Pharmaceutical Studies on “Dang-Gui” in Korean Journals

A crude drug “Dang-Gui”, belonging to the genus Angelica, has been used as a traditional herbal medicine in Asia. Various studies have investigated the chemical components and pharmacological activities of Dang-Gui worldwide. However, domestic research results published in Korean are undervalued in international academia due to language barriers. Therefore, it is necessary to summarize the domestic research findings systematically for greater accessibility. This review focuses on the results published in four Korean pharmaceutical journals between 1970 and 2018, which detail the botanical, phytochemical, and pharmacological properties of three Angelica species (A. gigas, A. sinensis, and A. acutiloba) used as “Dang-Gui” in Korea, China, and Japan.

Phenolic Compounds and Triterpenes from the Barks of Diospyros burmanica

Diospyros burmanica Kurz. is an evergreen deciduous tree distributed in Mandalay of Myanmar, which belongs to the family of Ebenaceae. In Myanmar, it has been used to treat diarrhea, diabetes, diabetes and also as lumbers. In this study, seven flavonoids (1 - 7), a phenolic compound (8), and five triterpenes (9 - 13) were isolated from the barks of D. burmanica and their chemical structures were elucidated. Isolates were identified to be (+)-catechin (1), (+)-catechin 3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside (2), (+)-catechin 3-O-gallate (3), (-)-epicatechin (4), (-)-epicatechin 3-O-gallate (5), (+)-afzelechin 3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside (6), (+)-2,3-trans-dihydrokaempferol 3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside (7), methyl gallate (8), lupeol (9), methyl lup-20(29)-en-3-on-28-oate (10), beta-amyrin (11), alpha-amyrin (12), 3beta-hydroxy-D:B-friedo-olean-5-ene (13) through MS, 1H NMR and 13C NMR spectroscopic evidences.

Rapid Isolation of Cyanidin 3-Glucoside and Peonidin 3-Glucoside from Black Rice (Oryza sativa) Using High-Performance Countercurrent Chromatography and Reversed-Phase Column Chromatography

Anthocyanins are water soluble plant pigments which are responsible for the blue, red, pink, violet colors in several plant organs such as flowers, fruits, leaves and roots. In recent years, anthocyanin-rich foods have been favored as dietary supplements and health care products due to diverse biological activities of anthocyanins including antioxidant, anti-allergic, anti-diabetic, anti-microbial, anti-cancer and preventing cardiovascular disease. High-performance countercurrent chromatography (HPCCC) coupled with reversed-phase medium pressure liquid chromatography (RP MPLC) method was applied for the rapid and efficient isolation of cyanidin 3-glucoside (C3G) and peonidin 3-glucoside (P3G) from black rice (Oryza sativa L., Poaceae). The crude black rice extract (500 mg) was subjected to HPCCC using two-phase solvent system composed of tert-butyl methyl ether/n-butanol/acetonitrile/0.01% trifluoroacetic acid (TBME/B/A/0.01% TFA, 1 : 3 : 1 : 5, v/v, flow rate - 4.5 mL/min, reversed phase mode) to give enriched anthocyanin extract (37.4 mg), and enriched anthocyanin extract was sequentially chromatographed on RP-MPLC to yield C3G (16.5 mg) and P3G (8.7 mg). The recovery rate and purity of isolated C3G were 76.0% and 98.2%, respectively, and those of P3G were 58.3% and 96.3%, respectively. The present study indicates that HPCCC coupled with RP-MPLC method is more rapid and efficient than multi-step conventional column chromatography for the separation of anthocyanins.

Proposal of the Implementation of an International Pharmacy Graduate Preliminary Examination / 보건의료교육평가

At present, graduates of international pharmacy schools can apply to take the Korean Pharmacist Licensing Examination after passing a review by the Accreditation Board of the Pharmacy Schools and Licenses. However, since the educational content of different schools and the roles of pharmacists differ from country to country, a preliminary examination might be necessary before the Pharmacist Licensing Examination. To prepare to implement a preliminary examination for foreign pharmacy graduates in Korea, we summarized the preliminary examinations used in four other countries and presented a proposal for a preliminary examination. Data were collected via the internet and through telephone interviews with appropriate persons. The proposal was revised after a public forum. There are preliminary examinations in the USA, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom, and these involve written, oral, practice, and English proficiency tests. We proposed that the Korean preliminary examination consist of a written test on basic pharmacy, a test in the Korean language, and an interview. The preliminary examination should include suitable items that effectively evaluate international graduates. Graduates of international pharmacy schools who have an ability equivalent to graduates of Korean pharmacy schools should be eligible to write the Korean Licensing Examination.