• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.55-61
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• 2014

Panax ginseng is a medicinal herb that is used worldwide. Its medicinal effects are primarily attributable to ginsenosides located in the root, leaf, seed, and flower. The flower buds of Panax ginseng (FBPG) are rich in various bioactive ginsenosides, which exert immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory activities. The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of 18 ginsenosides isolated from steamed FBPG on the transcriptional activity of NF-${\kappa}B$ and the expression of tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$)-stimulated target genes in liver-derived cell lines. Noticeably, the ginsenosides $Rk_3$ and $Rs_4$ exerted the strongest activity, inhibiting NF-${\kappa}B$ in a dose-dependent manner. SF and $Rg_6$ also showed moderately inhibitory effects. Furthermore, these four compounds inhibited the TNF-${\alpha}$-induced expression of IL8, CXCL1, iNOS, and ICAM1 genes. Consequently, ginsenosides purified from steamed FBPG have therapeutic potential in TNF-${\alpha}$-mediated diseases such as chronic hepatic inflammation.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.374-379
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• 2000

This study was attempted to evaluate an agonistic activity to benzodiazepine receptor of several medicinal pants, which have been used as sedatives in oriental medicine. The activities of the methanol extracts of composite preparation of oriental drugs were compared with those of the simple drugs, furthermore, the active fraction was found out from the simple preparation. Inhibitory effects of composite preparations, Cyperus rotundus/Acorus gramineus, Thuja orientalis/Euphoria longan, Thuja orientalis/Albizzia julibrissin, on the binding of ${[^3H]}$Ro15-1788, a selective benszodiazepine receptor antagonist to benzodiazepine receptor of rat cortices, were observed to be lower than those of corresponding simple preparations. These unexpected results suggest that some components of the composite druge may rather act as an obstacle, not to show the sinergistic effect. The methanol extracts of Cyperus rotundus having the highest activity were fractionated using polar and nonpolar solvents to give ethylacetate and hexane fractions, respectively. The ethylacetate fraction containing relatively polar components exhibited much higher activity than the hexane fraction, which consiste of nonpolar agonist, binding to benzodiazepine receptor. However, in the presence of GABA, this fraction inhibited ${[^3H]}$flunitrazepan binding, and these positive GABA shift supported the strong possibility of agonistic activity to benzodiazepine receptro. As a result, it may be concluded that the substance or substances with neurochemical properties as a benzodiazepine receptor agonist may contribute to the sedative property of Cyperus rotundus.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.351-359
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• 2016

Background: We investigated the optimal aqueous extraction conditions for recovery of high yields of total phenolic compounds from roots of Arctium lappa L. (burdock, Asteraceae), and we compared their antioxidant capacity. Methods and Results: The antioxidant activity of the extracts was tested using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)-diammonium salt, and oxygen radical absorbance capacity assays. In addition, the major phenolic compounds present in the extracts were determined by high performance liquid chromatography analysis. Our results suggest that the roasted burdock $100^{\circ}C$, 15 min extract exhibited the strongest radical scavenging activity and possessed the highest concentration of phenolic compounds. The polyphenol content of both dried burdock and roasted burdock significantly increased with increase in the extraction temperature and time. Conclusions: These results indicated a relationship between phenolic compound levels in burdock and their free radical scavenging activities. This suggests that phenolic compounds significantly increase the antioxidant potential of burdock extracts.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.302-306
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• 1997

One flavan 3-ol derivative was isolated from the stem of Acer mono Max, along with two known coumarins. On the basis of spectroscopic evidence, the structures of these compounds were established as (-) - epicatechin, scopoletin and isoscopoletin. Antioxidative activity of (-) - epicatechin was examined by the DPPH free radical scavenging method. Antioxidative activity of (-) - epicatechin $(RC_{50}\;:\;7.5\;{mu}g)$ was more greater than those of ${\alpha}-tocopherol\;(RC_{50}\;:\;12\;{mu}g)$ and $BHA\;(RC_{50}\;:\;14\;{mu}g)$.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.85-90
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• 2005

Phytochemical study on the EtOAc fraction from a MeOH extract of the leaves of Alnus hirsuta Rupr. led to the isolation of nine compounds betulin (1), betulinic acid (2), hirsutanonol (3), hirsutenone (4), quercetin (5), avicularin (6), gallic acid (7), hyperin (8), and daucosterol (9). Among them, six compounds 1, 2, 57, and 9 are report from this plant for the first time. All isolated compounds were evaluated for their antioxidant activity using DPPH radical scavenging capacity and inhibition effect on mitochondrial lipid peroxidation. Six phenolic compounds 3-8 were found to have potent antioxidant activity. Of which, compounds 3, 4 and 5 showed significant free radical scavenging activity with the $IC_{50}$ values of $18.3\;{\pm}\;2.5,\;15.7\;{\pm}\;3.8\;and\;23.5\;{\pm}\;3.1\;{\mu}m$, respectively. In addition, the compounds 3-8 exhibited inhibition effect on the mitochondrial lipid peroxidation with the $IC_{50}$ values of $88.0\;{\pm}\;6.5,\;12.6\;{\pm}\;1.2,\;8.0 \;{\pm}\;1.1,\;58.5\;{\pm}\;4.3,\;173.6\;{\pm}\;15.2,\;and\;75.0\; {\pm}\; 6.7\;{\mu}m$, respectively.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.123-128
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• 2011

Caesalpinia sappan (C. sappan) is a medicinal plant used for promoting blood circulation and removing stasis. During a screening procedure on medicinal plants, the ethylacetate extract of the lignum of C. sappan (CLE) showed inhibitory activity on arginase which has recently been reported as a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis. CLE inhibited arginase II activity prepared from kidney lysate in a dose-dependent manner. In HUVECs, inhibition of arginase activity by CLE reciprocally increased NOx production through enhancement of eNOS dimer stability without any significant changes in the protein levels of eNOS and arginase II expression. Furthermore, CLE-dependent arginase inhibition resulted in increase of NO generation and decrease of superoxide production on endothelium of isolated mice aorta. These results indicate that CLE augments NO production on endothelium through inhibition of arginase activity, and may imply their usefulness for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases associated with endothelial dysfunction.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.56 no.5
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• pp.309-313
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• 2012

Antiobesity, hypotriglyceridemic and antihypertensive activities of isoflavone-free peptide mixture (black soybean peptide, BSP) were reported in our previous experiments. In the present study, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitory (ACEi) activity was decreased in the aorta tissues of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) treated with BSP (1% in drink water) for 4 weeks, but not in serum. BSP administration significantly decreased ACE activity by 17.5% (from $33.2{\pm}4.5$ to $27.4{\pm}1.96$ mUnit/mg, p=0.0013) in aorta tissue hydrolysate. BSP treatment also decreased significantly mean blood pressure (BP) (from $213.0{\pm}16.96$ to $184.0{\pm}6.53$ mmHg, p<0.0001) as expected. These results indicate that BSP has antihypertensive activity as well as ACEi activity.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.106-114
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• 1992

The acute toxicity and the effect of steam distillate obtained from several plant mixtures (G-3) on the reactivation of brain, lung, and blood acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, and recovery from other toxic symptoms following intoxication by organophosphate pesticides were investigated in mice and mudfish. Administration of G-3 $(50{\sim}100\;ml/kg,\;i.p.)$ immediately or 30 min prior to Diazinon or Sumithion treatments, respectively, resulted in a significant reactivation of AChE activity in brain, lung, and blood, their potencies being almost equipotent to those of 2-PAM, one of well-known antidotes. G-3 itself exhibited almost no acute toxicity even at the highest dose employed, and without effect on the inhibition of hepatic drug metabolism function following organophosphate administrations. G-3 showed a significant diminution of the death rate in mudfish as well as in mice intoxicated by Diazinon.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.377-383
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• 2021

In this study, we investigated in vitro immunostimulatory activity of fruit extracts from Pyrus ussuriensis var. hakunensis (Nakai) T.B. Lee (PUF) using mouse macrophage RAW264.7 cells. PUF increased the production of immunostimulatory factors such as NO, iNOS, IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α, and phagocytic activity in RAW264.7 cells. The inhibition of TLR2 and TLR4 blocked PUF-mediated production of immunostimulatory factors in RAW264.7 cells. In addition, the inhibition of MAPKs signaling pathway reduced PUF-mediated production of immunostimulatory factors. From these results, PUF may have immunostimulatory activity via TLR2/4-mediated activation of MAPKs signaling pathway. Therefore, PUF expected to be used as a potential immune-enhancing agent.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.698-704
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• 2019

Quercus mongolica (QM), which belongs to fagaceae, is one of the oak native to Korea. We evaluated the anti-inflammatory effect of branches extracted with 70% ethanol of QM (QM-B) and elucidated the potential signaling pathway in LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells. The QM-B showed anti-inflammatory activity through inhibition of NO production. The QM-B dose-dependently suppressed NO production by inhibiting iNOS, COX-2 and IL-6 expression in LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells. The QM-B inhibited the degradation and phosphorylation of IκB-α and NF-κB activation. The QM-B suppressed the phosphorylation of p38 and ERK1/2. Also, the QM-B increased HO-1 expression. These results suggested that QM-B may utilize anti-inflammatory activity by suppressing NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathway and inducing HO-1 expression indicated that the QM-B can be used as a natural anti-inflammatory drugs.