• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.580-592
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• 2020

Background: Radix et Rhizoma Ginseng (thereafter called ginseng) has been used as a medicinal herb for thousands of years to maintain people's physical vitality and is also a non-organ-specific cancer preventive and therapeutic traditional medicine in several epidemiologic and preclinical studies. Owing to few toxic side effects and strong enhancement on body immunity, ginseng has admirable application potential and value in cancer chemoprevention. The study aims at investigating the chemopreventive effects of ginseng on cutaneous carcinoma and the underlying mechanisms. Methods: The mouse skin cancer model was induced by 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene/12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate. Ultraperformance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry was used for identifying various ginsenosides, the main active ingredients of ginseng. Comprehensive approaches (including network pharmacology, bioinformatics, and experimental verification) were used to explore the potential targets of ginseng. Results: Ginseng treatment inhibited cutaneous carcinoma in terms of initiation and promotion. The content of Rb1, Rb2, Rc, and Rd ginsenosides was the highest in both mouse blood and skin tissues. Ginseng and its active components well maintained the redox homeostasis and modulated the immune response in the model. Specifically, ginseng treatment inhibited the initiation of skin cancer by enhancing T-cell-mediated immune response through upregulating HSP27 expression and inhibited the promotion of skin cancer by maintaining cellular redox homeostasis through promoting nuclear translocation of Nrf2. Conclusion: According to the study results, ginseng can be potentially used for cutaneous carcinoma as a chemopreventive agent by enhancing cell-mediated immunity and maintaining redox homeostasis with multiple components, targets, and links.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.109-115
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• 2019

In this study, we evaluated the anti-cancer activity and potential molecular mechanism of 70% ethanol extracts of branches from Taxillus yadoriki parasitic to Neolitsea sericea (TN-NS-B) against human lung cancer cells, A549. TY-NS-B dose-dependently suppressed the growth of A549 cells. TY-NS-B decreased ${\beta}$-catenin protein level, but not mRNA level in A549 cells. The downregulation of ${\beta}$-catenin protein level by TY-NS-B was attenuated in the presence of MG132. Although TY-NS-B phosphorylated ${\beta}$-catenin protein, the inhibition of $GSK3{\beta}$ by LiCl did not blocked the reduction of ${\beta}$-catenin by TY-NS-B. In addition, TY-NS-B decreased ${\beta}$-catenin protein in A549 cells transfected with Flag-tagged wild type ${\beta}$-catenin or Flag-tagged S33/S37/T41 mutant ${\beta}$-catenin construct. Our results suggested that TN-NS-B may downregulate ${\beta}$-catenin protein level independent on $GSK3{\beta}$-induced ${\beta}$-catenin phosphorylation. Based on these findings, TY-NS-B may be a potential candidate for the development of chemopreventive or therapeutic agents for human lung cancer.

• BMB Reports
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2003

The causative role of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in human carcinogenesis is undisputed. Measurements of PAH-DNA adduct levels in easily accessible white blood cells therefore represent useful early endpoints in exposure intervention of chemoprevention studies. The successful applicability of DNA adducts as early endpoints depends on several criteria:i.adduct levels in easily accessible surrogate tissues should reflect adduct levels in target-tissues, ii. toxicokinetics and the temporal relevance should be properly defined.iii. sources of inter- and intra-individual variability must be known and controllable, and finally iv. adduct analyses must have advantages as compared to other markers of PAH-exposure. In general, higher DNA adduct levels or a higher proportion of subjects with detectable DNA adduct levels were found in exposed individuals as compared with non-exposed subjects, but saturation may occur at high exposures. Furthermore, DNA adduct levels varied according to changes in exposure, for example smoking cessation resulted in lower DNA adduct levels and adduct levels paralleled seasonal variations of air-pollution. Intra-individual variation during continuous exposure was low over a short period of time (weeks), but varied significantly when longer time periods (months) were investigated. Inter-individual variation is currently only partly explained by genetic polymorphisms in genes involved in PAH-metabolism and deserves further investigation. DNA adduct measurement may have three advantages over traditional exposure assessment: i. they can smooth the extreme variability in exposure which is typical for environmental toxicants and may integrate exposure over a longer period of time. Therefore, DNA adduct assessment may reduce the monitoring effort. ii. Biological monitoring of DNA adducts accounts for all exposure routes. iii. DNA adducts may account for inter-individual differences in uptake, elimination, distribution, metabolism and repair amongst exposed individuals. In conclusion, there is now a sufficiently large scientific basis to justify the application of DNA adduct measurement as biomarkers in exposure assessment and intervention studies. Their use in risk-assessment, however, requires further investigation.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.312.3-313
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• 2002

Recently we have reported that various hydroxystilbenes show strong inhibition of human P450 1 activity. A series of synthetic trans-stilbene derivatives were prepared and their inhibitory potentials were evaluated with the bacterial membrane of recombinant human P450 1A1, 1A2 or 1B1 coexpressed with human NADPH-P450 reductase to find new candidates for cancer chemoprevention, Of the compounds tested. SY-021 (3.5-dimethoxyphenyl vinyl thiophene) exhibited a potent inhibition of human P450 181 with an IC$_{50}$ value of 2 nM. SY-021 also showed the inhibitrion of P450 1A1 with IC$_{50}$ value of 61 nM and P450 1A2 with IC$_{50}$ value of 11 nM. SY-021 showed 31-fold selectivity for P450 1B1 over P450 1A1 and 6-fold selectivity for P450 1B1 over 1A2. We have further investigated the inhibition kinetics of P450 1A1. 1A2 and 1B1 by SY-021. The modes of inhibition by SY-021were non-compeitive for all three P450 1 enzymes. Effect of preincubation with NADPH on inhibition of P450 1B1 by SY-021 was determined. These results suggest that SY-021 is one of the mostj potent inhibitor of human P450 1 enzymes and may be considered as a good candidate for a cancer chemopreventive agent in human

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.29-37
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• 1997

Protein Kinase C (PKC) is generally believed to play a central role in signal transduction, cellular growth control, gene expression, and tumor promotion. And it has been suggested that inhibitors of PKC might play important roles for the prevention and treatment of cancer. In order to investigate the possible inhibitors of PKC from natural products, PKC receptor binding assay was performed using bovine brain particulate as a source of PKC and the amount of $[^3H]Phorbol$ 12,13-dibutyrate (PDBu) bound to PKC was measured in the presence of test materials. Total methanol extracts from 100 kinds of natural products were partitioned into 3 fractions (n-hexane, ethyl acetate and aqueous layer) and their binding ability to the regulatory domain of PKC was evaluated. The ethyl acetate fractions of Morus alba $(roots,\;IC_{50}:\;156.6\;{\mu}g/ml)$, Rehmannia glutinosa $(roots,\;IC_{50}:\;134.3\;{\mu}g/ml)$, Lysimachia foenum-graecum $(roots,\;IC_{50}:\;167.8\;{\mu}g/ml)$, Polygonum cuspidata $(roots,\;IC_{50}:\;157.3\;{\mu}g/ml)$, Cnidium officinale $(aerial\;parts,\;IC_{50}:\;145.2\;{\mu}g/ml)$, and the hexane $(IC_{50}:\;179.3\;{\mu}g/ml)$ and the EtOAc fraction of Symplocarpus nipponicus $(roots,\;IC_{50}:\;155.9\;{\mu}g/ml)$ showed inhibitory activity of $[^3H]PDBu$ binding to PKC.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.535-539
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• 1999

Soybean has drawn much attention mainly due to its chemopreventive action as well as antiestrogenic effect. Although suppression of breast and prostate cancers were believed to be exerted via antiestrogenic or antiandrogenic activity of genistein, its mechanism of prevention against other cancers has not been clearly demonstrated. We proposed that prevention by soybean from other cancers than sex hormone -related cancers was achieved via modulation of drug-metabolizing enzymes. Addition of acid hydrolysate of 80% methanol extract of soyflour to diet caused a significant induction of quinone reductase, an anticarcinogenic marker enzyme and one of drug-metabolizing enzymes, in mouse lung while it suppressed arylhydrocarbon hydroxylase, involved in bioactivation of procarcinogens, in kidney and small intestine. It is likely that active components exist in a conjugated form and released by acid hydrolysis to be able to affect drug-metabolizing enzyme and exert chemopreventive activity. Benzo(a)pyrene-induced tumor development in mouse lung was greatly reduced by soybean extract supplementation, which is consistent with the extract's capability to modulate favorably arylhydrocarbon hydroxylase and quinone reductase towards chemoprevention.

• Proceedings of the Ginseng society Conference
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• 1998.06a
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• pp.146-159
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• 1998

A new processed ginseng with fortified activity is developed. The process comprise with the heat treatment of fresh or white ginseng at higher temperature and pressure than those used for the preparation of red ginseng. This new processed ginseng showed 7 times higher antioxidant activity and more than 30 times stronger vasodilating activity than those shown in raw ginseng. Other activities found in the new processed ginseng include cancer chemoprevention, antinephrotoxic, and antineurotoxic activities. Less polar ginsenosides isolated from processed ginseng exhibited anti-platelet aggregation activity and anti-cancer activity. Many ginsenosides were isolated from this new processed ginseng, namely 20(S)-$Rg_3$,20(R)-$Rg_3$, $Rg_5$, $Rg_6$, $F_4$, $Rh_4$,20(S)-$Rg_3$,20(R)-$Rg_3$ and $Rg_4$. In addition to these known compounds, seven new ginsenosides, named as gisenoside $Rk_1$, $Rk_2$, $Rk_3$, $Rs_4$, $Rs_5$, $Rs_6$, and $Rs_7$ were isolated. The major constituents of new processed ginseng were 20(S)-$Rg_3$,20(R)-$Rg_3$, $Rk_1$ and $Rg_5$ which are minors in red ginseng. Since the chemical constituents and biological activities of this new processed ginseng are quite different from those of white or red ginseng, we designated it as $'$sun ginseng (仙蔘)$'$.s;$.

• BMB Reports
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.469-475
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• 2000

The purpose of this study was to examine the chemopreventive potential of taurine at various levels on the diethylnitrosamine (DEN)·induced hepatocarcinogenesis. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed on diets containing 0, 1, 2, 3% taurine or 5% ${\beta}-alanine$ for taurine depletion. Then they were treated with DEN and 2/3 partial hepatectomy. The number of placental glutathione S-transferase positive ($GST-P^+$) foci, as a preneoplastic marker in the 1 % taurine group was lower than the control diet group. However the difference was insignificant. Although taurine diets reduced the thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) level, the number of $GST-P^+$ foci was increased in 3% taurine diet group. The 1 % taurine diet increased the glutathione (GSH) level and GST activity, however they unfortunately did not suppress the foci formation. In the 3% taurine group, the GSH level and GSH peroxidase (GPx) activity were significantly decreased. Excess taurine supplementation of the pharmaceutical dose worked against hepatic chemoprevention, which might result from modulation of GPx activity and GSH utility. On the contrary, taurine might work as an antioxidant against TBARS production as the 1 % taurine diet increased GSH level. The potency of the cancer preventive effect of taurine still remains and further studies should investigate the effect of taurine with less than 1 % levels on the prevention of hepatic cancer.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.199-205
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• 2004

Cytochrome P450 (P450) 1 enzymes such as P450 1A1, 1A2, and 181 are known to be involved in the oxidative metabolism of various procarcinogens and are regarded as important target enzymes for cancer chemoprevention. Previously, several hydroxystilbene compounds were reported to inhibit P450 1 enzymes and were rated as candidate chemopreventive agents. In this study, we investigated the inhibitory effect of 2-[2-(3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)vinyl]-thiophene (DMPVT), produced from the chemical modification of oxyresveratrol, on the activities of P450 1 enzymes. The inhibitory potential by DMPVT on the P450 1 enzyme activity was evaluated with the Escherichia coli membranes of the recombinant human cytochrome P450 1A1, 1A2, or 1B1 coexpressed with human NADPH-P450 reductase. DMPVT significantly inhibited ethoxyresorufin O-deethylation (EROD) activities with $IC_{50}$ values of 61, 11, and 2 nM for 1A1, 1A2, and 1B1, respectively. The EROO activity in OMBA-treated rat lung microsomes was also significantly inhibited by OMPVT in a dose-dependent manner. The modes of inhibition by DMPVT were non-competitive for all three P450 enzymes. The inhibition of P450 1B1-mediated EROD activity by OMPVT did not show the irreversible mechanism-based effect. The loss of EROD activity in P450 1B1 with OMPVT incubation was not blocked by treatment with the trapping agents such as glutathione, N-acetylcysteine, or dithiothreitol. Taken together, the results suggested DMPVT to be a strong noncompetitive inhibitor of human P450 1 enzymes that should be considered as a good candidate for a cancer chemopreventive agent in humans.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.27 no.7
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• pp.683-692
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• 2004

Curcumin (diferuloylmethane) is a major naturally-occurring polyphenol of Curcuma species, which is commonly used as a yellow coloring and flavoring agent in foods. Curcumin has shown anti-carcinogenic activity in animal models. Curcumin possesses anti-inflammatory activity and is a potent inhibitor of reactive oxygen-generating enzymes such as lipoxygenase/cyclooxygenase, xanthine dehydrogenase/oxidase and inducible nitric oxide synthase; and an effective inducer of heme oxygenase-1. Curcumin is also a potent inhibitor of protein kinase C(PKC), EGF(Epidermal growth factor)-receptor tyrosine kinase and LĸB kinase. Subsequently, curcumin inhibits the activation of NF(nucleor factor)KB and the expressions of oncogenes including c-jun, c-fos, c-myc, NIK, MAPKs, ERK, ELK, PI3K, Akt, CDKs and iNOS. It is proposed that curcumin may suppress tumor promotion through blocking signal transduction path-ways in the target cells. The oxidant tumor promoter TPA activates PKC by reacting with zinc thiolates present within the regulatory domain, while the oxidized form of cancer chemopreventive agent such as curcumin can inactivate PKC by oxidizing the vicinal thiols present within the catalytic domain. Recent studies indicated that proteasome-mediated degradation of cell proteins playa pivotal role in the regulation of several basic cellular processes including differentiation, proliferation, cell cycling, and apoptosis. It has been demonstrated that curcumin-induced apoptosis is mediated through the impairment of ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. Curcumin was first biotransformed to dihydrocurcumin and tetrahydrocurcumin and that these compounds subsequently were converted to monoglucuronide conjugates. These results suggest that curcumin-glucuronide, dihydrocurcumin-glucuronide, tetrahydrocurcumin-glucuronide and tetrahydrocurcumin are the major metabolites of curcumin in mice, rats and humans.