Agastache rugosa (baechohyang) is one of the most important aromatic plants native to the Republic of Korea. A. rugosa fragrance has been used to prepare incense since the Goryeo Dynasty in Korea. The present study aimed to explore the variation in the composition of essential oils from A. rugosa among native populations in Korea. The seeds of A. rugosa were collected from 90 different sites in Korea and seedlings were raised in the nursery. Essential oils were extracted from these populations by the steam distillation extraction method and their chemical compositions were analyzed by GC-MS. The yield of essential oils of A. rugosa ranged between 0.11% and 0.86%. A total of 204 components were identified from 90 populations of A. rugosa. Out of 204 components, 32 components were common in more than 40 individuals of A. rugosa and these 32 components were selected for principal component analysis (PCA). On the basis of the essential oil compositions, six chemotypes—estragole, pulegone, methyl eugenol, menthone, isopulegone, and nepetalactone—were distinguished according to their major components. As a result of the cluster analysis, 90 individuals of A. rugosa could be classified into three groups: estragole, methyl eugenol, and pulegone. A. rugosa exhibited significant chemical diversity among the individuals. The distribution of chemotypes is associated with the collection of seeds, suggesting that genetic diversity may influence the variations in the chemical compositions and concentrations within the species. This chemical diversity serves as the background to select cultivars for the cultivation and industrial applications of A. rugosa cultivars with high essential oil yield and concentration of its chemical components.

Bryophytes contain a variety of bioactive metabolites, but studies about the anti-inflammatory effect of bryophytes are meager. Therefore, the present study aimed to compare the anti-inflammatory effect of methanol extract of Marchantia polymorpha L. (liverwort) and Racomitrium canescens (Racomitrium moss) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced HaCaT cells. To evaluate the anti-inflammatory effect of liverwort and Racomitrium moss, the levels of nitric oxide (NO) production and the mRNA expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-1β in LPS-induced HaCaT cells were measured. The methanol extract of liverwort and Racomitrium moss significantly decreased LPS-induced NO production in HaCaT cells. When compared with Racomitrium moss extract, pre-treatment with methanol extract of liverwort markedly inhibited the expression of iNOS, COX-2, IL-6, and IL-1β at the concentration of 100 µg/mL with the exception of TNF-α. Further, liverwort extract markedly attenuated the production of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β in the culture medium. In addition, ethyl acetate and butanol fractions obtained from the methanol extract of liverwort showed remarkable inhibitory activity against the production of NO in LPS-stimulated HaCaT cells. The LC-MS data revealed the presence of bisbibenzyl types of bioactive components in the methanol extract of liverwort. These data demonstrate that liverwort extract exhibits effective inhibitory activity against the production of inflammatory mediators in LPS-induced HaCaT cells and may be useful for the treatment of inflammation-mediated diseases.

본 연구에서는 국가표준식품성분표 DB 구축을 위하여 국내 농산물을 대상으로 당류 성분을 분석하였다. 당류 7종을 HPLC-ELSD를 통하여 동시 분석하였으며 분석법의 검증과 데이터 품질관리를 위하여 표준용액의 직선성, 검출한계 및 정량한계를 산출하였다. 당류 7종 표준품의 R2값은 모두 0.999 이상으로 우수한 직선성을 나타내었으며 검출한계는 0.026∼0.198 mg/g, 정량한계는 0.073∼0.601 mg/g이었다. 분석데이터의 품질관리를 위하여 CRM 분석을 수행하여 fructose, glucose, sucrose, lactose의 참값에 대한 회수율을 산출한 결과 94.50∼99.03%로 모두 회수율 허용기준인 90∼110% 범위를 만족하였다. 또한, 국제비교숙련도 프로그램(FAPAS)에 참여하여 시험 항목인 sucrose, glucose 모두 z-score ± 1 이내로 확인되어 당류 분석의 신뢰성을 확보하였다. 국내에서 소비되는 농산물 원재료와 단순처리에 따른 농산물 가공품 85점을 경엽채류, 과채류, 근채류, 두류로 분류하여 시료의 당류를 분석하였으며 주요 검출항목은 fructose, glucose, sucrose이었고 lactose와 galactose는 모든 시료에서 검출되지 않았다.

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) peel, a by-product of the food processing industry, has attracted attention as a potential source of bioactive compounds. This study evaluated the antioxidant and anti-photoaging-related effects of potato peel extracts in human skin cells. Solanum tuberosum L. peel water extract (PPW) and Solanum tuberosum L. ethanol extract (PPE) were prepared and examined in UVB-irradiated human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) and human keratinocyte cell line (HaCaT) cells. Intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) expression, pro-collagen type I production, and cellular senescence were evaluated in HDF cells, whereas wound closure was assessed in HaCaT cells using a scratch assay. PPE showed higher polyphenol and flavonoid contents and stronger radical scavenging activity. In HDFs, PPW significantly reduced intracellular ROS production, whereas both extracts reduced MMP-1 expression under UVB-irradiated conditions. PPE significantly increased pro-collagen type I production. Both extracts reduced cellular senescence under UVB-irradiated conditions. In addition, PPE enhanced wound closure in HaCaT cells, suggesting a possible improvement in cell migration-related responses. Taken together, these findings suggest that potato peel extracts may exert protective effects against UVB-induced oxidative stress and photoaging-related cellular changes and may serve as potential functional materials associated with skin-protective and anti-photoaging-related cellular effects.

Jae Hee Lee, Gyeong Sin Shin, Hye Won An, Tae Hee Kim, Ki Yeon Lee, Kyung Dae Kim, and Eun Ha Jang. Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition 2026;55:401-7. https://doi.org/10.3746/jkfn.2026.55.5.401