• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.85-93
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• 2012

181 kinds of local native plants were selected by its anti-inflammatorial folk medicinal uses and evaluated it antioxidative and inhibitory activity of nitric oxide (NO) production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced 264.7 macrophage cells. Among the 181 kinds of plants, 99 species showed potent antioxidative activities and 20 extracts showed inhibitory activity towards nitric oxide production by more than 70% at a concentration of $100{\mu}g/mL$. Therefore, these plants should be considered promising candidates for the treatment of inflammatory diseases accompanying overproduction of NO.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.125-129
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• 2007

Artemisia capillaris THUNB is a perennial herb that belongs to the family Compositae spp and the most common plant among the various herbal folk remedies used in treatment of abdominal pain, hepatitis, chronic liver disease, jaundice and coughing in Korea. This experiment was conducted to investigate the inhibitory effects of orally administrated Artemisia capillaris extracts on the pathogenic bacteria in 200 ICR mice. The experimental groups showed inhibitory effects on the bacteria in $1{\sim}3$ days after inoculation. After 21 days of inoculation, no viable bacterial cells appeared in the feces of both experimental groups while they did appear in the control group. The results of these studies indicate Artemisia capillaris extract exhibited excellent antimicrobial and inhibitory effects on the food poisoning pathogenic bacteria; S. enteritidis, E. coli O157:H7, L. monocytogenes and S. aureus.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.291-296
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• 2004

Sparganium stoloniferum Buch.-Ham. (Sparganiaceae) is a perennial herb which has been used as treatments for menstrual disorder, galactagogue and endometriosis in folk remedies. The Sparganii Rhizoma processed, heated with vinegar, used to different purpose compared with origin in medicine. In order to estimate the different effects between processed (PSR) and unprocessed (USR) Sparganii Rhizoma, extraction and systemic fractionation of the rhizomes were archived. Inhibitory effects of the extracts as well as the fractions of PSR and USR on rat lens aldose reductase and on rat platelet aggregation were investigated for the prevention or the treatment of chronic diabetic complications. Their antioxidant effects, measured using lipid peroxidation of liver tissue and radical scavenging activities on 1,1-diphenyl-picrylhydrazyl in vitro, were evaluated. The most of biological activities tested except rat platelet aggregation, fractions from PSR were shown to exhibit stronger activities than those from USR. It seems that caused by changing of the chemical components by heating process in conditioned with acetic acid. Compounds isolated were shown to significant inhibitory activity on rat lens aldose reductase. Inhibitory activity of compounds isolated on rat lens aldose reductase have been tested in vitro. $IC_{50}$/ (6.31 $\mu$M) of cerebroside I (V) was nearly equal to that (6.32 $\mu$M) of a reference compound, tetrametbylene glutaric acid (TMG).

• Toxicological Research
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.271-277
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• 2019

Citrus macroptera (Rutaceae) has long been used in folk medicine in Bangladesh. Considering the folkloric context, this study was aimed to scrutinize anti-proliferative activity of C. macroptera fruit pulp juice (CMFPJ) against Ehrlich's ascites carcinoma (EAC). The anti-proliferative capacity of CMFPJ was investigated and confirmed primarily using MTT assay. In vivo anti-proliferative aptitude of CMFPJ was investigated with 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg/day intraperitoneal (i.p.) treatment. Anti-proliferative efficacy of CMFPJ was assessed based on EAC growth inhibition. CMFPJ inhibited EAC growth in vitro in a dose-dependent manner. And the percentages of in vivo EAC growth inhibition were 19.53, 49.2, and 68.9% at 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg CMFPJ respectively. CMFPJ significantly induced expression of apoptosis regulatory genes caspase-8, caspase-9, cytochrome-c, and caspase-3. This considerable anti-cancer activity was perhaps due to combinatorial effect of lectin, polyphenols, and flavonoids present in CMFPJ.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.100-105
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• 2007

Background: Ginseng has been used to manage various types of pain in folk medicine. This study characterized the effect of treatment with intrathecal ginsenosides, the active components of ginseng in a postoperative pain model. Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were implanted with lumbar intrathecal catheters. An incision was made in the plantar surface of the hindpaw. Withdrawal thresholds following the application of a von Frey filament to the wound site were measured. To determine the role of the opioid or GABA receptors following treatment with the ginsenosides, naloxone, bicuculline (a $GABA_A$ receptor antagonist), and saclofen (a $GABA_B$ receptor antagonist) were administered intrathecally 10 min before the delivery of the ginsenosides and the changes of the withdrawal thresholds after application of the von Frey filament were Observed. Results: Treatment with the intrathecal ginsenosides increased the withdrawal threshold in a dose dependent manner. Pre-treatment with intrathecal naloxone reversed the antinociceptive effect of the ginsenosides. However, pre-treatment with intrathecal bicuculline and saclofen failed to have an effect on the activity of the ginsenosides. Conclusions: These results suggest that ginsenosides are effective to alleviate the postoperative pain evoked by paw incision. The opioid receptor, but not GABA receptors, may be involved in the antinociceptive action of the ginsenosides at the spinal level.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.13-21
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• 2011

Chios gum mastic (CGM) is produced from Pistiacia lentiscus L var chia, which grows only on Chios Island in Greece. CGM is a kind of resin extracted from the stem and leaves, has been used for many centuries in many Mediterranean countries as a dietary supplement and folk medicine for stomach and duodenal ulcers. CGM is known to induce cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in some cancer cells. This study was undertaken to investigate the alteration of the cell cycle and induction of apoptosis following CGM treatment of HL-60 cells. The viability of the HL-60 cells was assessed using the MTT assay. Hoechst staining and DNA electrophoresis were employed to detect HL-60 cells undergoing apoptosis. Western blotting, immunocytochemistry, confocal microscopy, FACScan flow cytometry, MMP activity and proteasome activity analyses were also employed. CGM treatment of HL-60 cells was found to result in a dose- and time-dependent decrease in cell viability and apoptotic cell death. Tested HL-60 cells showed a variety of apoptotic manifestations and induced the downregulation of G1 cell cycle-related proteins. Taken collectively, our present findings demonstrate that CGM strongly induces G1 cell cycle arrest via the modulation of cell cycle-related proteins, and also apoptosis via proteasome, mitochondrial and caspase cascades in HL-60 cells. Hence, we provide evidence that a natural product, CGM could be considered as a novel therapeutic for human leukemia.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.543-549
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• 2004

Ixeris dentata is a typical oriental herb. It is a widely distributed perennial in Korea, Japan and China, which belongs to the Compositae Family. The whole plant of I. dentata has been used for the treatment of pneumonia, contusion, tumor and hepatitis. It has also been used for the treatment of allergic diseases as a folk therapy in Korea. I. dentata is known to have aliphatics, triterpenoids and sesquiterpene glycosides in its composition. The present study was designed to explore the protective effects of water- and ethanol- extracts from I. dentata on irradiated rodents. For oral administration (twice per day), the extractive powder of I. dentata and the positive control (ascorbic acid) were dissolved at a concentration of 0.5 and 250mg $ml^{-1}$ in saline, respectively. Thirty days after irradiation, the ratio of the weight of the testis to the body weight was lower than 50% in the radiation groups than the control group. The ALP concentrations in the group treated with the water-extracts of the leaf were $79.68\pm{1.39%}$ (p<0.05) of those of the radiation control. Both of the SGOT and SGPT in the group treated with the ethanol-extract of the root were $72.68\pm{0.95}\;and\;77.87\pm{5.74}$ (p<0.05) of those of the radiation control, respectively. The levels of DNA damage induced by gamma radiation decreased in the experimental group to which the extracts of I. dentata were administered before irradiation. In conclusion, these results indicate that the extracts of I. dentata have an excellent ability to reduce the radicals and they have a protective effect on DNA breakage caused by radiation.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.39-45
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• 2013

Objectives: Buxus Microphylla var. Koreana Nakai Extract (BMKNE) is used as a folk remedy for malaria and veneral disease. In the present study, we investigated the effects of BMKNE in the growth and the survival of AGS cells, the most common human gastric adenocarcinoma cell lines. Methods: The AGS cells were treated with varying concentrations of BMKNE. Analyses of the sub G1 peak, the caspase-3 and -9 activities, and the mitochondrial depolarization were conducted to determine whether AGS cell death occured by apoptosis. Also, to identify the role of transient receptor potential melastatin (TRPM) 7 channels in AGS cell growth and survival, we used human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 cells overexpressed with TRPM7 channels. Results: Experimental results showed that the sub G1 peak, the caspase-3 and -9 activities, and the mitochondrial depolarization were increased. Therefore, BMKNE was found to induce the apoptosis of these cells, and this apoptosis was inhibited by SB203580 (a p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) inhibitor), and by a c-jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) II inhibitor. Furthermore, BMKNE inhibited TRPM7 currents and TRPM7 channel over-expressions in HEK 293 cells, exacerbating BMKNE-induced cell death. Conclusions: These findings indicate that BMKNE inhibits the growth and the survival of gastric cancer cells due to a blockade of the TRPM7 channel's activity and MAPK signaling. Therefore, BMKNE is a potential drug for treatment of gastric cancer, and both the TRPM7 channel and MAPK signaling may play an important role in survival in gastric cancer cells.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.111-116
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• 2015

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Inonotus obliquus (I. obliquus, Chaga mushroom) has long been used as a folk medicine to treat cancer. In the present study, we examined whether or not ethanol extract of I. obliquus (EEIO) inhibits cell cycle progression in HT-29 human colon cancer cells, in addition to its mechanism of action. MATERIALS/METHODS: To examine the effects of Inonotus obliquus on the cell cycle progression and the molecular mechanism in colon cancer cells, HT-29 human colon cancer cells were cultured in the presence of $2.5-10{\mu}g/mL$ of EEIO, and analyzed the cell cycle arrest by flow cytometry and the cell cycle controlling protein expression by Western blotting. RESULTS: Treatment cells with $2.5-10{\mu}g/mL$ of EEIO reduced viable HT-29 cell numbers and DNA synthesis, increased the percentage of cells in $G_1$ phase, decreased protein expression of CDK2, CDK4, and cyclin D1, increased expression of p21, p27, and p53, and inhibited phosphorylation of Rb and E2F1 expression. Among I. obliquus fractions, fraction 2 (fractionated by dichloromethane from EEIO) showed the same effect as EEIO treatment on cell proliferation and cell cycle-related protein levels. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate that fraction 2 is the major fraction that induces $G_1$ arrest and inhibits cell proliferation, suggesting I. obliquus could be used as a natural anti-cancer ingredient in the food and/or pharmaceutical industry.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.103-108
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• 2013

A folk prescription consisting of Alnus hirsuta, Rosa davurica, Acanthopanax senticosus and Panax schinseng has been used in the treatment of diabetes mellitus. The aim of the present investigation was to evaluate the antidiabetic effects of the herb formula extract (HFE) composed of Alnus hirsuta, Rosa davurica, Acanthopanax senticosus and Panax schinseng in the streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. The HFE was mixed in the food supply of the healthy and STZ-induced diabetic male Sprague-Dawley rats, and its effects on the body weight, water and food intake, hyperglycemia, hypolipidemic and islet structure were studied. The treatment of the rats with STZ for 6 weeks resulted in marasmus, polydipsia, polyphagia, hyperglycemia and hypoinsulinemia. In addition, the diabetic rats showed an apparent decrease in the insulin immunoreactivity and the number of ${\beta}$-cells in the pancreas. The addition of the HFE to the rats' food supply significantly lowered the serum glucose and the serum triglycerides level and preserved the normal histological appearance of the pancreatic islets. These results indicate that the HEF have a strong antidiabetic potential along with the significant hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects, which may be applicable in the pharmaceutical industry.