• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.477-481
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• 2012

The rhizomes of Acorus gramineus have frequently been used in traditional medicine mainly for sedation as well as enhancing brain function. In this study, the anti-allergic activity of A. gramineus was investigated. The 70% ethanol extract of the rhizomes of A. gramineus was found to inhibit the allergic response against 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX)-catalyzed leukotriene (LT) production from rat basophilic leukemia (RBL)-1 cells and ${\beta}$-hexosaminidase release from RBL-2H3 cells with $IC_{50}$'s of 48.9 and > $200{\mu}g/ml$, respectively. Among the 9 major constituents isolated, ${\beta}$-asarone, (2R,3R,4S,5S)-2,4-dimethyl-1,3-bis (2',4',5'-trimethoxyphenyl)tetrahydrofuran (AF) and 2,3-dihydro-4,5,7-trimethoxy-1-ethyl-2-methyl-3-(2,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)indene (AI) strongly inhibited 5-LOX-catalyzed LT production in A23187-treated RBL-1 cells, AI being the most potent ($IC_{50}=6.7{\mu}M$). Against ${\beta}$-hexosaminidase release by antigen-stimulated RBL-2H3 cells, only AI exhibited strong inhibition ($IC_{50}=7.3{\mu}M$) while ${\beta}$-asarone and AF showed 26.0% and 39.9% inhibition at $50{\mu}M$, respectively. In addition, the ethanol extract of A. gramineus showed significant inhibitory action against the hapten-induced delayed hypersensitivity reaction in mice by oral administration at 200 mg/kg. Therefore, it is suggested that A. gramineus possesses anti-allergic activity and the constituents including ${\beta}$-asarone and AI certainly contribute to the anti-allergic activity of the rhizomes of A. gramineus.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.90-94
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• 2011

An in vitro bioassay-guide revealed that the methanol (MeOH) extract of the whole plant of Patrinia saniculaefolia (Valerianaceae) showed cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) dual inhibitory activity by assessing their effects on the production of prostaglandin $D_2$ ($PGD_2$) and leukotriene $C_4$ ($LTC_4$) in mouse bone marrow-derived mast cells (BMMCs). Phytochemical study of the MeOH extract of this plant led to the isolation of twelve compounds; ${\beta}$-farnesene (1), squalene (2), nardostachin (3), patridoid I (4), patridoid II (5), patridoid II-A (6), oleanolic acid (7), oleanonic acid (8), 23-hydroxyursolic acid (9), oleanolic acid 3-O-${\alpha}$-L-arabinopyranoside (10), oleanolic acid 3-O-${\beta}$-D-glucopyranoside (11), oleanolic acid 3-O-[${\beta}$-D-xylopyranosyl-(1${\rightarrow}$3)-${\beta}$-D-(6-O-butyl)glucuronopyranoside] (12). Among the compounds, 4 and 5 strongly inhibited both the COX-2-dependent $PGD_2$ generation with $IC_{50}$ values of 8.7 and 13.6 ${\mu}M$, respectively, and the generation of $LTC_4$ in the 5-LOX dependent phase with $IC_{50}$ values of 41.7 and 46.9 ${\mu}M$, respectively, which suggest that the anti-inflammatory activity of P. saniculaefolia might occur in part via the inhibition of both $PGD_2$ and $LTC_4$ generation by 4 and 5.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.113-117
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• 2012

The fruits of Foeniculum vulgare (Foeniculi Fructus) have been widely used in Chinese medicine as an antiemetic, ameliorating stomach ailments and as an analgesic. In order to establish its potential for antiallergic use, inhibitory actions of the fruit on 5-lipoxgenase (5-LOX) and ${\beta}$-hexosaminidase release were evaluated. The 70% ethanol extract of this plant material (FR) considerably inhibited 5-LOX-catalyzed leukotriene production from A23187-induced rat basophilic leukemia (RBL)-1 cells. The $IC_{50}$ was $3.2{\mu}g/ml$. From this extract, 12 major compounds including sabinene, fenchone, ${\gamma}$-terpinene, ${\alpha}$-pinene, limonene, p-anisylacetone, panisylaldehyde, estragole (4-allylanisole), trans-anethole, scopoletin, bergapten and umbelliferone were isolated. And it was found that several terpene derivatives including ${\gamma}$-terpinene and fenchone as well as phenylpropanoid, trans-anethole, showed considerable inhibitory action of 5-LOX. In particular, the $IC_{50}$ of trans-anethole was $51.6{\mu}M$. In contrast, FR and the isolated compounds did not show considerable inhibitory activity on the degranulation reaction of ${\beta}$-hexosaminidase release from antigen-treated RBL-2H3 cells. Against arachidonic acid-induced ear edema in mice, FR and trans-anethole showed significant inhibition by oral administration at doses of 100-400 mg/kg. In conclusion, FR and several major constituents are 5-LOX inhibitors and they may have potential for treating 5-LOX-related disorders.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2010.10a
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• pp.18-18
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• 2010

Molecular insights on the role of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) in potato tuberization are reported in the present study. The PGPRwere isolated from the soil collected from potato fields of Highland Agricultural Research Centre, Pyeongchang, Korea and they were identified to the genus level based on the 16S rRNA sequence analysis. These PGPR were heat-killed, filtered and the filtrates were addedindividually at a concentration of $10^7\;cfu\;mL^{-1}$ in MS (Murashige and Skoog's) medium supplemented with 7% (w/v) sucrose to study their influence on in vitro potato tuberization. Tuber initiation occurred early in untreated control, while tuber growth was pronounced in case of PGPR treatments. The control explants showed tuber formation as a result of sub-apical swelling of stolons while several sessile tubers formed directly in the axils of nodal cuttings in case of PGPR treatments, which is an indication of strong induction for tuberization. Theexplants cultured on MS medium supplemented with bacterial isolate 6 (Bacillus firmus strain 40) showed highest average tuber yield (Ca. 12.56 g per treatment) after 30 days of culture, which was 3 folds increase over the untreated control. A significant increase in lipoxygenase (LOX1) mRNA expression and activity of LOX enzyme were also detected in the tubers induced on PGPR treatments as compared to untreated control. This LOX expression level correlated with increased tuber growth and tuber yield. Further studies focused on the role of bacteria cell wall components, growth regulators and signal molecules released by PGPR are under investigation to elicit clues for PGPR-mediated signal pathway controlling potato tuberization.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.263-268
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• 2015

5-Lipoxygenase (5-LO) plays a pivotal role in the progression of atherosclerosis. Therefore, this study investigated the molecular mechanisms involved in 5-LO expression on monocytes induced by LPS. Stimulation of THP-1 monocytes with LPS ($0{\sim}3{\mu}g/ml$) increased 5-LO promoter activity and 5-LO protein expression in a concentration-dependent manner. LPS-induced 5-LO expression was blocked by pharmacological inhibition of the Akt pathway, but not by inhibitors of MAPK pathways including the ERK, JNK, and p38 MAPK pathways. In line with these results, LPS increased the phosphorylation of Akt, suggesting a role for the Akt pathway in LPS-induced 5-LO expression. In a promoter activity assay conducted to identify transcription factors, both Sp1 and NF-${\kappa}B$ were found to play central roles in 5-LO expression in LPS-treated monocytes. The LPS-enhanced activities of Sp1 and NF-${\kappa}B$ were attenuated by an Akt inhibitor. Moreover, the LPS-enhanced phosphorylation of Akt was significantly attenuated in cells pretreated with an anti-TLR4 antibody. Taken together, 5-LO expression in LPS-stimulated monocytes is regulated at the transcriptional level via TLR4/Akt-mediated activations of Sp1 and NF-${\kappa}B$ pathways in monocytes.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.29 no.8
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• pp.617-623
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• 2006

In our ongoing search for bioactive compounds originating from the endemic species in Korea, we found that the hexane and EtOAc fractions of the MeOH extract from the root of Dystaenia takeshimana (Nakai) Kitagawa (Umbelliferae) showed cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and 5- lipoxygenase (5-LOX) dual inhibitory activity by assessing their effects on the production of prostaglandin $D_2\;(PGD_2)$ and leukotriene $C_4\;(LTC_4)$ in mouse bone marrow-derived mast cells. By activity-guided fractionation, five coumarins, viz. psoralen (2), xanthotoxin (3), scopoletin (4), umbelliferone (5), and (+)-marmesin (6), together with ${\beta}-sitosterol$ (1), were isolated from the hexane fraction, and two phenethyl alcohol derivatives, viz. 2-methoxy-2-(4'-hydroxyphenyl)ethanol (7) and 2-hydroxy-2-(4'-hydroxyphenyl)ethanol (8), three flavonoids, viz. apigenin (9), luteolin (10), and cynaroside (11), as well as daucosterol (12) were isolated from the EtOAc fraction using silica gel column chromatography. In addition, D-mannitol (13) was isolated from the BuOH fraction by recrystallization. Two of the coumarins, scopoletin (4) and (+)- marmesin (6), the two phenethyl alcohol derivatives (7, 8) and the three flavonoids (9-11) were isolated for the first time from this plant. Among the compounds isolated from this plant, the five coumarins as well as the three flavonoids showed COX-2/5-LOX dual inhibitory activity. These results suggest that the anti-inflammatory activity of D. takeshimana might in part occur via the inhibition of the generation of eicosanoids.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.101-111
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• 2005

배 경: Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP)은 양의 시상하부에서 추출된 신경펩타이드 호르몬으로 난소에도 존재하여 배양된 과립막 세포에서 스테로이드합성과 cyclic AMP 형성을 촉진함이 보고되었다. 목 적: 흰쥐 난소를 실험 모델로 사용하여 배란시 황체화호르몬 (luteinizing hormone; LH)에 의해 유도된 PACAP과 PACAP 수용체의 유전자 발현양상과 신호 전달경로를 규명하고자 하였다. 재료 및 방법: 미성숙 흰쥐의 배란전 난포를 체외 배양하면서 LH로 처리하고 PACAP 및 PACAP수용체의 유전자 발현을 보기 위해서는 Northern blot 분석과 in situ hybridization (ISH)을, 그리고 단백질 수준의 PACAP 검색을 위해서는 enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) 분석을 이용하였다. 결 과: LH 처리 후 Northern blot상의 PACAP 유전자 발현은 6~9시간에 일시적으로 최고치에 도달하였으며 ISH로 보아 과립막 세포에서 발현됨을 알 수 있었다. ELISA 분석 상 PACAP 단백질도 LH처리 후 6~12시간에 최고치를 나타내었으며, PACAP 수용체 mRNA 역시 3~9시간에 최고치로 과립막 세포에서 발현되었다. Adenylate cyclase (AC) 억제제인 MDL12330A 처리시 LH로 발현된 PACAP mRNA가 감소되며, AC의 활성제인 forskolin 처리에는 LH시와 유사한 PACAP mRNA의 발현양상을 나타내었다. 그러나 protein kinase C (PKC)의 억제제인 chelerythrine과 2-0-tetradecanolphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) 처리로는 PACAP 의 유전자 발현에 영향을 주지 못하였다. 5-lipoxygenase의 억제제인 MK886이나 nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA)로 처리한 결과 LH로 유도된 PACAP 유전자의 발현이 감소되었으나, cyclooxygenase의 억제제인 indomethacin은 별로 영향을 주지 못하였다. MEK와 p38의 억제제인 PD98059와 SB203580도 LH로 촉진 된 PACAP의 유전자 발현을 농도 의존적으로 억제하였다. 결 론 : 배란전 난포에서 PACAP과 PACAP 수용체의 유전자 발현은 모두 LH의 폭발적 분비에 의해 유도되어 일시적으로 과립막 세포에서 나타나 배란을 위한 국소적인 조절 작용을 할 것으로 추정되며, LH로 촉진된 PACAP 유전자 발현을 위한 신호전달은 cAMP-PKA, lipoxygenase 및 MAP kinase 경로를 통하는 것으로 사료된다.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.293-297
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• 2006

The fruits of Evodia rutaecarpa Benth (Rutaceae) has long been used for inflammatory disorders and some anti-inflammatory actions of its constituents such as dehydroevodiamine, evodiamine and rutaecarpine were previously reported. Since the pharmacological data is not sufficient to clearly establish the scientific rationale of anti-inflammatory medicinal use of this plant material and the search for its active principles is limited so far, three major constituents (evodiamine, rutaecarpine, goshuyuamide II) were evaluated for their anti-inflammatory cellular action mechanisms in the present study. From the results, evodiamine and rutaecarpine were found to strongly inhibit prostaglandin $E_2$ synthesis from lipopolysaccharide-treated RAW 264.7 cells at $1-10{\mu}M$. Evodiamine inhibited cyclooxygenase-2 induction and NF-kB activation, while rutaecarpine did not. On the other hand, goshuyuamide II inhibited 5-lipoxygenase from RBL-1 cells $(IC_{50}=6.6{\mu}M)$, resulting in the reduced synthesis of leukotrienes. However, these three compounds were not inhibitory against inducible nitric oxide synthase-mediated nitric oxide production from RAW cells up to $50{\mu}M$. These pharmacological properties may provide the additional scientific rationale for anti-inflammatory use of the fruits of E. rutaecarpa.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.63 no.4
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• pp.338-359
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• 2018

Soybean (Glycine max L.), a major part of Asian diet, is consumed primarily for its nutritional value. However, poor storage stability often leads to loss of nutritional value or deterioration in quality. This study focused on the storage stability of soy flour obtained from raw and roasted "Saedanbaek" soybeans packed in polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PPE) film bags that were stored at $4^{\circ}C$, $20^{\circ}C$ and $45^{\circ}C$ for 48 weeks. The early acid values (diene and p-anisidine) of raw soybean flour (RSF) at high temperature (HT) were higher than those at refrigerated temperature (RFT) and room temperature (RT) during 48 and 12 to 36 weeks, respectively. In the case of roasted soybean flour (ROSF), which was stored at RFT and RT, the acid and conjugated diene values gradually increased after 24 weeks. In RSF, the peroxide value increased since the beginning of the $24^{th}$ week. The p-anisidine value also increased during 12 to 36 weeks but was much lower than the values obtained from HT storage. As the peroxide values decreased, the p-anisidine values increased, indicating an inverse relationship. Lipoxygenase activity of ROSF at all storage conditions was lower than RSF. Several differences were observed between the packing materials used. This study could, therefore, provide useful information for the industrial use of soybean flour (SF).

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.44 no.12
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• pp.893-899
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• 2021

BLT2 is a low-affinity receptor for leukotriene B₄, a potent lipid mediator of inflammation generated from arachidonic acid via the 5-lipoxygenase pathway. The aim of this study was to investigate whether BLT2 plays any role in sepsis, a systemic inflammatory response syndrome caused by infection. A murine model of cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)-induced sepsis was used to evaluate the role of BLT2 in septic inflammation. In the present study, we observed that the levels of ligands for BLT2 (LTB₄ [leukotriene B₄] and 12(S)-HETE [12(S)-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid]) were significantly increased in the peritoneal lavage fluid and serum from mice with CLP-induced sepsis. We also observed that the levels of BLT2 as well as 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO) and 12-LO, which are synthesizing enzymes for LTB₄ and 12(S)-HETE, were significantly increased in lung and liver tissues in the CLP mouse model. Blockade of BLT2 markedly suppressed the production of sepsis-associated cytokines (IL-6 [interleukin-6], TNF-α [tumor necrosis factor alpha], and IL-1β [interleukin-β] as well as IL-17 [interleukin-17]) and alleviated lung inflammation in the CLP group. Taken together, our results suggest that BLT2 cascade contributes to lung inflammation in CLP-induced sepsis by mediating the production of inflammatory cytokines. These findings suggest that BLT2 may be a potential therapeutic target for sepsis patients.