• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.53-60
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• 2013

Objectives : DojukSan is known to be effective for treating a urinary diseases and stomatitis. However, there has been a lack of studies regarding the effects of Dojuksan on the inflammatory activities and effector inflammatory disease mechanism about macrophage before is not known. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms of Dojuksan water extract (DJS) on pharmacological and biochemical actions in inflammation, we examined the effect of DJS on pro-inflammatory mediators in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated macrophages. Methods : In the present study, pro-inflammatory cytokine production was determined by performing enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, and western blot analysis to measure the activation of MAPKs. Cells were treated with 200 ng/mL of LPS 1 h prior to the addition of DJS. Cell viability was measured by MTS assay. The investigation focused on whether DJS inhibited nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E2 ($PGE_2$) productions, as well as the expressions of inducible NO synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. Results : We found that DJS inhibited LPS-induced NO, $PGE_2$ and IL-6 productions as well as the expressions of iNOS and COX-2. Furthermore, DJS suppressed the LPS-induced phosphorylation of p38 MAPK and c-Jun NH2-protein kinase (JNK). Conclusions : These results suggest that DJS has inhibitory effects on LPS-induced $PGE_2$, NO, and IL-6 production, as well as the expressions of iNOS and COX-2 in the murine macrophage. These inhibitory effects occur through blockades on the MAPKs phosphorylation.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.43-50
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• 2013

Objectives : Hwanggeumjakyak-tang (huangqin shaoyao tang, HJT) has been used to treat acute enteritis in traditional oriental medicine. However, there has been a lack of studies regarding the effects of HJT on the inflammatory activities and effector inflammatory disease mechanism about macrophage before is not known. So we examined the effect of HJT water extract on pro-inflammatory mediators in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) - stimulated mouse macrophage, RAW 264.7 cells. Methods : Cells were treated with 2 ug/mL of LPS 1 h prior to the addition of HJT. Cell viability was measured by MTS assay. The production of nitric oxide (NO) was determined by reacting cultured medium with Griess reagent. The expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), inducible NO synthase (iNOS) and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) was investigated by Western blot, RT-PCR. The content of level of cytokines (prostaglandin (PG) $E_2$, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-12, Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-${\alpha}$) and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1)) in media from LPS-stimulated Raw 264.7 cells was analyed by ELISA kit. Results : HJT inhibited the production of NO, $PGE_2$, IL-6 as well as the expressions of iNOS, COX-2 but did not inhibit the production of IL-12, TNF-${\alpha}$, MCP-1 in the murine macrophage, RAW 264.7 cells. HJT also had suppression effects of LPS-induced MAPKs activation Conclusion : These results suggest that HJT has an anti-inflammatory therapeutic potential, which may result from inhibition of MAPK phosphorylation, thereby decreasing the expression of pro-inflammatory genes.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.25-32
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• 2017

Objectives : Chungsimyeonja-eum (CSYJE; Qingxinlianzi-yin in Chinese; Seishinrenshi-in in Japanese), a traditional herbal medicine, has been used for treating mouth dryness, hyperuresis. This study was designed to determine preservation period of CSYJE. We investigated the stability and biological activity of CSYJE depending on the preservation temperature and periods. Methods : CSYJE decoction was preserved for 0-6 or 12 months at room temperature (RT, $23{\pm}1^{\circ}C$) or refrigeration ($4^{\circ}C$). To evaluate the stability of CSYJE decoction, pH and dissolved solids content were measured. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis was performed to determine marker compounds-liquiritin apioside, liquiritin, baicalin, wogonoside, and glycyrrhizin-in CSYJE. To determine anti-inflammatory effect of CSYJE, prostaglandin $E_2$ ($PGE_2$) was measured in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. Results : Both at RT and $4^{\circ}C$, pH was decreased depending on the preservation periods. There was no changes in dissolved solids content depending on the preservation temperature and periods. Both at RT and $4^{\circ}C$, the contents of liquiritin apioside and liquiritin were slightly increased at 1 month of storage. The level of baicalin was decreased time-dependently and the disappearance rate at RT is larger than at $4^{\circ}C$. CSYJE inhibited $PGE_2$ production in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells and maintained inhibitory effect by 12 months both at RT and $4^{\circ}C$. Conclusions : Based on the disappearance rate of the baicalin in CSYJE, the preservation period is recommended within 8 months for RT and 12 months for $4^{\circ}C$.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.51-57
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• 2019

Objectives : Nypa fruticans Wurmb. (NF) have been used as a traditional medicine to treat inflammatory diseases in East-South Asia. However, it is largely undiscovered whether NF water extract could exhibit anti-inflammatory activities against tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$)-induced inflammatory responses on human keratinocytes, HaCaT cells. Therefore, this study was aimed to investigate the anti-inflammatory activity of NF water extract on TNF-${\alpha}$-induced inflammatory responses in HaCaT cells. Methods : To investigate the anti-inflammatory activites of NF water extract in HaCaT cells, the inflammatory model of HaCaT cells was established under a suitable concentration (10 ng/ml) of human TNF-${\alpha}$ (hTNF-${\alpha}$). HaCaT keratinocyte cells were pre-treated with NF water extract for 1 h, and then stimulated with hTNF-${\alpha}$. Then, the cells were harvested to measure the inflammatory mediators such as inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 and prostaglandin $E_2$ ($PGE_2$), and pro-inflammatory cytokine including TNF-${\alpha}$ and interleukin (IL)-6. In addition, we examined the inhibitory mechanisms of NF, mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and inhibitory kappa B alpha ($I{\kappa}-B{\alpha}$) Results : The treatment of NF inhibited the hTNF-${\alpha}$-induced elevation of iNOS, COX-2, and $PGE_2$ in HaCaT cells. In addition, NF treatment inhibited the hTNF-${\alpha}$-induced elevation of TNF-${\alpha}$ and IL-6. Furthermore, NF treatment inhibited the activation of MAPKs but not degradation of $I{\kappa}-B{\alpha}$. Conclusions : Taken together, our result suggest that treatment of NF could inhibit the hTNF-${\alpha}$-induced inflammatory responses via deactivation of MAPKs in HaCaT cells. This study could suggest that NF could be a beneficial agent to prevent skin damage or inflammation.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.35-42
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• 2018

Objectives : The aim of this study was to investigate whether the extract of Coptidis Rhizoma inhibits inflammation in chronic cold stress (CCS)-exposed mice or not. Methods : Coptidis Rhizoma extract (CRE) was made by reflux with distilled water. Male ICR mice (7 weeks old) were divided randomly into 5 groups: (1) control, (2) CCS, (3) CCS+CRE 100 mg/kg, (4) CCS+CRE 300 mg/kg, (5) CCS+CRE 1,000 mg/kg groups. Mice were orally administered once a day for 14 days starting from 1 day before CCS. Group (2)-(5) were exposed to CCS conditions that maintained at $4^{\circ}C$ for 2 h once a day for 14 days. The levels of serum cortisol and hypothalamic prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) and PGE2 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. The expression levels of several pro-inflammatory factors like heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), c-fos, and nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-kB) were measured by western blot analysis in mouse hypothalamus. Results : Oral administration of CRE 1,000 mg/kg significantly suppressed the increase of serum cortisol levels in mice exposed to CCS. CCS-exposed mice had significantly increased the expression of HSP70, c-fos, and NF-kB in hypothalamus, while CRE treatment significantly attenuated the elevation of these pro-inflammatory factors. The ratio of PGE2/PGE1 was also higher in CCS-exposed mice than control group. CRE treatment significantly reduced the increase of PGE2/PGE1 ratio induced by CCS. Conclusion : These findings suggest that Coptidis Rhizoma may work as a potential agent to modulate inflammatory responses under the condition of cold adaptation formed by CCS.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.57-62
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• 2019

Objective : Gastritis is a major complication of gastrointestinal disease. Lonicera japonica is used in folk medicine to treat different diseases such as exopathogenic wind-heat, epidemic febrile diseases, sores, carbuncles and some infectious diseases. Therefore, this study examined the effects of Lonicera japonica water extract (LJE) on HCl/ethano-linduced acute gastric ulceration and anti-oxidants properties. Methods : LC-ESI-IT-TOF MS was employed for rapid identification of major compound from LJE. The antioxidant activities were evaluated through total polyphenol and flavonoid contents and radical scavenging assays and superoxide dismutase (SOD)-like activity. SD rats were randomly divided into five different groups including the normal group, ulcer group, positive group (20 kg/mg of omeprazole, ip), and experimental groups (100 kg/mg and 500 kg/mg of LJE, ip). Results : 4,5-Dicaffeoyl quinic acid, loganic acid, secologanic acid, sweroside, loganin, vogeloside were identified based on the detection of the molecular ion with those of literature data. The LJE was possessed free radical scavenging activities such as DPPH (IC₅₀=189.7 ㎍/㎖), ABTS (IC₅₀=164.5 ㎍/㎖), and SOD-like activity (IC₅₀=405.02 ㎍/㎖). Macroscopic and histological analyses showed LJE treated group were significantly reduced to an extent that it allowed leukocytes penetration of the gastric walls compared with the ulcer group. In addition, an ulcer inhibition rate and prostaglandin E₂ levels were increased in rats treated with LJE. Conclusion : The present study has demonstrated the antioxidantive and gastroprotective effect of LJE, these findings suggested that LJE has the potential for use in treatment of gastric disorders.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.397-405
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• 2023

Although glutathione (GSH) has been shown to play an important role in the prevention of oxidative damage as an antioxidant, studies on immune regulation by it have not been properly conducted. In this study, we investigated whether luthione^®, a reduced GSH, has an immune enhancing effect in murine macrophage RAW 264.7 cells. The results of flow cytometry and immunofluorescence experiments indicated that luthione increased phagocytic activity, a representative function of macrophages, compared to the control cells. According to the results of the cytokine array, the expression of interleukin (IL)-5, IL-1β, and IL-27 was significantly increased in the luthione-treated cells. Luthione also enhanced the production of tumor necrosis factor-α and IL-1β through increased expression of their proteins, and increased release of the immune mediators such as nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E₂ was associated with increased expression of inducible NO synthase and cyclooxygenase-2. In addition, the expression of cluster of differentiation 86, an M1 macrophage marker, was dramatically enhanced in RAW 264.7 cells treated with luthione. Furthermore, as a result of heat map analysis, we found that cytokine signaling 1/3-mediated signal transducer and activator of transcription/Janus tyrosine kinase signaling pathway was involved in the immunomodulatory effect by luthione. In conclusion, our data suggested that luthione could act as a molecular regulator in M1 macrophage polarization and enhance immune capacity by promoting macrophage phagocytic function.

• BMB Reports
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• v.56 no.6
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• pp.359-364
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• 2023

KAI1/CD82, a membrane tetraspanin protein, can prevent various cancers and retinal disorders through its anti-angiogenic and anti-metastatic capacity. However, little is known about its anti-inflammatory effect and molecular mechanism. Therefore, the present study aimed to inLPSvestigate effect of a recombinant protein of the large extracellular domain of human KAI1 (Gly 111-Leu 228, rhKAI1) on lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophage-like cells and mouse bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDM) and to identify its underlying mechanism. Our data showed that rhKAI1 suppressed expression levels of classically macrophages (M1) phenotype-related surface markers F4/80+CD86+ in LPS-stimulated BMDM and RAW264.7 cells. In addition, LPS markedly increased mRNA expression and release levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and mediators such as interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, cyclooxygenase-2, nitric oxide and prostaglandin E2, whereas these increases were substantially down-regulated by rhKAI1. Furthermore, LPS strongly increased expression of NF-κB p65 in the nuclei and phosphorylation of ERK, JNK, and p38 MAPK. However, nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65 and phosphorylation of JNK were greatly reversed in the presence of rhKAI1. Especially, rhKAI1 markedly suppressed expression of toll-like receptor (TLR4) and prevented binding of LPS with TLR4 through molecular docking predict analysis. Importantly, Glu 214 of rhKAI1 residue strongly interacted with Lys 360 of TLR4 residue, with a binding distance of 2.9 Å. Taken together, these findings suggest that rhKAI1 has an anti-inflammatory effect on LPS-polarized macrophages by interacting with TLR4 and down-regulating the JNK/NF-κB signaling pathway.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.231-246
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• 2023

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-osteoarthritic effect of the ethanol extract of Boswellia serrata gum resin (FJH-UBS) enriched with keto-β-boswellic acid and 3-O-acetyl-11-keto-β-boswellic acid compared to the conventional Boswellia serrata extract by adding the process of removing oil with hexane, in the monosodium iodoacetate (MIA)-induced osteoarthritis rat model. Methods: Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were orally administered 0, 40, or 80 mg of FJH-UBS/kg body weight (BW)/day for 5 weeks and injected with MIA intra-articularly into right knee joints on day 15 to induce osteoarthritis. Changes in the knee joint microarchitecture, cartilage degradation, the expression of inflammatory mediators, cytokines, and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in serum and synovia were observed. Results: Oral administration of FJH-UBS (80 mg/kg BW/day) reduced MIA-induced knee swelling and cartilage degradation and increased the expression of type II collagen and aggrecan in articular cartilage. Furthermore, FJH-UBS administration reduced MIA-induced increases in the serum levels of prostaglandin E2, leukotriene B4, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and MMP-13, and MIA-induced increases in the mRNA expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase-2, 5-lipoxygenase, IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, MMP-2, MMP-9, and MMP-13 in the synovia of knee joints. Conclusion: These results indicate that FJH-UBS exerts its anti-osteoarthritic effects by suppressing the expressions of inflammatory cytokines and MMPs and, thus, cartilage degradation. Furthermore, they suggest that FJH-UBS has potential use as a functional food that improves joint and cartilage health.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.52.1-52.13
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• 2023

Background: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been investigated as therapeutic agents for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Stimulation of MSCs with pro-inflammatory cytokines is an approach to enhance their immunomodulatory effects. However, further investigation is required to support their application in immune-mediated disorders and companion animals. Objectives: This study aimed to assess the therapeutic effect of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α-stimulated feline adipose tissue-derived MSCs (fAT-MSCs) in a dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis mouse model. Methods: Colitis mice was made by drinking water with 3% DSS and fAT-MSCs were injected intraperitoneally. Colons were collected on day 10. The severity of the disease was evaluated and compared. Raw 264.7 cells were cultured with the conditioned medium to determine the mechanism, using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: TNF-α-stimulated fAT-MSCs more improved severity of DSS-induced colitis in disease activity, colon length, histologic score, and inflammatory cytokine. In sectionized colon tissues, the group comprising TNF-α-stimulated fAT-MSCs had higher proportion of CD11b⁺CD206⁺ macrophages than in the other groups. In vitro, TNF-α-stimulation increased cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression and prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) secretion from fAT-MSCs. The conditioned medium from TNF-α-stimulated fAT-MSCs enhanced the expression of interleukin-10 and arginase-1 in LPS-activated Raw 264.7 cells. Conclusions: These results represent that TNF-α-stimulated fat-mscs ameliorate the inflamed colon more effectively. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the effectiveness was interlinked with the COX-2/PGE₂ pathway.