• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.196-200
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• 1989

The methanolic extract of the Rhizome of Curcuma zedoaria exhibited a significant prolongation of hexobarbital (HB)-induced hypnosis. Through liquid chromatography of an ether soluble fraction. monitoring by bioassay, three sequiterpenes, germacrone (A), curzerenone (B) and germacrone epoxide (C) were isolated as active consituents. A single treatment (100-200 mg/kg, i.p.) of each compound showed not only a significant prolongation of HB-induced sleeping time but also a significant inhibition of aminopyrine N-demethylase activity in mice, and further exhibited a typical type I binding spectra with oxidized rat hepatic cytochrome P-450 induced by phenobarbital. All of the compounds provoked a sleep episode at a subhypnotic dose of HB, implying that they possess CNS depressant properties.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.30-33
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• 2002

From the bioassay-directed fractionation and isolation of dichloromethane fraction of Aquilaria agallocha, four compounds having MAO inhibitory effect were isolated by repeated silica gel column chromatography. Their chemical structures were established as psoralen (1), bergapten (2), ${\alpha}-amyrin\;acetate$ (3) and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (4) on the basis of their physicochemical and spectral data. Among these compounds, psoralen and bergapten showed high inhibitory activities in vitro against mouse brain MAO with $IC_{50}$ values $21.3\;{\mu}M\;and\;13.8\;{\mu}M$, respectively.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.481-486
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• 1999

Excessive or long term ingestion of alcohol may cause hepatitis, cirrhosis, hepatic tumor and so on. Aldehyde and active form of free oxygen that are metabolites of alcohol in liver are the cause of liver cell damage. The main system of alcohol metabolism is composed of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) and cytochrome P450. In connection with in vivo alcohol metabolism, more than one hundred natural products were screened for inhibition or activation of alcohol dehydrogenase. As a results, we found significant inhibition ($IC_50$) of ADH by methanolic extracts of Puerariae Radix ($61.2{\;}\mu\textrm{g}/ml$), Glycyrrhizae Radix ($105.0{\;}\mu\textrm{g}/ml$), Cinnamomi Ramulus ($7.0{\;}\mu\textrm{g}/ml$), Rhei Rhizoma ($36.7{\;}\mu\textrm{g}/ml$), Mori Cortex Radicis ($106.2{\;}\mu\textrm{g}/ml$), Chrysanthemi Flos ($112.2{\;}\mu\textrm{g}/ml$), Erycibes Caulis ($36.7{\;}\mu\textrm{g}/ml$), and Scutellariae Radix ($122.5{\;}\mu\textrm{g}/ml$)

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.522-528
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• 2001

Tyrosinase plays an important role in the process of melanin biosynthesis, and it is a biochemical target enzyme for skin-whitening agents and the remedy for disturbances in pigmentation. We have screened 25 natural plant extracts for inhibitory effects against DOPA oxidase activity of tyrosinase. For the inhibitory effect against DOPA oxidase activity of tyrosinase, the recombinant human tyrosinase and the purified mushroom tyrosinase were used. Each of the dried plants extracted with methanol, and then the extracts were subjected to sequential fractionations with methylene chloride, ethyl acetate, n-butanol and water, respective The methylene chloride fractions of Angelica tenuissima, Nardostachys chinensis, Bombyx mop and Saposhnikovia divaricata, and the n-butanol fraction of Bombyx mori notably inhibited the human tyrosinase activity as well as mushroom tyrosinase activity (more than 90% inhibition). This study suggests that the above extracts have a potential as whitening agents as single ingredients or in combination with other of the extracts.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.65-68
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• 1995

The methanol extract from the whole parts of the flowers of Chrysanthemum boreals was found to exhibit a significant inhibition of a rat lens aldose reductase (RLAR) activity in vitro. Bioassay guided systematic fractionation of the methanol extract led to the isolation of four flavonoids which were identified as acacetin (1), apigenin (II), luteolin (III) and linarin (IV). Compounds I-III were demonstrated to exhibit a significant inhibition of RLAR. Luteolin (II) was found to be the most potent AR inhibitor with $IC_{50}$ value of $5{\times}10^{-7}M$.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2003.10b
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• pp.205.1-205.1
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• 2003

Several lines of recent evidences have shown that several pro-inflammatory genes or mediators, such as inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS)are strongly expressed in the ischemic brain. Inflammation is now recognized as a significant contributing mechanism in cerebral ischemia because anti-inflammatory compounds or inhibitors of iNOS have been proven to reduce ischemic brain damage. In iNOS assay, hexane fraction of M61 inhibited NO (iNOS IC50, 0.7${\mu}$g/ml). In vivo study was carried out to evaluate neuroprotective effect of hexane fraction of M61 after transient global ischemia using Mongolian gerbil ischemia model. (omitted)

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.302-308
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• 2011

As a part of our ongoing program on finding biologically active components from natural source we found three known constituents from the EtOH extract of the wheat bran. The known compounds were identified as tachioside (1), pinellic acid (2) and tryptophan (3). The structure and relative stereochemistry were determined from MS, 1D and extensive 2D NMR techniques as well as by comparison of their data with the published values. All isolates were tested their inhibitory effects on the adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 cells. The effect of compounds from wheat bran on 3T3-L1 adipocyte differentiation were measured by Oil Red O staining. These results demonstrate that tachioside (1) and pinellic acid (2) decreased lipid content in 3T3-L1 adipocytes by inhibiting lipogenesis. These compounds had shown antiobesity activities.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2014

P-glycoprotein (P-gp) is a permeability glycoprotein also known as multidrug resistance protein 1 (MDR1). P-gp is an ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter that pumps various types of drugs out of cells. These transporters reduce the intracellular concentrations of drugs and disturb drug absorption. The Caco-2 cell permeability assay system is an effective in vitro system that predicts the intestinal absorption of drugs and the functions of enzymes and transporters. Rhodamine-123 (R-123) and digoxin are well-known P-gp substrates that have been used to determine the function of P-gp. Efflux of P-gp substrates by P-gp has been routinely evaluated. To date, a number of herbal medicines have been tested with Caco-2 cell permeability assay system to assess bioavailability. There are growing efforts to find phytochemicals that potentially regulate P-gp function. The Caco-2 cell permeability assay system is a primary strategy to search for candidates of P-gp inhibitors. In this mini review, we have summarized the P-gp modulation by herbal extracts, decoctions or single components from natural products using Caco-2 cell permeability assays. Many natural products are known to regulate P-gp and herbal medicines could be used in combination with conventional drugs to enhance bioavailability.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.390.3-391
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• 2002

Nuclear-kappa B(NF-$\kappa$B) plays a role in the regulation of genes responsible for inflammatory and immune responses as well as growth control of cells. A cell-based assay system for guiding NF-KB activity was developed to determine the influence of activated NF-KB in human keratinocytes. It suggested that this system could be used to determine the quantitative measurement of NF-$\kappa$B activity in the human skin and allow the monitoring of anti-inflammatory agent for dermatological means from various environmental stimuli. (omitted)

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.35-39
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• 2004

Aldose reductase (AR), the key enzyme of the polyol pathway, is known to play important roles in the diabetic complications. The inhibitors of AR, therefore, would be potential agents for the prevention of diabetic complications. In order to clarify the structural requirements of flavonoids for aldose reductase inhibitory activity, thirty flavonoids were examined. Among the thirty flavonoids, flavonols such as quercetin (5), reyneutrin (7), quercitrin (9), isoquercitrin (11), and avicularin (14) were found to exhibit much stronger AR inhibition. Lonicerin (10), amentoflavone (27) and sophoraflavanone B (30) were also showed strong inhibitory activity. Especially, quercitrin and reyneutrin exhibited the most inhibitory potency on rat lens (RL) AR. The results suggested that flavonol having the 7-hydroxyl and/or catechol moiety at the B ring exhibit strong activity. In addition, flavonols having 3-O-monosaccharide also showed stronger inhibition than free flavonols at the 3-position. These results suggested that quercitrin and reyneutrin are attributed to be the promising compounds for the prevention and/or treatment of diabetic complications.