• Integrative Medicine Research
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.67-73
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• 2014

Background: The transcription factor signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (Stat3)is constitutively activated in many human cancers. It promotes tumor cell proliferation,inhibits apoptosis, induces angiogenesis and metastasis, and suppresses antitumor hostimmune responses. Therefore, Stat3 has emerged as a promising molecular target for cancertherapies. In this study, we evaluated the Stat3-suppressive activity of 38 herbal medicinestraditionally used in Korea.Methods: Medicinal herb extracts in 70% ethanol were screened for their ability to suppressStat3 in the A549 human lung cancer cell line. A Stat3-responsive reporter assay system wasused to detect intracellular Stat3 activity in extract-treated cells, and Western blot analyseswere performed to measure the expression profiles of Stat3-regulated proteins.Results: Fifty percent of the 38 extracts possessed at least mild Stat3-suppressive activities(i.e., activity less than 75% of the vehicle control). Ethanol extracts of Bupleurum falcatumL., Taraxacum officinale Weber, Solanum nigrum L., Ulmus macrocarpa Hance, Euonymus alatusSieb., Artemisia capillaris Thunb., and Saururus chinensis (Lour.) Baill inhibited up to 75% of thevehicle control Stat3 activity level. A549 cells treated with these extracts also had reducedBcl-xL, Survivin, c-Myc, and Mcl-1 expression.Conclusion: Many medicinal herbs traditionally used in Korea contain Stat3 activity-suppressing substances. Because of the therapeutic impact of Stat3 inhibition, these resultscould be useful when developing novel cancer therapeutics from medicinal herbs.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.27-31
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• 2021

Shea butter (Vitellaria paradoxa) is a fat extracted from shea tree nuts and contains relatively high levels of non-glycerides. Triterpenes, the main non-glyceride component, exhibit a variety of biological activities such as antitumor, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory. Shea butter extract (SBE) has been used to treat various skin problems such as burns, eczema, and rash in human medicine, but little is known about the activity of SBE on canine skin. This study evaluated the cytotoxicity and anti-inflammatory effect of SBE in canine keratinocytes. Cytotoxicity of lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 5-50 ng/mL) and SBE (50-200 ㎍/mL) was evaluated using the CCK-8 assay. Non-cytotoxic concentrations of LPS and SBE were administered to canine cell cultures to evaluate anti-inflammatory effects. To evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity of SBE, the levels of IL-1β, IL-8, IL-12, and TNF-α were measured using ELISA kits. The concentration of each cytokine was quantified in control, LPS-treated, LPS + SBE-treated groups. Increased levels of IL-1β, IL-8, and IL-12 were found in LPS-treated groups relative to control groups. LPS + SBE-treated groups showed a lower level of IL-1β, IL-8, and IL-12 than LPS-treated groups. These results suggest that SBE may have application as a topical agent for canine inflammatory skin diseases. However, further in vivo study is needed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of SBE in dogs.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.169-178
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• 2024

Cordyceps militaris L. (C. militaris) has been traditionally used as tonic medicine for metabolic syndrome. Cordycepin, has been reported with immunomodulatory, antitumor, and hepatoprotective effect, is the main extract from C. militaris. This study was conducted to evaluate the alcohol degradation and hepatoprotective effect of cordycepin-enriched C. militaris extract (CM) powder in chronic and binge ethanol (ethanol Lieber-DeCarli diet)-fed male C57BL/6 Mice. Cordycepin-enriched C. militaris extract powder was orally administered once daily at dose levels of 0, 125, 250, and 500 mg·kg^-1·day^-1 for 16 days. For evaluating alcohol degradation, ethanol concentration and alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity were measured in serum. Serum ethanol (EtOH) concentration was decreased at CM treated groups, and the activities of ADH and ALDH were increased dose-dependently at CM treated groups compare to EtOH model group. In clinical chemistry, the values of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were lower in CM treated groups than those in EtOH model group. Additionally, absolute and relative (to body weight) liver weights were statistically decreased in the CM treated groups compared to the EtOH model group. In conclusion, our study showed that cordycepin-enriched C. militaris extract powder exhibits hepatoprotective effect by upregulating the ADH and ALDH enzyme in an alcoholic liver disease model.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.40-60
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• 2012

Objectives: The object of this study was to observe antitumor, anticachexia and immunomodulatory effects of Shipyeukmiyeugi-eum(SYM) on human breast cancer cell, MCF-7, xenograft Balb/c nu-nu nude mice. Methods: Three different dosages of SYM-125, 250 and 500 mg/kg were orally administered once a day for 28 days from 11 days after tumor cell inoculation, and the changes on the body weights, tumor volume and weights, weights of spleen and popliteal lymph node and epididymal fat, serum IL-6 and IFN-${\gamma}$ levels, NK cell and peritoneal macrophage activities, splenic TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-$1{\beta}$ and IL-10 contents were observed. In addition, histopathological observations of apoptotic cell, spleen, popliteal lymph node and cervical brown adipose were also detected. The results were compared with a potent cytotoxic estrogen receptor antagonist, Tamoxifen 20 mg/kg treated mice. Results: Tumor volumes and weights were decreased without cytotoxic effects on the both MCF-7 and MCF-10A cells as results of all three different dosages of SYM treatment. And weights of body, spleen, popliteal lymph node, epididymal fat, serum IFN-${\gamma}$, NK cell, peritoneal macrophage activities, splenic TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-$1{\beta}$ and IL-10 contents were increased with decrease of serum IL-6. At histopathological observations, apoptotic tumor cells, spleen, popliteal lymph node and cervical brown adipose tissue were increased. That means tumor-related immunosuppress and cachexia were markedly inhibited by SYM treatment as compared with tumor-bearing mice. On the other hand, Tamoxifen showed marked cytotoxic effects against MCF-7 and MCF-10A, decreases of tumor volume and weights, and increases of apoptotic tumor cells and related decreases of tumor cell volumes, but tamoxifen markedly deteriorated the tumor-related immune-suppress and cachexia. Conclusions: The results obtained in this study suggest that SYM showed favorable anticancer effects and anticachexic effects on the MCF-7 cell xenograft through immunomodulatory effects. SYM did not induce any cytotoxic effects against both normal and cancer cells.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.13-30
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• 1998

Geraniol (1), olivetol (2), cannabinoids (3 and 4) and 5-fluorou.a.il (5). were tested for their growth inhibitory effects against SK-MEL-3 cell lines using two different 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol- 2yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and sulforhodamine B protein (SRB) assay. These compounds showed inhibitory activity in vitro in the micromolar range against SK-MEL-3 cell lines. In general, the antitumor activity of these compounds (1, 2, 3, 4 and 5) was in a dose-dependent over the micromolar concentration range $1\;to\;100{\mu}M$. The comparison of $IC_{50}$ values of these compounds in tumor cell lines shows that their susceptibility to these compounds decrease in the following order : OLVTL > CBG > CBD > 5-FU > CRNL in MTT assay, CBG > OLVTL > CBD > GRNL > 5-FU in SRB assay. Cannabinoids (3 and 4) and 5-fluorouracil (5) were tested for their cytotoxic effects on NIH 373 fibroblasts using two different MTT assay and SRB assay. These compounds exhibited potent cytotoxic activities in vitro in the micromolar range against NIH 373 fibroblasts. In general, the cytotoxic activities of these compounds (3, 4 and 5) were in a dose-dependent over the micromolar concentration range $1\;to\;100{\mu}M$. The comparison of $CD_{50}$ values of these compounds on NIH 373 fibroblasts shows that their susceptibility to these compounds decrease on the following order ; CBD > 5-FU > CBG in MTT assay and SRB assay. Cannabigerol (3) was shown the least cytotoxic activity on NIH 373 fibroblasts. Cannabigerol (3) exhibited the most growth-inhibitory activity against SK-MEL-3 cell lines.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.245-252
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• 1998

The chitosanolytic capabilities of cellulases, glucosidases, proteases and commercial enzymes were evaluated, and effective chitosanolytic cellulases from T. viride, T. reesei and Celluclast, a commercial enzyme from T. reesei were characterized. The reaction of cellulase from T. viride, T. reesei and Celluclast was optimal at pH 5. 0 and $45{\sim}55^{\circ}C$. Max. chitosanolytic activities of cellulases from both T. viride and T. reesei were observed at the enzyme/chitosan ratio=0.1 and chitosan concentration=3.0%. For the possible application of commercial Celluclast to chitosan oligosaccharides production, 3%(w/v) chitosan was reacted with 1%(v/v) Celluclast at pH 5.0 and $55^{\circ}C$. The apparent viscosity decreased by 98% within 30 minutes reaction and Max. contents of 50% EtOH solubles were 70% at 15 hrs reaction. Total reducing sugars were also increased with reaction time and maintained approx. 13.5% after 2hrs reaction. In 15 hrs treated chitosan hydrolyzates, various kinds of chitosan oligosaccharides were produced and contents of chitosan hexamer, known for its antitumor activities, were about 8.0%, about 4 times higher values compared with acid hydrolysis method. The results suggested that chitosan oligosaccharides could be produced with low-cost cellulases from T. reesei.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.449-453
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• 1995

The search for patinum (II)-based compounds with improved therapeutic properties was prompted to design and synthesize a new family of water-soluble, third generation cis-diamminedichlorplatinum (II) complexes linked to uracil and uridine. Six heretofore undescribed uracil and uridine-platinum (II) complexes are ; [N-(2-aminoethyl)uracil-5-carboxamide]dichloroplatinum (II)(3a), [N-2(2-aminoethyl)uracil-6-carboxmide]dichloroplatinum (II) (3b),[5-(2-aminorthyl)carbamoyl-2',3',5',-tri-O-acetyluridine] dichloroplatinum (II) (6b), [5-(2-aminoethyl)-carbamoyl]-2',3',5',-tri-O-acetyluridine] dichloroplatinum (II) (6b), [5-(2-aminoethyl)carbamoylu-ridine]dihloroplatinum (II) (7a), [6-(2-aminoethyl)carbamoyluridine]dichloroplatinum (II) (7b). These analogues were prepared from the key starting materials, 5-carboxyuracil (1a) and 6-carboxyuracil (1b) which were reacted with ethylenediamine to afford the respective N-(2-aminoethyl)uracil-5-carboxmide (2a) land N-(2-aminoethyl)uracil-6-carboxamide (2b). The cisplatin complexes 3a and 3b were obtained through the reaction of the respective 2a and 2b ficiently introduced on the .betha.-D-ribose ring via a Vorbruggen-type nucleoside coupling procedure with hexamethyldisilazane, trimethylchlorosilane and stannicchloride under anhydrous acetonitfile to yield the sterospecific .betha.-anomeric 5-carboxy-2',3',5'-tri-O-acetyluridine (4a) and 6-carboxy-2',3',5'-tri-O-acetyluridine (4b), respective 5-(2-aminoethyl)carbamoyl-2',3',5'-tri-O-acetyluridine (5a) and 6-(2-aminoethyl)carbamoyl-2',3',5'-tri-O-acetyluridine (5b). The diamino-uridines 5a and 5b were reacted with potassium tetrachloroplatinate (II) to give the novel nucleoside complexes, 6a and 6b respectively which were deacetylated into the free nucleosides, 7a and 7b by the treatment with CH/sub 3/ONa. The antitumor activities were evaluated against three cell lines (K-562, FM-3A and P-388).

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.547-553
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• 2003

To develop the health and functional food material from oats, this study was conducted to determine the biologiral activities(antibacterial, antioxidative and mtltmor effects) of oat bran's soluble ${\beta}$-glucans obtained from oat bran concentrate(OBC) by central composite experimental design. The antibacterial effect of oat's ${\beta}$-glucans in the concentration of 250, 500$\mu\textrm{g}$/disc was not detected by paper disc method, and no antioxidative effect of them in the concentration of 5％ by electron donating ability. The growth inhibition on tumor cell lines of oat's soluble ${\beta}$ -glucans was significantly higher in the experimental fraction of No. 7(temperature 45$^{\circ}C$, ethanol 15%, pH 6) than the other fractions(p<0.05). The maximal values of growth inhibitions on AGS, Hep3B and A549 cell lines in the cancentration of 1mg/ml are 59%, 58% and 54% respectively. In addition, the inhibition effect on three tumor cell lines of No. 1(temperature 5$^{\circ}C$, ethanol 5%, pH 6) was relatively high. From the results of response surface methodology, as the values of independent variables changed, they influenced the growth inhibition effect on this cell lines. With this on work further research is required to clarify antitumor effects.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.161-176
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• 2018

Fungal ${\beta}$-glucan, known to have immunostimulatory and antitumor activities, can be recognized by host immune cells as one of the pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). Although there are several reports on the diverse immunostimulatory activities of ${\beta}$-glucan, little is known about the intracellular signal transduction of ${\beta}$-glucan. Stimulation of RAW264.7 macrophage cells with ${\beta}$-glucan from Ganoderma lucidum induced the expressions of dectin-1, toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2), TLR4, and TLR6 at the transcription stage. Treatment with ${\beta}$-glucan also induced inflammatory mediators such as macrophage inflammatory proteins (MIP)-$1{\alpha}$, MIP-$1{\beta}$, MIP-$1{\gamma}$, interleukin (IL)-$1{\beta}$, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$. Treatment of the cells with polymyxin B, an inhibitor of lipopolysaccharides (LPS), blocked the induction of inflammatory mediators in LPS- or ${\beta}$-glucan-stimulated systems. Pretreatment of the cells in our cell culture system with LY294002, a phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor, or U0126, a mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular-signal-regulated kinase (MAPK/ERK) kinase (MEK)1/MEK2 inhibitor, led to a reduction in the induction of inflammatory mediators in a concentration-dependent manner. These results show that stimulation of the macrophage cells by ${\beta}$-glucan induced the expressions of both dectin-1 and TLRs. We also found that the PI3K/Akt and MEK pathways were involved in the induction of inflammatory mediators in macrophage cells during intracellular signal transduction of ${\beta}$-glucan.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.22-28
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• 2015

Background: Sun ginseng (SG), a specific formulation of quality-controlled red ginseng, contains approximately equal amounts of three major ginsenosides (RK1, Rg3, and Rg5), which reportedly has antitumor-promoting activities in animal models. Methods: MTT assay was used to assess whether SG can potentiate the anticancer activity of epirubicin or paclitaxel in human cervical adenocarcinoma HeLa cells, human colon cancer SW111C cells, and SW480 cells; apoptosis status was analyzed by annexin V-FITC and PI and analyzed by flow cytometry; and apoptosis pathway was studied by analysis of caspase-3, -8, and -9 activation, mitochondrial accumulation of Bax and Bak, and cytochrome c release. Results: SG remarkably enhances cancer cell death induced by epirubicin or paclitaxel in human cervical adenocarcinoma HeLa cells, human colon cancer SW111C cells, and SW480 cells. Results of the mechanism study highlighted the cooperation between SG and epirubicin or paclitaxel in activating caspase-3 and -9 but not caspase-8. Moreover, SG significantly increased the mitochondrial accumulation of both Bax and Bak triggered by epirubicin or paclitaxel as well as the subsequent release of cytochrome c in the targeted cells. Conclusion: SG significantly potentiated the anticancer activities of epirubicin and paclitaxel in a synergistic manner. These effects were associated with the increased mitochondrial accumulation of both Bax and Bak that led to an enhanced cytochrome c release, caspase-9/-3 activation, and apoptosis. Treating cancer cells by combining epirubicin and paclitaxel with SG may prove to be a novel strategy for enhancing the efficacy of the two drug types.