Volume 6, Number 1 | Spring 2011

Front Line of Kampo Pharmacology
Review 1 of Pharmacology-related Academic Meetings

used as a crude drug. And they brought out thefinding that several horticultural varieties can be

Toshiaki Makino, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Dept. of Pharmacognosy
Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Nagoya City University

applied to medicinal uses.
Research of the origins of crude drugs

This series will introduce the recent research andAsahina, et al. of Ochanomizu University tried tostudies relating to Kampo medicines presented atidentify the origin of Sekkoku being distributed as aacademic conferences. The second installment of thecrude drug on the markets in China and Hong Kong

series provides the presentations made at The 57thand clarified that most of Sekkoku available in theAnnualofmarkets originate from the root of Dendrobium

Pharmacognosy held in Tokushima in September
2010.

officinale and some originate from the root of D.
devonianum.

Research for quality preservation of crude drugs andOoi, et al. of Kanazawa University studied on thetheir discrimination

origin of “the root of Hedysarum polybotrys (Shingi

MeetingofJapaneseSocietyin Japanese name)” from its growing areas in
Shimura, et al. of Mie Prefecture Health andmainland China and by referring to documents andEnvironment Research Institute reported that they

have clarified that a certain volume of Hedysarum

have developed a method of analyzing ephedrine

polybotrys (Fabaceae) has been used as Astragalus

species

Rhizome since the period of North and South

containedin

over-the-counter

Kampo

extracts and established a HPLC analytical method
toefficiently

isolateandpseudoephedrine,

quantify

ephedrine,norephedrineandDynastie.
Study on the cultivation of crude drug materialsmethylephedrine.
Kabau, et al. of Kochi University reported that they
Wakaba, et al. of the National Institute of Healthhave established conditions satisfying the Japanese

Sciences reported that metabolome analysis using

Pharmacopia standards for the cultivation, in Kochi

1H-NMR

correctly

prefecture, of Atractylodes lancea for the use as thediscriminating Pinellia Tuber from Arisaematis

raw material of a crude drug Sojutsu, (Atractylodes

Rhizoma, both of them have very similar outward

Lancea Rhizome).

isa

usefulmethodforappearances.
Basic pharmacological study on crude drugs andKobayashi, et al. of Osaka University reported that

Kampo medicines

matabolome analysis by UPLC-TOF-MS and GCTOF-MS is an effective method for identifying theChiba, et al. of Kitasato University obtained

original plant of Japanese Angelica Root.

differences of traditional usages between Ginger andProcessed Ginger in terms of TRPV1 agonist activity,

Nakamura, et al. of Osaka University reported thatclarifying that although the titers of 6-gingerol andthey have made cluster analysis based on ICP-MS

6-shogaol of guiding components apparently differed,data to study the possibility of substituting

there were no differences as crude drugs.

gardening varieties for the root of Paeonia lactiflora

26

The Journal of Kampo, Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine (KAIM)

Volume 6, Number 1 | Spring 2011

Shimato, et al. of Nagoya City University reported

glucose levels in mice. They also reported theirthat they have investigated differences between

finding that suggests Ginger’s usefulness for

Atractylodes Lancea Rhizome and Atractylodes

metabolic syndrome.

Rhizome based on the inhibition of NO production
from macrophages in the extract prepared fromMorinaga, et al. of Kobe Pharmaceutical University

appropriately DNA-tested 48 plant specimens, withreported that they have evaluated the analgesic

the results that although there were no differences

action of Belancandae Rhizoma in mice and isolated

inthe active ingredient of hydroxytectorigenin.

pharmacologicaltitersbetweenbetween

Atractylodes Lancea Rhizome and Atractylodes
Rhizome. However, the activity was significantly

Morikawa, et al. of Kinki University reported thatweak in A. ovata, if the discrimination of species wasthey have evaluated the action of Picrorrhizae

necessary, compared to other plant species.

Rhizoma on the inhibition of hepatic impairment inmice

Yasui, et al. of Aichi Gakuin University reported thatandisolated

theactiveingredients

ofplantamajoside and isoplantamajoside.

they have searched for active ingredients of Aralia
Rhizome as a measure of retinoic acid receptor

Joan, et al. of Kyoto University reported that the oralagonist activity and isolated ent-pimara-8(14),15-administration of Cinnamon Bark powder to micedien-19-oic acid.

withgastriculcersinducedbyethanolandhydrochloric acid have shown that Cinnamon Bark
Fukuda, et al. of Pola Kasei Kenkyusho reported
that they have studied PPAR
CoixSeedandisolated

has effects on the prevention of gastric ulcers.

agonist activity of9-oxo-10(E),12(E)-Muroga, et al. of Kanazawa University haveevaluated the in vitro anti-inflammatory action ofoctadecadienoic acid.

Lycii Cortex and identified active substances of (10E,Fukai, et al. of University of Toyama reported that

12Z, 15Z)-9-hydroxy-10, 12, 15-octadecatrietic acidthe essence of Bambusae Caulis extracted by the hotthat inhibit the histamine release from basophilicwater extraction method has the action of inhibiting

leukocytes.

viral infection in vitro and polysaccharides are theactive substances.

Yonekura, et al. of Meijo University reported of theinductive action of regulatory T cells of juzentaihoto

Somehara, et al. of Nagoya City University reported(Ten Strong Tonic Herbs Decoction), clarifying thatthat evodiamine contained in Euodia Fructus has

not only CD4+CD25+ T cells but also CD4- cells are

the action of promoting the absorption of glucamine

involved in this action.

in the digestive tract.
Sugimoto, et al. of Yokohama College of Pharmacy
reported that neferine contained in a Nelumbo Seedgives antidepressant actions mediated by theserotonergic nervous system in mice.
Ishida, et al. of Showa University reported of theaction of Ginger on suppressing an increase in blood

The Journal of Kampo, Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine (KAIM)

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