• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.311-320
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• 2016

Kava (Piper methysticum, P. methysticum) is used as traditional herbal medicine for urogenital diseases, rheumatisms, gastrointestinal problems, respiratory irritations, and pulmonary pains. We identified a flavokavain C (FKC) from P. methysticum, which showed anti-inflammatory activity on nuclear factor ${\kappa}B$ (NF-${\kappa}B$)-dependent nitric oxide (NO) production and expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW264.7 macrophages. FKC inhibited accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), such as hydrogen peroxide, and was able to dose-dependently reduce the LPS-induced NO production and the expression of various inflammation-associated genes (iNOS, IL-$1{\beta}$, IL-6) through inhibition of NF-${\kappa}B$ and MAPKs (ERK and JNK). In conclusion, these results indicate that FKC may have the potential to prevent inflammation process including NF-${\kappa}B$ and MAPKs pathways, and it could be applicable to functional cosmetics for anti-inflammation and antioxidant properties.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.37 no.4 s.147
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• pp.266-271
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• 2006

Sophorae Radix, the dried roots of Sophora flavescens Aiton (Leguminosae), has been used in oriental traditional medicine for treatment of skin and mucosal ulcers, sores, gastrointestinal hemorrhage, diarrhea, inflammation and arrhythmia. Present study was carried out for the gastroprotective effect of trifolirhizin from Sophora flavescens. This reports were evaluated antibacterial activity against Helicobacter pylori and HCl ethanol-induced gastric lesion in rats and showed the significant effectiveness. In pylorus ligated rats, the treatments of trifolirhizin showed decrease in the volume of gastric secretion and acid output. Also we evaluated the antibacterial activity against H. pylori treated with methanol extract and trifolirhizin from Sophora flavescens had a equivalent antibacterial activity with ampicillin against H. pylori at the dose of $100{\mu}g/mL$. It may be regarded that the antigastritic effects and antibacterial activity of trifolirhizin from Sophora flavescens are originated from reduction of total acid output identified by gastric secretion reduce, free radical scavenging effects and the antibacterial activity against H. pylori.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.249-255
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• 2009

Forsythiaside is a polyphenolic constituent of the fruits of Forsythia suspense Vahl which are widely used as anti-inflammatory herbal raw materials in traditional Chinese medicine. In the present study, the authors assessed the effects of forsythiaside on learning and memory impairments induced by scopolamine using a passive avoidance and the Morris water maze tests in mice. Drug-induced amnesia was induced by scopolamine treatment (1 mg/kg, i.p.). Forsythiaside (10 mg/kg, p.o) administration significantly prevented scopolamine-induced step-through latency reduction in the passive avoidance test and scopolamine-induced increased escape latency in the Morris water maze test (p<0.05). Moreover, in an ex-vivo study, forsythiaside treatment (10 mg/kg, p.o) significantly reduced the increase of thiobarbituric acid reactive substance levels induced by scopolamine (p<0.05). Taken together, the present study suggests that forsythiaside could be useful for the treatment of cognitive impairment, and that its beneficial effects are mediated, in part, by its antioxidative properties.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.553-559
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• 2018

Investigations into the development of new therapeutic agents for lung inflammatory disorders have led to the discovery of plant-based alternatives. The rhizomes of Anemarrhena asphodeloides have a long history of use against lung inflammatory disorders in traditional herbal medicine. However, the therapeutic potential of this plant material in animal models of lung inflammation has yet to be evaluated. In the present study, we prepared the alcoholic extract and derived the saponin-enriched fraction from the rhizomes of A. asphodeloides and isolated timosaponin A-III, a major constituent. Lung inflammation was induced by intranasal administration of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to mice, representing an animal model of acute lung injury (ALI). The alcoholic extract (50-200 mg/kg) inhibited the development of ALI. Especially, the oral administration of the saponin-enriched fraction (10-50 mg/kg) potently inhibited the lung inflammatory index. It reduced the total number of inflammatory cells in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). Histological changes in alveolar wall thickness and the number of infiltrated cells of the lung tissue also indicated that the saponin-enriched fraction strongly inhibited lung inflammation. Most importantly, the oral administration of timosaponin A-III at 25-50 mg/kg significantly inhibited the inflammatory markers observed in LPS-induced ALI mice. All these findings, for the first time, provide evidence supporting the effectiveness of A. asphodeloides and its major constituent, timosaponin A-III, in alleviating lung inflammation.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.83-88
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• 2007

The roots of Liriope platyphylla (Liliaceae) are widely used in traditional Chinese medicine. In the present study, we investigated the effects of ethanol (70%) extract of the roots of Liriope platyphylla (ELP70) on learning and memory using behavioral and immunohistochemical methods in mice. Control animals were treated with vehicle (10% Tween 80). With sub-chronic treatments of ELP70 (p.o.) for 14 days, the latency time was significantly increased compared with that of the vehicle-treated control group (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg; P<0.05). Moreover, immunopositive cells for brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) were significantly increased in the hippocapmpal dentate gyrus and CA1 regions after ELP70 treatments for 14 days (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg; P < 0.05). In addition, those cells for nerve growth factor (NGF) were also increased in the hippocapmpal dentate gyrus region (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg; P<0.05). These results suggest that the sub-chronic administration of ELP70 improves learning and memory, and that their beneficial effects are mediated, in part, by the enhancement of BDNF or NGF expression.

• THE JOURNAL OF KOREAN ORIENTAL ONCOLOGY
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.91-100
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• 1996

Radiotherapy is an irreplaceable method of cancer treatment but, it has various side effects, especially damage to the hemopoietic system. A lot of radioprotectors have been found but they also have toxic effects. Many kinds of crude drugs(Oriental Chinese medicine)with low toxicity have been reported to promote the recovery from radiation damage. Recently, the trial to combine radiotherapy with herbal treatment of cancer patients shows a desirable result, an enhancement in recovery of the blood system.. This study was performed to determine whether prescriptions to support the healthy energy and strengthen the body resistence, Buzhongyiqi-tang and Siliu-tang, promote the recovery of splenocytes of N:GP(s) mice from radiation damage. We investigated the proliferative effect of Buzhongyiqi-tang, Siliu-tang and EIB(ethanol insoluble fraction of Buzhongyiqi-tang) on N:GP(S)mice splenocytes before or after ${\gamma}$-irradiation. We also investigated the morphology of splenocytes cultured with these herbs. Buzhongyiqi-tang and Siliu-tang promoted the proliferation of splenocytes in a concentration of 0.1 mg/ml compared with normal control(p<0.001). After 1-5Gy of ${\gamma}$-irradiation they also showed the effect of recovery of hemopoietic cells, especially in Buzhongyiqi-tang(4Gy:p<0.005; 5Gy:p<0.05). In addition, EIB(ethanol insoluble fraction of Buzhongyiqi-tang) showed the highest proliferative effect of all agents suggesting that more effective fractions could be found from crude herbs or prescriptions. These results suggest that it is possible to make use of Buzhongyiqi-tang, Siliu-tang or EIB as radio-protective agents.

• CELLMED
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.10.1-10.8
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• 2013

Cancer is one of the major dreaded diseases causing high mortality. Lung cancer is second in position of all cancer related deaths and mainly divided into two morphologic sub-types: small-cell lung cancer and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). NSCLC is an aggressive neoplasm which hardly responds to any conventional chemotherapy. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) belongs to the ErbB family of receptor tyrosine kinase that is mainly over-expressed in NSCLC. EGFR is mainly involved in the pathogenesis and progression of different carcinoma. In vivo and in vitro studies suggest that EGFR and EGF like peptides are often over-expressed in human NSCLC and these proteins are able to induce cell transformation. The conventional therapies mostly inhibit the EGFR activity and expression level in human NSCLC with the use of some EGFR-inhibitors like HKI-272, EKB569, CL-387785 etc. and some synthetic chemotherapeutic drugs like erlotinib, gefitinib, plumbagin, docetaxel, cisplatin etc., alone or in combination of two or more drugs. These therapies selectively act by competitive inhibition of the binding of adenosine triphosphate to the tyrosine kinase domain of the EGFR, resulting in inhibition of the EGFR signaling pathway. But these chemotherapeutic drugs have some cytotoxic activities to the normal cells and have some adverse side-effects. Recent studies on some traditional alternative therapies including some herbal and plant extracts, active ingredients like curcumin, different homeopathic drugs, etc. can target EGFR-signalling in NSCLC with less toxic side-effects are being currently developed.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.63-68
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• 2012

Osteoporosis is characterized by the reduced density of mineralized bone matrix. The loss of bone has been attributed to an imbalance between bone formation and bone resorption. The silkmoth is one of the famous traditional tonic medicines. Silkworm pupa was evaluated for its antiosteoporotic activity in an ovariectomized rat model of osteoporosis. The rats were ovariectomized at 6weeks of age and divided into 7 groups. All the groups were fed without calcium diet. The OVX rats were treated with water and silkworm powder for 6 weeks. In OVX rats, the body weight, feeding and water intake quantity did not show a significant change, but the silkworm pupa powder immediately before the eclosion of Yeonrokjam was significantly increased the bone mineral density in the femoral bone. The silkworm pupa powder increased the bone with increasing calcium in serum. These results also showed its protective action through promotion of bone formation. The silkworm pupa powder has a definite antiosteoporotic effect; similar to estrogen, it is especially effective for the prevention of bone fracture induced by estrogen deficiency. The silkworm pupa powder is a promising anti-osteoporotic agent that can prevent bone fractures in osteoporotic patients. The silkworm pupa powder does not show serious side effects because natural herbal medicine origin.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.53-58
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• 2011

Activity-guided isolation from an ethylacetate-soluble fraction of a 70% (v/v) ethanolic extract from the roots of Taraxacum ohwianum, using a pancreatic lipase inhibition assay, resulted in isolation and identification of five phenolic metabolites of previously known structure; these were 3,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid, chicoric acid, caffeic acid, protocatechuic aldehyde, and luteolin. All structures were confirmed by NMR and MS scpectroscopic data. Of these compounds 3,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid exhibited the most potent inhibitory activity, with $IC_{50}$ of $65.1{\pm}0.7\;{\mu}M$ against pancreatic lipase.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.309-318
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• 2005

Rhus verniciflua Stokes (RVS) has been used as a food supplement and a traditional herbal medicine. In this study, we prepared various flavonoid fractions (RS, RW1, RW2 and RWE) from a hot water extract of RVS and their influence on male reproductive organs and spermatogenesis were studied in rats which were orally administered 200 mg/kg of them for 8 weeks. All experimental groups did not show any significant changes in body weight and blood clinical chemistry for liver function. Plasma testosterone level was elevated about 3.7, 5.2 and 6.3 folds in RW1, RW2 and RWE groups, respectively. The weights of testes and epididymides tended to increase slightly without the statistical significance in RW2 and RWE. The spermatozoon motility and epididymal sperm concentration were significantly increased (P<0.05) in RWE and RW1, respectively, when compared to the control group. There was no significant difference in histology and apparent shape of testes and epididymides among the control and the experimental groups. Collectively, RWE showed effectively the elevation of plasma testosterone level, spermatozoon motility and the epididymal sperm concentration without the significant increase of testis and epidiymides weights. When the component HPLC profile among the flavonoids fractions of RVS was compared, the ratio of components were only different. These findings suggest that the Rhus flavonoid fraction, particularly RWE, can stimulate the androgen-dependent male sexual function and it can be applied to the material of functional food for enhancing the sexual function.