPLC method was applied to analyze the chlorogenic acid in C. tricuspidata fruit extracts. The results suggest that the observed antioxidant and tyrosinase inhibitory activity of C. tricuspidata fruit extract could partially be attributed to the presence of marker compounds in the extract. In this study, we present an analytical method for standardization and optimization of C. tricuspidata fruit preparations. Further investigations are warranted to confirm the in vivo pharmacological activity of C. tricuspidata fruit extract and its active constituents and assess the safe use of the plant for the potential development of the extract as a skin depigmentation agent