• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• 제8권3호
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• pp.222-227
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• 2008

Citrus aurantium var. amara L., commonly known as 'bitter orange' or 'sour orange', of the family Rutaceae, has traditionally been used in the treatment of various ailments, and it possesses different types of pharmacological properties. As a part of our on-going studies on the plantsfrom the Iranian flora, the extract of C. aurantium var. amara has been studied for its weight lossproperties using the mice model. While the Sep-Pak fraction, 20% methanol (MeOH) in water, of the hydro-methanolic extract of the peels of C. aurantium var. amara fruits, when injectedintraperitoneal (i.p.) at a dose of 10 mg/kg, significantly decreased the level of weight gain of the mice in comparison with control the group (P < 0.01), the Sep-Pak fraction 80% MeOH in water decreased the initial weight of mice by 0.44% in six weeks. The administration of the total extract(10 and 20 mg/kg, i.p.), and the Sep-Pak fractions, 40% and 60% MeOH in water (10 mg/kg, i.p.)did not show any significant change of weight of the test mice. Of the two active fractions, the80% MeOH in water fraction did not show any noticeable adverse effects on mice, and was therefore analysed by reversed-phase preparative high performance liquid chromatography resulting in the isolation and identification of four major components, two coumarins, meranzin hydrate (1) and bergamottin (2), and two flavonoids, xanthomicrol 5,4'-di-methyl ether (tangeritin, 3) and hymenoxin 5,7-di-methyl ether (nobiletin, 4).

• 한국한의학연구원논문집
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• 제16권2호
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• pp.131-141
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• 2010

Objective : Benign prostatic hyperplasia(BPH) is one of the most common diseased among elderly men. BPH can be treated with alpha-1 adrenergic blocker or $5{\alpha}$-reductase inhibitor(Finasteride) that reduces serum dihydrotestosterone(DHT). Phellodendri Cortex Ex has been broad studied on its chemical components, pharmacological activity, and clinical effects on anti-inflammation, anti-allergy, anti-tumor, immunity, antibacteria and other bioactivities. In this study, we investigated the therapeutic effects and action mechanism of Phellodendri Cortex Ex with a BPH induced by castration and testosterone treatment. Methods : Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with testosterone after castration for induction of experimental benign prostatic hyperplasia, which is similar to human benign prostatic hyperplasia in histopathological profiles. Phellodendri Cortex as an experimental specimen, and Finasteride as a positive control, were administered orally. The prostates were evaluated by histopathological changes, and the expression of $5{\alpha}$-reductase genes. Results : While prostates of control rats revealed severe acinar gland atrophy and stromal proliferation, the rats treated with Phellodendri Cortex Ex showed a diminished range of the tissue damage. In the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) of $5{\alpha}$-reductase genes, Phellodendri Cortex inhibited the expression of $5{\alpha}$-reductase genes. Conclusions : These findings suggest that Phellodendri Cortex Ex may protect the glandular epithelial cells and also inhibit stromal proliferation in association with the suppression of $5{\alpha}$-reductase. From these results, we suggest that Phellodendri Cortex Ex could be a useful agent for treating the benign prostatic hyperplasia.

• 대한한의학방제학회지
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• 제21권2호
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• pp.110-120
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• 2013

Objectives : The object of this study was to observe the pharmacological effects of Yookmijihwang-tang-gamibang (Liuweidihuang-tang-jiaweifang, YGB) consisted of 17 types of herbs has been traditionally used in Korean medicine for treating various disorders in clinics, aqueous extracts on the genetically obese and type II diabetic C57BL/6JHam-ob/ob(ob/ob) mice. Methods :Three different dosages of YGB were orally administered, once a day for 28 days to ob/ob mice with ob/ob control and C57BL/6JJms normoglycemic intact mice. Four weeks after treatments of YGB: the changes on the body weight, food consumption, blood glucose levels, leptin and adiponectin contents were observed for monitoring the antiobese and antidiabetic effects of YGB. The effects were compared to those of CLA(conjugated linoleic acid) which improve type II diabetes and inhibit related obesity. Results : After end of 28 days of continuous treatments, ob/ob control showed increases of adipocyte hypertrophy, vasodilated atrophic glomerulus which were detected with marked hyperplasia of pancreatic islets, insulin and glucagon producing cells. These obese and related type II diabetes induced in ob/ob mice were markedly and significantly inhibited by 28 days of continuous treatment of three dosages of YGB. The YGB 50mg/kg showed similar favorable effects on the diabetes and related diabetic complications as compared with CLA 750mg/kg in ob/ob mice of the present study. Conclusions : The results obtained in this study suggest that over 25mg/kg of YGB extracts favorably retarded the obese and type II diabetes in genetically obese and type II diabetic ob/ob mice.

• 대한한의학회지
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• 제28권3호통권71호
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• pp.86-99
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• 2007

Objectives : Cancer patients who are afraid of unpleasant therapy and doubt a perfect cure often seek out traditional Korean medicine or many other kinds of complementary and alterative medicine (CAM) instead. This study was carried out in order to learn the prevalence and kinds of the traditional Korean medicine and CAM to evaluate awareness of and attitude toward it. Methods : 213 patients with gastric cancer who had undergone surgery in the department of gastrointestinal surgery and visited for routine follow-up from November to December of 2004 were included. A questionnaire survey was done by trained interviewers for CAM and demographic information. Results : 96.7% of patients had experience with CAM. The kinds and frequencies of CAM were diet and nutrition 21.0%, folk remedy 21.0%, pharmacological treatment 13.5%, oriental medicine 5.3% and mind-body intervention 1.4%. 56.8% of patients had experienced 2-6 kinds of CAM, 37.4% more than 7. Among diet and nutrition, ginseng (62.9%) was highest, followed by ox leg bone soup (50.8%) and pumpkin (31.5%). Among the folk remedies, elm tree was highest at 46.5%, followed by phellinus linteus (Sang-Whang) at 26.8% and ganoderma lucidum (Young-Gee) 20.7%.satisfaction with CAM was relatively low (43.2%), many patients (78.2%) replied that they would use it continuously. Conclusion : Most patients had experience with many kinds of CAM, but didn't discuss it with medical doctors. If scientific study proves whether or not each kind of CAM is actually effective ondisease, it will help to improve the health of patients and prevent the inappropriate usage and cost.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• 제27권3호
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• pp.225-231
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• 2011

Previously, we identified the 20S proteasome ${\alpha}$-subunit of Magnaporthe oryzae (M. oryzae) induced during appressorium formation, and detected an increase in multiple protein ubiquitination during the early appressorium formation process (Kim et al., 2004). In this study, we further attempted to determine whether the proteasome is involved in the appressorium formation of M. oryzae both in vitro and in planta, using proteasome inhibitors. A significant increase in 20S proteasome during fungal germination and appressorium formation was observed using Western blot analysis with 20S proteasome antibody, demonstrating that proteasome-mediated protein degradation was involved in appressorium formation. Pharmacological analysis using proteasome inhibitors, MG-132, proteasome inhibitor I (PI) and proteasome inhibitor II (PII) revealed that germination and appressorium formation were delayed for 4 to 6 h on rice leaf wax-coated plates. Similarly, the treatment of proteasome inhibitors with fungal conidia on the rice leaf surface delayed appressorium formation and host infection processes as well. Additionally, fungal pathogenicity was strongly reduced at 4 days' postfungal infection. These data indicated that the fungal 20S proteasome might be involved in the pathogenicity of M. oryzae by the suppression of germination and appressorium formation.

• 동의생리병리학회지
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• 제18권2호
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• pp.580-585
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• 2004

BJYGC is often clinically used as a treatment of allergic rhinitis. This study was aimed to find out the effect BJYGC would have on the helper T cell, and how it can promote the subsets of helper T cells to regain their balance that they lost due to immunological diseases. Splenocytes were prepared from BALB/c mice was cultured without stimulation in the presence of BJYGC for 48 hr. The viability of CD4 T cells from Balb/c mouse were measured at various concentrations of BJYGC using the MTS assay. It was somewhat increased up to concentration of 400 ㎍/ml, but did not show any significant difference. Proliferation was measured using the MTS assay, CD4 Th cells were stimulated with anti-CD3/28 in the presence of BJYGC for 48 hr. As evidence for rapid T cell activation, CD25 expression by flow cytometry was evaluated at 10, 50, 100 and 200 ㎍/㎖ of BJYGC. Th cell differentiation experiments were performed to examine whether BJYGC can affect the Th polarization process. CD4 T cells were activated in culture under neutral, Th1-polarized or Th2-polarized conditions in the presence of BJYGC at 10, 100 and 200 ㎍/㎖. Cytokine production was measured by ELISA. This experiment proved that BJYGC could inhibit the secretion of both IL-4 and IFN-γ in neutral condition and polarized condition, too. Considering that BJYGC shows an excellent effect on treating allergies, the author can conclude that its pharmacological action may be associated with decreased IL-4 and, it may also regulate IFN-γ depending the host's need. Also, it was discovered that Th1 cell was pathologic in chronic inflammatory tissue specific diseases, such as insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, multiple sclerosis, RA, and uveitis. We are counting on the BJYGC to be able to control the tendency of Th1 cell predominancy in an immune reaction.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제26권4호
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• pp.336-346
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• 2013

Intrathecal drug delivery is an effective and safe option for the treatment of chronic pathology refractory to conventional pain therapies. Typical intrathecal administered drugs are opioids, baclofen, local anesthetics and adjuvant medications. Although knowledge about mechanisms of action of intrathecal drugs are every day more clear many doubt remain respect the correct location of intrathecal catheter in order to achieve the best therapeutic result. We analyze the factors that can affect drug distribution within the cerebrospinal fluid. Three categories of variables were identified: drug features, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) dynamics and patients features. First category includes physicochemical properties and pharmacological features of intrathecal administered drugs with special attention to drug lipophilicity. In the second category, the variables in CSF flow, are considered that can modify the drug distribution within the CSF with special attention to the new theories of liquoral circulation. Last category try to explain inter-individual difference in baclofen response with difference that are specific for each patients such as the anatomical area to treat, patient posture or reaction to inflammatory stimulus. We conclude that a comprehensive evaluation of the patients, including imaging techniques to study the anatomy and physiology of intrathecal environment and CSF dynamics, could become essential in the future to the purpose of optimize the clinical outcome of intrathecal therapy.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권6호
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• pp.2453-2459
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• 2014

Ginsenoside Rg1 is one effective anticancer and antioxidant constituent of total saponins of Panax ginseng (TSPG), which has been shown to have various pharmacological effects. Our previous study demonstrated that Rg1 had anti-tumor activity in K562 leukemia cells. The aim of this study was designed to investigate whether Rg1 could induce apoptosis in TF-1/Epo cells and further to explore the underlying molecular mechanisms. Here we found that Rg1 could inhibit TF-1/Epo cell proliferation and induce cell apoptosis in vitro in a concentration and time dependent manner. It also suppressed the expression of EpoR on the surface membrane and inhibited JAK2/STAT5 pathway activity. Rg1 induced up-regulation of Bax, cleaved caspase-3 and C-PAPR protein and down-regulation of Bcl-2 and AG490, a JAK2 specific inhibitor, could enhance the effects of Rg1. Our studies showed that EpoR-mediated JAK2/STAT5 signaling played a key role in Rg1-induced apoptosis in TF-1/Epo cells. These results may provide new insights of Rg1 protective roles in the prevention a nd treatment of leukemia.

• 대한약리학회지
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• 제9권2호
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• pp.47-53
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• 1973

Chinae Rhizoma is dried crude roots and rhizomes obtained from Smilax china Linne which belongs to Smilax Genus of Liliaceae Familia, and it has been in wife use as a folk remedy for a long time. But very little systemic studies on its pharmacological actions have been made until now. Furthermore, the effective components except saponin of Chinae Rhizoma have been not known yet. It came to the attention of the authors that Chinae Rhizoma are used as antidiarrhetics in Chinese herb medicine, therefore they attempted to observe the effects of Chinae Rhizoma Alcoholic Extracts (Chinae Rhizoma Ethanol Extract=CREE, Chinae Rhizoma Methanol Extract=CRME) from Smilax china Linne on motility of the isolated rabbit duodenum in this experiment. The results of the study were as follow: 1. The movement of the isolated rabbit duodenum was slowed down and its tonus was relaxed in proportion to the concentration of Chinae Rhizoma Alcoholic Extracts (CREE & CRME). 2. With a concentration of CREE $10^{-4}g/ml$, the contractile effects of acetylcholine $10^{-6}g/ml$, pilocarpine $10^{-5}g/ml$ and physostigmine $10^{-5}g/ml$ were remarkably blocked in the movement of isolated rabbit duodenum. 3. The concentration of the isolated rabbit duodenum induced by barium chloride $10^{-4}g/ml$ was significantly inhibited by CREE $10^{-4}g/ml$. 4. With the administrations of histamine $10^{-5}g/ml$, serotonin $10^{-6}g/ml$ and prostaglandin $A_2\;10^{-6}g/ml$ respectively, contractions were observed in the rabbit duodenum. But, treatment of CREE $10^{-4}g/ml$ inhibited markedly the tonus and motility of the duodenum pretreated with the above drugs. 5. The effects of CREE and CRME were very much alike in this experiment. From the above results, it is concluded that the mechanism of action of Chinae Rhizoma on motility of isolated rabbit duodenum was partially due to cholinergic blocking effect.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제15권4호
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• pp.203-210
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• 2011

Cilostazol is a selective inhibitor of phosphodiesterase 3 that increases intracellular cAMP levels and activates protein kinase A, thereby inhibiting vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation. We investigated whether AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation induced by heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) is a mediator of the beneficial effects of cilostazol and whether cilostazol may prevent cell proliferation and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production by activating AMPK in VSMC. In the present study, we investigated VSMC with various concentrations of cilostazol. Treatment with cilostazol increased HO-1 expression and phosphorylation of AMPK in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Cilostazol also significantly decreased platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-induced VSMC proliferation and ROS production by activating AMPK induced by HO-1. Pharmacological and genetic inhibition of HO-1 and AMPK blocked the cilostazol-induced inhibition of cell proliferation and ROS production.These data suggest that cilostazol-induced HO-1 expression and AMPK activation might attenuate PDGF-induced VSMC proliferation and ROS production.