• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.81-88
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• 2010

Objectives : Sophorae Radix (SR), the dried root of Sophorae Flavescens Aiton, has been used to treat atherosclerosis, arrhythma and skin diseases including scabies and eczema. The present study was examined to evaluate antimicrobial activities of SR extracts against oral microorganism. Methods : Antimicrobial properties of SR extracts were determined by agar diffusion method and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus sobrinus and Actinomyces viscosus. Analysis of kurarinone from SR extracts was conducted using UPLC (Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography). Results : The ethanolic extracts of SR showed stronger antimicrobial effect than methanolic extracts, while the aqueous extracts of SR had no activity. In addition, the higher content of kurarinone was found in ethanolic extracts than methanolic extracts. The purified kurarinone from ethanolic extracts showed potent antimicrobial activity with the MIC value of $3.9{\sim}7.8{\mu}g/m{\ell}$. Conclusion : An ethanolic extract of SR showed antimicrobial properties against several oral microorganisms, and kuranrinone contributed to antimicrobial action of SR. Thus, ethanolic extracts of SR or purified kurarinone should be beneficial for the preparation of the useful agent for treating oral disease including anticaries.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.15-19
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to investigate the anti-cancer effects of Sophorae Radix (SR) and doxorubicin (DOX) in human gastric and colorectal adenocarcinoma cells. We used the human gastric and colorectal adenocarcinoma cell lines (MKN-45 and WIDR cells, respectively). We examined cell death by using the MTT(3-[4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay and the caspase 3 assay with SR. To examine the inhibitory effects of SR, we performed a cell cycle (sub G1) analysis for the MKN-45 and WIDR cells after three days with SR. The reversibility of SR was examined for one-day to five-day treatments with SR. SR inhibited the growth of MKN-45 and WIDR cells in a dosedependent manner. Also, we showed that SR induced apoptosis in MKN-45 and WIDR cells by using the MTT assay, the caspase 3 assay and the sub-G1 analysis. SR combined with DOX markedly inhibited the growth of MKN-45 and WIDR cells compared to SR or DOX alone. After 3 days of treating MKN-45 and WIDR cells with SR, the fraction of cells in the sub-G1 phase was much higher than that of the control group. Our findings provide insights into unraveling the effects of SR on human gastric and colorectal adenocarcinoma cells and into developing therapeutic agents for use against gastric and colorectal adenocarcinomas.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.37-42
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• 2000

Objectives and Methods : Unlike respiratory anaphylaxis responses, mediators responsible for cardiovascular responses are not clearly elucidated. Main characteristics of cardiovascular anaphylaxis include hypotension and cardiac failure (anhythmia and cardiac contraction failure). In this experiment, the fractionations of Sophorae Radix (SR) were tested for its preventive effects against cardiovascular anaphylaxis in pithed rats. Results : Of the SR fractionations, water fractions, at the concentration of 20 and 60mg/kg, was significantly effective on all the cardiovascular changes in pithed rats. Also, of the cardiovascular changes, depressor response was significantly attenuated by the ethyl acetate (EA) fraction, at the concentration of 60mg/kg. Conclusions : These results suggest that water and EA fractions of the SR fractionations possess anti. anaphylactic effects in pithed rats. Additional research is needed to identify active principles for the observed pharmacological effects.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.334-340
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• 2017

Wound healing is the restoration in injured skin tissue and one of the most important therapeutic targets. The process consists of inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling. There have been reported multiple factors that accelerate and delay wound healing. In this study we tested the hypothesis that Sophorae Radix extract would improve the recovery of wound healing after full-thickness skin wound in rats. Twenty young male Sprague-Dawley rats were used for the studies. A full-thickness skin wound was made on the dorsal skin of the rats. Either Sophorae Radix water extract (SR) or saline (Control) was orally administrated every day. The wound area was measured and the percentages of wound contraction, wound healed and wound epithelization were evaluated. After 15 days, the skin tissues were excised and examined by histopathological and immunohistochemistrical method. In results, wound area in SR group was significantly decreased to compared with Control. SR group showed the significant enhancements in the percentages of wound contraction, wound healed and wound epithelization. Histopathological examination revealed that SR induces neo-vascularization potential in wound healing process. SR treatment in rats significantly accelerated cutaneous wound healing in the angiogenesis process by increasing VEGF and TGF-${\beta}1$ synthesis. These results suggest that Sophorae Radix enhance skin wound repair by increasing the angiogenic agents such as VEGF and TGF-${\beta}1$.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.31-38
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• 2012

Sophorae Radix (SR) plays a role in a number of physiologic and pharmacologic functions in many organs. Objective: The aim of this study was to clarify the potential role for transient receptor potential melastatin 7 (TRPM7) channels in SR-inhibited growth and survival of AGS and MCF-7 cells, the most common human gastric and breast adenocarcinoma cell lines. Methods: The AGS and the MCF-7 cells were treated with varying concentrations of SR. Analyses of the caspase-3 and - 9 activity, the mitochondrial depolarization and the poly (ADPribose) polymerase (PARP) cleavage were conducted to determine if AGS and MCF-7 cell death occured by apoptosis. TRPM7 channel blockers ($Gd^{3+}$ or 2-APB) and small interfering RNA (siRNA) were used in this study to confirm the role of TRPM7 channels. Furthermore, TRPM7 channels were overexpressed in human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 cells to identify the role of TRPM7 channels in AGS and MCF-7 cell growth and survival. Results: The addition of SR to a culture medium inhibited AGS and MCF-7 cell growth and survival. Experimental results showed that the caspase-3 and -9 activity, the mitochondrial depolarization, and the degree of PARP cleavage was increased. TRPM7 channel blockade, either by $Gd^{3+}$ or 2-APB or by suppressing TRPM7 expression with small interfering RNA, blocked the SR-induced inhibition of cell growth and survival. Furthermore, TRPM7 channel overexpression in HEK 293 cells exacerbated SR-induced cell death. Conclusions: These findings indicate that SR inhibits the growth and survival of gastric and breast cancer cells due to a blockade of the TRPM7 channel activity. Therefore, TRPM7 channels may play an important role in the survival of patients with gastric and breast cancer.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.549-552
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• 2003

To investigate the protective effect of Sophorae Radix (SR) on the damage by pulmonary vascular endothelial cells by xanthine oxidase (XO)/hypoxanthine (HX)-induced oxygen tree radical, Neutral Red (NR) and c-fos immunopositive cell assay were used. The results were obtained as follows ; The viability of vascular endothelial cells treated with XO/HX was decreased. And c-fos immunopositive cells represented a maximal increase in group treated with XO/HX for 2 hour in pulmonary vasvular endothelial cells. But pretreated groups with SR extracts were not inhibited the increase of c-fos immunopositive cells by XO/HX in a dose-dependent manner. These results show that XO/HX elicits toxic effects in cultured pulmonary vascular endothelial cells, and suggest that SR extract is very effective in the prevention of XO/HX-induced increase of c-fos immunopositive cells.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.893-899
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• 2004

To test the cytoprotective effect of sophorae radix (SR) against hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂)-induced cytotoxicity, we investigated the cell viability using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay in the presence of ethyl acetate subfractions of SR water extracts In H9c2 cells. And to clarify the cytoprotective mechanism of SR extracts, we evaluated the cellular glutathione (GSH) contents in the presence of subfraction 1, 2, 3, and 4 of SR ethyl acetate soluble fractions. Among 1 -12 subfractions of SR ethyl acetate soluble fractions, 1, 2, 3 and 4 subfractions have an efficacy inhibiting the cytotoxicity induced by H₂O₂ in H9c2 cells. Also, the protective effects of 1, 2, 3 and 4 subfractions of SR ethyl acetate soluble fractions resulted from the anti-oxidant effects. These results suggest that ethyl acetate soluble fractions of SR water extracts is effective in the prevention of H₂O₂-induced cytotoxicity and 1, 2, 3 and 4 subfraction of ethyl acetate soluble fractions possess the anti-oxidant component.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.220-224
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• 2003

To test the protective effect of Sophorae Radix (SR) on the damage of cardiac endothelial cells by xanthine oxidase (XO)/hypoxanthine (HX)-induced oxygen tree radical, Neutral Red (NR), lactate dyhydrogenase (LDH), and c-fos immunopositive cells assay were used in the presence of SR extract. The results of these experiments were obtained as follows ; Cardiac endothelial cells treated with XO/HX showed the cytotoxicity such as a decrease in viability, and increases in LDH activity and c-fos immunopositive cells. Cardiac endothelial cells pretreated with SR extract protected the increase of LDH activity. Alos, cardiac endothelial cells pretreated with SR extract inhibited the increase of c-fos immunopositive cells. These results show that XO/HX induces toxic effects in cultured cardiac endothelial cells derived from neonatal rat, and suggest that SR extract is very effective in the prevention of XO/HX-induced toxicity.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.754-758
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• 2004

To test the cytoprotective effect of sophorae radix (SR) against hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂)-induced cytotoxicity, we investigated the cell viability using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay in the presence of methylene chloride, n-butanol, ethyl acetate and water soluble fraction of SR water extracts in H9c2 cells. These results were obtained as followed; H₂O₂ decreased the cell viability of H9c2 cells in a dose dependent manner. Cells pretreated with SR water extracts were protected the H₂O₂-induced decrease of viability in H9c2 cells. Among organic solvents fractions of SR water extracts, ethyl acetate soluble fractions of SR protected the decrease of viability induced by H₂O₂ in H9c2 cells. These results suggest that ethyl acetate soluble fractions of SR water extracts is effective in the prevention of H₂O₂-induced cytotoxicity.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.20 no.1 s.37
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• pp.142-150
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• 1999

In order to elucidate toxic the mechanism of myocardial damage and the protective effect of herbal extract, Sophorae Radix(SR) against myocardiotoxicity, the cytotoxic effect of adriamycin and cardioprotective effect of SR were examined by MTT assay, LDH activity, heart beat rate and light microscopy after cultured myocardial cells derived from neonatal mouse were treated with various concentrations of adriamycin, an inducer of myocardiotoxicity. Adriamycin induced a decrease of cell viability, an increase in the amount of lactate dehydrogenase(LDH), and a decrease in the heart beat rate and a decrease in the number of cells, when administered to cultures myocardial cells in a dose-dependent manner. In cardioprotective effect of SR. SR showed the decrease of amount of LDH, and an increase of heart beating rate and cells in number on cultured myocardial cells damaged by adriamycin. From the above results, it is suggested that adriamycin shows toxic effect in cultured myocardial cells derived from a neonatal mouse, and herbal extract such as SR is very effective in the prevention of adriamycin-induced cardiotoxicity.