• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.29-37
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• 2009

Objectives: The goal of this study was to investigate the antidepressive effect of Bupleuri Radix (BR). Methods : The forced swimming test (FST) was performed. Also the expression of corticotropin releasing factor (CRF), c-Fos and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) was measured immunohistochemically at paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and locus coeruleus (LC). Concentration of adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) was measured in plasma by ELISA method. Results : The immobility in BR400 Group was significantly decreased in comparison with the control group (p

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.121-140
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• 2010

Objectives & Methods : The purpose of this study is to observe the effects of Bupleuri Radix Herbal-acupuncture at GB34(Yangneungcheon) of hyperlipidemic rats. The author performed several items to analyze body-weight of the rats, weight of its liver, serum as well as urine changes in each group. Results : 1. Bupleuri Radix herbal-acupuncture(BR-HA) infused solution (MCR-HAS) increased both DPPH radical scavenging activity and HMG-CoA reductase inhibition rate in rat liver cells. 2. BR-HA at GB34 significantly decreased the level of serum total cholesterol and atherogenic index(AI), while significantly increased the ratios of high-density lipoprotein (HDL)/total cholesterol and phospholipid/total cholesterol in hyperlipidemic rats. 3. BR-HA at GB34 significantly decreased urine glucose in hyperlipidemic rats. Conclusions : From the results above, it is suggested that Bupleuri Radix herbal -acupuncture at GB34 has a therapeutic effect on hyperlipidemia.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.69-76
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• 2015

Objectives : The effect of mixture extracted from Bupleuri Radix and Physalidis Herba(BR+RH) on the LPS-induced Depression in rats was investigated. Methods : Rats were administered intragastrically BR+PH after injectio of LPS to induce deprssion. Immobility was examined using Tail Suspension Test(TST), Forced Swimming Test(FST). The level of plasma corticosterone was measured by an Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay(ELISA) method. The expressions of c-Fos, Corticotropin Releasing Factor(CRF), NADPH-d in the Paraventricular nucleus(PVN) and TH in the Locus coeruleus(LC) were measured by immunohistochemical method. Results : In the effect of BR + PH on TST, immobility was significantly decreased comparing with the LPS group. In FST, immobility was shown decrease tendency in the BR+PH group. The expression of c-Fos in the PVN was significantly decreased at BR + PH400 group, comparing with the LPS group. The expression of CRF in PVN was shown dto have the decrease tendency in the BR+PH group, comparing with the LPS group. The expression of NADPH-d in PVN was not significantly decreased at BR+PH groups, comparing with the LPS group. The expression of TH in the LC was shown to have the decrease tendency at BR + RH groups, but not significantly, comparing with the LPS group. Conclusions : Anti-depressant effect of mixture after extracted from Bupleuri Radix and Physalidis Herba was through the anti-inflammatory effect via inhibition of HPA axis. NO and catecholamine system is not involved.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.16 no.2 s.30
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• pp.414-432
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• 1995

In order to prove the antitumer effect of Bupleuri Radix(BR) and Artemisiae capillaris Herba(ACH) experimently, studies were done. The antitumer effect against hepatic cancer such as Hep G2, PLC & Hep 313, and also th synergastic action was evaulatcd in the combined treatment with anticancer drugs using chiefly for liver cancer, such as mitomycin(MMC), cisplatin(CPT) and 5-fluorouracil(5-FU). The results were obtained as follows: 1. IC50 against Hep G2, Hep 3B and PLC was 15.5ug/ml, 25.4ug/ml, 31.25ug/ml in Mitomycin (MMC), 92.5ug/ml, 50.2ug/ml, 62.5ug/ml in cisplatin(CPT) and 125ug/ml in 5-fluouracil(5- FU) respectively. 2. The antitumor effect was shown in the all concentrations of ACH, BR and below 55%-Cytotoxic effect against Hep G2 as compared with the date of control was shown in the concentration of $10^{-4}g/ml$ above of BR but not in ACH and also BR and ACHI revealed the synergistic effect with MMC. 3. The antitumor effect was shown in the concentration of $10^{-5}g/ml$ above of ACH, BR and below 55%-Cytotoxic effect against Hep 3B as compared with the data of control was shown in the concentration of $10^{-5}g/ml$ above of ACH but not in BH and also BR & ACH revealed the svnergistic effect with MMC. 4. The antitumor effect was shown in the all concentrations of ACH, BR and 55%-Cytotoxic effect against PLC as compared with the data of control was shown in the concentration of $10^{-5}g/ml$ above of ACH but not in BR and also ACH revealed the synergistic effect with MMC. From the above results it was concluded that Artemisiae capillaris had antitumor effect against PLC, Hep 3B, Bupleuri Radix against Hep G2 and also MMC showed the most synergistic effect in the anticancer drugs.

• 대한상한금궤의학회지
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.21-44
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• 2021

Objective : This study aimed to assess the preventive effect of Bupleuri Radix aqueous extracts (BR) and red koji-fermented BR (fBR) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury in a rat model. Methods : Rats were administered 30, 60, or 120 mg/kg/day of fBR for 28 days before LPS treatments. All rats were sacrificed 5 h after LPS treatment (500 ㎍/head, intratracheal instillation). Body weights, lung weights, pulmonary transcapillary albumin transit, arterial gas parameters (pH, partial pressure [Pa] of O2, PaCO2), bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) protein, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), total cell numbers, neutrophil/alveolar macrophage ratios, lung malondialdehyde (MDA), and myeloperoxidase (MPO) were measured. In addition, histopathological changes including the luminal surface of alveoli (LSA), thickness of alveolar septum, and number of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) were checked. Results : LPS injection led to increases in lung weights, pulmonary transcapillary albumin transit, BALF protein, LDH, TNF-α and IL-1β contents, total cells, neutrophil and alveolar macrophage ratios, lung MDA, MPO, alveolar septum thickness, and PMNs, and decreases in PaCO2 and pH of arterial blood and LSA. However, these LPS-induced acute lung injuries were inhibited by pretreatment of 30, 60, and 120 mg/kg of fBR. The most favorable effects were seen with 30 mg/kg fBR as compared with 60 mg/kg of α-lipoic acid and BR. Conclusions : fBR showed preventive effects on LPS-induced acute lung injury, which resembles acute respiratory distress syndrome. The mechanisms of action were likely via antioxidant and anti-inflammatory means.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.150-157
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• 2009

This research was performed in order to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of Bupleuri Radix(BR) on the Immune response in vitro. Cellular proliferation and cytokine production were measured in mast cells or mouse B cells or CD4 Th cells. BR water extract inhibited the secretions of TNF-$\alpha$ and IL-6 in PMA/A23187 stimulated HMC-1 cells. It increased proliferation but did not affect the expressions of CD69 or CD23 in rIL-4/anti-CD40 activated S cells. BR reduced surface IgE expression and secreted IgE but increased the production of IL-4, IFN-$\gamma$ and IgG1 in the same cells. BR caused an increase in proliferation in anti-CD3/anti-CD28 stimulated CD4 Th cells but it did not affect the differentiation of Th1 or Th2 cells. However, IL-2 was increased in BR treated Th2 cells. Considering the above-mentioned results, BR can be applied to a broad range of anti-inflammatory reactions, but our data suggest that it will not be likely to exert any effects on type 1 allergic response.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.714-723
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• 2012

The object of this study was to evaluate the effect of Bupleuri Radix, aqueous extracts of the root part of Bupleurum falcatum on the 6-n-propyl-2-thiouracil (PTU)-induced rat hypothyroidism. Aqueous extracts of Bupleuri Radix (BR; yield = 11.73%) were administered, once day for 42 days from 2 weeks before start of PTU treatment as an oral dose of 300 and 150 mg/kg (body weight), and hypothyroidism was induced by daily subcutaneous treatment of PTU 10 mg/kg for 28 days. The changes on the body weight, thyroid gland weights, serum thyroid hormone - thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), triiodothyronine ($T_3$) and thyroxine ($T_4$), serum lipid profiles - total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL), high density lipoprotein (HDL) and triglyceride, liver antioxidant defense system - lipid peroxidation, $H_2O_2$, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were observed with histopathology of thyroid glands. Results were compared with $LevoT_4$ 0.5 mg/kg treated rats. As results of PTU treatment, marked decreases of body weights, triglyceride contents, liver CAT activities and changes of serum thyroid hormone levels were observed with increases of serum AST, HDL contents, liver $H_2O_2$ and SOD activities and thyroid gland weight. In addition, marked hyperplasia of follicular cells with decreases of follicular colloid contents and sizes were demonstrated at histopathological inspections. However, these PTU induced hypothyroidism were dose-dependently inhibited by treatment of BR extracts, and BR extracts effectively regulated the hypothyroidism related changes on the antioxidant defense system. The results obtained in this study suggest that BR extracts have favorable effects on the thyroid hormone productions with beneficial effects on the hypothyroidism mediated by the modulatory effects on the antioxidant defense system.

• Korean Journal of Oriental Medicine
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.151-157
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• 2012

In this research, the genotoxic effect of Bupleuri Radix (BR), the dried roots of Bupleurum falcatum Linne has been traditionally used as anti-inflammatory agent, was evaluated using the mouse micronucleus test. BR aqueous extract (yield = 16.52%) was administered once a day for 2 continuous days by oral gavage to male ICR mice at doses of 2,000, 1,000 and 500 mg/kg. Cyclophosphamide (CPA) 70 mg/kg was used as a known genotoxic agent in a positive control. The appearance of a micronucleus (MN) in polychromatic erythrocyte (PCE) is used as an index for genotoxic potential, and PCE ratio is used as an index of cytotoxicity. Although significant (p<0.01) increase of the number of PCE with one or more nuclei (MNPCE) was detected in CPA treated groups, no significant increases of MNPCE numbers were observed in all three different dosages of BR extracts treated mice with over 0.30 of the individual polychromatic erythrocyte ratio in all mice used in this study. The results obtained indicated that BR extract shows no genotoxicity effects up to 2,000 mg/kg dosing levels the limit dosage in rodents.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.467-474
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• 2015

Allergic rhinitis is a growing tendency to increase. Following this tendency, allergic rhinitis is lively studied also in Korean oriental medicine. Bupleuri Radix (BR) has been used for many inflammatory diseases, but experimental backgrounds are not enough to treat allergic rhinitis. So in this study, effects of BR on OVA-induced allergic rhinitis model of BALB/c mice were examined. Thirty two BALB/c mice are equally devided into four groups; control group, OVA group, OVA+BR group, OVA+Cet group. The OVA, OVA+BR and OVA+Cet groups were induced allergic rhinitis by sensitizing to OVA. And then saline solution included BR (10.6 mg/kg body weight) was administered to the OVA+BR group orally. The number of nasal rubbing and nasal sneezing was evaluated for 10 days and later serological and histological changes were analyzed. Serological analysis included the serum levels of cytokines and chemokines (IL-4, IL-5, IL-12, MCP-1, MIP-2), total IgE and OVA-specific IgE levels in serum. Histological analysis included thickness of nasal septum, eosinophil counts changes of nasal mucosa, infiltration of eosinophil in nasal mucosa and histological changes of nasal mucosa. The number of nasal rubbing and nasal sneezing was significantly decreased in the OVA+BR group. The serum levels of IL-4, IL-5, MCP-1, MIP-2 were significantly decreased in the OVA+BR group but the serum levels of IL-1β had not significance. Total IgE and OVA-specific IgE levels in serum were decreased in the OVA+BR group, but total IgE levels in serum had only significance. Thickness of nasal septum, eosinophil counts of nasal mucosa and infiltration of eosinophil in nasal mucosa were significantly decreased in the OVA+BR group. From the results of this study, we think that BR has an effect on improvement of allergic rhinitis by improving nasal rubbing and nasal sneezing, reducing histological changes of nasal mucosa and infiltration of eosinophil in nasal mucosa, inhibiting increasing of the serum levels of cytokines, chemokines and total IgE.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.461-472
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• 2004

Objectives : For the screening of neuroprotective effects of medicinal herbs, the complex system of animal models suffer some disadvantages in controlling critical parameters such as blood pressure and body temperature. Additionally, application of drugs to the appropriate brain area sometimes is difficult, due to poor permeability though the blood brain barrier, and so potential protective effects might be masked. Methods : Organotypic hippocampal slice culture (OHSC) method has the advantages of being relatively easy to prepare and of maintaining the general structure, including tissue integrity and the connections between cells. Drugs can easily be applied and neuronal damage can easily be quantified by using tissues and culture media. This study demonstrates neuroprotective effects of Puerariae radix (葛根, PR), Salviae miltiorrhizae radix (丹蔘, SR), Rhei rhizoma (大黃, RR), and Bupleuri radix (柴胡, BR). These were screenedand compared to MK-801, antagonist of NMDA receptors, by using OHSC of 1 week-old Sprague-Dawley rats. Oxygen/glucose deprivation (OGD) were conducted in an anaerobic chamber $(85%\;N_2,\;10%\;CO_2\;and\;5%\;H_2)$ in a deoxygenated glucose-free medium for 60 minutes. Water extracts of each herbs were treated to culture media with $5\;{\mu}g/ml$ for 48 hours. Results : Neuronal cell death in the cultures was monitored by densitometric measurements of the cellular uptake of propidium iodide (PI). PI fluorescence images were obtained at 48 hours after the OGD and medicinal herb treatment. Also TUNEL-positive cells in the CAI and DG regions and LDH concentrations in culture media were measured at 48 hours after the OGD. According to measured data, MK-801, PR, SR and BR demonstrated significant neuroprotective effect against excessive neuronal cell death and apoptosis induced by the OGD insult. Especially, PR revealed similar neuroprotective effect to MK-801 and RR demonstrated weak neuroprotective effect. Conclusions : These results suggest that OHSC can be a suitable method for screening of neuroprotective effects of medicinal herbs. (This work was supported by the research program of Dongguk University and Grant 01-PJ9-PG1-01CO03-0003 from Ministry of Health & Welfare.)