• 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.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.83-92
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• 2013

Objectives : We investigated differances of physiological functionalities in the steamed Schisandrae Fructus. Methods : The samples were extracts of dryed schisandrae fructus without steaming process (S0), extracts of schisandrae fructus with three times steamed (S3), extracts of schisandrae fructus with five times steamed (S5) and extracts of schisandrae fructus with seven times steamed (S7). We analyzed contents of schisandrin, gomisin, total polyphenol and flavonoid and antioxidant activities. We researched antiinflammation effects for Raw264.7 cells. To evaluate liver protective activity, we measured AST, ALT and gamma-GTP in serum of alcoholic mice. Results : As the steaming number of schisandrae fructus increase, the contents of schisandrin and gomisin were more increased. The contents of total polyphenol of S5 and S7 were significantly increased compared to that of S0. DPPH free radical scavenging activities of S5 and S7 were significantly increased compared to that of S0, ABST radical scavenging activities of S3 and S5 were significantly increased compared to that of S0 in vitro. The NO production of all sample was significantly decreased compared to control, PGE2 release of S3, S5 and S7 were significantly decreased compared to control. IL-$1{\beta}$ release of S5 and S7 were significantly decreased. AST, ALT and gamma-GTP of S3, S5 and S7 were significantly decreased compared to control. Conclusions : We think that extracts of schisandrae fructus with steaming process may have more potential efficacy than a schisandrae fructus without steaming process.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.420-428
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• 2016

Purpose: In this study, we investigated the effects of Cirsium setidens ethanolic extract (CS) on the development of alcoholic fatty liver and associated injury. Methods: Sprague-Dawley male rats were fed either Lieber-DeCarli control (C) or ethanol (35.5% of total calories) liquid diet with 0 (E), 100 mg/kgBW CS (E+LCS), or 500 mg/kgBW CS (E+HCS) for 8 weeks. Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities as well as TG and cholesterol concentrations in the serum and liver tissues were measured by colorimetric assays. Liver histopathology was examined by Hematoxylin-eosin staining of the fixed liver tissues. Protein levels of phosphorylated-AMP activated protein kinase (p-AMPK), phosphorylated-acetyl CoA carboxylase (p-ACC), phosphorylated-nuclear factor kappa B (p-$NF{\kappa}B$), and $TNF{\alpha}$ were measured by Western blot analyses. Results: Both doses of CS markedly suppressed alcohol-induced lipid droplets accumulation in the liver tissues and significantly inhibited alcohol-induced increases in activities of serum ALT and serum AST. Similarly, CS significantly reduced hepatic and serum TG concentrations. Compared to groups fed alcohol only, CS supplementation strongly increased hepatic levels of p-AMPK and p-ACC. Further, CS significantly inhibited alcohol-induced phosphorylation of $NF{\kappa}B$, which was associated with reduced hepatic protein levels of $TNF{\alpha}$. Conclusion: Our data demonstrated that CS has a protective effect against alcoholic liver injury, which was associated with activation of AMPK and inhibition of $NF{\kappa}B$.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.16-21
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• 2005

Nitric Oxide (NO), derived from L-arginine, is produced by two types (constitutive and inducible) of nitric oxide synthase (NOS: cNOS and iNOS). The NO produced in large amounts by the iNOS is known to be responsible for the vasodilation and hypotension observed in septic shock, cancer metastasis and inflammation. The inhibitors of iNOS, thus, may be useful candidates for the treatment of inflammatory diseases accompanied by the overproduction of NO. We prepared alcoholic extracts of herbal drugs which have been used for the treatment of inflammation in oriental medicine. We have screened the inhibitory activity of NO production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated macrophages after the treatment of these extracts. Among 82 kinds of extracts of herbal drugs, 35 extracts showed the potent inhibitory activity of NO production above 50% at the concentration of $50\;{\mu}g/mL$. The inhibitory activities of NO production were also evaluated for several solvent fractions at two different concentrations. Especially, hexane and EtOAc fractions of Alpinia officinarum, Angelica gigas, Ostericum koreanum, Saussurea lappa, Torilis japonica, and hexane fractions of Agrimonia pilosa, Machilus thunbergii, Hydrangea serrata, Magnolia obovata, Prunella vulgaris, Tussilago farfara, and EtOAC fractions of Perilla frutescence showed a significant activity at 10 and/or $25\;{\mu}g/mL$. In Western blot analysis, the hexane fractions ($5\;{\mu}g/mL$) of Magnolia obovata and Saussurea lappa, and EtOAc fractions ($20\;{\mu}g/mL$) of Hydrangea Serrata, Perilla frutescence and Torilis japonica inhibited the expression of iNOS protein in LPS-activated macrophages. These plants may be promising candidates for the study of the activity-guided purification of active compounds and might be useful for the treatment of inflammatory diseases and endotoxemia accompanying overproduction of NO.

• 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.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.17-23
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• 2007

To consider potentially new sources which have hypoglycemic effect and accelerating alcohol detoxification, this study was designed to investigate the effect of Crataegus fructus and Morns alba L. in alcohol-treated rats. I compared the body weight, glucose, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) of rats administered both alcohol and extract of experimental plants to rats treated with alcohol alone. Administration of extracts of C. fructus and M alba, respectively, resulted in a significant reduction in the blood glucose level and the activities of ADH of liver compared to the control rats, and administration of extract of M. alba showed significantly lower on bodyweight gain in the rats than in other treated rats. In contrast, the activities of ALDH of liver were increased. The activities of AST and ALT between the only alcohol-treated rats and the alcohol and experimental plants-treated rats were no significant difference. The results suggest that C. fructus and M alba have a hypoglycemic effect, and reduce liver damage by accelerating acetaldehyde metabolism in alcoholic rats, so the combined effect of C. fructus and M alba may be considered as an alternative remedy for hangovers, alcohol-induced overweight and alcohol-induced diabetes.

• 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.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.45-51
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• 1993

Many plants collected at Japan, China, Korea, Imdonesia and South America were applied to antitumor and / or cytotoxic screening tests against Sarcoma 180 ascites in mice and / or V-79, KB, P388 cultured cells. On the course of these screening tests, alcoholic extracts of Forsythia viridissima (Oleaceae), Eurycoma longifolia(Simaroubaceae), Rubia cordifolia and R. akane(Rubiaceae), Cissampelos pareira and Abuta concolor (Menispermaceae), Nardostachys chinensis (Valerianacese), Mansoa alliaceae (Bignoniaceae), Casearia sylvestris (Flacourtiacear), Maytenus ilicifolia (Celastraceae), Hedychium coronarium (Zingiberaceae), Croton palanostigma(Euphorbiaceae), Cocculus trilobus(Menispermaceae), Ginkgo biloba(Ginkgoaceae), Alpinia galanga and Cucculus zanthorrhiza(Zingiberaceae), Evodia rutaecarpa(Rutaceae), and Periploca sepium(Asclepiadaceae) showed significant activity and their active principles were clarified. In this paper, a few antitumor substances in above plants are introduced.

• 한국약용작물학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2010.10a
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• pp.290-291
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• 2010

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.606-624
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• 2022

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the effects of different doses of Geumnyeonyijin-tang (GNYJT) water extracts with those of metformin (250 mg/kg) in mild diabetic-obese mice. Methods and Results: The 48 mice were divided into 1 normal pellet diet (NFD) group and 5 high-fat diet (HFD) groups. At the end of 12 weeks of oral administration of metformin (250 mg/kg) or GNYJT water extracts (400, 200, or100 mg/kg), the effects were evaluated. The HFD control mice showed noticeable increases in body weight, adipose tissue density, fat pad weight of the periovarian and abdominal wall, and insulin, blood glucose, and HbA1c levels, with decreases in serum HDL levels. Increases in the periovarian and dorsal abdominal fat pad, regions of steatohepatitis, adipocyte hypertrophy, and hepatocyte hypertrophy were also discovered. The HFD group showed a decline in glucose levels and elevation of hepatic gluconeogenesis, suggesting an HFD-induced AMPK downregulation related to glucose dysregulation, as well as lipid metabolism related to obese insulin-resistant type II diabetes, dyslipidemia, and oxidative stress related diabetic hepatopathy (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, NAFLD). Conclusion: Assessment of the key parameters for inhibition of diabetes and related complications in HFD-fed diabetic-obese mice demonstrated that GNYJT water extracts have favorable ameliorating effects. The effect of GNYJT was manifested through the stimulation of AMPK upregulation of related hepatic glucose enzyme activities and expression of lipid metabolism-related genes. Therefore, appropriate oral dosages of GNYJT could be promising as a new preventive candidate for controlling diabetes and related complications. Further screening of biologically active compounds, elucidation of detailed mechanisms, and more animal studies are warranted.