• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.31-38
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• 2024

Objectives : Achyranthes japonica Nakai (AJ) and Achyranthes bidentata Blume (AB) have been used without distinguishment. Moreover, comparative studies of AJ and AB on physiological activity in the organism levels remain fully understood. In this study, we aimed to evaluate and compare the effects of AJ and AB on anti-neuroinflammatory and neuroprotective effects. Methods : AJ and AB were extracted with distilled water (DW) and 70% ethanol (EtOH) extract. For the evaluation of anti-neuroinflammatory effects, we measured the production of nitric oxide (NO) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated BV2 microglial cells. To evaluate the neuroprotective effects, we assessed cell viability against toxicity, including hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA), and amyloid-beta (A𝛽), respectively, in PC12 or HT22 cells. Results : DW and 70% EtOH extracts of AJ and AB inhibited LPS-induced NO production in BV2 cells, with no significant differences between the origins and extraction solvents. Additionally, AJ and AB had no cytotoxicity, and exhibited the similar neuroprotective effects against H₂O₂ and 6-OHDA toxicities in PC12 cells, showing stronger activity in 70% EtOH extract compared to the DW extract. Furthermore, 70% EtOH extracts of AJ and AB protected neuronal cell against A𝛽 toxicity-induced cytotoxicity in HT22 cells. Conclusions : We demonstrated that AJ and AB have anti-neuroinflammatory and neuroprotective effects in the 70% EtOH extract compared to DW extract, with no significant differences between the species. These results suggested that AJ and AB would be the potential candidates for neurodegenerative diseases.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.51-57
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• 2011

Objectives : Achyranthes japonica (AJ) has been used as an anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory agent. However, it is unclear that AJ could show the anti-inflammatory effects in macrophages. In this experiment, we studied whether AJ could inhibit the inflammatory responses in macrophages. Methods : To measure out the cytotoxicity of AJ, we performed the MTT assay. We evaluated the nitric oxide (NO) production, and cytokine production such as interleukin (IL)-1b, IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-a. We also investigated the cellular mechanims such as mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPK)s and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB). Results : AJ inhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced NO production. AJ also inhibited production levels of IL-1b, IL-6 and TNF-a in LPS-stimulated macrophage. Finally, western blot analysis showed that AJ treatment inhibited the activation of p38 but not of extracellular signal-regulated kinase, c-jun NH2-terminal kinase and NF-kB. Conclusions : These results showed that AJ down-regulated the inflammatory response via p38 in macrophages, which suggest that AJ could be a candidate on treating inflammatory diseases.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.8-14
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• 2004

Objective : Achyranthes japonica Nakai (AJ) has been classified as a herb that activates blood flow and clears the stagnated blood. In this study, we evaluated its anti-nociceptive and anti-inflammatory activity in animals to clarify the effect of AJ on pain or inflammation. Methods : ICR mice and Sprague-Dawley rats were pretreated with an ethanolic extract of AJ with two dosages of 200 mg/kg (p.o.) and 400 mg/kg (p.o.). Nociceptive responses of acute pain were determined by hotplate and tail-flick tests. The effects of AJ on inflammation were evaluated by flexion/extention test and mechanical hyperalgesia test in models induced by both carrageenan and Complete Freund's Adjuvant (CFA). Results : AJ showed significant analgesic effects in both hotplate and tail-flick tests at the dose of 400 mg/kg. It also produced a significant inhibition of carrageenan-induced paw edema and CFA induced arthritis in rats at the dose of 400 mg/kg. Conclusion : We have demonstrated the analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties of an 80% ethanolic extract of AJ in animals. This suggests the application of AJ in relief of pain or inflammatory disease.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.143-158
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• 2011

Objectives : Peripheral nerve injuries are commonly encountered clinical problem and often result in severe functional deficits. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of aqueous extract of Achyranthes japonica(AJ) on functional recovery in sciatic nerve after crushed sciatic nerve injury. Methods : In the present study, the animals in the AJ-treated groups received the aqueous extract of AJ at the respective doses orally for 13 consecutive days. In order to assess the effects of the aqueous extract of AJ on function recovery in crushed sciatic nerve injury, sciatic functional index(SFI) was performed. c-Fos expression in the paraventricular nucleus(PVN) and ventrolateral periaqueductal gray(vIPAG), and neurofilament, and the expressions of brain-derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF), nerve growth factor(NGF) following crushed sciatic nerve injury in rats were investigated. For this, immunohistochemistry and western blot were performed. Results : In the present study, crushed sciatic nerve injury showed characteristic gait changes showing decrease of SFI value and treatment with the aqueous extract of AJ significantly enhanced the SFI value. Neurofilament expression in the sciatic nerve was decreased by crushed sciatic nerve injury and treatment with the AJ increased neurofilament expression. The expressions of BDNF and NGF in the sciatic nerve were increased following crushed sciatic nerve injury and treatment with the AJ significantly controlled the sciatic nerve injury-induced increment of BDNF and NGF expressions. c-Fos expressions in the PVN and vIPAG were increased following crushed sciatic nerve injury and treatment with the AJ significantly suppressed the sciatic nerve injury-induced increment of c-Fos expressions. Conclusions : These results suggest that AJ treatment after crushed sciatic nerve injury is effective in the functional recovery by enhancing axonal regeneration and suppressing of pain.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.479-486
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• 2019

This study investigated the anti-inflammatory effects of mixed extracts of Achyranthes japonica Nakai (Aj) and Aralia continentalis Kitagawa (Ac) (ratios of 1 : 2, 1 : 3, 1 : 5, 2 : 1, 3 : 1 and 5 : 1) on RAW264.7 macrophages. Cell toxicity was determined using a cell counting kit (CCK) assay. We evaluated anti-inflammatory effects of the mixed extracts of Aj and Ac by measuring interleukin $(IL)-1{\beta}$, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor $(TNF){\alpha}$ using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit assay. The mixed extracts of Aj and Ac inhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced $IL-1{\beta}$ and $TNF{\alpha}$ in LPS-stimulated macrophages. Comparing different ratios of the mixed extracts, the 2 : 1 ratio of Aj and Ac has much more potency and inhibited the production of $TNF{\alpha}$ in LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells. The results of the present study showed that the mixed extracts of Aj and Ac have potential anti-inflammatory effects on RAW264.7 macrophages. Therefore, these extracts may be used as a good source of functional foods for the protection against inflammatory diseases.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.145-150
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• 2019

In this study, we used extracts obtained from five different solvents (water, ethanol, hexane, ethyl acetate, butanol) of Achyranthes japonica (AJ) and also AJ fermented with Lactobacillus plantarum (LP) to confirm effects on the anti-inflammatory activity in RAW264.7 cells. Experiments of measuring nitric oxide (NO) and cytokine production were performed in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW264.7 cells, and the expression of both cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) was observed by a western blot method. The cytotoxicity of RAW264.7 was confirmed by the cell counting kit (CCK) assay at a concentration of $100{\mu}g/mL$, which has no toxicity. As a result of the inhibition of NO production, the inhibition rate of AJ-LP extracted with ethanol samples was about 74% higher than that of using the control group. Interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$), and Interleukin-$1{\beta}$ (IL-$1{\beta}$), which are inflammatory cytokines, also showed an excellent efficacy with inhibition rates of about 57, 70, and 74%, respectively. Comparing to the results of COX-2 and iNOS expression in the AJ group, the inhibition rate of 20-hydroxyecdysone was the highest than others. On the other hand, the COX-2 expression level of AJ-LP group decreased about 16% compared to that of the control group, and the iNOS expression level was also decreased about 7%. These results suggest that the extract of AJ fermented from L. plantarum can be used as an anti-inflammatory natural material.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.64-80
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• 2005

The pharmacological effects of medicinal remedies traditionally used in Asian countries for improving the blood circulation were examined on isolated rat thoracic aorta strips in organ baths. Each experimental medicine was consecutively extracted under reflux with water. Of 17 plants, Curcuma longa (CL) having the strongest acute relaxant activity in endothelium-intact arteries, Mucunae caulis (MC), Cirsium pendulum (CP), Rumex longiflius (RL), Paeonia suffruticosa (PS), Curcuma zedoaria (CZ), Scirpus maritimus (SM), Siphonostegia chinensis (SC), Leonurs sibiricus (LS) and Typha orientalis (TO) were showing dose-dependent relaxant activity. Long-term relaxant effects were showed in Curcuma aromatia (CA), MC, CP, RL, PS, Potulacae grandiflorae (PG), CZ, Panax notoginseng (PN), Achyranthes japonica (AJ), CL, SC, Lycoppus lucidus (LL) and Corydalis turtschaninovii (CT). In endothelium-injury test using carbachol, CL, SC, MC, RL and PS which are having the acute vasorelaxing activity and CA and CT which are not showing vasorelaxaing activity were damaged to endothelium. As a result of this study, the possibility that a part of medicinal remedy may contribute to the beneficial effects in blood circulation was proposed, but inter-individual variation has been observed. Also, further studies on the vasorelaxant effects of these remedies are still required.