• 대한의생명과학회지
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• 제26권4호
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• pp.310-318
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• 2020

The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve among the peripheral nerves, and the damage to the sciatic nerve is caused by mechanical and physical pressure. This is an important disease that consumes a lot of time and money in the treatment process. Among them, research on relieving nerve pain caused by damage to the peripheral sciatic nerve has been made efforts to prevent and treat this disease through various methods such as drugs, natural products, electrical stimulation, exercise therapy, and massage. Existing treatments are not very effective in neurological pain, and countermeasures are needed. Forsythia Fructus, used in this study, has been used as a therapeutic agent for infectious diseases and a pain reliever for cancer from the past, and in past studies, it has been known to properly control the inflammatory response. In this study, rengyolone, a physiologically active substance of Forsythiae Fructus, was administered to rats that caused chronic left nerve pain to verify the pain relief effect. As a result of the experiment, it was found that mechanical pain and cold stimulation pain were significantly reduced in the rengyolone-treated group compared to the non-administered group. In addition, it was found that nerve growth factor (NGF) mRNA expression was significantly reduced and Cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (Cdc2) expression was increased in the rengyolone administration group. This increase in NGF expression is thought to be related to rengyolone's anti-inflammatory regulatory mechanism. It is expected that the reduced NGF was directly involved in pain relief.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제31권5호
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• pp.573-582
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• 2023

Muscle atrophy is characterized by the loss of muscle function. Many efforts are being made to prevent muscle atrophy, and exercise is an important alternative. Methylglyoxal is a well-known causative agent of metabolic diseases and diabetic complications. This study aimed to evaluate whether methylglyoxal induces muscle atrophy and to evaluate the ameliorative effect of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise in a methylglyoxal-induced muscle atrophy animal model. Each mouse was randomly divided into three groups: control, methylglyoxal-treated, and methylglyoxal-treated within aerobic exercise. In the exercise group, each mouse was trained on a treadmill for 2 weeks. On the last day, all groups were evaluated for several atrophic behaviors and skeletal muscles, including the soleus, plantaris, gastrocnemius, and extensor digitorum longus were analyzed. In the exercise group, muscle mass was restored, causing in attenuation of muscle atrophy. The gastrocnemius and extensor digitorum longus muscles showed improved fiber cross-sectional area and reduced myofibrils. Further, they produced regulated atrophy-related proteins (i.e., muscle atrophy F-box, muscle RING-finger protein-1, and myosin heavy chain), indicating that aerobic exercise stimulated their muscle sensitivity to reverse skeletal muscle atrophy. In conclusion, shortness of the gastrocnemius caused by methylglyoxal may induce the dynamic imbalance of skeletal muscle atrophy, thus methylglyoxal may be a key target for treating skeletal muscle atrophy. To this end, aerobic exercise may be a powerful tool for regulating methylglyoxal-induced skeletal muscle atrophy.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• 제8권5호
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• pp.544-549
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• 2014

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Obesity-associated insulin resistance is a strong risk factor for type 2 diabetes mellitus. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of myricetin on adiposity, insulin resistance, and inflammatory markers in mice with diet-induced insulin resistance. MATERIALS/METHODS: Five-week-old male C57BL/6J mice were fed a basal diet, a high-fat, high-sucrose (HFHS) diet, or the HFHS diet containing 0.06% myricetin or 0.12% myricetin for 12 weeks after a 1-week adaptation, and body weight and food intake were monitored. After sacrifice, serum lipid profiles, glucose, insulin, adipocyte-derived hormones, and proinflammatory cytokines were measured. The homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was determined. RESULTS: Myricetin given at 0.12% of the total diet significantly reduced body weight, weight gain, and epidydimal white adipose tissue weight, and improved hypertriglyceridemia and hypercholesterolemia without a significant influence on food intake in mice fed the HFHS diet. Serum glucose and insulin levels, as well as HOMA-IR values, decreased significantly by 0.12% myricetin supplementation in mice fed the HFHS diet. Myricetin given at 0.12% of the total diet significantly reduced serum levels of leptin, tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in mice fed the HFHS diet. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that myricetin may have a protective effect against diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance in mice fed HFHS diet, and that alleviation of insulin resistance could partly occur by improving obesity and reducing serum proinflammatory cytokine levels.

• 대한한방내과학회지
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• 제35권1호
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• pp.70-78
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• 2014

Objectives : Hoechunyanggyeok-san (HYS) is a traditional herbal medicine, which has been clinically used for treating febrile and inflammatory diseases. HYS has been reported to be a useful treatment for diabetes, atherosclerosis and hyperlipidemia in the type 1 diabetic model. However, the mechanism of the effects of HYS against hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia is poorly understood. In the present study, we investigated the underlying mechanism of ameliorative effect of HYS on hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia in vivo. Methods : HYS (10, 50 mg/kg/day, p.o.) was administered every day for 2 weeks to db/db mice and its effect was compared with vehicle-treated db/db mice. To confirm serum glucose and triglyceride (TG) changes, serological testing was performed. The levels of sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1 (SREBP-1) activity and Sirtuin1 (SIRT1), AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), and acetyl-CoA carboxylase ${\alpha}$ ($ACC{\alpha}$) expression were analyzed by western blot analysis. Results : The administration of HYS significantly decreased the elevated serum glucose and TG in db/db mice. HYS administration increased the levels of SIRT1 and AMPK expression compared with the vehicle-treated group. Moreover, HYS treatment significantly inhibited SREBP-1 activity and $ACC{\alpha}$ expression in the liver, while the vehicle-treated group exhibited their increase. Conclusions : In conclusion, HYS is suggested to have an improvement effect on hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia by activating the SIRT1/AMPK signaling pathway and inhibiting SREBP-1.

• 대한본초학회지
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• 제30권6호
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• pp.83-91
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• 2015

Objectives : The present study was conducted to examine whether Cynanchi wilfordii radix (CWR) with or without fermentation has an ameliorative effect on hyperlipidemia in rats.Methods : We analyzed the contents of Conduritol F on Cynanchi wilfordii radix. The experimental animals were divided into six groups; normal diet fed group (N), high cholesterol fed control group (Con), Lovastatin 20 mg/kg (L), CWR-W 300 mg/kg (CWR-W), and CWR-F 300 mg/kg on hyperlipidemia model induced by feeding 1.25% cholesterol. Rats were administrated orally every day for 8 weeks. And lipid profile of serum and weight change were observed.Results : The vehicle displayed a markedly increased body weight and significantly increased liver and epididymal fat weight, however, the administration of CWR improved the body, liver, and epididymal fat weights. All drug treatment reduced significantly the serum level of total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol elevated by intake of high cholesterol diet. TG displayed a reducing tendency all drug treatment, however, CWR-W decreased significantly. Atherogenic index and cardiac risk factor increased high cholesterol diet fed control group, while the administration of CWR-W and CWR-F decreased significantly. The major index of liver injury such as AST and ALT improved in all drug treatment.Conclusions : These results suggest that CWR extended the effect of lipid enhanced. Therefore CWR with or without fermentation may be useful for therapeutic treatment of clinical conditions associated with hyperlipidemia. Finally, these require more investigations about the action mechanism of CWR in the future.

• 방사선산업학회지
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• 제10권4호
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• pp.231-242
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• 2016

This study was conducted to evaluate the synergistic protective effects of mixtures of corn silk, perilla leaf and grape stem extract (CPG mixture) against UVB-induced skin damage and compound 48/80-induced pruritus in mice. The results showed that treatment with CPG mixture exhibited much stronger suppressive effect on erythema and melanin index as well as melanin formation than treatment with ascorbic acid (AA) in UVB-irradiated mice. Moreover, the treatment with CPG mixture showed ameliorative effect on immune cell infiltration and collagen fiber destruction in UV-irradiated mice. The treatment with CPG mixture inhibited glutathione (GSH) depletion, lipid peroxidation and production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in UVB-irradiated mice. Furthermore, the treatment with CPG mixture inhibited compound 48/80-induced scratching behavior and histological changes in mice. Taken together, these results indicated that CPG mixture has potentials as functional and therapeutic materials against skin damage and itch-related skin diseases.

• 대한의생명과학회지
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• 제25권1호
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• pp.83-91
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• 2019

This study was undertaken to investigate the therapeutic effect of Angelica acutiloba on allergic dermatitis, which Angelica acutiloba is traditionally known to have antiinflammatory effects. Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were divided into five groups: normal control group, experimental allergic dermatitis group (vehicle group), low dose of Angelica acutiloba extract (low-dose group), high dose of Angelica acutiloba extract (high-dose group), and antihistamine treated group with experimental dermatitis (antihistamine group). Total leukocyte, neutrophil, lymphocyte, monocyte and eosinophil counts were significantly higher in the vehicle group than in the control group, but these variables were significantly lower in the low- and high-dose groups than in the vehicle group. The platelet/lymphocyte ratio in the red blood cell index was significantly lower in the low- and high-dose groups than in the vehicle group. Low and high doses of the Angelica acutiloba extract did not have toxic effects on liver and kidney. Serum NO, iNOS and levels were highest in the vehicle group but significantly lower in the low- and high-dose groups, especially in the high-dose group. The results of this study suggested that the Angelica acutiloba extract had the effect of alleviating or treating the experimental allergic dermatitis, and it was concluded that the high dose was more effective.

• 대한본초학회지
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• 제30권2호
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• pp.1-9
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• 2015

Objectives : The present study was conducted to examine whether Toosendan Fructus has an ameliorative effect on diabetes-induced alterations such as oxidative stress and inflammation in the pancreas of non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice, a model of human type I diabetes. Methods : Extracts of Toosendan Fructus (ETF) were administered to NOD mice at three doses (50 mg/kg, 100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg). Mice at 18 weeks of age were measured glucose tolerance using intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test. After 28 weeks of ETF treatment, glucose, total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), and proinflammatory cytokines in serum, western blot analyses and a histopathological examination in pancreas tissue, and on the onset of diabetes were investigated. Results : The results showed that levels of glucose, glucose tolerance, TC, TG, interferon-${\gamma}$, interleukin (IL)-1 ${\beta}$, IL-6, and IL-12 in serum were down-regulated, while IL-4, IL-10, SOD, and catalase significantly increased. In addition, ETF improved protein expression of proinflammatory mediaters (such as cyclooxygenase-2, and inducible nitric oxide synthase) and a proapoptotic protein (caspase-3) in the pancreatic tissue. Also, in the groups treated with ETF (100 mg/kg or 200 mg/kg), insulitis and infiltration of granulocytes were alleviated. Conclusions : Based on these results, the anti-diabetic effect of ETF may be due to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effect. Our findings support the therapeutic evidence for Toosendan Fructus ameliorating the development of diabetic pancreatic damage via regulating inflammation and apoptosis. Our future studies will be focused on the search for active compounds in these extracts.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• 제16권4호
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• pp.419-434
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• 2022

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is the most common prostate disease and one of the most common chronic diseases caused by aging in men. On the other hand, there has been no research on BPH using Abeliophyllum distichum Nakai (A. distichum). Therefore, this study investigated the effects of A. distichum on BPH. MATERIALS/METHODS: A. distichum leaves were extracted with distilled water, 70% ethanol, and 95% hexane as solvents. Subsequently, the inhibitory effects of each A. distichum extract on androgen receptor (AR) signaling were evaluated in vitro. The testosterone-induced BPH model was then used to confirm the efficacy of A. distichum leaves in 70% ethanol extract (ADLE). RESULTS: ADLE had the strongest inhibitory effect on AR signaling. A comparison of the activity of ADLE by harvest time showed that the leaves of A. distichum harvested in autumn had a superior inhibitory effect on AR signaling to those harvested at other times. In the BPH rat model, the administration of ADLE reduced the prostate size and prostate epithelial cell thickness significantly and inhibited AR signaling. Subsequently, the administration of ADLE also reduced the expression of growth factors, thereby inactivating the PI3K/AKT pathway. CONCLUSIONS: An analysis of the efficacy of ADLE to relieve BPH showed that the ethanol extract grown in autumn exhibited the highest inhibitory ability of the androgen-signaling related factors in vitro. ADLE also inhibited the expression of growth factors by inhibiting the expression of the androgen-signaling related factors in vivo. Overall, ADLE is proposed as a functional food that is effective in preventing BPH.

• 약학회지
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• 제50권3호
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• pp.177-183
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• 2006

Women's aging made a functional decline at ovary, This functional problem causes estrogen deficiency and many disorders, such as, sexual dysfunction, obesity, osteoporosis, urinary incontinence, skin and all body's aging, etc. We determined the ameliorative effects of some herbal extracts mixture on postmenopausal symptoms in ovariectomized Sprague Dawley rats. Nine-weeks-old female rats were ovariectomized and treated with singled pomegranate extracts (0.40, 1.20 g/kg/day) and mixed pomegranate extracts (1.08, 3.24g/kg/day) for 8 weeks. Oral administration of pomegranate extracts for 8 weeks were increased serum estradiol level and improved the serum osteocalcin, ALP activity and bone specific ALP level. And pomegranate extracts were reduced body weight, adipose tissue. Uterus weight in treated group tended to improve. In addition, the concentrationl of triglyceride and total cholesterol were lower after 8 weeks. HDL-cholesterol levels improved with does-dependency in treated groups. Collagen level on skin and cartilage showed a slight increase at treatment for 8 weeks. $^{\infty}These$ results showed that both of singular extract treatments and extracts mixture treatments were effective on general postmenopausal symptoms at overiectomized rats, and especially, the mixture treatments were more effective than singular treatment. $^{\infty}In$ conclusion, these herbal extracts' mixture showed improvement effect in general factors related with postmenopausal disorders.