• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.295-306
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• 2018

Schisandra chinensis (SC) and Lycium chinense (LC) were widely distributed in Asia and the fruit has been used traditionally for medicinal herbs. The processing method was solid-state fermentation using Aspergillus oryzae for 48 h after stir-frying treatment at $220^{\circ}C$ for 12 min. In this study, in vitro the anti-inflammatory effect and in vivo hangover reduction were compared to unprocessed SC and LC water extract. Anti-inflammatory effects have been evaluated in pro-inflammatory mediators which were secreted by lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW 264.7 macrophages. Nitric oxide (NO) was determined using Griess reaction. Proinflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor $(TNF)-{\alpha}$ and interleukin $(IL)-1{\beta}$ were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). Alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activities were compared to processed SC or LC and mixtures thereof (1:1). In vivo study was compared to hangover relief in alcohol-fed mice. After administering a mixture of SC and LC (300 mg/kg) water extract (1:1), mice were fed 3 g/kg of ethanol. Serum was collected at 1, 3, and 5 h intervals to analyze ethanol and acetaldehyde levels using a colorimetric assay kit. The processed SC and LC water extracts compared to raw materials significantly inhibited LPS-induced NO and inflammatory cytokine production in RAW 264.7 cells. The results of the hangover mouse model are also consistent with anti-inflammatory effects. These results suggest that processed SC and LC extracts may be functional materials for the treatment of inflammation and hangover.

• Journal of Climate Change Research
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.77-84
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• 2016

Seedling stage is particularly important for tree survival and is easily influenced by warming. Therefore, air temperature being increased due to climate change may affect physiological traits and growth of seedlings. This study was conducted to investigate the physiological and growth responses of Larix kaempferi seedlings to open-field experimental warming. 1-year-old and 2-year-old L. kaempferi seedlings were warmed with infrared lamps since April 2015 and April 2014, respectively. The seedlings in the warmed plots were warmed to maintain the air temperature to be $3^{\circ}C$ higher than that of the control plots. Physiological responses (stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, net photosynthetic rate and total chlorophyll content) and growth responses (root collar diameter (RCD), height and biomass) to experimental warming were measured. Physiological and growth responses varied with the seedling ages. For 2-year-old L. kaempferi seedlings, stomatal conductance, transpiration rate and net photosynthetic rate decreased following the warming treatment, whereas there were no changes for 1-year-old L. kaempferi seedlings. Meanwhile, total chlorophyll content was higher in warmed plots regardless of the seedling ages. Net photosynthetic rate linked with stomatal conductance also decreased due to the drought stress and decrease of photosynthetic efficiency. In response to warming, RCD, height and biomass did not show significant differences between the treatments. It seems that the growth responses were not affected as much as physiological responses were, since the physiological responses were not consistent, nor the warming treatment period was enough to have significant results. In addition, multifactorial experiments considering the impact of decreased soil moisture resulting from elevated temperatures is needed to explicate the impacts of a wide range of possible climate change scenarios.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.11
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• pp.1379-1385
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• 2018

Glycans are attached to proteins as in glycoproteins and proteoglycans. They are found on the exterior surface of cells. O- and N-linked glycans are very common in eukaryotic cells but may also be found in prokaryotes. The interaction of cell surface glycans with complementary glycan binding proteins located on neighboring cells, other cell types, pathogens like virus, or bacteria is crucial in biologically and biomedically important processes like pathogen recognition, cell migration, cell-cell adhesion, development, and infection. Their implication in pathological condition, suggests an important role for glycans as disease markers. In addition, a great amount of research has been shown that appropriate glycosylation of a recombinant therapeutic protein is critical for product solubility, stability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, bioactivity, and safety. Besides, cancer-associated glycosylation changes often involve sialic acid in glycan branch which play important roles in cell-cell interaction, recognition and immunological response. This review aims at giving a comprehensive overview of the glycan's biological function and describing the relevance among the glycosylation, disease diagnosis and treatment methods. Furthermore, the high-throughput analytic methods available to measure the profile changing patterns of glycan in the blood serum as well as possible underlying biochemical mechanisms.

• Journal of Gynecologic Oncology
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.83.1-83.10
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• 2018

Objective: We aimed to propose a set of quality indicators (QIs) based on the clinical guidelines for cervical cancer treatment published by The Japan Society of Gynecologic Oncology, and to assess adherence to standard-of-care as an index of the quality of care for cervical cancer in Japan. Methods: A panel of clinical experts devised the QIs using a modified Delphi method. Adherence to each QI was evaluated using data from a hospital-based cancer registry of patients diagnosed in 2013, and linked with insurance claims data, between October 1, 2012, and December 31, 2014. All patients who received first-line treatment at the participating facility were included. The QI scores were communicated to participating hospitals, and additional data about the reasons for non-adherence were collected. Results: In total, 297 hospitals participated, and the care provided to 15,163 cervical cancer patients was examined using 10 measurable QIs. The adherence rate ranged from 50.0% for 'cystoscope or proctoscope for stage IVA' to 98.8% for 'chemotherapy using platinum for stage IVB'. Despite the variation in care, hospitals reported clinically valid reasons for more than half of the non-adherent cases. Clinically valid reasons accounted for 75%, 90.9%, 73.4%, 44.5%, and 88.1% of presented non-adherent cases respectively. Conclusion: Our study revealed variations in pattern of care as well as an adherence to standards-of-care across Japan. Further assessment of the causes of variation and non-adherence can help identify areas where improvements are needed in patient care.

• Journal of Dental Rehabilitation and Applied Science
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.88-94
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• 2021

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effects of non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma (NTP) on human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs) for clinical application of periodontal treatment. Materials and Methods: HGFs were treated with Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg) lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Customized NTP device was developed for periodontal in vitro study. Cell viability was evaluated with cell counting kit-8. The levels of inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin (IL)-8 and 6, were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: When NTP was applied, the cell viability did not change significantly, and there was no difference for 6 h and 24h. When Pg LPS was treated to HGFs, the secretion of IL-8 and IL-6 was increased compared to the control group. But when the NTP was applied, the secretion of them was significantly decreased. Conclusion: NTP did not affect cell viability of HGFs. And it inhibited the LPS-induced production of IL-8 and IL-6.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.32 no.7
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• pp.491-500
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• 2022

HK shiitake mushroom mycelium (HKSMM), containing 14% β-glucan, is a health functional food ingredient individually approved by the Korea Ministry of Food and Drug Safety for liver health. The anti-inflammatory effect of a 50% aqueous ethanol extract of HKSMM (designated HKSMM50) was studied in RAW 264.7 macrophage cells treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). An active hexose correlated compound (AHCC) was used as a positive control. LPS-activated RAW 264.7 cells were treated with HKSMM50 and AHCC (0, 20, 100, 500 ㎍/ml) and cultured for 24 hr. Inflammation-related elements in the supernatant were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits, and the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) proteins in the cells was analyzed by Western blotting. The HKSMM50 lowered iNOS and COX-2 protein expressions, and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) contents in a concentration-dependent manner as compared to LPS treatment. Similarly, the HKSMM50 lowered the content of pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin-1β (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) contents and increased the activity of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT). The efficacy of the AHCC treatment was similar to that of the HKSSM50 treatments. These results indicate that HKSMM50 showed an anti-inflammatory effect in LPS-treated RAW 264.7 cells by down-regulation of NF-κB signaling and suggest that HKSMM could be used as a health functional food ingredient to help improve immune function.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.716-728
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• 2022

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: An imbalanced adipokine profile in obesity increases the susceptibility to obesity-related cardiometabolic alterations, including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. The mulberry plant has been reported to have health benefits, such as hypolipidemic and hepatoprotective effects. This study examined the effects of a mulberry (Morus alba L.) fruit ethanol extract (MBEE) on dyslipidemia, liver steatosis, and adipokine imbalance in response to a high-fat diet. MATERIALS/METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to one of 4 groups containing 6 rats each and fed either a control diet (CON), a high-fat diet (HFD), or a high-fat diet with MBEE of 150 mg/kg/day (LMB) or 300 mg/kg/day (HMB). The triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities were measured spectrophotometrically. The leptin, adiponectin, and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) levels were determined by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: The plasma TG levels were similar in the 4 groups. Plasma cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels and TC/HDL-C ratio increased in the HFD group compared with the CON group, whereas those values decreased in the LMB group (P < 0.05), indicating that MBEE had a plasma lipid-lowering effect. HDL-C decreased in the HFD group, but MBEE did not affect the HDL-C level. The HFD rats significantly increased hepatic TG and cholesterol levels and plasma ALT and AST activities compared to the CON group. The hepatic TG level and ALT and AST activities were reduced markedly by the MBEE treatment. The HFD group showed a higher PAI-1 level, whereas MBEE treatment, especially in the HMB group, significantly reduced leptin level, and leptin/adiponectin and PAI-1/ adiponectin ratios. These findings suggest that MBEE altered the imbalance between the pro-and anti-inflammatory adipokines to a more anti-inflammatory state. CONCLUSIONS: MBEE could protect against abnormal lipid metabolism and hepatic steatosis induced by a high-fat diet, lowering plasma cholesterol, LDL-C and TC/HDL-C, and hepatic TG. These findings are associated with the regulating effect of MBEE on the leptin/adiponectin and PAI-1/adiponectin ratios.

• 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 Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.645-660
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• 2023

Objectives: This study analyzed the clinical characteristics of patients with functional dyspepsia (FD) who received Korean medicine treatment. Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted to investigate sociodemographic characteristics, clinical characteristics, and prescribed treatments. The clinical records of 192 patients who visited Kyung Hee University Korean Medicine Hospital for FD from May 1, 2022, to May 31, 2023, were analyzed. In addition, the distribution of pattern identification and symptom type according to body mass index (BMI), as well as prescription history, were analyzed. Results: As the degree of obesity increased, the proportion of Spleen-Qi deficiency pattern patients decreased (p=0.012), and the proportion of damp-phlegm pattern patients increased (p=0.000). Additionally, as the degree of obesity increased, the proportion of patients with excess differentiation increased (p=0.002). The PDS (Postprandial distress syndrome) symptom type was significantly more frequent in the underweight and normal groups than in the overweight and obese groups, and the EPS (Epigastric pain syndrome) symptom type was more frequent in the overweight and obese groups. Regardless of the type of pattern identification, the most frequently used prescriptions were Naesowhajung-tang, Hanshin Naeso-san, and Sojeokgunbi-hwan granule. Conclusion: This study analyzed the medical records of patients with FD to elucidate the use of Korean medicine treatments. Our study is meaningful in that we found that the distribution of pattern identification and symptom patterns are linked to the degree of obesity in FD patients and identified the tendency for herbal medicine treatments to be prescribed in clinical practice.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2020.12a
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• pp.81-81
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• 2020

Pneumonia is infection of air sacs in lungs by bacteria, viruses, fungi and abnormal atmosphere condition. That causes to inflammation and fills up with pus and fulid in air sacs. The symptoms of pneumonia are heavy cough, fever, shortness and rapid respiration and sputum with blood. Also, that remains sequela after the recovery. Thymus quinquecostatus (TQ) has a strong antibacterial effect. That has been used a natural medicine for bronchitis, asthma and nervous inflammation. In this study evaluated anti-inflammatory effects of TQ on IFN (interferon)-γ/TNF (tumor necrosis factor)-α (20 ng/ml) stimulation. MRC-5 cells were seeded at 1 × 10⁵ cells/well in a 24-well plate and stabilized overnight at 37℃. The cells were treated with various concentrations of TQ extracts (DW, 30, 50, 70, 95% EtOH, 0.1~100 mg/ml) for 4h, Subsequently IFN-γ/TNF-α (20 ng/ml) was added to each well and incubated over 12h. the production of inflammatory cytokines were measured by Enzyme-linked immunosorbentassay(ELISA) method. The absorbance was measured at 450 nm using microplate reader. The treatment with TQ extract at dose of 0.1 to 100 mg/ml did not show cytotoxicity in MRC-5 cells (showed cytotoxicity at 95% EtOH 100 mg/ml). The results demonstrated that stimulation of TNF-α/IFN-γ significantly increased the production of inflammatory mediators in the MRC-5 cells compared with unstimulated cells. By contrast, treatment with TQ extreats doses of 0.001 to 10 mM significantly suppressed the production of IL-6 and IL-8. Especially. The higher percent of ethyl alcohol extracts suppressed the production of inflammatory cytokines. This results are considered that essential oil of TQ is extracted according to ethyl alcohol percent. Therefore, TQ has potential to mitigate pulmonary disease that can be used a medicine for pneumonia