• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.33-40
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• 2004

Objective : This study investigated the apoptotic effect and its mechanism of Radix Aconiti (RA) extract and aconitine, which is a major constituent of RA, in HepG2 human hepatoma cells. Methods : We used MTT and DNA fragmentation assay to investigate cell viability and apoptotic effect on RA extract-treated HepG2 cells. In addition, to clarify the mechanism of RA extract-induced apoptosis, we applied caspase-3 enzyme activity assay and Western blotting method on poly-(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) protein expression. Results : Treatment with RA extract resulted in the decrease of cell viability, and this effect was caused from apoptosis as confirmed by discontinuous fragmentation of DNA in HepG2 cells, but aconitine did not. Also, RA extract-treated HepG2 cells induced the activation of caspase-3 enzyme activity in time- and dose-dependent manners, which was accompanied by the cleavage of 116 kD PARP to 85 kD product. Conclusions : These results suggest that the apoptotic effects of RA extract on HepG2 cells could not be explained by aconitine. Additionally, RA extract induced apoptosis in hepatoma cells through caspase-3 activation and subsequent PARP cleavage.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.173-183
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• 2004

Objectives : Oxidative stress can induce negative responses such as growth inhibition or cell death by necrosis or apoptosis due to the intensity of the oxidative stress, as well as positive responses such as cellular proliferation or activation. We examined the effect of Jihwangeumja on this process. Methods and Results : We analyzed the influence of oxidative stress and agents that modify its effect in human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC). Oxidative stress was induced by $B_2O_2$. With induced oxidative stress the results obtained indicate that it has a harmful effect over cell function and viability, and that this effect is dose and time dependent. When oxidative stress increased, Jihwangeumja reduced cell damage and had protective functions. $B_2O_2$, induced the apoptosis of HUVEC through the activation of intrinsic caspases pathway as well as mitochondrial dysfunction. A significant increase in cell survival was observed in culture cells with oxidative stress when they were treated with Jihwangeumja. Conclusions : These results suggest that Jihwangeumja may be potentially useful to treat HUVEC against oxidative damages mediated by modulation of caspase protease and mitochondrial dysfunction.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.255-259
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• 2006

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) is one of the main pathological factors in endothelial disorder. For example, an atherosclerosis is induced by the dysfunction of vascular endothelial cells. The dysfunction of vascular endothelial cells cascades to secrete intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-l substance by ROS. Therefore, The ROS is regraded as an important factor of the injury of vascular endothelial cells and inducement of atherosclerosis. Oxygen radical scavengers playa key role to prevention of many diseases mediated by oxidative stress of ROS. In this study, the toxic effect of ROS on vascular endothelial cells and the effect of antioxidant, vitamin E on bovine pulmonary vascular endothelial cell line (BPVEC) treated with hydrogen peroxide were examined by the colorimetric assay. ROS decreased remarkably cell viability according to the dose- and time-dependent manners. In protective effect of vitamin E on BPVEC treated with hydrogen peroxide, vitamin E increased remarkably cell viability compared with control after BPVEC were treated with $15{\mu}M$ hydrogen peroxide for 6 hours. From these results, it is suggested that ROS has cytotoxicity on cultured BPVEC and oxygen radical scavenger such as vitamin E is very effective in prevention of oxidative stress-induced cytotoxicity.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.1207-1210
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• 2002

To examine the cardiotoxic effect of adriamycin on cultured rat myocardial cells, cytotoxicity was measured by MTT assay after cultured myocardial cells were grown with various concentrations of adriamycin(ADA) for 48 hours. The protective effect of Benincasae Semen(BS) on ADR-induced cardiotoxicity was also examined in these cultures. ADR decreased cell viability of cultured rat myocardial cells remarkably in a dose- and time-dependent manners. In protective effect of BS, it was very effective in blocking ADR-induced cytotoxicity. From these results, it is suggested that ADR shows cardioxicity, and the herba extract, as is very effective in preventing ADR-induced cytotoxicity on cultured rat myocardial cells.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.1008-1012
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• 2003

In order to evaluate the cytotoxic effect of reactive oxygen species(AOS), the cell viability was measured by MTT assay after cultured mouse hippocampal neurons were treated with various concentrations of xanthine oxidase(XO) and hypoxanthine (HX) for 5 hours. And also, the protective effect of Salviae Mutiorrhizae Radix(SMR) on XO/HX-induced neurotoxicity was examined in these cultures. XO/HX significantly decreased cell viability in dose-and time dependent manners when cultured mouse hippocampal neurons were treated with 5～40 mU/ml XO for 5 hours. In the protective effect of SMA, SMR increased cell viability dose-dependently after cultured mouse hippocampal neurons were preincubated with 30～120 ㎍/ml SMR for 2 hours. From these results, it is suggested that XO/HX is toxic on cultured mouse hippocampal neurons, and herbe medicine such as SMR is very effective in blocking the cytotoxicity induced by AOS.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.97-104
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• 2015

Antioxidant activity of dropwort fermented extract (DFE) was measured according to fermentation period, and liver protective effects were examined using Sprague-Dawley rats. Total polyphenol and flavonoid contents as well as DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities increased up to 60~80 days and then decreased slightly. Proper fermentation time for DFE was more than 60 days and less than 80 days. Administration of alcohol to rats for 10 days at 10 mL/kg/day raised serum AST, ALT, total cholesterol, and triglyceride (TG) levels, which were then lowered by DFE and sugar liquid with the same soluble solids. While sugar liquid increased the blood lipid profile, especially TG levels, DFE had no effect due to its antioxidant activity. When TBARS content of the DFE group in liver tissue significantly decreased in a concentration-dependent manner compared to that of the ALH group (p<0.05). Liver damage was recovered by DFE treatment and was confirmed by hamatoxylin-eosin staining. These results suggest that DFE has a protective effect against alcohol-induced hepatotoxicity in SD rats.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.92-100
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• 2022

Ginkgo biloba Leaf Extract (GBE) is an extract from leaves of the Ginkgo biloba tree, widely used as a health supplement. GBE can inhibit the proliferation of several types of tumor cell. Although it is known to have anti-cancer effects in breast cancer and skin cancer, research related to gastric cancer is still insufficient. Based on results showing anti-cancer effects on solid cancer, we aimed to determine whether GBE has similar effects on gastric cancer. In this study, the anti-cancer effect of GBE in gastric adenocarcinoma was investigated by confirming the cell proliferation inhibitory effect of AGS cells. We also evaluated whether GBE regulates expression of the tumor suppressor protein p53 and Rb. GBE has apoptotic effects on AGS cells that were confirmed by changes in anti-apoptosis protein Bcl-2, Bcl-xl and pro-apoptosis protein Bax levels. Wound healing and cell migration were also decreased by treatment with GBE. Furthermore, we verified the effects of GBE on mitogenic signaling by investigating AKT target gene expression levels and revealed downregulated Sod2 and Bcl6 expression. We also confirmed that expression of inflammation-related genes decreased in a time-dependent manner. These results indicate that GBE has an anti-cancer effect on human gastric cancer cell lines. Further research on the mechanism of the anti-cancer effect will serve as basic data for possible anti-cancer drug development.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.465-475
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• 2012

Objectives : This study was performed to investigate the antineoplastic effect of ethanol extracts from Sanguisorbae Radix on cholangiocarcinoma cells that was established from biliary tract cancer tissue. Materials and Methods : Two cholangiocarcinoma cell lines, SNU-1079 and SNU-1196, were studied. The mRNA expression of Caspase 3, 8, 9, Bcl-2, Bax, P53, and P21 was examined by RT-PCR. Cell viability was determined by MTT assay. The cell cycle was analyzed by flow cytometry and apoptosis by cell death detection ELISA kit. Results : Proliferation of SNU-1079 and SNU-1196 was inhibited by Sanguisorbae Radix treatment in a dose-dependent manner. All cells treated with Sanguisorbae Radix showed increased dose- and time-dependent apoptosis. The expression of caspase 3, 8, 9, p53, and p21 was increased in all cells after the treatment of Sanguisorbae Radix. The expression of Bcl-2 was decreased in SNU-1196 and Bax expression was increased in all cells after the treatment of Sanguisorbae Radix. Conclusions : These results suggest that Sanguisorbae Radix would be beneficial in the treatment of cholangiocarcinoma.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.519-529
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• 2011

Objectives : This study was performed to investigate the effects of Injinchunggan-tang on cell growth and apoptosis in human hepatic stellate cell line LX2. Materials and Methods : Hepatic stellate cells were treated with various concentrations of Injinchunggan-tang extract for 24, 48 and 72 hours. The extraction was done with distilled water. After the treatment, cell viability, proliferation, apoptosis, caspase activity, caspase inhibitor and the mRNA of the Bcl-2, and Bax with ${\beta}$-actin were measured by using MTT assay, apoptosis assay and RT-PCR. Results : Proliferation, and mRNA expression of the hepatic stellate cells were inhibited by Injinchunggan-tang treatment in a dose-dependent manner. This indicates the prescription has inhibitory effect on fibrogenesis of the liver by regulating the fibrogenesis-associated genes in transcription. Cell viability was inhibited in time- and dose-dependent manners. Conclusions : These results suggest that Injinchunggan-tang would be beneficial in the treatment of cirrhotic patients as well as for the patients with chronic hepatitis.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.2087-2092
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• 2015

Nowadays herbal-derived medicines are attracting attention as new sources of drugs with few side effects. Silibinin is a flavonoid compound with chemotheraputic effects on different cancers such as examples in the prostate, lung, colon and breast. In the present study, the cytotoxic effects of silibinin on MCF7 breast cancer cells were investigated. Apoptosis was determined by flow cytometry and the impact of silibinin on the expression of pivotal genes including Bak, P53, P21, BRCA1, BCL-X1 and ATM was analyzed. Treatment for 24h had a significant dose-dependent inhibitory effect on cell growth (p<0.05) with dose- and time- dependent induction of apoptosis (p<0.05). In addition, there were significant increases in BRCA1, ATM, Bak and Bcl-XL gene expression at the mRNA level with different concentrations of silibinin for 24 or 48 h (p<0.05). Taken together, the results suggest that silibinin inhibits the proliferation and induces apoptosis of MCF-7 cells by down-regulating Bak, P53, P21, BRCA1, BCL-Xl and thus may be considered as an effective adjuvant drug to produce a better chemopreventive response for the cancer therapy.