• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
• /
• v.20 no.1
• /
• pp.37-59
• /
• 2010

Objectives : The object of this study was to observe the favorable anti arthritic effects of Euiiin-tang($y{\grave{i}}y{\breve{i}}r{\acute{e}}n-t{\bar{a}}ng$) aqueous extract(EIITe), has been traditionally used in Korean medicine for treating rheumatoid arthritis on collagen induced arthritic(CIA) DBA/1 mice. Methods : In the present study, effects of EIITe on the releases of human tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-${\alpha}$, interleukin(IL)-$1{\beta}$, matrix metalloproteinase(MMP)-13 and production of Nitric oxide(NO) were observed by in vitro. In addition, to observe the effects on the CIA mice, three different dosages of EIITe, 300, 150 and 150 mg/kg were orally administered once a day for 18 days from 24hrs after antigen challenges(type II collagen) on 21 days after immunization using Type II collagen Freund's complete adjuvant. Six groups, each of 8 DBA/1 mice per group were used in the present study as follows. Changes on the body weights, macroscopic arthritis scores, splenic weights, splenic TNF-${\alpha}$ and IL-6 contents, articular cartilage(femur and tibia) collagen and glycosaminoglycans-chondroitin sulphate, sulphate and hyaluronic acid contents, histopathological observations(microscopic arthritis scores, thicknesses of femur and tibia cartilage thicknesses were monitored, compared to that of dexamethasone, a potent anti inflammatory agents, 1 mg/kg treated mice. Results : As results of collagen challenges, marked decreases of body weights and gains, articular cartilage collagen and glycosaminoglycan - chondroitin sulphate, sulphate and hyaluronic acid contents were observed with increases of macroscopic arthritis scores, splenic weights, splenic TNF-${\alpha}$ and IL-6 contents, articular cartilage(in the both femur and tibia) loss and damages. However, these CIA signs were significantly and dosages dependently inhibited by treatment of EIITe 300 and 150 mg/kg as compared with CIA control, respectively. In addition, the releases of TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-$1{\beta}$, NO and MMP-13 were markedly and dose dependently inhibited by treatment of EIITe, invitro. Although CIA were more favorably inhibited by treatment of dexamethasone 1 mg/kg as compared with EIITe 300 mg/kg, marked decreases of body weights were detected in dexamethasone 1 mg/kg treated mice. Conclusions : The results obtained in this study suggest that over 150 mg/kg of EIITe showed favorable anti arthritic effects on the CIA mediated by immunomodulatory and/or anti oxidative effects. However, detail mechanism studies should be conduced in future with the screening of the biological active compounds in this herb. lthough CIA were more favorably inhibited by treatment of dexamethasone 1 mg/kg as compared with EIITe 300 mg/kg, marked decreases of body weights were detected in dexamethasone 1 mg/kg treated mice, in the present study.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.26 no.1
• /
• pp.91-100
• /
• 2016

Angiogenesis is essential for the pathophysiological processes of embryogenesis, tissue growth, diabetic retinopathy, psoriasis, wound healing, rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular diseases, and tumor growth. Inhibition of angiogenesis represents an attractive therapeutic approach for the treatment of angiogenic diseases such as cancer. However, uncontrolled angiogenesis is also necessary for tumor development and metastasis. Inhibition of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signaling, a critical factor in the induction of angiogenesis, cause robust and rapid changes in blood vessels of tumors and therefore VEGF constitutes a target for such anti-angiogenic therapy. Recently, since natural compounds pose significantly less risk of deleterious side effects than synthetic compounds, a great many natural resources have been assessed for useful substance for anti-angiogenic treatment. Here we evaluated the anti-angiogenic effects of a hot water extract of Scutellaria baicalensis (SBHWE) using in vitro assays and ex vivo animal experiments. Our results show that SBHWE dose-dependently abrogated vascular endothelial responses by inhibiting VEGF-stimulated migration and invasion as well as tube formation in a human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) model, without cytotoxicity, as determined by a cell viability assay. Further study revealed that SBHWE prevented VEGF-induced neo-vascularization in a rat aortic ring sprouting model. Taken together, our findings reveal an anti-angiogenic activity of Scutellaria baicalensis and suggest that SBHWE is a novel candidate inhibitor of VEGF-induced angiogenesis.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
• /
• v.53 no.6
• /
• pp.756-760
• /
• 2021

Frankincense has been used as a traditional medicine for treating rheumatoid arthritis, dermatitis, and muscle pain. In this study, the anti-tuberculosis effects of Frankincense were evaluated in immune responses of macrophages. Frankincense methanol extract was not cytotoxic to the host. The 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide reduction assay using human macrophage (THP-1) cells did not show cytotoxic effects or morphological changes with treatments of 31.3, 62.5, and 125 ㎍/mL Frankincense methanol extract (FRM). Inhibitory effects of Frankincense methanol extract on the growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in human macrophages were investigated. The immune response was measured by monitoring the levels of TNF-α and IL-1β in THP-1 cells with or without M. tuberculosis infection under Frankincense methanol extract treatment. Inflammatory cytokine levels and M. tuberculosis numbers were reduced in THP-1 cells treated with Frankincense methanol extract. Therefore, Frankincense methanol extract could be used as a potential anti-tuberculosis agent.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
• /
• v.23 no.5
• /
• pp.1003-1011
• /
• 2009

This study was carried out to know the effects of Kwanjulbang-6(GJB-6) on the inhibition of arthritis. GJB-6 was orally administered to mouse with arthritis induced by collagen II . Cytotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, arthritis index, value of immunocyte in draining lymph node and paw joint, rheumatoid factor in serum were measured in vivo. The incidence of arthritis was significantly decreased. Total cell number of draining lymph node was significantly increased compared with control. Total cell number of paw joint was significantly decreased compared with control. The absolute number of $CD19^+$, $CD8^+$, $CD3^+/CD69^+$, $CD3^+/CD49b^+$, $CD4^+/CD44^+$, $CD3^+$, $CD4^+$, $CD4^+/CD25^+$ and $CD3^+/CD8^+$ cells in draining lymph node were significantly increased compared with control. The absolute number of $CD3^+$, $CD4^+$, $CD4^+/CD25^+$ and $CD11b^+/Gr-1^+$ cells in paw joint were significantly decreased compared with control. The absolute number of $B220^+/CD23^+$ and $MHCII^+/CD11c^+$ cell in draining lymph node were significantly decreased compared with control. The levels of IgG was decreased and The levels of IgM was significantly decreased compared with control. Anti-collagen II in serum was significantly decreased compared with control. With the hematoxylin and eosin stain, the cartilage destruction and synovial cell proliferation were decreased compared with control. With the Masson's trichrome stain, the expression of collagen fibers was decreased compared with control. Results showed that GJB-6 had immunomodulatory effects. So we expect that GJB-6 should be used as a effective drugs for not only rheumatoid arthritis but also another auto-immune disease.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
• /
• v.22 no.2
• /
• pp.89-105
• /
• 2005

Objective & Methods : This study is performed to observe the effect of Herbal-acupuncture with Notopterygii Radix Herbal-Acupuncture Solution(NR-HAS) at Joksamni(ST36) on Collagen II-induced arthritis (CIA) in DBA/1J mice. Result : 1. The highest survival rate of mice lung fibroblasts were measured in the 1% NR-HAS, and the expression of $TNF-{\alpha}$ in synovial cells were significantly decreased in the 1% and 10% NR-HAS. 2. The incidence of arthritis and the spleen weight were significantly decreased by Notopterygii Radix Herbal-acupuncture(NR-HA) at ST36. 3. The levels of IL-6, $INF-{\gamma},\;TNF-{\alpha}$, IgG, IgM, anti-collagen II in serum of CIA mice were significantly decreased by NR-HA at ST36. 4. In histology, the cartilage destruction and synovial cell proliferation were decreased by NR-HA at ST36, and the collagen fiber expressions in the NR-HA I II groups were similar with that of the normal group. 5. In lymph node, the expression ratios of $CD3e^+\;to\;CD19^+$ cell and $CD4^+\;to\;CD8^+$ cell in the NR-HA I II groups were similarly maintained as those in the normal group. 6. In lymph node, $CD69^+/CD3e^+$ cells and $CD11a^+/CD19^+$ cells were decreased by NR-HA at ST36. 7. In the articular joint, $CD11b^+/Gr-1^+$ cells were decreased by NR-HA at ST36. 8. NR-HA at ST36 did not make a considerable difference in DBA/1J mice without CIA 9. Throughout the overall experimental result, NR-HA I group showed more predominant effect than the NR-HA II group. Conclusion : These results suggest that NR-HA at ST36 has an effect to control synovial cell proliferation and cartilage destruction in rheumatoid arthritis, as well as prophylaxis is important to treat rheumatoid arthritis in clinic.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
• /
• 2001.11a
• /
• pp.3-6
• /
• 2001

Inflammation is an outcome or an end effect of disruption of complex immunological balance. A variety of approaches to control immunological unbalance have been tried, and some of them are in practice in the clinic. Since inflammatory disorders are reflection of very complex immunological responses, it should be difficult to have such disorders under complete control. Thus, most of the drugs, being marketed and under development, possess some degrees of undesired side offsets originating from disruption of immunological balance. Steroids are excellent drugs suppressing inflammation in short term, however, long-term use of steroids would incur a serious side effect of "rebound". Another example is TNF-${\alpha}$-neutralizing agents, such as enbrel and infliximab. TNF-${\alpha}$ has been known to play a key role in the exacerbation of inflammation, and knock-out of TNF-${\alpha}$ is regarded essential to control of chronic inflammation. The TNF-${\alpha}$-neutralizing drugs in the market are regarded very efficient in the management of rheumatoid arthritis. Upon long term use, however, those drugs cause sepsis to a certain proportion of patients. It is ironical that a high plasma level of TNF-${\alpha}$ is known to be responsible for sepsis, and that the drugs scavenging TNF-${\alpha}$ cause sepsis. The above two examples illustrate well the difficulty of discovering an anti-inflammatory drug without unwanted immunological side effects. An anti-inflammatory drug would make a case in the market, as long as the drug has huge therapeutic benefits compared to its expected but unwanted immunological side effects, where cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors are positioning. In this presentation, will be discussed general aspects of cyclooxygenase-2 inhibition in conjunction with 3(2Η)furanone derivatives, a novel class of COX-2 inhibitors.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
• /
• v.21 no.2
• /
• pp.125-137
• /
• 2004

Objectives : Recently, Herbal-acupuncture therapeutics has been used for the treatment of inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. Especially, we have been interested in chemical mediators concerned with inflammation such as prostaglandin, cytokine, nitrous oxide. The purpose of this study is investigated that the effect of Chelidonii Herbal-acupuncture solution in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages, performed several expeimental items : those are prostaglandin $E_2$, nitric oxide and cyclooxygenase-2. Methods : The cytotoxicity of Chelidonii Herbal-acupuncture solution in RAW 264.7 macrophages were measured by MTT-based cytotoxicity assay. In order to observe cyclooxygenase-2 mRNA expression in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages, RT-PCR was used. Prostaglandin $E_2$ formation and nitric oxide production was measured by competitive enzyme immunoassay and Griess assay. Results : 1.The MTT assay demonstrated that cytotoxic effect of Chelidonii Herbal-acupuncture solution in RAW 264.7 macrophages were not appeared before concentration of 1mg/ml. 2.Chelidonii Herbal-acupuncture solution inhibited cyclooxygenase-2 mRNA expression in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. 3. Chelidonii Herbal-acupuncture solution inhibited nitric oxide production in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. 4. Chelidonii Herbal-acupuncture solution inhibited prostaglandin $E_2$ formation in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. Conclusions : On the basis of these results, It was shown that Chelidonii Herbal-acupuncture solution is significantly able to inhibit the production of $PGE_2$ and NO, as well as COX-2 mRNA expression. Our results may provide new mechanism by which Chelidonii Herbal-acupuncture solution accounts for its beneficial effect on accelerating wound healing and anti-inflammation.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.24 no.3
• /
• pp.219-226
• /
• 2014

The immune system protects the body from bacterial infection and disease, as well as cancer that develops following the mutation of cells. Aging exerts adverse effects on the immune system, such as chronic inflammation, resulting in rheumatoid arthritis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the anti-inflammatory effectiveness of Scutellaria baicalensis, which contains baicalin. HPLC analysis showed that S. baicalensis hot water extracts (SBWE) contained 42.2 mg/g of baicalin. To evaluate the cytotoxicity of SBWE, an MTT assay was carried out in Raw264.7 cells. No cytotoxicity was observed below 160 ${\mu}g/ml$ of SBWE. SBWE at 40 ${\mu}g/ml$ reduced the amount of nitric oxide produced by macrophages stimulated with lipopolysaccharide by 40%. In addition, SBWE inhibited phagocytosis stimulated with zymosan. Furthermore, the content of tumor necrosis factor-alpha ($TNF-{\alpha}$) produced by the macrophages was decreased in the presence of SBWE in a dose-dependent manner. SBWE also inhibited the production of interleukin-1 beta ($IL-1{\beta}$) in a time course experiment. Moreover, treatment with 20 ${\mu}g/ml$ of SBWE remarkably decreased the expression level of cyclooxynase-2. The results provide evidence that SBWE may exert an anti-inflammatory effect through modulation of the immune system.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
• /
• v.22 no.3
• /
• pp.227-241
• /
• 2005

Objective & Methods : The purpose of this study is to observe the effects of Asari Herba Cum Radice herbal-acupuncture solution(AHCR-HAS) on arthritis of mice induced by Collagen II at Joksamni(ST36). The author performed several experimental items. First, it is the cell survival rate of mice lung fibroblasts and expression of TNF-${\alpha}$ in synovial cells. Second, it is the incidence rate of arthritis and the weight of spleen. Third, it is the levels of IL-6, TNF-${\alpha}$, INF-${\gamma}$, IgG, IgM and anti-collagen II in serum Fourth, it is histological analysis of the mice joint. Fifth, it is expression ratio of CD3e+ to CDl9+ cell, CD4+ to CD8+ cell, CD69+/CD3e+ cells, CD11+/CD19+ cells and CD11b+/Gr-1+ cells. Result : 1. The highest survival rate of mice lung fibroblasts were measured in the 1% AHCR-HAS, and the expression of TNF-${\alpha}$ in synovial cells were significantly decreased in the 1% AHCR-HAS. 2. In the AHCR-HA I & AHCR-HAII groups, the incidence of arthritis and the weight of spleen were significantly decreased. 3. In AHCR-HAI & AHCR-HAII groups, the levels of IL-6, INF-${\gamma}$, TNF-${\alpha}$, IgG, IgM and anti-collagen II in serum of CIA mice were significantly decreased. 4. In histology, the cartilage destruction and synovial cell proliferation were decreased in the AHCR-HA I & AHCR-HAII groups, and the collagen fiber expressions in the AHCR-HA I & AHCR-HAII groups were similar with that of the Normal group. 5. In the AHCR-HA I & AHCR-HA II groups, the expression ratio of CD3e+ to CD19+ cell and CD4+ to CD8+ cell were similarly maintained as Normal group in lymph nodes, and CD69+/CD3e+ cells and CD11a+/CD19+ cells were decreased in Iymph nodes, and CD11b+/Gr-1+ cells were decreased in synovium. Conclusion : Taking all these observations into account, AHCR-HA is considered to be effective in prophylaxis and treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, and then more effective in prophylaxis than treatment, so put to practical use in future rheumatoid arthritis clinic.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.73 no.4
• /
• pp.234-238
• /
• 2012

Recently, interferon gamma releasing assay has been recommended to compensate the tuberculin skin test (TST) for screening for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI). Although it improved the detection of LTBI before treatment with tumor necrosis factor blocker, its application to immune suppressed patients is limited. We report a case of peritoneal tuberculosis (TB) developed in a patient who tested positive for TST and QuantiFERON-TB Gold (QFT-G) before infliximab therapy, to emphasize the importance of monitoring during treatment. A 52-year-old woman presented with abdominal distension. She had been diagnosed with seropositive rheumatoid arthritis six years ago. She had started taking infliximab six months ago. All screening tests for TB were performed and the results of all were negative. At admission, the results of repeated TST and QFT-G tests were positive. Histopathological examination confirmed peritoneal TB. The patient started anti-TB therapy and the symptoms were relieved.