• 동의생리병리학회지
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• 제30권1호
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• pp.47-53
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• 2016

Kaempferia galanga L. is one of the plants in Zingiberaceae family. It is used by people in many regions of Asia and Africa for relieving toothache, abdominal pain, muscular swelling and rheumatism. Tyrosinase is a key enzyme for melanogenesis, and hyperpigmentation is associated with abnomal accumulation of melanin pigment. This study aimed to investigate the inhibition of melanogenesis by hexane extract of Kaempferia galanga L. (HKG) in B16F10 melanoma cells. Cell-free tyrosinase, melanin contents, intracellular tyrosinase activity and western blot analysis were performed to elucidate the effects on anti-melanogenesis. Cytotoxicity of the extracts was measured using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and determined the concentration of 12.5, 25 μg/ml. HKG significantly inhibited to activities of intracellular tyrosinase and melanin synthesis in the absence or presence of α-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH) with dose-dependent manner. And HKG inhibited the expression of tyrosinase, tyrosinase-related protein 1 (TRP-1) and tyrosinase-related protein 2 (TRP-2), regardless of the presence or absence of α-MSH. HKG also down-regulated phosphorylation of p38 and JNK, and up-regulated phosphorylation of Akt. These effects were not related to its cytotoxicity action. These results indicate that HKG has the potential to be a useful therapeutic agent for treating hyperpigmentation disorders and as a beneficial additive in whitening agents in cosmetics industry.

• 생약학회지
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• 제39권1호
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• pp.68-73
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• 2008

The present study represents the screening of the protective effects of herbal methanolic extracts from Baekdu mountain against tacrine-induced cytotoxicity in HepG2 cells. Tacrine is an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, and used for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. However, administration of tacrine for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease results in a reversible hepatotoxicity in 30-50% of patients, consequently limiting clinical use. Therefore, studies for natural products with protective effect on the tacrine-induced hepatotoxicity would be valuable as providing potential therapeutic use. 109 plant sources were collected in Baekdu mountain, and extracted with methanol. These extracts had been screened the protective effects against tacrine-induced cytotoxicity in HepG2 cells at the 100 and 300 ${\mu}g/ml$. Of these, ten methanolic extracts, roots of Ampelosis japonica, aerial parts of Berberis amurensis, aerial parts of Sedum aizoon, aerial parts of Lespedeza tomentosa, aerial parts of Lespedeza juncea, aerial parts of Hypenricum ascyron, stem barks of Syringa reticulata, fruits of Gleditsia japonica, aerial parts of Chamaenerion angustifolium, branches of Ginkgo biloba, showed significant protective effects against tacrine-induced cytotoxicity in HepG2 cells.

• 셀메드
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• 제11권4호
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• pp.20.1-20.23
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• 2021

Background: The pandemic COVID-19 caused by a novel coronavirus SARS-COV-2 has spread like a forest fire. This disease may have serious consequences for pregnant women. Presently, no specific drugs or vaccines exist to battle this disease and researches are underway. Unani medicine has a unique role in prevention and management during epidemics. Here, we reviewed the overview of COVID-19 infection and pregnancy, concept and practices in Unani medicine for flu-like epidemics in general and pregnancy, and safety of Unani drugs for the prevention and treatment of mild symptomatic cases of COVID-19 during pregnancy. Methodology: Unani classical texts and pharmacopoeia were meticulously explored for concepts and practices for flu-like epidemic diseases. Further, we browsed scientific databases such as PubMed, Scopus and others for an overview, epidemics and Unani medicine, effectiveness and safety of Unani drugs in COVID-19 and pregnancy. Results: Unani medicine includes prevention and management of flu-like epidemic include quarantine and isolation, aromatic herbal drugs fumigation and spraying for environmental disinfection, ilaj bid tadbir for health promotion and use of health-protecting drugs and symptom-specific drugs in general and related to pregnancy. Lahsun, asalussus, behidana, banafsha, zanjabeel, unnab, etc are in use since antiquity for the prevention and treatment of asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic pregnant women during infectious and epidemic diseases. Conclusion: Currently, the aforementioned plants are proven for antiviral, antioxidant, immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory activities, probably useful in the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, scientific studies have provided new insight into the mechanism underlying the therapeutic effect of Unani medicines that are safe in pregnancy.

• 대한간호학회지
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• 제29권2호
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• pp.336-345
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• 1999

This study looks at the various alternative therapy methods used in day to day life by elderly, over 60 years of age. The elderly have come to know and practice these methods for the following reasons it is good for the health ; it is the method used in the of fen days when there wesn't modern medicine ; it has been passed down from generations ; it can be done at home without having the need to go to the hospital ; acupuncture or poulticing can be used ; it can be done at home, which was an important factor in rural areas where hospitals are few and far between ; and 〔herbal〕 medicine could be prepared at home at no cost ; it derives from experience ; it is impossible to ignore tradition passed down through the generations. Diet control and plants (herbs) are methods most often used. as they are easy to find and can be readily used in critical situations. Other methods include oriental medicine practices of moxibustion with moxa cone, negative therapy, hand and finger acupunture, finger press method. ordinary acupunture, manual healing methods of massage. diaphoretic therapy and meditation to reach a state of calm, and qigong dirigation. The reasons for its use are as follows ; it has been used before ; it is effective ; there is some improvement after the treatment ; it is not harmful to the body ; medicine cannot be obtained and it is the only thing available ; it is not good for an old person to go to the hospital everyday. the symptoms are not serious enough to go to a hospital : and acupuncture is for these things. The means that the elderly have come to practice these methods are : it has been used since the past ; it has been told by the elders ; they have been told by friends ; it was part of their knowledge ; and they have come to know by watching their mother. Further, to regain vitality lost through old age, the elderly have relied on hot soup. a hearty meal. brewed honey water, pumpkin, or ginseng. Humans, by instinct. would rub or massage the areas that caused pain. These actions, combined with a breathing technique have been recognized in Tong-Eui-Bo-Gam(the essential of eastern medicine), the complete work of early modern medicine, are a useful means to revive chi(기). This knowledge is thought to have greatly affected our heathy lifestyle. Furthermore, though the demand for medical services would increase with age, the elderly have not always been able to tend to their needs at the hospital for reasons economic or other. Hence, these alternative therapy methods seem to have been practiced as a temporary means of relief. The excellence of our traditional therapeutic custom has not received full recognition due to the argument relating to its scientific merits. As a result, it has become vital to prove their effectiveness through scientific and other experimental means. The potency of moxibustion with moxa cone and hand and finger acupunture have been proven scientifically. but diet and herbal methods appear to be practiced as a result of customs passed down from generations. In addition, it is submitted that the effectiveness of the traditional methods of disease control and our heathy lifestyle that are easily found in the nursing field must be verified.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제38권4호
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• pp.278-288
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• 2014

Background: Panax ginseng Meyer is a traditional medicinal plant famous for its strong therapeutic effects and serves as an important herbal medicine. To understand and manipulate genes involved in secondary metabolic pathways including ginsenosides, transcriptome profiling of P. ginseng is essential. Methods: RNA-seq analysis of adventitious roots of two P. ginseng cultivars, Chunpoong (CP) and Cheongsun (CS), was performed using the Illumina HiSeq platform. After transcripts were assembled, expression profiling was performed. Results: Assemblies were generated from ~85 million and ~77 million high-quality reads from CP and CS cultivars, respectively. A total of 35,527 and 27,716 transcripts were obtained from the CP and CS assemblies, respectively. Annotation of the transcriptomes showed that approximately 90% of the transcripts had significant matches in public databases.We identified several candidate genes involved in ginsenoside biosynthesis. In addition, a large number of transcripts (17%) with different gene ontology designations were uniquely detected in adventitious roots compared to normal ginseng roots. Conclusion: This study will provide a comprehensive insight into the transcriptome of ginseng adventitious roots, and a way for successful transcriptome analysis and profiling of resource plants with less genomic information. The transcriptome profiling data generated in this study are available in our newly created adventitious root transcriptome database (http://im-crop.snu.ac.kr/transdb/index.php) for public use.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제31권1호
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• pp.97-107
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• 2023

Aristolochic acid (AA), extracted from Aristolochiaceae plants, plays an essential role in traditional herbal medicines and is used for different diseases. However, AA has been found to be nephrotoxic and is known to cause aristolochic acid nephropathy (AAN). AA-induced acute kidney injury (AKI) is a syndrome in AAN with a high morbidity that manifests mitochondrial damage as a key part of its pathological progression. Melatonin primarily serves as a mitochondria-targeted antioxidant. However, its mitochondrial protective role in AA-induced AKI is barely reported. In this study, mice were administrated 2.5 mg/kg AA to induce AKI. Melatonin reduced the increase in Upro and Scr and attenuated the necrosis and atrophy of renal proximal tubules in mice exposed to AA. Melatonin suppressed ROS generation, MDA levels and iNOS expression and increased SOD activities in vivo and in vitro. Intriguingly, the in vivo study revealed that melatonin decreased mitochondrial fragmentation in renal proximal tubular cells and increased ATP levels in kidney tissues in response to AA. In vitro, melatonin restored the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) in NRK-52E and HK-2 cells and led to an elevation in ATP levels. Confocal immunofluorescence data showed that puncta containing Mito-tracker and GFP-LC3A/B were reduced, thereby impeding the mitophagy of tubular epithelial cells. Furthermore, melatonin decreased LC3A/B-II expression and increased p62 expression. The apoptosis of tubular epithelial cells induced by AA was decreased. Therefore, our findings revealed that melatonin could prevent AA-induced AKI by attenuating mitochondrial damage, which may provide a potential therapeutic method for renal AA toxicity.