• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.533-542
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• 2012

Objectives : We try to compared the efficacy of six herbal medicines, Rhizoma Alismatis (RA), Fructus Crataegi (FC), Fructus Lycii (FL), Radix Curcumae (RC), Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae (RSM), and Herba Artemisiae Scopariae (HAS), constituting KHchunggan-tang which was previously proven to be hepatoprotective on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease with combined properties of cellular steatosis, ROS production, and cytoprotection. Methods : HepG2 cells were pretreated with aqueous extracts of the six herb medicines at concentrations of 1, 10, 50 and 100 ${\mu}g/ml$ each, and treated with 0.5 mM palmitate consecutively. After 21 hrs, cell viability was assessed using MTT assay, and the percentage of cells with sub-G1 DNA content was measured using fluorescence-activated cell sorting after propidium iodide staining. Results : The first three extracts, RA, FC, and FL restored cell viability reduced by palmitate in MTT assay, and RA, FC, FL and RC inhibited palmitate-induced apoptosis in sub-G1 analysis. FL showed relatively weak potential only at tested maximal dose, and RA showed the greatest higher efficacy on this experimental cellular model of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Conclusions : According to this comparative experiment, Rhizoma Alismatis seems to have the most powerful potential among the six herbs constituting KHchunggan-tang, and consecutive further study seems to be required for more standardized and effective clinical application of KHchunggan-tang for treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.550-564
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• 2011

Objectives : Oxidative stress seems to play a major role in mechanisms by which ethanol causes liver injury. Previous studies have shown that treatment with Yinjinchunggan-tang (Yinchenqinggan-tang, YJCGT) has protective effects on alcoholic liver disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effects of YJCGT on alcohol-induced oxidative stress. Materials and Methods : In vitro, we evaluated the inhibitory activities of YJCHT on DPPH(1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl), xanthine oxidase, trypsin, and hyaluronidase. In a cell culture model, we measured cell viability and proliferation, and the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) after YJCGT treatment in C34 and E47 cell lines, and HepG2 cells transfected with/ without cytochrome P450IIE1 (CYP2E1) gene. In vivo, we estimated serum level of hepatic biochemical markers, and alcohol concentration in the blood. Results : YJCGT showed significant free radical scavenging activity against DPPH and xanthine oxidase and decreased hyaluronidase activity effectively in vitro. YJCGT also increased cell viability, and proliferation in C34 and in E47 cell lines, and increased activities of superoxide dismutase, and catalase in C34 and in E47 cell lines. YJCGT reduced serum AST, LDH, and total cholesterol level in some of the results, and reduced blood alcohol concentration in vivo, as well. Conclusions : This study suggests that YJCGT has protective effects on oxidative stress by inhibiting alcohol-induced suppression of antioxidant enzyme activities.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.599-603
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• 2011

A new geldanamycin (GDM) derivative was discovered and isolated from the fermentation broth of Streptomyces hygroscopicus 17997. Its chemical structure was elucidated as thiazinogeldanamycin by LC-MS, sulfur analysis, and NMR. The addition of cysteine to the fermentation medium significantly stimulated the production level of thiazinogeldanamycin, suggesting cysteine as a precursor of thiazinogeldanamycin production. Although showing a decreased cytotoxicity against HepG2 cancer cells, thiazinogeldanamycin exhibited an improved water solubility and photostability. Thiazinogeldanamycin may represent the first natural GDM derivative characterized so far that uses GDM as its precursor. Its appearance also clearly indicates that an appropriate end-point of fermentation is of critical importance for the maximal production of GDM by Streptomyces hygroscopicus 17997.

• Mycobiology
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.47-52
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• 2012

$Elfvingia$ $applanata$, a medicinal mushroom belonging to Basidiomycota, has been used in the effort to cure cancers of the esophagus and stomach, and is also known to have inhibitory effects on hepatitis B virus infection. The hot water soluble fraction (as Fr. HW) was extracted from fruiting bodies of the mushroom. $In$ $vitro$ cytotoxicity tests showed that hot water extract was not cytotoxic against cancer cell lines such as Sarcoma 180, HT-29, HepG2, and TR at concentrations of 10-2,000 ${\mu}g/mL$. Intraperitoneal injection with Fr. HW resulted in a life prolongation effect of 45.2% in mice previously inoculated with Sarcoma 180. Treatment of Fr. HW resulted in a 2.53-fold increase in the numbers of murine spleen cells at a concentration of 50 ${\mu}g/mL$, compared with control. Incubation of murine spleen cells with Fr. HW at a concentration of 500 ${\mu}g/mL$ resulted in improved immune-potwntiating activity of B lymphocytes through an 8.3-folds increase in alkaline phosphatase activity, compared with control. Fr. HW generated 12.5 ${\mu}M$ of nitric oxide (NO) when cultured with RAW 264.7, a mouse macrophage cell line, at the concentration of 50 ${\mu}g/mL$, while lipopolysaccharide, a positive control, produced 15.2 ${\mu}M$ of NO. Therefore, the results suggested that antitumor activities of Fr. HW from $E.$ $applanata$ might, in part, be due to host mediated immunostimulating activity.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.16
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• pp.7003-7006
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• 2015

Background: Nanoparticles of gold and silver are offering revolutionary changes in the field of cancer therapy. N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) metal complexes possess diverse biological activities and are being investigated as potential chemotherapeutic agents. The purpose of this study was to examine the cytotoxicity and possible mechanisms of action of two types of newly synthesized nanofiber composites containing BIAN N-heterocyclic gold carbene complexes in two types of human cancer cells, namely breast cancer (MCF7) and liver cancer (HepG2) cells and also in normal human embryonic kidney cells (HEK 293). Materials and Methods: Cytotoxicity was assessed by MTT cell viability assay and oxidative stress by checking the total glutathione level. Results: Both compounds affected the cell survival of the tested cell lines at very low concentrations (IC50 values in the micro molar range) as compared to a well-known anti-cancer drug, 5 fluorouracil. A 60-80% depletion in total glutathione level was detected in treated cells. Conclusions: Reduction in total glutathione level is one of the biochemical pathways for the induction of oxidative stress which in turn could be a possible mechanism of action by which these compounds induce cytotoxicity in cancer cell lines. The in vitro toxicity towards cancer cells found here means that these molecules could be potential anticancer candidates.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.430-437
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• 2009

Metabolites of Soyasaponin I, a major constituent of soybean, by human intestinal microflora were investigated by LC-MS/MS analysis. We found four peaks, one parental constituent and three metabolites: m/z 941 [M-H]$^-$, m/z 795 [M-rha-H]$^-$, m/z 441 [aglycone-$H_2O$+H]$^+$, and m/z 633 [M-rha-gal-H]$^-$, which was an unknown metabolite, soyasapogenol B 3-$\beta$-D-glucuronide. When soyasaponin I was incubated with the human fecal microbial fraction from ten individuals for 48 h, soyasaponin I was metabolized to soyasapogenol B via soyasaponin III and soyasapogenol B 3-$\beta$-D-glucuronide or via soyasaponin III alone. Both soyasaponin I and its metabolite soyasapgenol B exhibited estrogenic activity. Soyasaponin I increased the proliferation, mRNA expression of c-fos and pS2, in MCF7 cells more potently than soyasapogenol B. However, soyasapogenol B showed potent cytotoxicity against A549, MCF7, HeLa and HepG2 cells, while soyasaponin I did not. The cytotoxicity of soyasapogenol B may prevent its estrogenic effect from increasing dose-dependently. These findings suggest that orally administered soyasaponin I may be metabolized to soyasapogenol B by intestinal microflora and that soyasapogenol B may express a cytotoxic effect rather than an estrogenic effect.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.6-11
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• 1994

The MeOH extract of the fruits of Melia toosendan was selected for futher study by its cytotoxicity and effect on the human breast cancer cell line, MCF-7. The active principle obtained by activity guided fractionation followed by purification gave rise to a needle crystal. The structure was deduced by employing NMR and was determined to be identical with 28-deacetyl sendanin by comparison with published data. This compound induced morphological change of MCF-7 to be rounded with tubule at concentrations between $50\;{\mu}g/ml$ and $0.025\;{\mu}g/ml$. This compound, however, showed strong cytotoxic effect on Hepalclc7 and HepG2, and their $GI_{50}$ on the hepatoma cell lines were $0.238\;{\mu}g/ml$ and $0.805\;{\mu}g/ml$, respectively. Its effect on lymphocyte of mouse was stronger than hepatoma cell lines, and their $ED_{50}$ of polyclonal antibody response was $0.011\;{\mu}g/ml$, and $ED_{50}$ of cell viability was $0.039\;{\mu}g/ml$.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.31-40
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• 2005

Objectives : It has long been known about the osteogenic effect of CTF-HAS on bone tissues. However, it has not been determined the effect of CTF-HAS on cancer cells. The purpose of this study is to screen the CTF-HAS mediated differentially expressed genes in cancer cells such as SNU484 gastric cancer cell lines. Oligonucleotide microarray approach were employed to screen the differential expression genes. Methods : CTF-HAS was prepared by boiling and stored at $-70^{\circ}C$ until use. Cells were treated with various concentrations of CTF-HAS(0.1, 0.5, 1.5, 10, 20mg/ml) for 24 h. Cytotoxicity was tested by MTT assay. To screen the differentially expressed genes in cancer cells, cells were treated with 1.5mg/ml of CTF-HAS. For oligonucleotide microarry assay, total RNA was used for gene expression analysis using oligonucleotide genechip (Human genome U133 Plus 2.0., Affimatrix Co.). Results : It has no cytotoxic effects on HepG2 cells in all concentration (0.1, 0.5, 1.5, 10,20mg/ml). More than twofold up-regulated genes were 5 genes. The number of more than twofold down-regulated genes was 10. Discussion : This study showed the screening of CTF-HAS mediated differentially regulated genes using combined approaches of oligonucleotide microarray. The screened genes will be used for the better understanding in therapeutic effect of CTF-HAS on cancer field.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.35 no.4 s.139
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• pp.288-292
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• 2004

To evaluate the quality of the crude drugs using three kinds of Cinnamomum Cortex (CC), Vietnamese CC (VCC, the stem bark of Cinnamomum obtusifolium), periderm-peeled Chinese CC (PPCC, periderm-peeled stem bark of C. cassia), Chinese CC (CCC, stem bark of C. cassia) and a Cinnamomi Ramulus (CR, the twig of C. cassia), the four essential oils were prepared by steam distillation method. Cinnamaldehdye (CAN) and an unknown substance tentatively named hydroxy-cinnamaldehdye(HCNA) were detected in the four essential oils by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, the contents of which are significantly different one another. Vietnamese CC had the highest content of HCNA whereas CR had the highest CAN content and the lowest HCNA. Vietnamese CC exhibited the greatest cytotoxic activity against the cancer cell lines, A549, HepG-2, HL-60, P-388, U-937, and KB and CR the lowest cytotoxicity. Contents of CAN and HCNA in CCC and PPCC are positioned between VCC and CR. These results suggest that measurement of HCNA and cytotoxicity may determine the quality of CC and CR.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.599-607
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• 2018

Fasiglifam (TAK-875) a G-protein coupled receptor 40 (GPR40) agonist, significantly improves hyperglycemia without hypoglycemia and weight gain, the major side effects of conventional anti-diabetics. Unfortunately, during multi-center Phase 3 clinical trials, unexpected liver toxicity resulted in premature termination of its development. Here, we investigated whether TAK-875 directly inflicts toxicity on hepatocytes and explored its underlying mechanism of toxicity. TAK-875 decreased viability of 2D and 3D cultures of HepG2, a human hepatocarcinoma cell line, in concentration-(>$50{\mu}M$) and time-dependent manners, both of which corresponded with ROS generation. An antioxidant, N-acetylcysteine, attenuated TAK-875-mediated hepatotoxicity, which confirmed the role of ROS generation. Of note, knockdown of GPR40 using siRNA abolished the hepatotoxicity of TAK-875 and attenuated ROS generation. In contrast, TAK-875 induced no cytotoxicity in fibroblasts up to $500{\mu}M$. Supporting the hepatotoxic potential of TAK-875, exposure to TAK-875 resulted in increased mortality of zebrafish larvae at$25{\mu}M$. Histopathological examination of zebrafish exposed to TAK-875 revealed severe hepatotoxicity as manifested by degenerated hypertrophic hepatocytes with cytoplasmic vacuolation and acentric nuclei, confirming that TAK-875 may induce direct hepatotoxicity and that ROS generation may be involved in a GPR40-dependent manner.