• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.1135-1141
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• 2007

In recent year, We are concerned in anti-aging, disease-protection, long-life, many method are used in solving this problem. Recently, We heard that Luffae Fructus Retinervus(LFR) has effect of anti-aging, disease-protection, long-life. So I let made a experiment for this result. The purpose of this study is to; 1) the anti-oxidant effect of Luffae Fructus Retinervus(LFR) used for 3 methods, those are DPPH radical scavenging activity, Nitric oxide(NO) radical scavenging activity, Superoxide anion radical scavenging activity, 2) cultivation 3T3-L 1 Preadipocytes and Protein chip used for ProteoPlexTM 16-Well Murine Cytokine Array Kit. We measured level of DPPH radical scavenging activity. And we experienced that the ability of DPPH radical's elimination was increased by rising concentration of LFR. When the concentration of LFR was 5 mg/ml, the ability of DPPH radical's elimination was Maximum. We measured level of Nitric oxide(NO) radical scavenging activity. And we founded that the ability of NO radical's elimination was significant when concentration of LFR was from 1.25 mg/ml to 2.5 mg/ml. We measured level of Superoxide anion radical scavenging activity. And we founded that the ability of Superoxide anion radical's elimination was maximum when concentration of LFR was 0.3125 mg. When we inspected Antioxidative Effects with BSA, we experienced that ability of defense was increased by rising concentration of LFR. We known the immunity of LFR about 3T3-L1 Preadipocytes and gained the increase of Cytokines(IL-2, IL-4, GM-CSF) without IL-12p70, $INF-{\gamma}$, $TNF-{\alpha}$ So I guess that Luffae Fructus Retinervus(LFR) has effects of anti-aging, disease-protection, long-life, etc.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.131-144
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• 2005

Objective : The aim of this study is to observe the effect of Herbal-acupuncture(HA) with Luffae Fructus Retinervus Herbal-Acupuncture Solution(LFR-HAS) at ST36(Joksamni) on Collagen Ⅱ -induced arthritis(CIA) in mice. Methods : DBA1/J mice were immunized with bovine type Ⅱ collagen(CⅡ) on days 0 and 21 to induce an arthritis. The mice were divided into 5 groups. They were Normal group(wild type), Control group(CIA), Saline group(CIA +saline injection), Needle Prick group(CIA +single Prick with an injection needle) and LFR-HA group(CIA +LFR-HA treatment). The saline injection, needle prick and LFR-HA were made on the right ST36(Joksamni) of mice for 5 weeks, 3 times a week beginning 4 weeks after the booster immunization. Results : 1. The highest synovial rate of lung fibroblasts was measured in the 1% LFR-HAS. 2. TNF-${\alpha}$ expression of survival cells from CIA mouse joint was significantly reduced in the 1% LFR-HAS. 3. The incidence of arthritis and the spleen weight of CIA mouse were significantly reduced by the Luffae Fructus Retinervus Herbal-Acupuncture (LFR-HA) at ST36. 4. The concentrations of IL-6, INF-${\alpha}$, INF-${\alpha}$, IgG, IgM, and anti-collagen Ⅱ in the CIA mouse serum were significantly reduced by the LFR-HA at ST36. 5. The histological examination showed that, in the LFR-HA group, the cartilage destruction and the synoviocyte proliferation in the CIA mouse joint were not significant compared to the control group, and the collagen fiber was similarly expressed as the normal group. 6. In the LFR-HA group, the ratio of CD3e+ to CD19+ cell, and the ratio of CD4+ to CD8+ cell in the lymph node were similarly maintained as those of the normal group. 7. CD69+/CD3e+ and CD11a+/CD19+ cells in the CIA mouse lymph node were significantly reduced by the LFR-HA at ST36. 8. CD11b+/Gr-1+ cells in the CIA mouse joint were significantly reduced by the LFR-HA at ST36. Conclusions : These results indicate that Luffae Fructus Retinervus Herbal-Acupuncture (LFR-HA) at ST36 may regulate the immune system and have a therapeutic effect on Collagen-induced arthritis(CIA) in mice.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.388-398
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• 2009

Background and Objective: Luffae Fructus Retinervus (LFR) is used for investigating symptoms of inflammation. We have evaluated the anti-inflammatory effect of LFR by analyzing the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Materials and Methods : We differentiated THP-l cells into macrophage-like cells by treatment with PMA. Inflammation was induced by treatment with LPS and PMA. We determined the safe concentration of LFR by using the MTS and MTT assays and using PD 98059 as a negative control for comparison of the anti-inflammatory effect of LFR. Results : The MTS and MTT analysis showed that the cell survival rate was >80% within the LFR concentration range of 10-100 ng/ml and began to decrease to >80% at 1 ${\mu}g/ml$. By RT-PCR analysis, the gene expression of TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-8, TGF-${\beta}$, IL-6, IL-${\beta}$1, and IL-10 levels were down-regulated when monocyte-derived macrophages were treated with concentrations of LFR between 10 ng/mL and 100 ng/mL. Conclusion : We conclude that LFR exerts an anti-inflammatory effect by inhibiting the expression of pro-inflammatory activity. The results suggest a promising way to treat general inflammatory diseases.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.190-195
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• 2009

Osteoblasts play an important role in bone metabolism by bone formation. Natural medicines having a stimulatory activity on osteoblast proliferation and differentiation can improve bone diseases such as osteoporosis. The methanol extracts of 159 herbal medicines were screened for the stimulatory activity on osteoblast proliferation by MTT assay and differentiation in the presence of ascorbic acid and $\beta$-glycerophosphate. Among the tested extracts, Alpiniae Semen, Amomi Semen, Anemarrhenae Rhizoma, Bambusae Folium, Cannabis Semen, Dalbergiae odoriferae Lignum, and Luffae Fructus Retinervus showed relatively strong stimulatory activity on osteoblast proliferation, whereas Amomi Semen showed strong stimulatory activity on osteoblast differentiation.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.302-309
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• 2010

Oxidative stress has been implicated in cutaneous damage in various inflammatory skin diseases, including atopic dermatitis (AD). Atoberry is the herb medicine extract which is composed with Spirodelae Herba, Xanthii Fructus, Houttuyniae Herba, Taraxaci Herba, Retinervus Luffae Fructus, Platycodi Radix, and Scutellariae Radix. In this study, we investigated the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of Atoberry in AD-like skin lesion NC/Nga mice. Murine AD-like skin lesions were made by painting Dermatophagoides farinse (Df) extract. Atoberry significantly increased electron donating ability (DPPH), nitrite scavenging (NO) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities in dose dependant. Topically applied Atoberry significantly reduced clinical severity score, ear thickness and histological grade in AD-like skin lesion NC/Nga mice. In addition, the serum levels of IgE, NO and prostaglandin E2 were significantly reduced by Atoberry. Futhermore, skin tissue levels of SOD, catalase and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were significantly reduced by Atoberry. These results demonstrate that topical application of Atoberry may be improve the AD-like skin lesion by antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.