• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.177-188
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• 2008

Background: To evaluate the effects of inhaled nitric oxide (NO) and sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) as potential therapeutic agents of acute lung injury, we analyzed the morphology in vivo of the pulmonary microstructure using intravital videomicroscopy in a rat model of acute lung injury. Material and Method: Sprague Dawley rats were divided into five groups: a control group that underwent normal saline aspiration, an acute lung injury (ALI) group that underwent hydrochloric acid aspiration, and three treatment groups that underwent hydrochloric acid aspiration and were administered therapeutic agents- the S1P group, the NO group, and the S1P+NO group (n=7 per group). To quantify alveolar compliance and interstitial edema, the diameters of all measurable alveoli and interalveolar septa were averaged at one and two hours after aspiration. Alveolar compliance was determined according to diameter changes during the respiratory cycle and the change in tidal volume. Result: At two hours after aspiration, the mean alveolar compliance (% change) in the All group decreased significantly versus the control group of rats (respiratory cycle: 1.9% for the ALI group vs 6.5% for the control group, p=0.03; tidal volume: 3.2% for the ALI group vs 9.1% for the control group, p=0.003) and versus the NO group (tidal volume: 3.2% for the ALI group vs 16.9% for the NO group, p=0.001). At two hours after aspiration, the mean interalveolar septal thickness in the NO group tended to be smaller as compared to that in the All group ($15.2{\mu}m$ for the ALI group vs $12.3{\mu}m$ for the NO group, p=0.06). S1P did not exert a significant effect on the pulmonary microstructure of the injured rat lung. Conclusion: Improved alveolar compliance and reduced interstitial edema, observed by intravital videomicroscopy, suggest that inhaled NO ameliorates lung injury.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.93-99
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• 2009

This study aimed to determine whether or not glycoprotein isolated from Cudrania tricuspidata Bureau fruit(CTB glycoprotein) exerts a hepatoprotective effect on liver injury induced by the administration of carbon tetrachloride($CCl_4$, 1.0mL/kg) to A/J mice. Following the administration of CTB glycoprotein(0-20mg/kg), the activities of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase(SOD), catalase(CAT), and glutathione peroxidase(GPx)), and the quantities of measured thiobarbituric acid reactive substances(TBARS), lactate dehydrogenase(LDH), and nitric oxide(NO) were evaluated from the murine liver tissues and plasma. Additionally, the activity of nuclear factor-kappa B(NF-${\kappa}B$) was assessed after pretreatment with $CCl_4$. When the mice were treated with $CCl_4$ alone, the activities of antioxidative enzymes reduced but amounts of TBARS, LDH, and NO increased. However, the results of treatment with CTB glycoprotein(10 and 20 mg/kg) revealed significantly increased activities of antioxidant enzymes(SOD, CAT, and GPx), as compared with $CCl_4$ alone. On the other hand, the result showed significant diminutions of the quantities of TBARS, LDH, and NO after treatment with CTB glycoprotein(10 and 20 mg/kg), as compared to $CCl_4$ alone. The activity of NF-${\kappa}B$ also declined after pretreatment with CTB glycoprotein, as compared with $CCl_4$ treatment alone. Thus, it is suggested that the CTB glycoprotein exerts a protective effect against $CCl_4$-induced liver injury in A/J mice.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.574-585
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• 2022

This study was conducted to quantify chlorogenic acid content and evaluate biological activity, such as antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and digestive enzyme activity of Aralia elata ethanol extract (AEE). The SC₅₀ of DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities of AEE were 4.79±0.05 mg/mL, 5.79±0.05 mg/mL; total polyphenol and total flavonoid contents were 170.0±1.8 mgGAE/g, 105.5±4.1 mgQE/g, respectively. Nitric oxide (NO) was increased in RAW 264.7 cells and Caco-2 cells with treatment of LPS, and production of NO was inhibited by AEE in a concentration-dependent manner. Production of NO was reduced by 60.0±1.1% in RAW 264.7 cells and 50.7±2.8% in Caco-2 cells at of AEE. Similarly, the production of inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6) was inhibited in a concentration dependent manner. Antibacterial activity increased as the dose concentration of AEE increased, and the MIC was 75 mg/mL for L. monocytogenes, and 100 mg/mL for S. typhimurium and H. pylori. In addition, amylase and protease enzyme activity was observed in AEE and increased enzyme activity was observed according to the concentration of the extract. AEE contained 7.06±0.01 mg/g of chlorogenic acid. As a result of the experiment, it is judged that it can be used as basic data for the development of health food using Aralia elata.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.257-267
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• 2017

Background: Heat-processed ginseng, sun ginseng (SG), has been reported to have improved therapeutic properties compared with raw forms, such as increased antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, and antihyperglycemic effects. The aim of this study was to investigate the antiobesity effects of SG through the suppression of cell differentiation and proliferation of mouse 3T3-L1 preadipocyte cells and the lipid accumulation in Caenorhabditis elegans. Methods: To investigate the effect of SG on adipocyte differentiation, levels of stained intracellular lipid droplets were quantified by measuring the oil red O signal in the lipid extracts of cells on differentiation Day 7. To study the effect of SG on fat accumulation in C. elegans, L4 stage worms were cultured on an Escherichia coli OP50 diet supplemented with $10{\mu}g/mL$ of SG, followed by Nile red staining. To determine the effect of SG on gene expression of lipid and glucose metabolism-regulation molecules, messenger RNA (mRNA) levels of genes were analyzed by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis. In addition, the phosphorylation of Akt was examined by Western blotting. Results: SG suppressed the differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells stimulated by a mixture of 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine, dexamethasone, and insulin (MDI), and inhibited the proliferation of adipocytes during differentiation. Treatment of C. elegans with SG showed reductions in lipid accumulation by Nile red staining, thus directly demonstrating an antiobesity effect for SG. Furthermore, SG treatment down-regulated mRNA and protein expression levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor subtype ${\gamma}$ ($PPAR{\gamma}$) and CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein-alpha ($C/EBP{\alpha}$) and decreased the mRNA level of sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1c in MDI-treated adipocytes in a dose-dependent manner. In differentiated 3T3-L1 cells, mRNA expression levels of lipid metabolism-regulating factors, such as amplifying mouse fatty acid-binding protein 2, leptin, lipoprotein lipase, fatty acid transporter protein 1, fatty acid synthase, and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase, were increased, whereas that of the lipolytic enzyme carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1 was decreased. Our data demonstrate that SG inversely regulated the expression of these genes in differentiated adipocytes. SG induced increases in the mRNA expression of glycolytic enzymes such as glucokinase and pyruvate kinase, and a decrease in the mRNA level of the glycogenic enzyme phosphoenol pyruvate carboxylase. In addition, mRNA levels of the glucose transporters GLUT1, GLUT4, and insulin receptor substrate-1 were elevated by MDI stimulation, whereas SG dose-dependently inhibited the expression of these genes in differentiated adipocytes. SG also inhibited the phosphorylation of Akt (Ser473) at an early phase of MDI stimulation. Intracellular nitric oxide (NO) production and endothelial nitric oxide synthase mRNA levels were markedly decreased by MDI stimulation and recovered by SG treatment of adipocytes. Conclusion: Our results suggest that SG effectively inhibits adipocyte proliferation and differentiation through the downregulation of $PPAR{\gamma}$ and $C/EBP{\alpha}$, by suppressing Akt (Ser473) phosphorylation and enhancing NO production. These results provide strong evidence to support the development of SG for antiobesity treatment.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.579-585
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• 2015

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Sonchus asper is used extensively as an herbal anti-inflammatory for treatment of bronchitis, asthma, wounds, burns, and cough; however, further investigation is needed in order to understand the underlying mechanism. To determine its mechanism of action, we examined the effects of an ethyl acetate fraction (EAF) of S. asper on nitric oxide (NO) production and prostaglandin-E2 levels in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages. MATERIALS/METHODS: An in vitro culture of RAW264.7 macrophages was treated with LPS to induce inflammation. RESULTS: Treatment with EAF resulted in significant suppression of oxidative stress in RAW264.7 macrophages as demonstrated by increased endogenous superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and intracellular glutathione levels, decreased generation of reactive oxygen species and lipid peroxidation, and restoration of the mitochondrial membrane potential. To confirm its anti-inflammatory effects, analysis of expression of inducible NO synthase, cyclooxygenase-2, tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$, and the anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-$1{\beta}$ and IL-6 was performed using semi-quantitative RT-PCR. EAF treatment resulted in significantly reduced dose-dependent expression of all of these factors, and enhanced expression of the antioxidants MnSOD and heme oxygenase-1. In addition, HPLC fingerprint results suggest that rutin, caffeic acid, and quercetin may be the active ingredients in EAF. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, findings of this study imply that the anti-inflammatory effect of EAF on LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells is mediated by suppression of oxidative stress.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.37-44
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• 2016

Objective : This study aimed to evaluate the protective effect of Artemisiae Capillaris Herba (AC) in reflux esophagitis (RE) rats. Methods : The AC was measured antioxidant activity through in vitro experiments, such as total polyphenol and flavonoid contents, 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2, 2'-azinobis-3-ethyl-benzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) radical scavenging activity. Base on the results, we had conducted in vivo experiments. Rats were divided normal, control, AC treatment 50 mg/kg BW (AC50), and AC treatment 100 mg/kg BW (AC100) groups. AC were orally administered 2 h before the induction of RE. RE was induced by tie the pylorus and the transitional junction between the forestomach and the corpus in Sprague-Dawley rats. The rats were sacrificed 5 h after the surgery. We analyzed the expression of inflammatory related markers by western blot and observed the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and hematoxylin-eosin staining, Results : The $IC_{50}$ of AC for DPPH and ABTS were showed 12.60 and $33.32{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ respectively. In the RE rat, AC decreased inflammatory related markers, such as phosphorylated inhibitor of ${\kappa}B{\alpha}$, nuclear factor-kappa B, cyclooxygenase-2, inducible nitric oxide synthase, and tumor necrosis factor alpha. Also, AC reduced the increased reactive oxygen species in serum. The anti-inflammatory effect of AC appeared to be partially mediated through the inhibition of ROS. Also, AC markedly ameliorated esophageal mucosa damage via the inhibition of protein expression related to inflammation. Conclusions : Therefore, these results suggest that AC would be used as a therapeutic material in protection and/or treatment for reflux esophagitis.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.395-402
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• 2009

Insulin appears to play a role in brain physiology, and disturbances of cerebral insulin signalling and glucose homeostasis are implicated in brain pathology. The objective of the present study was to investigate the protective effects of insulin under conditions of oxidative stress induced by hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$) in C6 glial cells. Insulin at concentration of $10^{-7}$ M could prevent 12 h $H_2O_2$-induced cell death. The formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), nitric oxide (NO) and 2-thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) were significantly scavenged by insulin pre-treatment in C6 glial cells after $H_2O_2$-induced oxidative stress. Insulin significantly stimulated the phosphorylation of Akt in the cells and the activation of Akt was maintained in response to insulin under $H_2O_2$ incubation for 12 h. In conclusion, these results provide evidence that insulin acts as a free radical scavenger and stimulating Akt activity. These data suggest that insulin may be effective in degenerative diseases with oxidative stress.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.26 no.11
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• pp.960-966
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• 2003

Macrophages play an important role in host defenses by killing tumors and virus infections and producing secretory products. High mannuronic acid (HMA) containing alginate was examined to determine the mechanisms by which HMA-activated macrophages resist infection with HSV-1 and inhibit the growth of tumor cells. The ability of macro phages to resist infection with HSV-1 or to inhibit the growth of tumor cells was assessed following treatment with HMA alginate in the presence of either antibodies to various cytokines or inhibitors/scavengers of toxic macrophage products. Only antibodies to IFN-$\alpha$/$\beta$ were able to abrogate the protective effects of HMA alginate in macrophages infected with HSV-1, suggesting that the antiviral activity induced by this immunomodulator was mediated by the production of IFN-$\beta$. In contrast, anti-TNF-$\alpha$, anti-IFN and inhibitors of nitric oxide and reactive oxygen species were all able to partially abrogate HMA-induced cytostatic activity, suggesting that multiple mechanisms are involved in macrophage cytostasis. These results indicate that the HMA-induced intrinsic antiviral and extrinsic cytotoxic activites are mediated by different mechanisms.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.113-130
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• 2008

Objectives : Hyangsapyungwisan (HPS) has been used for treatment of cardiovascular diseases including of arthralgia, myalgia in traditional Korean medicine. However, the medical actions of HPS have not been clearly investigated. The aim of this study was to elucidate the antiradical and antioxidant activity of the extract for herb-acupuncture (HPS-HA) obtained from HPS. Methods & Results : HPS-HA exhibited a stronger inhibition rate (55.5%) on lipid peroxidation of rat liver homogenate induced by $FeCl_2$-ascorbic acid. In addition, HPS-HA markedly interfered with hydroxylradical generation through iron ions chelating action. While pro-oxidant effect of HPS-HA was nearly undetectable at concentrations of 0.5-10㎎/mL. Moerover, HPS-HA revealed a potent antiradical activities on 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) radicals, superoxide anions, nitric oxide and peroxynitrite. Furthermore, HPS-HA inhibited copper- and AAPH-mediated oxidation of human low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and also suppressed the relative electrophoretic mobility of LDL. HPS-HA showed strong protective activity against oxidative damage of HUVECs induced by SIN-1. Conclusions : These results suggest that HPS-HA may be effective in protecting against oxidative diseases.

• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
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• 2003.11a
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• pp.158-161
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• 2003

To develop an effective adsorbent for radio active Carbon Dioxide, $^14CO_2$, which is discharged to nearby atmosphere from nuclear power plants of CANDU type, we made some preliminary adsorbents and tested their abilities of $CO_2$ removal. The chemical agents used was LiOH and we supported or impregnated it on the surface or the internal volume of activated Carbon(GW-H). The physical and chemical properties of various adsorbents were measured using methods such as XRD, BET. SEM images were taken to investigate the change of surface morphology of the adsorbents. Finally, amount of $CO_2$ adsorption of them were verified under specific conditions. We found that mechanical mixing of LiOH and activated Carbon showed the maximum $CO_2$ removal ability, while surface activation of activated Carbon by Nitric Acid-treatment enhanced its $CO_2$ removal efficiency to some degree.