• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.869-885
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• 2000

Fibroblasts are major cellular components of gingiva and periodontal ligament. They regulate the healing process after surgery or injury. Recently, many natural medicines, whose advantages are less side effects and possibility of long-term use, have been studied for their capacity, their anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory effects and regenerative potential of periodontal tissues. Sophorae radix have been traditionally used as an anti-bacterial and antiinflammatory drug in oriental medicine. The purpose of present study was to investigate the effects of Sophorae radix extract on cell cycle progression and its molecular mechanism in human gingival fibroblasts. Sophorae radix extracts($100{\mu}g/ml$) notably increased cell proliferation and cell activity in the human gingival fibroblasts as compared to non-supplemented controls. There was an increase in the S phase and a decrease in the G1 phase in $100{\mu}g/ml$ of Sophorae radix extracts group as compared to non-supplemented controls. The level of cyclin E and cdk 2 protein in test group was higher than that of control groups. But that of cyclin D, cdk 4, and cdk 6 was not distinguished from controls. The level of p53 protein in test group was lower than that of controls, whereas that of p21 was not different. The level of pRB protein in test group was higher than that of controls, whereas that of p16 was lower. These results indicate that the increase of cell proliferation by Sophorae radix extracts may be due to the increased expression of cyclin E and cdk 2, and the decreased expression of p53 and p16 in human gingival fibroblasts.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.391-397
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• 1998

The toxicity evaluation of oriental herbal drugs is of great concern at present. Bojungchisup-tang (BCST, in Korean), a decocted medicine of oriental herbal mixture, is now well used in clinic at oriental hospitals for the treatment of edema of several diseases in practice. However, the toxicity of the oriental herbal decocted medicines such as genetic toxicity is not well defined until now. In this respect, to clarify the genetic toxicity of BCST, in vitro chromosome aberration assay with Chinese hamster lung (CHL) fibroblasts and in vivo supravital micronucleus assay with mouse peripheral reticulocytes were performed in this study. In the chromosome aberration assay, we used 5,000 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ml BCST as maximum concentration because no remarkable cytotoxicity in CHL cells was observed both in the presence and absence of S-9 metabolic activation system. No statistical significant differences of chromosome aberrations were observed in CHL cells treated with 5,000, 2,500 and 1,250 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ml BCST for 6 hour both in the presence and absence of S-9 metabolic activation. However, very weak positive result (6.5-8.0% aberration) of BCST was obtained in the absence of S-9 metabolic activation system at 5,000 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ml BCST when treated for 24 hour, i.e. 1.5 normal cell cycle time. And also, in vivo clastogenicity of BCST was studied by acridine orange-supravital staining micronucleus assay using mouse peripheral reticulocytes. We used 2,000 mg/kg as the highest oral dose in this micronucleus assay because no acute oral toxicity of BCST was observed in mice. The optimum induction time of micronucleated reticulocytes (MNRETS) was determined as 36 hours after oral administration of 2,000 mg/kg BCST. No significant differences of MNRETs between control and BCST treatment groups were observed in vivo micronucieus assay. From these results, BCST revealed very weak positive result in chromosome aberration assay in vitro with CHL cells and no clastogenicity in micronucieus assay in vivo.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.287-298
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• 2001

Recently, many natural medicines, which have advantage of less side effects and possibility of long-term use have been studied for their capacity of anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and regenerative potential of periodontal tissues. Olibanum has the effects to hemostasis, analgesic and anti-inflammatory, and it also has been traditionally used as a drug for the treatment of bone disease in oriental medicine. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of Olibanum extracts on the activity and differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells, alkaline phosphatase(ALP) synthesis, formation of bone nodules and expression of type I collagen of MC3T3-E1 cells. To examine the cellular activity, MC3T3-E1 cells were cultured with ${\alpha}-MEM(control)$ and each concentration of Olibanum for 2 days and 4 days. To compare the ALP synthesis, MC3T3-E1 cells were cultured with ${\alpha}-MEM(negative\; control)$, dexamethasone(positive control), and each concentration of Olibanum for 2 days and 4 days. To compare the bone nodule formation, MC3T3-E1 ells were cultured for 21 days, and to compare the type I collagen expression, MC3T3-E1 cells were cultured for 4 days. The cellular activity of MC3T3-E1 cells treated with $1{\mu}g/ml$ of Olibanum extracts was significantly increased at 4-day(p<0.05) to control. The activity of ALP in MC3T3-E1 cells treated with $1{\mu}g/ml$ Olibanum extracts was significantly increased at 4-day(p<0.05). All the experimental groups showed much more bone nodule formation than control groups. The group treated with $1{\mu}g/ml$ of Olibanum extracts was the highest bone nodule formation, and showed much more type I collagen expression than negative control. These results indicate that Olibanum extracts may be considered effective in the activity and differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.97-104
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• 2018

In recent years, more than 5,000 tons of sargassum honeri have been infested in the southern coast and the coast of Jeju Island, causing serious damage to the farms and fisheries, and environmental problems. The alginate contained in the sargassum honeri is a natural polymeric substance mainly used for medicines and foods. However, since there is no way to utilize it in large quantities, a study was carried out to utilize bio polymer obtained from sargassum honeri in producing polymer mortar for repairing deteriorated infrastructures. From the tests of setting time, it was found that the L0BP12 mixture containing 12% of bio polymer increased the setting time by 20% as compared with the L12BP0 mixture using only synthetic polymer. From the tests of water absorbtion, the LOBP12 combination decreased by 0.36% compared to Plain-URHC using ultra rapid hardening cement. This indicated that the watertightness of the mortar was increased by the incorporation of the bio polymer. In the compressive and flexural strength tests, the strength decreased as the amount of bio polymer increased. The incorporation rate of the maximum bio polymer satisfying the KS F 4042 standard was determined to be 12%. In addition, the bond strength of the mortar produced with biopolymer was higher than that of Plain-URHC specimens, and it was confirmed that incorporation of bio polymer improves bond strength of mortar.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.221-226
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• 2006

In order to search anti-obesity agents, the methanol extracts of 155 herbal medicines were screened using with pancreatic lipase, which is involved in conversion of triglycerol to fatty acid. Among the tested medicinal plants, methanol extracts of Amsonia elliptica, Arecae pericarpium, Biota orientalis, Cinnamomum cassia, Curcuma aromatia, Elsholtzia ciliate, Glycyrrhiza uralensis, Mucunae Caulis, Rhus javanica, and Rubus coreanus showed potent inhibition at final concentration of $200\;{\mu}g/ml$ on pancreatic lipase activity. All of them were extracted into chloroform fraction. The relative inhibitory activities against pancreatic lipase by orlistat, the chloroform fraction of Arecae pericarpium and Cinnamomum cassia were 89, 80 and 80%, respectively. These results demonstrated that the screened medicinal plants could be develop as the effective lipase inhibitors in preventing and ameliorating obesity of human beings.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.281-290
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• 2018

Background: Lung cancer, the most common malignant disease worldwide, is the predominant cause of cancer deaths, particularly amongst men. Therefore, various researchers have focused on the growth inhibitory effects of medicinal plants used in traditional Korean medicine. This study aimed to investigate the growth inhibitory effects of ethanol extracts of Rubiae radix, Inulae flos, Nelumbinis receptaculum, Astilbe radix, and Lagerstroemia flos on NCI-H1229 cells. Method and Results: The viability of NCI-H1229 cells was evaluated in vitro using an MTS assay. Treatment with the ethanol extracts of the selected medicinal plants at $500{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ reduced NCI-H1229 cell viability and increased apoptotic cell death and caspase-3 activation. In addition, treatment with ethanol extracts of Inulae flos and Astilbe radix increases DNA fragmentation, as measured by the TUNEL assay. Conclusions: These results indicated that ethanol extracts of Rubiae radix, Inulae flos, Nelumbinis receptaculum, Astilbe radix, and Lagerstroemia flos exhibited growth inhibitory effects, inducing apoptotic cell death, DNA fragmentation and caspase-3 activation in NCI-H1229 cells. Therefore, these medicinal plant extracts may be used in the development of natural medicines to inhibit the growth of lung cancers. However, further study is needed to determine the active ingredients of the ethanol extracts from medicinal plants that are reposible for the inhibitory effect on lung cancer cell grwoth.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.888-894
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• 1998

In order to investigate the radioprotective effect of Si-Wu-Tang (Korean name: Sa-Mul-Tang), a kind of traditional Oriental medicine as a blood-building decoction (Oriental medical concept: Bu-Xie), and Si-Jun-Zi-Tang (Korean name: Sa-Gun-Ja-Tang), one of the widely used Oriental herbal medicines as an energy tonic (Chinese medical concept: Bu-Qi). the jejunal crypt survival, endogenous spleen colony formation, and apoptosis in jejunal crypt cells were observed in irradiated mice. Jejunal crypts were protected by Si-Wu-Tang pretreated both per os (2 mg/mL of drinking water for 7 days, p<0.05) and intraperitoneally (1 mg/head, single injection at 24 hours before irradiation). Si-Wu-Tang adminstration before irradiation(1 mg/head, single injection at 24 hours before irradiation) resulted in an increase of the formation of endogenous spleen colony (p<0.005). The frequency of radiation-induced apoptosis in intestinal crypt cells was also reduced by pretreatment of Si-Wu-Tang (p<0.01). However, the radioprotective effect of Si-Jun-Zi-Tang was not as significant as that of Si-Wu-Tang. These results suggest that Si-Wu-Tang may be a useful radioprotective food, especially since it is a relatively nontoxic natural product.

• Experimental and Molecular Medicine
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• v.50 no.11
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• pp.6.1-6.12
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• 2018

Morphine tolerance remains a challenge in the management of chronic pain in the clinic. As shown in our previous study, the dopamine D2 receptor (D2DR) expressed in spinal cord neurons might be involved in morphine tolerance, but the underlying mechanisms remain to be elucidated. In the present study, selective spinal D2DR blockade attenuated morphine tolerance in mice by inhibiting phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K)/serine-threonine kinase (Akt)-mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling in a ${\mu}$ opioid receptor (MOR)-dependent manner. Levo-corydalmine (l-CDL), which exhibited micromolar affinity for D2DR in D2/CHO-K1 cell lines in this report and effectively alleviated bone cancer pain in our previous study, attenuated morphine tolerance in rats with chronic bone cancer pain at nonanalgesic doses. Furthermore, the intrathecal administration of l-CDL obviously attenuated morphine tolerance, and the effect was reversed by a D2DR agonist in mice. Spinal D2DR inhibition and l-CDL also inhibited tolerance induced by the MOR agonist DAMGO. l-CDL and a D2DR small interfering RNA (siRNA) decreased the increase in levels of phosphorylated Akt and MAPK in the spinal cord; these changes were abolished by a PI3K inhibitor. In addition, the activated Akt and MAPK proteins in mice exhibiting morphine tolerance were inhibited by a MOR antagonist. Intrathecal administration of a PI3K inhibitor also attenuated DAMGO-induced tolerance. Based on these results, l-CDL antagonized spinal D2DR to attenuate morphine tolerance by inhibiting PI3K/Akt-dependent MAPK phosphorylation through MOR. These findings provide insights into a more versatile treatment for morphine tolerance.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.183-193
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• 2016

This study attempted to investigate the possibility of the use of Morinda citrifolia (MC) as a cosmetic ingredient from its physiological activities such as antioxidant activity, cytotoxicity and anti-aging effect. MC is a tropical plant that has been used as traditional polynesian foods and medicines for over two thousand years. It has been reported that this shrub can improve antimicrobial, anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory effects and strengthen an immune system. The in vitro antioxidant activity of MC was performed to see the DPPH scavenging activity by measuring total polyphenol content and total flavonoid content. As a result, a lack of any cytotoxicity was confirmed in human dermal fibroblasts (HDF) cell. When MC extract at a concentration of over $50{\sim}100{\mu}g/mL$ was added, MMP-1 expression considerably diminished. In an in vivo test, in addition, cream containing MC extract was prepared and applied to a total of 22 women in their 30 ~ 50s in ages in the morning and in the evening for four weeks. Changes in keratin, melanin index, pore, skin color and wrinkles under the naked eyes were then comparatively measured. Keratin levels slightly increased in the control group but decreased in the experimental group. In addition, wrinkles diminished in the experimental group. This study found that MC extract controls many MMP-1 related mechanisms with great potential for use as a natural ingredient of anti-aging cosmetics.

• Food Science and Industry
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.302-312
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• 2018

Bioactive peptides generated from milk proteins play an important role in the prevention and alleviation of diabetes. Whey proteins possess direct insulinotropic effect by amino acids (especially branch chain amino acids) produced through its gastrointestinal digestion. Additionally, blood glucose level can be lowered by gut hormone which called incretin [glucose dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1)]. However, physiological effects of incretin readily disappeared by dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) causing degradation of GLP-1. Several DPP-4 inhibitors are currently used as therapeutic medicines for the treatment of type II diabetes. More than 60 natural peptide (2-14 amino acids) DPP-4 inhibitors were identified in milk proteins. Peptide DPP-4 inhibitors act as substrate inhibitor and delay breakdown of GLP-1 both in vitro and in vivo. This review summarizes nutritional quality of milk proteins, absorption and mode of action of bioactive peptides, and finally up-to-dated knowledge on DPP-4 inhibitory peptides derived from milk proteins.