• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.542-551
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• 2020

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to retrospectively assess the effectiveness of Chunggan plus extract (CGX) in improving liver function in a Korean medical clinic. Methods: We collected the data of inpatients who received CGX to improve abnormal liver function test (LFT) results from March 2016 to February 2020. We analyzed the changes in LFT and adverse events based on subjective symptom changes and creatinine results. Results: The data of eight patients, three male and five female, were selected by inclusion criteria (patients who did LFT before and after the prescription of CGX and who prescribed CGX more than 6 days) and exclusion criteria (patients who administered other herbal medicine for improving liver function except CGX and who are diagnosed with terminal stage of hepatobiliary cancer). As a cause of abnormal LFT, one case was diagnosed with alcoholic liver disease, two cases with non-alcoholic fatty hepatitis, and one case with cholecystitis. Three of the other four were suspected to have drug-induced hepatitis, and one case was determined to have an unknown cause. Most patients showed a decrease in LFT results (Aspartate transaminase 87.5%, Alanine transaminase 87.5%, and Alkaline Phosphatase 100%) without any critical adverse events. Conclusions: CGX may be an efficient and convenient herbal medicine for improving liver function regardless of the chief impression. Further study should be conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of CGX.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.130-137
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• 2022

Objectives: Insulin resistance (IR) is major cause of type 2 diabetes (T2D), and adipokines (e.g., adiponectin, leptin, and resistin) play an important role in insulin sensitivity. Medicinal plants are frequently used for T2D treatment. This study investigates the effect of Artemisia annua L. (AA) extracts on adipokines in mice with high-fat-diet (HFD)/streptozotocin (STZ)-induced T2D. Methods: We divided 60 mice into 12 groups (n = 5 per group): control, untreated T2D, treated T2D, and 9 other groups. T2D was induced in all groups, except controls, by 8 weeks of HFD and STZ injection. The treated T2D group was administered 250 mg/kg of metformin (MTF), while the nine other groups were treated with 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg of hot-water extract (HWE), cold-water extract (CWE), and alcoholic extract (ALE) of AA (daily oral gavage) along with 250 mg/kg of MTF for 4 weeks. The intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test (IPGTT) was performed, and the homeostasis model assessment of adiponectin (HOMA-AD) index and blood glucose and serum insulin, leptin, adiponectin, and resistin levels were measured. Results: Similar to MTF, all three types of AA extracts (HWEs, CWEs, and ALEs) significantly (p < 0.0001) decreased the area under the curve (AUC) of glucose during the IPGTT, the HOMA-AD index, blood glucose levels, and serum insulin, leptin, and resistin levels and increased serum adiponectin levels in the MTF group compared to the T2D group (p < 0.0001). The HWEs affected adipokine release, while the CWEs and ALEs decreased leptin and resistin production. Conclusion: Water and alcoholic AA extracts have an antihyperglycemic and antihyperinsulinemic effect on HFD/STZ diabetic mice. In addition, they decrease IR by reducing leptin and resistin production and increasing adiponectin secretion from adipocytes.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.195-198
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• 2007

Hepatoprotective action of alcoholic extract of Bacopa monniera (BME) was evaluated on Dgalactosamine (D-GalN) induced rat liver toxicity. Bacopa monniera extract reduced the elevated serum enzyme activities of ALT, AST, ALP, LDH, ${\gamma}-GT$ and the formation of hepatic malondialdehyde induced by D-GalN. The alcholic extract of Bacopa monniera also significantly restored the decreased levels of glutathione and the decreased activities of glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, superoxide dismutase, catalase and glucose-6-phosphatase. Therefore these results suggest that Bacopa monniera has hepatoprotective effect against D-GalN induced hepatotoxicity.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.192-195
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• 2008

The effect of aqueous and alcoholic extract of roots of Berberis aristata was studied on the spontaneous movements of the whole worm (w.w) preparation and nerve muscle (n.m) complex of cattle filarial parasite Setaria cervi and on the survival of microfilariae. Only aqueous extract could inhibit the spontaneous movements of S. cervi, characterized by initial stimulation followed by reversible paralysis. The concentration required to produce similar effect on n.m complex was less as compared to the w.w. The lethal concentration 50 and lethal concentration 90 for aqueous extract were 48 ng/ml and 65 ng/ml.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.421-425
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• 2011

This experiment was carried out to obtain the cytotoxicity and antioxidative activity of Artemisiae Argi Folium. The total polyphenol contents in the ethyl acetate fraction of the ethanol extract and the methanol extract were 430.27mg/g and 427.84mg/g, respectively. In DPPH radical scavenging ability, $SC_{50}$ values of the ethyl acetate fraction of the ethanol extract and the methanol extract were 32.64 ${\mu}g/m{\ell}$ and 27.70 ${\mu}g/m{\ell}$ as the same level of statistical with ascorbic acid. In the cytotoxicity measurement by MTT assay, the chloroform and hexane fraction, and each extract were exhibited higher cytotoxicity than the other fractions. In particular, the ethyl acetate fractions appeared high activity in DPPH radical scavenging ability were began to show cytotoxicity in 125 ${\mu}g/m{\ell}$. As a result, the ethyl acetate fraction of Artemisiae Argi Folium extract was the most highly active fraction in antioxidative activity. However, for the use of extracts and fractions from Artemisiae Argi Folium to related fields, the setting of appropriate concentration is required.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.56 no.2
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• pp.123-139
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• 2023

Purpose: This study was conducted to establish whether an ethanol extract of Lycium barbarum leaves (LLE) and an ethanol extract of Lycium barbarum leaves from which chlorophyll has been removed, denoted as LLE(Ch^-), have a protective effect against hepatic fat accumulation. Methods: The inhibitory effects of LLE and LLE(Ch^-) on liver fat accumulation were examined in C57BL/6 mice with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) induced by an methionine and choline deficient diet and in HepG2 cells with palmitic acid-induced fat accumulation. Results: The plasma triglyceride, aspartate aminotransferase, and alanine aminotransferase levels were lower in the LLE(Ch^-) group, whereas the plasma ALT activity decreased significantly in the LLE group. In both the LLE and the LLE(Ch^-) groups, the triglyceride and cholesterol contents in the hepatic tissue were significantly reduced. A greater inhibitory effect on tissue fat accumulation was observed in the LLE(Ch^-) group than in the LLE group. In HepG2 cells, LLE and LLE(Ch^-) were non-toxic up to a concentration of 1,000 ㎍/mL. Compared to the control group, intracellular fat accumulation in the LLE and LLE(Ch^-) groups were significantly reduced at concentrations of 200 ㎍/mL and 500 ㎍/mL, respectively. The expression of phosphorylated adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase and phosphorylated acetyl-CoA carboxylase in both LLE groups increased at the concentrations of 100 ㎍/mL and 500 ㎍/mL. The fatty acid synthase expression was suppressed in a concentration-dependent manner at 10 ㎍/mL. Conclusion: The examined two ethanol extracts of LLE inhibit hepatic fat accumulation in NAFLD. This effect was more pronounced in the LLE(Ch^-) group. Therefore, these 2 extracts have an anti-steatosis effect and can be used for NAFLD treatment.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.683-690
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• 2006

The chemical compositions of amino acids, minerals, betaine, and polyphenolic compounds from Salicornia herbacea (Hamcho) according to harvest periods were analyzed. Changes of chemical characteristics in water and ethanol extracts from Hamcho were evaluated for titratable acidity, pH, soluble solid, and Hunter's color values. The antioxidative activity of water extract from Hamcho was also determined by DPPH $({\alpha},{\alpha}'-diphenyl-{\beta}-picrylhydrazyl)$ scavenging radical activity. Total polyphenolic compounds of Hamcho were shown the highest in August harvested by 201.6 ppm. The betaine of Hamcho water-extract was identified by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), which content was 0.248%, 0.269% and 0.204% in June, August, and October, respectively. Major compositional amino acids (mg%) were glutamic acid (582: 519: 664), proline (552: 471: 322), phenylalanine (480: 431: 424), aspartic acid (322: 297: 330), and arginine (282: 321: 483) in June, August, and October, respectively, and major free amino acids (mg%) were proline (9.7: 3.4), asparagine (6.7: 1.4), hydroxyproline (6.4: 2.8), valine (3.9: 2.5), arginine (1.7: 3.0) in June and August, respectively. Mineral contents (mg%) were Na (5,695: 7,536: 5,529), K (1,640: 963: 931), Mg (359: 428: 348), Ca (221: 234: 251), and P (207: 189: 259) in June, August, and October, respectively. Especially, K was high in June, Na and Mg were high in August, and Ca and P were high in October, respectively. DPPH scavenging radical activity was shown in the following order; 0.05% butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT)> August> June> October harvested Hamcho. The chemical components of polyphenolic compounds, betaine, amino acids and minerals were changed by harvest periods according to the growing season, and the highest concentrations of polyphenolic compounds and betaine of Hamcho were shown in August harvested.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.261-271
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• 2011

Chemical radiation protection is an important strategy to protect living beings against the deleterious effects of radiation. In the present study, the radioprotective effect of hydro-alcoholic extract of Panax ginseng extract (PGR-HAE) was studied on radiation-induced deleterious alterations in Swiss albino mice. Oral administration of such extract (25 mg/kg b wt/day/animal) for 5 consecutive days, half an h. before whole-body exposure to 6 Gy gamma radiation, enhanced the 30 days survival and also inhibited the radiogenic sickness, weight loss and life shortening. PGR-HAE ameliorated radiation induced depletion in blood constituents at different necropsy intervals between 12 h to 30 d, and significantly increased the number of femoral spleen colony forming units that survived after irradiation. Furthermore, it checked depletion of glutathione and antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione S-transferase) as well as elevation of lipid peroxidation (LPO) level in blood and liver. The significant reduction in the yield of LPO demonstrates that PGR-HAE protects the membranes against radiation-induced oxidative damage. These findings conclude that such plant extract provides significant radioprotection, and it may be potentially valuable in the prevention of injuries caused during planned and unplanned radiation exposure.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.23-26
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• 2007

Hepatoprotective activity of different extracts of Citrullus colocynthis L. sch. (roots) (cucurbitaceae) was investigated in albino rats by inducing hepatotoxicity with carbon tetrachloride. The alcoholic extract of Citrullus colocynthis sch. 100 mg/kg b.w. has been shown to posses significant hepatoprotective effect by lowering the serum level of transaminases (GPT & GOT), alkaline phosphate (ALP) and bilirubin (P < 0.05 to P < 0.001).

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.141-145
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• 1977

Alcoholic extracts of twenty-one Saudi Arabian plants have been evaluated for their biological activities. Many of the plant extracts were observed to have weak activities against central nervous system. Rhazya stricta showed antimicrobial activity. However, any extract with antitumor activity could not be detected.