To the Editor
I read with interest the article entitled: “Anti-tumor activity of oxypeucedanin from Ostericum koreanum against human prostate carcinoma DU145 cells” Acta Oncologica 2009; 48: 895–900 [Citation1]. This article is quite interesting and the authors should be complimented for the great amount of work they have done. The purpose of this letter is to call attention to the need for some clarification on the name of the plant described in this article. Kang et al. state: “Ostericum koreanum (Umbelliferae) has traditionally been used in oriental medicine as an analgesic” and “The root of Ostericum koreanum (Umbelliferae), which was cultivated in Kangwon Province, Korea”. I have been studying the pharmacotoxicological properties of the medicinal plants of Asia and the Pacific for the last 15 years [Citation2–6] and the sole medicinal members of the genus Ostericum Hoffm. officially recognized in China, Korea and Japan are O. citriodorum (Hance) C.Q. Yuan & Shan, O. grosseserratum (Maxim.) Kitag., O. scaberulum (Franch.) C.Q. Yuan & Shan, O. sieboldii (Miq.) Nakai and O. viridiflorum (Turcz.) Kitag. [Citation7].
Ostericum koreanum does not exist and is not used in oriental medicine as an analgesic.
Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.
References
- Kang TJ, Lee SY, Singh RP, Agarwal R, Yim DS. Anti-tumor activity of oxypeucedanin from Ostericum koreanum against human prostate carcinoma DU145 cells. Acta Oncol 2009;48:895–900.
- Wiart C. Ethnopharmacology of medicinal plants: Asia and the Pacific. Boca Raton: Humana Press; 2006.
- Wiart C. Medicinal plants of Asia and the Pacific. New York: CRC Press; 2006a.
- Wiart C. Medicinal plants of the Asia-Pacific: Drugs for the future? Singapore: World Scientific; 2006b.
- Wiart C. Medicinal plants from the East. Nottingham: University of Nottingham Press; 2010.
- Wiart C. Medicinal plants from China, Korea and Japan: Bioresource from tomorrow's drug and cosmetic discovery. New York: CRC Press; 2012.
- Wu Z, Raven PD, Hong Y, editors. Flora of China. Apiaceae through Ericaceae. Volume 14. St. Louis: Science Press, Beijing, and Missouri Botanical Garden Press: 2005.