• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.28 no.2 s.70
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• pp.155-165
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• 2007

Objective : The Angelica gigas Nakai ethanol extract (AGE) was investigated to compare nitric oxide (NO) production and $NF-{\kappa}B$ activity from RAW 264.7 cells, since NO and nuclear $factor-{\kappa}B$ $(NF-{\kappa}B)$ have been shown to be factors implicated in inflammatory disease. Method : AGE was prepared by extracting medicinal herb with 70% (v/v) ethanol solution. We investigated production of nitric oxide (NO) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) gene expression by ARE in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. We also investigated inhibition of LPS-induced activation of $NF-{\kappa}B$ on western blot. Result : LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells increased NO production and iNOS expression. Upon treatment with AGE, nitrite production was significantly inhibited in a concentration-dependent manner compared to the untreated control. AGE inhibited this LPS-induced iNOS mRNA and protein in a dose-dependent manner. AGE markedly inhibited the expression of iNOS mRNA and protein at a concentration of 100 ${\mu}g/ml$. LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells with AGE blocked inhibitory $factor-{\kappa}B{\alpha}$ degradation. Conclusion :This study shows that AGE seems to attenuate inflammation through inhibition of NO production and iNOS expression by blockade of $NF-{\kappa}B$ activation in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.260-269
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• 2015

The protective effects of extract powder of Angelica gigas on the degeneration of the articular cartilage in rats was investigated with monosodium iodoacetate (MIA)-induced osteoarthritis, The treatment of high concentration (50 μg/mL) of Angelica gigas effectively inhibited nitric oxide (NO) production induced by interleukin-1α (IL-1α) without any cytotoxicity. Specifically, mRNA and protein expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) were dose dependently reduced by extract powder of Angelica gigas. Importantly, mRNA expression in articular cartilage of inflammatory cytokines, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were clearly reduced. The inflammatory cytokines in blood were also reduced as well. These results suggested that the protective effects on the degeneration of the articular cartilage was derived from the inhibitory effects of mRNA and protein expression of tested inflammatory cytokines which is linked to prevent the degradation of proteoglycan (PG), the main matrix content in articular cartilage. Meanwhile, the 2 hrs incubation of decursin, a major compound of extract powder in rat whole blood rapidely converted decursin into decursinol which shows string anti-inflammatory activity. The coverted decursinol was detected after 8 hrs in whole blood by LC-MS/MS. Conclusively, the inhibitory effects of inflammatory cytokines production in osteoarthritis may be derived from the production of decursinol, which performs against inflammatroy cytokines like TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.14-18
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• 2010

Stevia rebaudiana (SR) is an herb used traditionally as a sweetener in Paraguay and Brazil, whose use is spreading to other countries, such as Japan, Korea and China. In addition to its low calorie sweet taste, SR appears to have other beneficial properties, such as hypotensive capabilities and inflammation reduction. To identify the bioactive natural constituents exerting anti-inflammatory activities, we examined the EtOAc fraction of SR. In the inflammatory mediator inhibitory assay from lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated macrophages, the EtOAc fraction significantly, and dose dependently, inhibited the enhanced production of nitric oxide (NO) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression. We also found that treatment of cells with the EtOAc fraction significantly inhibited LPS-stimulated nuclear factor-${\kappa}B$ (NF-${\kappa}B$) reporter gene expression. Such inhibition of NF-${\kappa}B$ was closely associated with the inhibition of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and the monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1). Therefore, we suggest that SR has the potential for development as a functional food for the treatment of immune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.7-16
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• 2005

Objectives : Scrophulariae Radix (SRE) is commonly used in combination with other herbs as a nutrient and health strengthening agent, and to remove 'heat' and replenish vital essence. The water-based extract of this herb can lower blood pressure in both anesthetized and concious animals, and exhibits an anti-inflammatory activity. But, there is lack of studies regarding the effects of SRE on the immunological activities in molecular levels. The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of SRE on the regulatory mechanism of cytokines and nitric oxide (NO) in Raw 264.7 cells. Method : After the treatment of Scrophulariae Radix methanol extract, cell viability was measured by MTT assay, NO production was monitored by measuring the nitrite content in culture medium. COX-2 and iNOS were determined by Immunoblot analysis, and levels of cytokine were analyzed by sandwich immunoassays. Results : Results provided evidence that SRE inhibited the production of nitrite and nitrate (NO), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), $interleukin-1{\beta}\;(IL-1{\beta})$ and interleukin-6 (IL-6), and the activation of phospholylation of inhibitor ${\kappa}B{\alpha}\;(p-I{\kappa}B{\alpha})$ in Raw 264.7 cells activated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Conclusion : These findings suggest that Scrophulariae Radix can produce anti-inflammatory effect, which may playa role in adjunctive therapy in Gram-negative bacterial infections.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.69-71
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• 2012

During search for novel bioactive materials from natural resources with the potential as health food and alternative medicine, the culture broth of Cordyceps longissima (CL) J106, J144 and C. scarabaeicola (CS) J94, J123 were prepared, and their effect on cytotoxicity and nitric oxide (NO) production in RAW 264.7 cells were investigated. Whereas the culture broth of CL J144 and CS J123 had cytotoxicity in RAW 264.7 cells, that of CL J106 and CS J94 did not. The culture broth of CL J106 and CS J94 suppressed NO production in RAW 264.7 cells activated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) at a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that culture broth, a by-product of Cordyceps, may have active compounds with anti-inflammatory effect. In addition, it appears that their biological activity is dependent on the strains in spite of the same species.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.1405-1410
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• 2005

Asthma is recognized today as an inflammatory disease of the lung characterized by acute non-specific airway hypersensitiveness in association with chronic pulmonary inflammation. Gamijihwang-tang(GJT), a fortified prescription of YMJHT, is applied for the treatments of chronic coughing and asthma, and post-delivery coughing and asthma in the gynecology. Also in the clinical practice, GJT is known to be very effective for controlling coughing and asthma as a cold sequoia. In this study, we investigated the effects of GJT on the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin $E_2$ ($PGE_2$) production, and on the level of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and Cyclooxygenase-2 expression in murine macrophage RAW 264.7 cells. We found that GJT inhibited LPS-induced NO and $PGE_2$ production in a dose dependent manner. Furthermore, GJT inhibited the expression of LPS-induced iNOS and COX-2 protein and mRNA expression in RAW 264.7 macrophages. Treatment with GJT of RAW 264.7 cells transfected with a reporter construct indicated a reduced level of LPS-induced nuclear factor-KB (NF-kB) activity and effectively lowered NF-kB binding as measured by transient transfection assay. These results suggest that the main inhibitory mechanism of the GJT may be the reduction of iNOS and COX-2 gene expression through blocking of NF-kB activation.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.721-727
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• 2007

Scorpion (SCP) has been clinically used for the treatment of endogenous wind to relieve convulsion, clearing away toxins, resolving hard masses and removing obstruction in the collaterals to relieve pain. Recent studies showed that scorpion toxins that affect the activating mechanism of sodium channels and indian black scorpion venom induced anti-proliferative and apoptogenic activity against human leukemic cell lines U937 and K562. There is lack of studies regarding the effects of SCP on the immunological activities. The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of SCP on the regulatory effects of cytokines and nitric oxide (NO) for the immunological activities in Raw 264.7 cells. After the treatment of SCP MeOH extract dissolved in media for 1 h prior to the addition of lipopolysaccharide (LPS: 1 ${\mu}$g/ml), cell viability was measured by MTT assay, NO production was monitored by measuring the nitrite content in culture medium. Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) was determined by immunoblot analysis, and levels of cytokine were analyzed by sandwich immunoassays. As results, SCP inhibited the production of nitrite and nitrate (0.3 and 1.0 mg/ml), iNOS and p-$I_KB_{\alpha}$ protein, tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (0.3 and 1.0 mg/ml), interleukin-1${\beta}$ (0.3 and 1.0 mg/ml) and interleukin-6 (1.0mg/ml) in Raw 264.7 cells activated with LPS. These findings suggest that SCP can produce anti-inflammatory effect, which may play a role in adjunctive therapy in Gram-negative bacterial infections.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.175-182
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• 2017

This study evaluated the anti-Helicobacter and anti-inflammatory effects of Sohamhyungtang (SHHT). The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of SHHT against Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) was determined by the agar dilution method. Expression of the H. pylori cagA gene in the presence of SHHT was determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Inhibition of H. pylori urease by SHHT was determined by the phenol-hypochlorite assay. Antiadhesion activity of SHHT was measured by urea-phenol red reagent. Inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) production in AGS cells was measured with Griess reagent. Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and IL-8 mRNA expression in AGS cells which were infected with H. pylori was determined by qRT-PCR. IL-8 level was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The MIC of SHHT was $100{\mu}g/mL$ and the expression of cagA gene was decreased about 25 folds in the presence of SHHT. H. pylori urease was inhibited 90% by SHHT. SHHT inhibited H. pylori adhesion on AGS cell in a concentration dependent manner. mRNA expression of iNOS and IL-8 and the production of NO and IL-8 were significantly decreased in the presence of SHHT. In conclusion, SHHT showed anti-Helicobacter activity and has potent anti-inflammatory effect on H. pylori-induced inflammation in human gastric epithelial AGS cells.

• Journal of Mushroom
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.261-271
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• 2021

In this study, the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of methanol extract (ME) and hot water extracts (HE) from the fruiting bodies of Ganoderma applanatum were investigated. The 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazy (DPPH) radical scavenging activity of 2.0 mg/mL ME (94.83%) was comparable to that of butylated hydroxytoluene (96.97%), the reference standard. The hydroxyl radical scavenging activities of ME and HE were similar to that of BHT at 2.0 mg/mL, whereas lipid peroxidation activity of the ME and HE were significantly lower than that of BHT. High-performance liquid chromatography analysis showed that the G. applanatum fruiting bodies contained nine phenolic compounds, which might contribute to antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. The survival rate of RAW 264.7 macrophages treated with 2.0 mg/mL ME and HE were 65.23 to 68.12% at 2.0 mg/mL, thereby indicating that the extracts were slightly cytotoxic at the concentration tested. The extracts also inhibited the nitric oxide (NO)-mediated expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) protein in lipopolysaccharide-induced RAW 264.7 macrophages and carrageenan-induced paw edema in rats. The study results demonstrated that the fruiting bodies of G. applanatum possessed good antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, which might be used to develop novel anti-inflammatory agents.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.648-651
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• 2005

Synthesis and biological evaluation of a series of $C_4$-modified acanthoic acid analogs are reported. Among them, the analog 7 and 10 exhibit potent cellular inhibitory activity in NO inhibition assay.