• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.89-101
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• 2012

Objectives : The purpose of this study was find out the therapeutic effects of its exclusive use on the rat with allergic rhinitis. Materials and Methods : Thirty Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three group : normal group, control group and sample group. To induce the allergic rhinitis in control group and sample group, rats were sensitized intraperitoneally with 0.1% ovalumin solution 3 times at intervals of 1 week. Then intranasal sensitization was performed by diffusing 0.1% ovalumin solution 3 times at intervals of 2 days. After that time, rats in the sample group were administered by $Yonghyang$($LI_{20}$) subcutaneously to treat the inflammation. Results : 1. The anti-oxidant effects of $Hwangryunhaedok-tang$ extract was dose-dependantly increased. 2. The RAW 264.7 cells were treated with LPS for 1 hours prior to the addition of indicated concentrations ($0.4,-1.0mg/m{\ell}$) of HHT, and the cells were further incubated for 24 hours. The LPS-induced iNOS mRNA expression and NO production were dose-dependantly decreased in HHT treated RAW 264.7 cells. 3. The number of eosinophil in HP noticeably decreased than CON and this decrease had probability. The infiltration of eosinophil in HP noticeably decreased than CON. 4. The damaged mucosa as disruption of cilia in respiratory cell and vacant mucose secreting cell were increased CON, but HP same as normal configuration. Decrease of PAS positive cell were shown in CON, but goblet cell occupied with neutral mucous were shown in HP. Decrease of mucosal stress(HSP70). Decrease of perennial sign(PPAR-${\gamma}$). Decrease of icthing and sneezing intricate neurotransmitter-(substance P). 5. The anti-inflammation of HHT pharmacopuncture for AR caused mucosa comes to result as belows. Decrease of pre-inflammation cytokine(TNF-${\alpha}$). Decrease of transcription factor (NF-${\kappa}B$ p65). Decrease of transcription factor inhibitor(p-$I{\kappa}B$). Decrease of inflammation cytokine(iNOS). Conclusions : The results may suggest that administration treatment using $Hwangryunhaedok-tang$ pharmacopucnture decreases the inflammatory response on an animal model with allergic rhinitis.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.33-43
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• 2014

This study was performed to investigate the protective effects of acupuncture on the liver in the oxidative stress caused by cadmium accumulation. Sprague-Dawley male($150{\pm}30g$) rats were stabilized for a week and divided into 5 groups which is normal, control, $LR_3$ acupuncture, $BL_{23}$ acupuncture and sham acupuncture group. For three days experimental groups were received oral doses of cadmium 2 mg/kg twice a day. Acupuncture was given bilaterally at each point 10 times for two weeks. The depth of stimulation was 1 mm at right angles and torsion of acupuncture was produced 2 times per second for 1 minutes. The liver was shipped off and taken weight at the last day of two weeks, and hepatic functions was confirmed through alanine transaminase(ALT) and aspartate amino-transferase(AST). We measured reactive oxygen species of serum, liver and kidney, and compared expression levels of superoxide dismutase(SOD), catalase, glutathione peroxidase(Gpx), nuclear factor erythroid derived 2-related factor 2(Nrf-2), heme oxygenase-1(HO-1), nuclear factor-${\kappa}B$ (NF-${\kappa}B$), cyclooxygenase-2(COX-2), inducible nitric oxide synthase(iNOS), Bax and Cytochrome c. $BL_{23}$ acupuncture group significantly increased liver weight and decreased ALT compared to control group. For the oxidative stress, $LR_3$ acupuncture group significantly reduced reactive oxygen species, and $BL_{23}$ acupuncture group significantly reduced reactive oxygen species and inflammation-related protein compared to control group. But $LR_3$ acupuncture group and $BL_{23}$ acupuncture group didn't significantly reduce apoptosis-related protein. Therefore $LR_3$ and $BL_{23}$ acupuncture showed the effects of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, especially $BL_{23}$ acupuncture was more effective than $LR_3$ acupuncture on the protection of liver in the oxidative stress.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.41-51
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• 2015

Objectives : This study was performed to investigate the effects of $LR_3$ and $SP_6$ acupuncture on renal damage in streptozotocin(STZ)-induced diabetic mice. Methods : ICR male mice were stabilized for a week and divided into four groups: a normal mice group(N), no-acupuncture diabetic mice group(Control), $LR_3$ acupuncture diabetic mice group($LR_3$), and $SP_6$ acupuncture diabetic mice group($SP_6$). Diabetes was experimentally induced by intraperitoneal injection of STZ(150 mg/kg) in citrate buffer(pH 4.5). For two weeks, $LR_3$ and $SP_6$ acupunctures were administered bilaterally at each point once a day. After two weeks, the animals' weight was measured and they underwent a laparotomy. Serum glucose and blood urea nitrogen(BUN) were measured from the blood taken from the heart. We measured glucose, reactive oxygen species(ROS), peroxynitrite($ONOO^-$) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances(TBARS) in the kidney and compared expression levels of superoxide dismutases(SOD), glutathione peroxidase(GPx), nuclear factor-kappa B(NF-${\kappa}B$), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), inducible nitric oxide synthase(iNOS) and Interleukin-1 beta(IL-$1{\beta}$). Results : BUN significantly decreased in $LR_3$, $SP_6$ compared to the control group. $LR_3$ showed significantly decreased glucose compared to the control group. $LR_3$, $SP_6$ significantly decreased in ROS and $ONOO^-$ compared to the control group. $LR_3$ significantly decreased in TBARS compared to the control group. $SP_6$ significantly increased in expressions of SOD-1, catalase, and GPx compared to the control group. $LR_3$, $SP_6$ significantly decreased in COX-2 compared to the control group. $SP_6$ significantly decreased in IL-$1{\beta}$ compared to the control group. Conclusions : This study suggests that $LR_3$ acupuncture may be effective in controlling glucose and lipid peroxidation and that $SP_6$ acupuncture may have anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects on renal damage in STZ-induced diabetic mice.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.516-520
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• 2011

Osteoporosis is social problem around the world, because fracture of old age may lead to critical medical condition. Osteoclast is a main target for prevention and treatment of osteoporosis due to their responsibility for bone resorption. Saussureae Radix has been known that has gastro-protective, bronchodilatory effect and has a anti-biotic effect. Saussureae Radix has been widely used in Oriental medicine. However, the effect of extract of Saussureae Radix in osteoclast differentiation remains unknown. Thus, we examined the effect of Saussureae Radix in receptor activator of nuclear factor-${\kappa}$B ligand (RANKL)-induced osteoclast differentiation. From the results of our study, Here we found that Saussureae Radix significantly inhibited osteoclast differentiation induced by RANKL. Saussureae Radix suppressed the activation of NF${\kappa}$B in bone marrow macrophages (BMMs) treated with RANKL. Also, Saussureae Radix significantly inhibited the mRNA expression of c-Fos, tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP), osteoclast-associated receptor (OSCAR), nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT)c1 and cathepsin K in BMMs treated with RANKL. Particularly, Saussureae Radix greatly inhibited the protein expression of c-fos and NFATc1. especially in the case of NFATc1 expression, a master transcription factor of the differentiation of osteoclasts is very important step for osteoclastogenesis. These results demonstrate that Saussureae Radix may be useful treatment option of bone-related disease such as osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.538-543
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• 2012

The Maillard Reaction Products (MRPs) are chemical compounds which have been known to be effective in chemoprevention. Death receptors (DR) play a central role in directing apoptosis in several cancer cells. In our previous study, we demonstrated that (E)-2,4-bis(p-hydroxyphenyl)-2-butenal, a MRP product, inhibited human colon cancer cell growth by inducing apoptosis via nuclear factor-${\kappa}B$ (NF-${\kappa}B$) inactivation and $G_2$/M phase cell cycle arrest. In this study, (E)-2,4-bis(p-hydroxyphenyl)-2-butenal diacetate, a new (E)-2,4-bis(p-hydroxyphenyl)-2-butenal derivative, was synthesized to improve their solubility and stability in water and then evaluated against NCI-H460 and A549 human lung cancer cells. (E)-2,4-bis(p-hydroxyphenyl)-2-butenal diacetate reduced the viability in both cell lines in a time and dose-dependent manner. We also found that (E)-2,4-bis(p-hydroxyphenyl)-2-butenal diacetate increased apoptotic cell death through the upregulation of the expression of death receptor (DR)-3 and DR6 in both lung cancer cell lines. In addition to this, the transfection of DR3 siRNA diminished the growth inhibitory and apoptosis inducing effect of (E)-2,4-bis(p-hydroxyphenyl)-2-butenal diacetate on lung cancer cells, however these effects of (E)-2,4-bis(p-hydroxyphenyl)-2-butenal diacetate was not changed by DR6 siRNA. These results indicated that (E)-2,4-bis(p-hydroxyphenyl)-2-butenal diacetate inhibits human lung cancer cell growth via increasing apoptotic cell death by upregulation of the expression of DR3.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.228-236
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• 2016

Background: Sedum takesimense Nakai has been used as folk medicine in Korea. The present study aimed to determine the biological activity of S. takesimense by investigating the anti-inflammatory effects of S. takesimense water extract (SKLC) on the lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory response in RAW 264.7 cells. Methods and Results: Cytotoxicity of SKLC on RAW 264.7 cells was determinded by performing MTS assay was found to have no cytotoxic effect on RAW 264.7 cells at a concentration range of $62-500{\mu}g/m{\ell}$. Further, pretreatment of SKLC inhibited lipopolysaccharide-induced nitric oxide (NO) production in a dose-dependent manner. To determined the inhibitory mechanisms of SKLC on inflammatory mediators, we assessed the inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygnease-2 (COX-2) pathways. The activities of these pathways were decreased in a dose-dependent manner by SKLC. The production of tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$), interleukin $(IL)-1{\beta}$, and IL-6 were also reduced. Conclusions: These results suggest that the down regulation of iNOS, COX-2, TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-$1{\beta}$, and IL-6 expression by SKLC are mediated by the down regulation of nuclear factor-${\kappa}B$ (NF-${\kappa}B$) activity, a transcription factor necessary for pro-inflammatory mediators. This might be the mechanism underlying the anti-inflammatory effects of SKLC.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.275-284
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• 2014

This study was orchestrated with the purpose of uncovering new nutraceutical resources possessing biological activities in the plant kingdom. To fulfill our objective, we analyzed several Chinese plants and selected three possessing powerful anti-oxidative activities. The anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects these three Chinese plants, Malus hupehensis, Ophiorrhiza cantonensis, and Psychotria rubra ethanol extracts were then evaluated. First of all, they possessed potent scavenging activity against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl, similar with that of ascorbic acid, used as a positive control. Moreover, they inhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS)- and hydrogen peroxide-induced reactive oxygen species, in a dose-dependent manner, in RAW 264.7 cells. Also, they induced the expression of an anti-oxidative enzyme, heme oxygenase 1, and its upstream transcription factor, nuclear factor-E2-related factor 2. Furthermore, they suppressed LPS-induced nitric oxide (NO) formation, without cytotoxicity. The inhibition of NO formation was the result of the down regulation of inducible NO synthase (iNOS). The suppression of NO and iNOS by the three extracts might be the result of modulation by the upstream transcription factors, nuclear factor ${\kappa}B$ and activator protein-1. Taken together, these results indicate that these three Chinese plants possess potent anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory activities. Therefore, they might be utilized as promising materials in the field of nutraceuticals.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.45 no.11
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• pp.1595-1603
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• 2016

The present study examined the anti-inflammatory effects of Oenanthe javanica ethanol extract (OJE) and its fraction on the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory response in RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. OJE remarkably reduced protein expression of inducible nitric oxide (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), resulting in inhibition of production of nitric oxide (NO). In order to identify the anti-inflammatory effects of bioactive fractions, OJE was fractionated into hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, and n-butanol fractions. The results show that the ethyl acetate and dichloromethane fractions reduced production of NO without cytotoxicity. Especially, the ethyl acetate fraction effectively reduced protein expression of iNOS and COX-2. Proinflammatory cytokine production was also reduced by ethyl acetate fractions in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells. These data suggest that OJE and its fraction possess pharmacological activity and might be useful for development of anti-inflammatory agents or dietary supplements.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.191-198
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• 2018

BACKGROUD/OBJECTIVES: Neuroinflammation plays critical role in neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). We investigated the effect of three licorice varieties, Glycyrhiza uralensis, G. glabra, and Shinwongam (SW) on a mouse model of inflammation-induced memory and cognitive deficit. MATERIALS/METHODS: C57BL/6 mice were injected with lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 2.5 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) and orally administrated G. uralensis, G. glabra, and SW extract (150 mg/kg/day). SW, a new species of licorice in Korea, was combined with G. uralensis and G. glabra. Behavioral tests, including the T-maze, novel object recognition and Morris water maze, were carried out to assess learning and memory. In addition, the expressions of inflammation-related proteins in brain tissue were measured by western blotting. RESULTS: There was a significant decrease in spatial and objective recognition memory in LPS-induced cognitive impairment group, as measured by the T-maze and novel object recognition test; however, the administration of licorice ameliorated these deficits. In addition, licorice-treated groups exhibited improved learning and memory ability in the Morris water maze. Furthermore, LPS-injected mice had up-regulated pro-inflammatory proteins, such as inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2, interleukin-6, via activation of toll like receptor 4 (TLR4) and nuclear factor-kappa B ($NF{\kappa}B$) pathways in the brain. However, these were attenuated by following administration of the three licorice varieties. Interestingly, the SW-administered group showed greater inhibition of iNOS and TLR4 when compared with the other licorice varieties. Furthermore, there was a significant increase in the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the brain of LPS-induced cognitively impaired mice that were administered licorice, with the greatest effect following SW treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The three licorice varieties ameliorated the inflammation-induced cognitive dysfunction by down-regulating inflammatory proteins and up-regulating BDNF. These results suggest that licorice, in particular SW, could be potential therapeutic agents against cognitive impairment.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.45-57
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• 2013

Objectives : Daucus carota sativa has been frequently used as food supplements in many of the Asian countries, and a nutritional medical drug in traditional medicine. This research investigated the effects of Daucus carota sativa extract (DCE) on acute phases of inflammation in Raw 264.7 cells treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in terms of the inhibition of nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin $E_2$ ($PGE_2$) and pro-inflammatory cytokines production. Methods : NO, $PGE_2$, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$, interleukin-$1{\beta}$ and interleukin-6 contents were assayed by ELISA, and expressions of inflammation-related proteins such as inducible NO synthase (iNOS) were determined by immunoblot analyses. Results : DCE treatment attenuated the LPS ability to increase the productions of NO and $PGE_2$ as well as the protein level of iNOS in a concentration-dependent manner. Consistently, treatment of the cells with DCE suppressed the production of TNF-${\alpha}$, interleukin-$1{\beta}$ and interleukin-6. DCE also caused decreases of inhibitor of ${\kappa}B{\alpha}$ phosphorylation induced by LPS in the cells, which means DCE inhibition of NF-${\kappa}B$ activity. Furthermore, DCE blocked LPS-induced phosphorylation of p38 and SAPK/JNK. Conclusion : This study showing here may be of help to understand the action mechanism of DCE, and provide the information for the medical use of Daucus carota sativa for the inflammatory disease.