• 대한본초학회지
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• 제23권2호
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• pp.225-233
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• 2008

Objectives : The purpose of the present study was to development of neuroprotective antioxidant agents. For the purpose, we investigated the neuroprotective effect of anti oxidant herb, the root of Polygonum cuspidatum on transient focal cerebral ischemia in rats. Methods : The roots of Polygonum cuspidatum were extracted by 85% MeOH (PCE). Radical scavenging effects were investigated using DPPH assay and TBARs (Thiobarbituric acid reaction substance) assay in brian homogenates. Neuroprotective effect was investigated using transient focal cerebral ischemia rat model (2 h of ischemia, 22 h of reperfusion) by behavioral test and measurement of brain damage using 2, 3, 5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining. Results : PCE showed potent and dose dependent radical scavenging effects in DPPH and TBARs assay. Oral administration of PCE reduced brain infarct volume by 29.7% and improved the sensory motor functional deficit by 29% compared with vehicle treated group. Conclusions : PCE showed radical scavenging effects and neuroprotective effect on stroke rat model. Therefore, Polygonum cuspidatum could be a candidate for the development of neuroprotective-antioxidant agents.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제11권5호
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• pp.171-174
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• 2007

Neuronal death is a common characteristic hallmark of a variety of neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. However, there have been no effective drugs to successfully prevent neuronal death in those diseases, whereas oriental medicinal plants have to possess valuable therapeutic potentials to treat neurodegenerative diseases. In the present study, in an attempt to provide neuroprotective agents from natural plants, 80% methanol extracts of a wide range of medicinal plants, which are native to Jeju Island in Korea, were prepared and their protective effects on hydrogen peroxide-induced apoptotic cell death were examined. Among those tested, extracts from Smilax china and Saururus chinesis significantly decreased hydrogen peroxide-induced apoptotic cell death. The extracts attenuated hydrogen peroxide($H_2O_2$)-induced caspase-3 activation in a dose-dependent manner. Further, plant extracts restored $H_2O_2$-induced depletion of intracellular glutathione, a major endogenous antioxidant. The data suggest that Jeju native medicinal plants could potentially be used as therapeutic agents for treating or preventing neurodegenerative diseases in which oxidative stress is implicated.

• 대한한방부인과학회지
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• 제23권3호
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• pp.1-13
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• 2010

Purpose: These studies were undertaken to evaluate the anti-oxidative and neuroprotective effects of Gamisoyo-san(GMSYS). Materials and Methods: We studied the antioxidant effects of GMSYS by assessing the DPPH free radical and the ABTS radical cation inhibition activities, the total polyphenolic contents(TPC). To evaluate the effects of GMSYS in the human neuroblastoma cells, we measured the cell viabilities in SH-SY5Y cells treated with GMSYS. Then we observed the protective effects of GMSYS against 6-OHDA induced neurotoxicity in SH-SY5Y cells. To confirm the neuroprotective effects of GMSYS in the primary culture of mesencephalic dopaminergic cells, we counted the TH-immunopositive cells and measured the NO and TNF-$\alpha$ after the treatment of GMSYS and 6-OHDA. Results: The DPPH free radical and the ABTS radical cation inhibition activities were increased in a dose dependent manner and the IC50 were $133.60{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ and $106.20{\mu}g/m{\ell}$, respectively. The TPC was 0.78%. There were no differences between the various concentrations of GMSYS and the control in the cell viability of SH-SY5Y cells. The neuroprotective effects of GMSYS were shown in the co-treatment group at the low concentrations of $25{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ and the post-treatment group at all concentrations. After the treatment of GMSYS and 6-OHDA in the primary culture of dopaminergic cells, the TH-immunopositive cells were significantly increased in $0.2{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ of GMSYS than the 6-OHDA group. The NO and TNF-$\alpha$ were significantly decreased in $0.2{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ of GMSYS than the 6-OHDA group. Conclusions: This study shows that GMSYS has the antioxidant and neuroprotective effects, especially in the mesencephalic dopaminergic cells. We suggest that GMSYS could be useful for the treatment of postmenopausal depression related with the degeneration of dopamine neuron.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제40권11호
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• pp.864-870
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• 2017

The uncoupling protein 4 (ucp-4) gene is involved in age-dependent neurodegeneration in C. elegans. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the mechanism underlying the association between mitochondrial uncoupling and neurodegeneration by examining the effects of uncoupling agents and ucp-4 overexpression in C. elegans. Treatment with either DNP or CCCP improved neuronal defects in wild type during aging. Uncoupling agents also restored neuronal phenotypes of ucp-4 mutants to those exhibited by wild type, while ucp-4 overexpression attenuated the severity of age-dependent neurodegeneration. Neuronal improvements were further associated with reductions in mitochondrial membrane potentials. However, these age-dependent neuroprotective effects were limited in mitophagy-deficient mutant, pink-1, background. These results suggest that membrane uncoupling can attenuate age-dependent neurodegeneration by stimulating mitophagy.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제39권1호
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• pp.1-6
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• 2015

Abnormal changes in skin color induce significant cosmetic problems and affect quality of life. There are two groups of abnormal change in skin color; hyperpigmentation and hypopigmentation. Hyperpigmentation, darkening skin color by excessive pigmentation, is a major concern for Asian people with yellowe-brown skin. A variety of hypopigmenting agents have been used, but treating the hyperpigmented condition is still challenging and the results are often discouraging. Panax ginseng has been used traditionally in eastern Asia to treat various diseases, due to its immunomodulatory, neuroprotective, antioxidative, and antitumor activities. Recently, several reports have shown that extract, powder, or some constituents of ginseng could inhibit melanogenesis in vivo or in vitro. The underlying mechanisms of antimelanogenic properties in ginseng or its components include the direct inhibition of key enzymes of melanogenesis, inhibition of transcription factors or signaling pathways involved in melanogenesis, decreasing production of inducers of melanogenesis, and enhancing production of antimelanogenic factor. Although there still remain some controversial issues surrounding the antimelanogenic activity of ginseng, especially in its effect on production of proinflammatory cytokines and nitric oxide, these recent findings suggest that ginseng and its constituents might be potential candidates for novel skin whitening agents.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제48권3호
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• pp.266-275
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• 2024

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a rare subpopulation of cancer cells that exhibit stem cell-like characteristics, including self-renewal and differentiation in a multi-stage lineage state via symmetric or asymmetric division, causing tumor initiation, heterogeneity, progression, and recurrence and posing a major challenge to current anticancer therapy. Despite the importance of CSCs in carcinogenesis and cancer progression, currently available anticancer therapeutics have limitations for eradicating CSCs. Moreover, the efficacy and therapeutic windows of currently available anti-CSC agents are limited, suggesting the necessity to optimize and develop a novel anticancer agent targeting CSCs. Ginseng has been traditionally used for enhancing immunity and relieving fatigue. As ginseng's long history of use has demonstrated its safety, it has gained attention for its potential pharmacological properties, including anticancer effects. Several studies have identified the bioactive principles of ginseng, such as ginseng saponin (ginsenosides) and non-saponin compounds (e.g., polysaccharides, polyacetylenes, and phenolic compounds), and their pharmacological activities, including antioxidant, anticancer, antidiabetic, antifatigue, and neuroprotective effects. Notably, recent reports have shown the potential of ginseng-derived compounds as anti-CSC agents. This review investigates the biology of CSCs and efforts to utilize ginseng-derived components for cancer treatment targeting CSCs, highlighting their role in overcoming current therapeutic limitations.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• 제28권2호
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• pp.216-219
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• 2005

Wogonin (5,7-dihydroxy-8-methoxyflavone) has been reported to exhibit a variety of biological properties including anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective functions. In this study, biological activities of diverse synthetic wogonin derivatives have been evaluated in two experimental cell culture models. Inhibitory activities of wogonin derivatives on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO) production in BV2 microglial cells and on hydrogen peroxide ($H_{2}O_2$)-induced neuronal cell death in SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma were examined. Wogonin derivatives such as WS2 and WS3 showed more potent suppressive activities on LPS-induced NO production and $H_{2}O_2$-induced cytotoxicity than wogonin itself. In addition, thiol substitution played a minor role in enhancing the activities of the derivatives. These findings may contribute to the development of novel anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective agents derived from wogonin.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• 제66권
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• pp.408-415
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• 2023

Alzheimer's disease constitutes a large proportion of all neurodegenerative diseases and is mainly caused by excess aggregation of amyloid beta (Aβ), which results in oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis in the neurons. Populus tomentiglandulosa belongs to the Salicaceae family and is widely distributed in Korea; the antioxidant activities of the extract and fractions from P. tomentiglandulosa have been demonstrated in previous studies. Specifically, the ethyl acetate (EtOAc) fraction of P. tomentiglandulosa (EtOAc-PT) shows the most powerful antioxidative activity. Therefore, the present study investigates the protective effects of EtOAc-PT against neuronal damage in Aβ_25-35-stimulated SH-SY5Y cells. EtOAc-PT restored cell viability significantly as well as inhibited the levels of reactive oxygen species and lactate dehydrogenase release compared to the Aβ_25-35-induced control group. Furthermore, the inflammation- and apoptosis-related protein expressions were investigated to demonstrate its neuroprotective mechanism. EtOAc-PT downmodulated the expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase-2, B-cell lymphoma 2 associated X, and B-cell lymphoma 2. Thus, the findings show that EtOAc-PT has protective effects against Aβ_25-35 by suppressing oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis.

• 한국응용약물학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국응용약물학회 2003년도 Annual Meeting of KSAP : International Symposium on Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences on Obesity
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• pp.62-62
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• 2003

It is now convincing that free radical generation is involved in the pathophy siological mechanisms of ischemic stroke, particularly in ischemia-reperfusion injury. The present study, therefore, examined neuroprotective effect of aloesin isolated from Aloe vera, which was known to have antioxidative activity, in a rat model of transient focal cerebral ischemia. Transient focal cerebral ischemia was induced by occlusion of middle cerebral artery for 2 hr with a silicone-coated 4-0 nylon monofilament in male Sprague-Dawley rats under isoflurane anesthesia Aloesin (1, 3, 10, 30 and 50 mg/kg/injection) was administered intravenously 3 times at 0.5, 2 and 4 hr after onset of ischemia. Neurological score was measured 24 hr after onset of ischemia immediately before sacrifice. Seven serial coronal slices of the brain were stained with 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride and infarct size was measured using a computerized image analyzer. Treatment with the close of 1 or 50 mg/kg did not significantly reduce infarct volume compared with the saline vehicle-treated control group. However, treatments with the closes of 3 and 10 mg/kg significantly reduced both infarct volume and edema by approximately 47% compared with the control group, producing remarkable behavioral recovery effect. Treatment with the close of 30 mg/kg also significantly reduced infarct volume to a lesser extent by approximately 33% compared with the control group, but produced similar degree of behavioral recovery effect. In addition, general pharmacological studies showed that aloesin was a quite safe compound. The results suggest that aloesin can serve as a lead chemical for the development of neuroprotective agents by providing neuroprotection against focal ischemic neuronal injury.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• 제28권6호
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• pp.652-656
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• 2005

A number of thioflavones has been synthesized and evaluated for their iNOS inhibitory activities. Thiowogonin (6) was obtained from naturally occurring chrysin in 5 steps. Other thioflavones were prepared from the corresponding flavones in a single step by the reaction with Lawesson's reagent. The biological activities of thioflavones were not enhanced by the functional group conversion from carbonyl to thiocarbonyl. Compounds 11 and 13 showed potent. NO inhibitory activity at high concentration (40 uM), leading to the possible development of novel neuroprotective agents based on wogonin.