• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.140-142
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• 2006

The aim of this study is to investigate in vitro biological properties of Eucommia ulmoides Oliv. bark. Ethyl acetate(EtOAc) fraction from aqueous extract of Eucommia bark showed strong antioxidant activity of $IC_{50}$ 19.2 ${\mu}g/ml$ by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl(DPPH) free radical-scavenging assay. The Eucommia bark extract showed $\alpha$-glucosidase inhibitory activity and inhibited growth of human liver cancer cell, suggesting its potential biological value of anticancer.

• Nutritional Sciences
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.330-334
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• 2006

Chemical composition of the Eucommia ulmoides bark, including extractives, proximate, mineral, fatty acid and monosaccharide compositions, was studied The most abundant mineral was calcium (533.17 mg/l00 g). $\alpha-linolenic$ acid (24.7%) and linoleic acid (24.3%), showed higher contents among the fatty acids. Major monosaccharides of E. ulmoides balk were arabinose (13.94 mg/g), xylose (18.91 mg/g) and glucose (119.7 mg/g). From the bark of E ulmoides, four compounds were isolated and their structures were elucidated as caffeic acid (I), kaempferol (II), quercetin (III) and isoquercitrin (IV) by spectroscopic analysis such as NMR and MS, including cellulose TLC and other chemical evidence such as hydrolyzation and acetylation. The antioxidant activities of four isolated compounds were evaluated by DPPH free radical scavenging, hydroxyl scavenging and reducing power assays. The results indicated that all the isolated compounds showed higher DPPH radical scavenging activity than $\alpha-tocopherol$ and BHT that were used as positive controls and these four compounds exhibited considerable reducing power and hydroxyl radical (OH) scavenging activity. Considering from the results above, it suggests that the E. ulmoides bark is a potential natural source of antioxidant material.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.268-282
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• 2016

In the present study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory properties of Eucommia ulmoides Oliv. Bark. (EUE) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated microglial BV-2 cells and found that EUE inhibited LPS-mediated up-regulation of pro-inflammatory response factors. In addition, EUE inhibited the elevated production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, mediators, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in LPS-stimulated BV-2 microglial cells. Subsequent mechanistic studies revealed that EUE suppressed LPS-induced phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt, glycogen synthase $kinase-3{\beta}$ ($GSK-3{\beta}$), and their downstream transcription factor, nuclear factor-kappa B ($NF-{\kappa}B$). EUE also blocked the nuclear translocation of $NF-{\kappa}B$ and inhibited its binding to DNA. We next demonstrated that EUE induced the nuclear translocation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and upregulated heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression. We determined that the significant up-regulation of HO-1 expression by EUE was a consequence of Nrf2 nuclear translocation; furthermore, EUE increased the DNA binding of Nrf2. In contrast, zinc protoporphyrin (ZnPP), a specific HO-1 inhibitor, blocked the ability of EUE to inhibit NO and $PGE_2$ production, indicating the vital role of HO-1. Overall, our results indicate that EUE inhibits pro-inflammatory responses by modulating MAPKs, PI3K/Akt, and $GSK-3{\beta}$, consequently suppressing $NF-{\kappa}B$ activation and inducing Nrf2-dependent HO-1 activation.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.462-469
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• 2013

Eucommia ulmoides Oliv. Bark (EUE) is commonly used for the treatment of hypertension, rheumatoid arthritis, lumbago, and ischialgia as well as to promote longevity. In this study, we tested the effects of EUE aqueous extract in graded doses to protect and enhance cognition in scopolamine-induced learning and memory impairments in mice. EUE significantly improved the impairment of short-term or working memory induced by scopolamine in the Y-maze and significantly reversed learning and memory deficits in mice as measured by the passive avoidance and Morris water maze tests. One day after the last trial session of the Morris water maze test (probe trial session), EUE dramatically increased the latency time in the target quadrant in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, EUE significantly inhibited acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) activities in the hippocampus and frontal cortex in a dose-dependent manner. EUE also markedly increased brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and phosphorylation of cAMP element binding protein (CREB) in the hippocampus of scopolamine-induced mice. Based on these findings, we suggest that EUE may be useful for the treatment of cognitive deficits, and that the beneficial effects of EUE are mediated, in part, by cholinergic signaling enhancement and/or protection.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.185-190
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• 2019

Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease and gums pull away from the teeth and form spaces. The main goal of treatment is to control the infection and anti-inflammation. Eucommia ulmoides Oliv. Bark (EU) is a traditional Korean herbal used for the treatment of arthritis and hypertension. In the present study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory properties of EU in Porphyromonas gingivalis-LPS (LPS-PG) induced YD-38 epithelial cells. We observed significant inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) production and the expression of interleukin-8 (IL-8), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor alpha ($TNF-{\alpha}$), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in LPS-PG-induced YD-38 cells. These results support that EU has an anti-inflammatory effects for the treatment of periodontitis.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.27 no.8
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• pp.1428-1440
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• 2017

Phomopsis sp. XP-8 (an endophytic fungus) was previously found to produce pinoresinol diglucoside (PDG), a major antihypertensive compound of Tu-Chung (the bark of Eucommia ulmoides Oliv.), which is widely used in Chinese traditional medicines. In the present study, two bioconversion systems were developed for the production of PDG in Tris-HCl buffer containing glucose and Phomopsis sp. XP-8 cells (both resting and freeze-dried). When other factors remained unchanged, the bioconversion time, glucose concentration, cell ages, cell dosage, pH, temperature, and stirring speed influenced PDG production in a similar and decreasing manner after an initial increase with increasing levels for each factor. Considering the simultaneous change of various factors, the optimal conditions for PDG production were established as 70 g/l cells (8-day-old), 14 g/l glucose, $28^{\circ}C$, pH 7.5, and 180 rpm for systems employing resting cells, and 3.87 g/l cells, 14.67 g/l glucose, $28^{\circ}C$, pH 7.5, and 180 rpm for systems employing freeze-dried cells. The systems employing freeze-dried cells showed lower peak PDG production ($110.28{\mu}g/l$), but at a much shorter time (12.65 h) compared with resting cells (23.62 mg/l, 91.5 h). The specific PDG production levels were 1.92 and $24{\mu}g$ per gram cells per gram glucose for freeze-dried cells and resting cells, respectively. Both systems indicated a new and potentially efficient way to produce PDG independent of microbial cell growth.