In the previous study, we reported that luteolin isolated from Lonicera japonica methanolic extract had potent neuroprotective activities in neuronal cell death injured by excessive glutamate. In this study, we tried to confirm the neuroprotective activities of luteolin in glutamate injured HT22 cells and establish mechanisms of neuroprotective action of luteolin. We used HT22 cell death injured by glutamate as a bioassay system. Luteolin decreased reactive oxygen species increased by excessive glutamate treatment in HT22 cells. Also, Ca²⁺ concentration was decreased by luteolin treatment. Luteolin made mitochondrial membrane potential maintain to normal condition. It also increased not only glutathione reductase but also peroxidase to the control level. And it increased amount of glutathione, an endogenous antioxidant. These results suggested that luteolin isolated from L. japonica showed potent neuroprotective activity through the anti-oxidative pathway.

Robinia pseudoacacia L. (Leguminosae) is widely distributed in Asia, North America and Europe. The root bark has been traditionally used for hemostasis, arthritis and hypertension. Therefore, this study was conducted to identify the biological activity and the bioactive constituents of the root bark. We found that the methanol extract obtained from the root bark of R. pseudoacacia reduced the level of ROS and NO production in LPS-induced inflammation of RAW 264.7 cell line. Among the fractions, methylene chloride fraction showed the highest inhibitory activity against the inflammation. Seven constituents (1-7) were isolated from this fraction, and the chemical structures were determined to be medicarpin (1), (-)-vestitol (2), indole 3-carboxaldehyde (3), 3-acetylindole (4), liquiritigenin (5), 4(1H)-quinolone (6) and 8-methoxyononin (7). Among the isolates, medicarpin (1), (-)-vestitol (2), 3-acetylindole (4) and liquiritigenin (5) inhibited ROS and NO production in a dose-dependent manner. This is the first study to show the anti-inflammatory activity of the root bark of R. pseudoacacia, and it is suggested that the four constituents (1, 2, 4, and 5) could play a role in the biological activity.

Five ent-kaurane type diterpene glycosides were isolated from the aerial parts of Inula britannica var. chinensis Regel (Compositae) through repeated column chromatography. Their chemical structures were elucidated as 16β-H-ent-kauran-19-oic acid-19-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (1), 16β-hydroxy-17-acetoxy-ent-kauran-19-oic acid-19-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (2), 16β,17-dihydroxy-ent-kauran-19-oic acid-19-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (3), 16α,17-dihydroxy-ent-kauran-19-oic acid-19-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (4) and 17-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-16β-H-ent-kauran-19-oic acid-19-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (5), respectively, by spectroscopic analysis. Among these compounds, 1-4 were isolated for the first time from this plant.

Sparassis crispa is an edible mushroom that has been widely utilized in Japan and Korea. It has various biological activities, such as anti-hypertensive, anti-allergic, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, anti-angiogenic, and anti-cancer effects. In this study, we investigated the anticancer activity and underlying molecular mechanism of chloroform fraction of methanol extract of S. crispa (CESP) against cervical cancer stem cells (CSCs), which contribute to tumor initiation, recurrence, and resistance to therapy of human cervical cancer. CESP effectively inhibited the proliferation, tumorsphere formation, and migration of HeLa-derived cervical CSCs by promoting apoptosis. In addition, CESP significantly downregulated the expression of key cancer stemness markers, including integrin α6, CD133, CD44, ALDH1A1, Nanog, Oct-4, and Sox-2, in HeLa-derived cervical CSCs. Furthermore, CESP remarkably suppressed in vivo tumor growth of HeLa-derived cervical CSCs in a chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) model. Therefore, our findings suggest that CESP has potential as a natural medicine for the prevention and treatment of cervical cancer by targeting CSCs.

This study was conducted to verify the availability of immature persimmon ethanol extract (IPEE) as a natural and functional ingredient in protecting inflammation and allergy of skin based on the mechanism. The major content analysis, antioxidant activities, anti-allergic activity, anti-inflammatory effect, and safety related to irritation of IPEE were evaluated. The gallic acid content per 10 mg/mL of IPEE was 0.522% (5.22 mg/g). The total polyphenol and flavonoid contents were 428.3 mg/g and 31.1 mg/g, respectively. In ABTS+ activity, DPPH ability and SOD-like activity, it showed a concentration-dependent increase, which indicated IPEE has excellent antioxidant activities. As for the anti-allergy test in RBL-2H3 cells, the IPEE showed a decrease in β-hexosaminidase secretion as the concentration increases, and IPEE tended to decrease IL-4 secretion in all RBL-2H3 cells compared to the IgE + HSA group. IPEE showed good anti-inflammatory effect in RAW 264.7 cells by decrease of NO production and inflammation cytokines (TNF-α and IL-6). Also IPEE showed non-irritant in BCOP assay. By the results of this study, the IPEE containing high tannins, had good antioxidant, anti-allergic, and anti-inflammatory effects, which indicated that the immature persimmon is considered to be a useful for the development of related functional ingredients.

In order to maintain bone homeostasis, it is necessary to balance bone resorption and remodeling through the differentiation of osteoclasts that absorb old bone and osteoblasts that form new bone. However, bone resorption due to excessive osteoclast differentiation is a major cause of osteoporosis and controlling excessive osteoclast differentiation has been known as a treatment strategy for osteoporosis. Therefore, in this study, the effect of an ethanol extract of Sphaerotylus antarcticus Kirkpatrick, 1907 (SAE), polar-derived sponge with unknown biological activity, on the osteoclast differentiation process of RANKL-induced RAW264.7 cells and the generated ROS was evaluated. In the study results, SAE down-regulated the formation and function of RANKL-induced osteoclasts and osteoclast differentiation specific proteins, genes in a concentration-dependent manner. In addition, it was possible to confirm the result of restoring the lost antioxidant enzyme along with down-regulation of ROS generated by RANKL. Therefore, in this study, we propose the possibility of SAE as a potential regulator of osteoporosis due to excessive osteoclast differentiation and report the biological value of the diversity of marine-derived natural products by identifying the first biological activity against SAE that is not yet known.

The present study was designed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive potential of the ethyl acetate fraction of Lindera glauca (ELG). We found that ELG significantly suppressed NO production through decreased enzyme activity and expression of iNOS in the IFN-γ/LPS-activated murine peritoneal macrophages. The treatment of ELG also down-regulated the expression of COX-2. Our western blot data revealed that inhibitory effects of ELG on these pro-inflammatory mediators were attributed to inactivation of NF-κB. In addition, ELG-fed mice showed a marked decrease in paw edema induced by subplantar injection of trypsin, suggesting in vivo anti-inflammatory potential of ELG. We further investigated the anti-nociceptive properties of ELG using thermal and chemical nociception model. We found that ELG has a strong anti-nociceptive activities in both central and peripheral mechanism. An additional combination test with naloxone revealed that opioid receptor was not involved in the ELG-mediated anti-nociception. In conclusion, ELG may possibly be used as valuable anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive agent for the treatment of inflammatory diseases and pains.