• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.298-311
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• 2013

Objectives : In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of Eunhoebanchong-san (EBS) on caerulein-induced acute pancreatitis (AP) by detecting oxidative stress markers and performing histopathological examination. Methods : Thirty adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into five groups as follows: normal (NOR), caerulein-induced (CON), caerulein+EBS (130 mg/kg, EA), caerulein+EBS (260 mg/kg, EB) and caerulein+EBS (520 mg/kg, EC) groups. Pancreatic tissues of rats from all groups were removed for apoptosis, and light, and electron microscopic examination. Blood of rats from all groups was obtained for oxidative stress markers and pathological examination. Pancreatic oxidative stress markers were evaluated by the measurements of serum amylase, and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels were determined spectrophotometrically. Results : The ratio of pancreas/body weight increased significantly in the CON compared with the NOR, but decreased significantly in the EA, the EB, the EC groups compared with the CON. Caerulein administration resulted in a significant increase in amylase, but EBS reduced the levels of these enzymes. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels increased significantly in CON compared with NOR, but reduced in EA, EB, and EC group at 24 hrs. In the observations of optical microscopy and electron microscopy, the experimental groups showed significant decreases in pancreatic tissue inflammation, edema, vacuolization, necrosis compared to the control group. Altogether, this indicates EBS is potentially capable of limiting pancreatic damage produced during AP by restoring the fine structure of acinar cells and tissue. Conclusions : We concluded that EBS may have beneficial effects in the treatment of caerulein-induced AP.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.275-282
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• 2018

Paeoniae Radix has been used as a traditional medicine for various diseases including hepatic disease. However, the inhibitory effect of Paeoniae Radix on intestinal inflammation has not been fully understood yet. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Paeoniae Radix on colitis induced by dextran sulfate sodium in mice. To investigate the protective effects of Paeoniae Radix, the colitis mice were induced by drinking water containing 5% dextran sulfate sodium for 7 days. Mice were randomized into groups receiving Paeoniae Radix (100 mg/kg), sulfasalazine (150 mg/kg) as a positive control, or water as a negative control. We evaluated the effects of Paeoniae Radix on clinical signs induced by dextran sulfate sodium, measuring weight loss, colon length, and disease activity index. Additionally, to find a possible explanation for the anti-inflammatory effects of Paeoniae Radix, we evaluated the effects of Paeoniae Radix on the interleukin-6 and cyclooxygenase-2 levels in colitis tissue. The results indicated that mice treated with dextran sulfate sodium showed measurable clinical signs, including weight loss and reduced colon length. However, Paeoniae Radix treatment significantly improved the weight loss and disease activity index as clinical symptoms. Moreover, Paeoniae Radix inhibited the interleukin-6 and cyclooxygenase-2 expression levels in colon tissues treated with dextran sulfate sodium. Taken together, the findings of this study suggest that Paeoniae Radix may be useful for treating intestinal inflammation, including ulcerative colitis.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.32-37
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• 2006

Background : Several studies have suggested that alterations of cytokine level could be related to the pathophysiology of bipolar disorder. In this study, we measured plasma level of Interleukin-12(IL-12), a pro-inflammatory cytokine and transforming growth factor-${\beta}$1(TGF-${\beta}$1), an anti-inflammatory cytokine before and after treatment in acute manic patients. Methods : The plasma concentrations of IL-12 and TGF-${\beta}$1 were measured using quantitative ELISA in 18 bipolar disorder patients and 25 normal controls at admission and 6 weeks later. The psychopathology was measured by Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale(BPRS) and Young Mania Rating Scale(YMRS). Results : IL-12 levels were significantly higher in bipolar manic patients than in controls before treatment. Following the 6-week treatment, the IL-12 level was decreased than before treatment, but sustained still higher level than normal control. TGF-${\beta}$1 level was not significant different between manic patients and normal controls before treatment, but was increased after treatment comparing with before treatment in bipolar patients. The ratio of IL-12 and TGF-${\beta}$1 was significantly decreased after treatment. Conclusion : Cytokine abnormalities in bipolar disorder might be involved in the pathophysiology of the illness. It is possible that TGF-${\beta}$1 plays an important role in the regulation of immunological imbalance in bipolar disorder.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.9
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• pp.1491-1497
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• 2007

Arginine deiminase (ADI, E.C. 3.5.3.6), one of the arginine deprivation enzymes, exhibits anticarcinogenic activities. The present study investigated the anti-inflammatory activities of the purified recombinant ADI originating from Lactococcus lactis ssp. lactis ATCC7962 (LADI). LADI dose-dependently inhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced upregulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase and the production of nitric oxide in RAW 264.7 murine macrophages. The induction of cyclooxygenase-2 expression and subsequent production of prostaglandin $E_2$ by LPS was also attenuated by LADI treatment. Moreover, LADI inhibited the production of interleukin-6 in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. These results indicate that LADI exerts anti-inflammatory effects, which may in part explain its chemopreventive potential.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.303-309
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• 2017

${\beta}$-sitosterol, one of phytosterols, exhibited numerous pharmacological effect including anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer and immune-modulating properties. This study attempted to determine the pharmacological effects of ${\beta}$-sitosterol on atopic dermatitis (AD). We investigated to ascertain the pharmacological effects of ${\beta}$-sitosterol on 2, 4-dinitrochlrobenzene (DNCB)-induced AD symptom and histamine-induced scratching behaviors in mice. Additionally, we evaluated the effects of ${\beta}$-sitosterol on the interleukin (IL)-6 levels in HaCaT cells and skin tissue of AD. The findings of this study demonstrated that ${\beta}$-sitosterol reduced AD clinical symptoms such as eczematous, erythema and dryness and serum histamine and IgE levels in DNCB-induced AD model and histamine-induced scratching behaviors in mice. Additionally, ${\beta}$-sitosterol inhibited the IL-6 expression in AD-like skin lesion and HaCaT cells. Collectively, these findings provide that ${\beta}$-sitosterol could be a therapeutic agent for skin inflammation including AD.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.316-327
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• 1998

This study was designed to examine the tissue levels of interleukin-$1{\alpha}$(IL-$1{\alpha}$), interleukin-$1{\beta}$(IL-$1{\beta}$) and tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$(TNF-${\alpha}$) in inflamed human dental pulps and periapical lesions, and to determine the relationship between each cytokine and pulpal and periapical pathosis. The pulps used in this experiment, were obtained in routine endodontic treatment and the periapical lesions in periapical surgery after clinical diagnoses were performed. These specimens were divided into four groups as normal pulp group(control group, n=9), acute pulpitis group(n=g), chronic pulpitis group(n= 10) and periapical lesion group(n= 18) and stored in liquid N2. For extract preparation, tissues were finely minced with a scalpel, and the fragments were incubated in $0.5m\ell$ homogenizing buffer (0.1 mol/L potassium chloride, 0.02 mol/L TRIS; pH=7.6) for two hours and grinded with glass homogenizer. Debris was removed by centrifugation and supernatants were immediately tested with enzymelinked immunosorbent assay (ELISA, R&D Co., Minneapolis, USA). Following results were obtained; 1. The concentrations of IL-$1{\alpha}$ in all experimental groups were significantly higher than in control group(p<0.05). And the concentrations of IL-$1{\alpha}$ in periapical lesion group were somewhat higher than in two pulpitis groups, but the differences among those groups were not stastically significant (p>0.05). 2. The concentrations of IL-$1{\beta}$ in all experimental groups were significantly higher than in control group (p<0.05), and all the experimental groups expressed similar concentrations. 3. The concentrations of TNF-${\alpha}$ in all experimental groups were higher than in control group but only the differences between chronic pulpitis group and control group were statistically significant(p<0.05). And the concentrations of TNF-${\alpha}$ in acute and chronic pulpit is groups were higher than in periapical lesion group but only the differences between chronic pulpitis group and periapical lesion group were statistically significant (p<0.05). 4. There was significant correlation only between IL-$1{\alpha}$ and IL-$1{\beta}$ in periapical lesion group (p<0.05).

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.497-506
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• 2021

Besides using for hair removal, depilatory agents have been considered to be used as a penetration enhancer for transepidermal drug delivery. To examine the effect in hair follicles (HFs), two commercially available depilatory creams were tested on the dorsal skin of mice to monitor the effect deep into the skin structure. Fifteen male BALB/c mice were used in this study. Depilatory creams were applied to the dorsal skin of the same animal using shaved and untouched treatments as controls to minimize individual differences. Skin samples were collected at three days, one week and two weeks (n = 5 for each) after the treatment, and subjected for hematoxylin-eosin staining, and immunohistochemical analysis for proinflammatory cytokines. The morphological examination showed an increase in the thickness of epidermal layer of the depilatory cream-treated skin at early time points and in the subcutis at two weeks. Depilatory cream promoted entry of anagen phase and increased the number of hair follicles in the subcutis at one and two weeks. Immunohistochemistry showed elevated percentages of dermal fibroblasts expressing interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, and tumor necrosis factor-β. Shaving process increased the thickness of epidermis and dermis as depilatory creams did, but did neither induce the expression of proinflammatory cytokines in the dermal fibroblasts nor the number of HFs. The results suggested that the commercially available depilatory creams caused a transient minor inflammatory response of the skin and increased the levels of cytokines that might subsequently affect hair growth.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.11-17
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• 2010

Here, we evaluated the effect of thrombin on the interleukin-6 production induced by tumor-necrosis-factor-$\alpha$ in endothelial cells. It is well known that tumor-necrosis-factor-$\alpha$ mediates inflammatory responses by activation of nuclear factor-kappa-B in endothelial cells. Here, we showed that lower concentration of thrombin decreased the production of interleukin-6 induced by tumor-necrosis-factor-$\alpha$ and this inhibitory effect of thrombin on interleukin-6 production was mediated by interacting with protease-activated-receptor-1. In addition, phosphoinositide-3-kinase was also involved the anti-inflammatory responses by lower concentration of thrombin in endothelial cells. These results suggested that lower concentration of thrombin mediated anti-inflammatory responses by interacting with protease-activated-receptor-1 on the cell membrane and phosphoinositide-3-kinase in the cell. These findings will provide the important evidence in the development of new medicine for the treatment of severe sepsis and inflammatory diseases and good clue for understanding unknown mechanisms by which thrombin showed the pro-inflammatory or anti-inflammatory activities in endothelial cells.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.109-119
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• 2001

Objective : There are many reports that acupuncture has thermoregulatory effects on human and animals. To investigate the effect and mechanism of antipyretic action of acupuncture, we observed the body temperature and cytokine expressions in the hypothalamus of rats. Methods : Lipopolysaccharide (LPS, i.p., 2.5mg/kg) was injected to conscious rats (Sprague-Dawley, male, n=4l) to cause hyperthermia and simple needling (stainless steel, 0.25 mm o.d., 5 mm insertion for 10 sec with no manipulation) was performed bilaterally with the measurement of rectal temperature. Next, we sacrificed rats to remove brain and determined the level of mRNA for interleukin-6 (IL-6), $interleukin-1{\beta}{\;}(IL-1{\beta})$, interleukin-2 (IL-2) and $interferon-{\gamma}{\;}(IFN-{\gamma})$ in the hypothalamus by using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Resul1s : Needling on forepaw (acupoint HT8) and needling on hindpaw (acupoint BL66 and acupoint LR2) significantly inhibited LPS-induced fever of rats (P<0.01, 10 min after treatment respectively), but same treatment on proximal tail (non-acupoint) did not cause any change on fever. The levels of IL-6 and $IL-1{\beta}$ mRNA in the hypothalamus was significantly enhanced by LPS-injection, while the level of IL-6 and $IL-1{\beta}$ mRNA was markedly reduced after treatment on BL66 (P<0.01). Treatment on forepaw reduced it slightly, but not significantly. Equivalent stimulation on proximal tail did not cause any changes. Conclusions : Our results indicate that acupuncture stimulation on various body parts has differential thermoregulatory effects on LPS-induced fever of rats with site-specificity. And, we suggest that its antipyretic action might be accompanied with the suppression of hypothalamic production of pro-inflammatory cytokine of immune system, IL-6 and $IL-1{\beta}$.

• Journal of Evidence-Based Herbal Medicine
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.1-5
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• 2009

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of Ecklonia cava butanol extract (BFEC) on RAW 264.7 cells. Method : To evaluate of anti-inflammatory of BFEC, We examined cytokine and Nitric oxide(NO) production in lipopolysacchride (LPS)-induced RAW 264.7 cell. Result : Extract of BFEC inhibit LPS-induced interleukin (IL)-6, NO production in human monocyte RAW 264.7 cells. Conclusion : BFEC down-regulated LPS-induced IL-6, NO production, which may be provide a clinical basis for anti-inflammatory properities of BFEC.