• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.47-58
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• 2014

Objectives GyejigaChulBuTang (GCBT) is a prescription used to treat acute and chronic arthritis in Korea, China, and Japan. This study assessed the anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant activities of GCBT on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophage cells. Methods Raw264.7 cells were pretreated with or without GCBT for 1 hour prior to incubation with LPS. Anti-inflammatory activity of GCBT was evaluated with reference to gene expression and production levels of proinflammatory cytokines ($TNF{\alpha}$, IL-$1{\beta}$, IL-6, GM-CSF and $INF{\gamma}$) and inflammatory mediators (iNOS, COX-2, NO and $PGE_2$). In addition, intracellular ROS generation and signal transduction of MAPK family, PI3K/Akt and $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}/NF{\kappa}B$ was investigated. Results Prior treatment with GCBT inhibited elevation of $TNF{\alpha}$, IL-$1{\beta}$, IL-6, GM-CSF, $INF{\gamma}$, NO and $PGE_2$, together with their cognate mRNAs in a dose-dependent manner. Intracellular ROS contents were similarly reduced. These effects were due to inhibition of LPS-induced phosphorylation of MAPK family, PI3K/Akt and $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$ as well as nuclear translocation of $NF{\kappa}B$. Conclusions GCBT suppresses pro-inflammatory mediators. GCBT has potential in the treatment of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis associated with inflammation.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.1272-1278
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• 2008

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Kyung Hee Allergic Disease Herbal Formula (KAHF) on atopic dermatitis (AD) and its mode of action. Our clinical study showed KAHF reduced Severity Scoring of Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD) indexes and subjective symptom scores. In parallel, the decreased levels of interferon (IFN)-$\gamma$ and interleukin (IL)-5 in serum, which contributed to its AD-mitigating effect was observed. To reveal the underlying mechanisms of KAHF in AD, its anti-inflammatory effect on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced responses in RAW 264.7 cells was examined. KAHF was found to significantly inhibit the productions of nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin $E_2$ ($PGE_2$), and IL-$1{\beta}$ in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. Consistently, KAHF potently inhibited protein and mRNA expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). Furthermore, KAHF inhibited LPS-induced activation of nuclear factor (NF)-$\kappa}B$. Taken together, our data suggest that KAHF has a beneficial effect on several eicosanoid-related skin inflammations, such as atopic dermatitis.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.27-34
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• 2014

Curcumin is naturally occurring polyphenolic compound found in turmeric and has many pharmacological activities. The present study was undertaken to evaluate anti-allergic inflammatory activity of curcumin, and to investigate its inhibitory mechanisms in immunoglobulin E (IgE)/Ag-induced mouse bone marrow-derived mast cells (BMMCs) and in a mouse model of IgE/Ag-mediated passive systemic anaphylaxis (PSA). Curcumin inhibited cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) dependent prostaglandin $D_2$ ($PGD_2$) and 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO) dependent leukotriene $C_4$ ($LTC_4$) generation dose-dependently in BMMCs. To probe the mechanism involved, we assessed the effects of curcumin on the phosphorylation of Syk and its downstream signal molecules. Curcumin inhibited intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ influx via phospholipase $C{\gamma}1$ ($PLC{\gamma}1$) activation and the phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and the nuclear factor-${\kappa}B$ (NF-${\kappa}B$) pathway. Furthermore, the oral administration of curcumin significantly attenuated IgE/Ag-induced PSA, as determined by serum $LTC_4$, $PGD_2$, and histamine levels. Taken together, this study shows that curcumin offers a basis for drug development for the treatment of allergic inflammatory diseases.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.51-58
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• 2010

Vitex rotundifolia (V. rotundifolia) has been used for treating headache, dizziness, toothache and removal of fever as a traditional medicine in Korea. In the present study, we examined the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of 85% methanol extract of V. rotundifolia. In various radical scavenging assays, V. rotundifolia exhibited strong scavenging effect on 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl free radical, superoxide radical, nitric oxide. To elucidate the anti-inflammatory properties of V. rotundifolia, we investigated the inhibition effects of nitric oxide production in IFN-gamma and LPS-stimulated mouse peritoneal macrophages. V. rotundifolia suppressed nitric oxide production, iNOS and COX-2 expression dose-dependently through suppression of NF-$\hat{e}B$ activation without notable cytotoxicity. These findings mean that V. rotundifolia may be beneficial in oxidative stress-mediated inflammatory disorders.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.27-33
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• 2010

Periodontal disease is a major oral disorder and comprises a group of infections that lead to inflammation of the gingiva and the destruction of periodontal tissues. $PPAR{\gamma}$ plays an important role in the regulation of several metabolic pathways and has recently been implicated in inflammatory response pathways. However, its effects on periodontal inflammation have yet to be clarified. In our current study, we evaluated the anti-inflammatory effects of $PPAR{\gamma}$ on periodontal disease. Human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs) treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) showed high levels of intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), and -9 (MMP-9). Moreover, these cells also showed upregulated activities for extracellular signal regulated kinase (ERK1/2), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygnase-2. However, cells treated with Ad/$PPAR{\gamma}$ and rosiglitazone in same culture system showed reduced ICAM-1, VCAM-1, MMP-2, -9 and COX-2. Finally, the anti-inflammatory effects of $PPAR{\gamma}$ appear to be mediated via the suppression of the ERK1/2 pathway and consequent inhibition of NF-kB translocation. Our present findings thus suggest that $PPAR{\gamma}$ indeed has a pivotal role in gingival inflammation and may be a putative molecular target for future therapeutic strategies to control chronic periodontal disease.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.113-118
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• 2014

Ribes fasciculatum which belongs to Saxifragaceae has been widely used as a traditional medicine for the treatment of symptoms associated with lacquer poison. However, pharmacological studies on the R. fasciculatum are extremely limited until now. Thus, in this study, we evaluated the possible anti-inflammatory effects of ethyl acetate fraction of R. fasciculatum (ERF) using IFN-${\gamma}$/LPS-stimulated peritoneal macrophage model. We investigated the change in nitrite level in the absence or presence of ERF after LPS stimulation, and we found that ERF effectively attenuates the NO production in a dose dependent manner without notable toxicity. To determine the mechanism of the inhibitory action of ERF on NO production, we performed iNOS enzyme activity assay and Western blotting. Here we showed that both of iNOS enzyme activities and iNOS expressions were significantly down-regulated by ERF, indicating that these dual activities of ERF are responsible for ERF-mediated NO suppression. In addition, ERF inhibitied the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), an another key enzyme in inflammation through suppression of NF-${\kappa}B$ activation. We also tested anti-inflammatory properties of ERF not only in vitro, but in vivo using trypsin-induced paw edema model in mice. Our results revealed that the increased paw volume in response to trypsin injection was recovered by ERF supplement dose dependently.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.183-190
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• 2014

This project's aim was to determine the reserpine-induced gastric ulcer preventive effect of polysaccharide of Larimichthys crocea swim bladder (PLCSB) in ICR mice. The anti-gastric ulcer effects of polysaccharide of Larimichthys crocea swim bladder was evaluated in mice model using morphological test, serum levels assay, cytokine levels assay, tissue contents analysis, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis and western bolt assay. High concentration (50 mg/kg dose) of PLCSB reduced IFN-${\gamma}$ as compared to low concentration (25 mg/kg dose) and control mice. SS and VIP serum levels of PLCSB treated mice were higher than those of control mice, and MOT and SP serum levels were lower than control mice. Gastric ulcer inhibitory index of PLCSB treatment groups mice were much lower than control mice, and the high concentration treated mice were similar to the ranitidine treated mice. The SOD and GSH-Px activities of PLCSB treated mice were higher than control mice, close to normal mice and ranitidine treated mice. PLCSB treated mice also showed the similar contents of NO and MDA to normal group. By RT-PCR and western blot assay, PLCSB significantly induced inflammation in tissues of mice by downregulating NF-${\kappa}B$, iNOS, and COX-2, and upregulating $I{\kappa}B-{\alpha}$. These results suggest that PLCSB showed a good gastric ulcer preventive effect as the gastric ulcer drug of ranitidine. Polysaccharide of Larimichthys crocea swim bladder may be used as a drug material from marine products.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.32 no.11
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• pp.4049-4054
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• 2011

A new compound, kalopanaxin F (3), and 11 known compounds (1, 2, 4-12), were isolated from the stem bark of Kalopanax pictus. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of chemical and spectroscopic methods. Five of the compounds (2, 3, 5, 6, and 12) significantly inhibited $TNF{\alpha}$-induced NF-${\kappa}B$ transcriptional activity in HepG2 cells in a dose-dependent manner, with $IC_{50}$ values ranging from 6.2 to 9.1 ${\mu}M$. Furthermore, the transcriptional inhibitory function of these compounds was confirmed based on decreases in COX-2 and iNOS gene expression in HepG2 cells. Compounds 3-7, 9, and 12 significantly activated the transcriptional activity of PPARs dose-dependently, with $EC_{50}$ values ranging from 4.1-$12.7{\mu}M$. Compounds 4 and 5 exhibited $PPAR{\alpha}$, $PPAR{\gamma}$, and $PPAR{\beta}({\delta})$ transactivational activities in a dose-dependent manner, with $EC_{50}$ values of 16.0 and 17.0, 8.7 and 16.5, 26.2 and 26.3 ${\mu}M$, respectively.

• BMB Reports
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.82-94
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• 2003

Although debates still exist whether Helicobacter pylori infection is really class I carcinogen or not, H. pylori has been known to provoke precancerous lesions like gastric adenoma and chronic atrophic gastritis with intestinal metaplasia as well as gastric cancer. Chronic persistent, uncontrolled gastric inflammations are possible basis for ensuing gastric carcinogenesis and H. pylori infection increased COX-2 expressions, which might be the one of the mechanisms leading to gastric cancer. To know the implication of long-term treatment of antiinflammatory drugs, rebamipide or nimesulide, on H. pylori-associated gastric carcinogenesis, we infected C57BL/6 mice with H. pylori, especially after MNU administration to promote carcinogenesis and the effects of the long-term administration of rebamipide or nimesulide were evaluated. C57BL/6 mice were sacrificed 50 weeks after H. pylori infection. Colonization rates of H. pylori, degree of gastric inflammation and other pathological changes including atrophic gastritis and metaplasia, serum levels and mRNA transcripts of various mouse cytokines and chemokines, and NF-${\kappa}B$ binding activities, and finally the presence of gastric adenocarcinoma were compared between H. pylori infected group (HP), and H. pylori infected group administered with long-term rebamipide containing pellet diets (HPR) or nimesulide mixed pellets (HPN). Gastric mucosal expressions of ICAM-1, HCAM, MMP, and transcriptional regulations of NF-${\kappa}B$ binding were all significantly decreased in HPR group than in HP group. Multi-probe RNase protection assay showed the significantly decreased mRNA levels of apoptosis related genes and various cytokines genes like IFN-$\gamma$, RANTES, TNF-$\alpha$, TNFR p75, IL-$1{\beta}$ in HPR group. In the experiment designed to provoke gastric cancer through MNU treatment with H. pylori infection, the incidence of gastric carcinoma was not changed between HP and HPR group, but significantly decreased in HPN group, suggesting the chemoprevention of H. pylori-associated gastric carcinogenesis by COX-2 inhibition. Long-term administration of antiinflammatory drugs should be considered in the treatment of H. pylori since they showed the molecular and biologic advantages with possible chemopreventive effect against H. pylori-associated gastric carcinogenesis. If the final concrete proof showing the causal relationship between H. pylori infection and gastric carcinogenesis could be obtained, that will shed new light on chemoprevention of gastric cancer, that is, that gastric/cancer could be prevented through either the eradication of H. pylori or lessening the inflammation provoked by H. pylori infection in high risk group.