• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.481-489
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• 2005

Lonicerae Flos has antibacterial effects against Staphylococcus aureus, streptococci, pneumococci, Bacillus dysenterii, Salmonella typhi, and paratyphoid. It is an antiviral agent. The herb has a cytoprotective effect against $CCl_{4}-induced$ hepatic injury. It has antilipemic action, interfering with lipid absorption from the gut. Nowadays this herb is used mainly in the treatment of upper respiratory infections, such as tonsillitis and acute laryngitis. It is also used in the treatment of skin suppurations, such as carbuncles, and to treat viral conjunctivitis, influenza, pneumonia, and mastitis. Lonicerae Flos is dried flower buds of Lonicera japonica, L. hypoglauca, L. confusa, or L. dasystyla. But, for the most part, we use whole plant of Lonicera japonica, as a flower bud of it. And, little is known of the original copy of effects of whole plant, except for the 'Bon-Cho-Gang-Mok', which is written the effects of flower of Lonicera japonica are equal to effects of leaves and branch of it. The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of flower and whole plant of Lonicera japonica on the regulatory mechanism of cytokines, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase (COX-2) for the immunological activities in Raw 264.7 cells. In Raw 264.7 cells stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to mimic inflammation, flower and whole plant of Lonicera japonica water extracts inhibited nitric oxide production in a dose-dependent manner and abrogated iNOS and COX-2. Flower and whole plant of Lonicera japonica water extract did not affect on cell viability. To investigate the mechanism by which flower and whole plant of Lonicera japonica water extract inhibits iNOS and COX-2 gene expression, we examined the on phosphorylation of inhibitor ${\kappa}B{\alpha}$ and assessed production of $TNF-{\alpha}$, $interleukin-1{\beta}$ $(IL-1{\beta})$ and interleukin-6 (IL-6). Results provided evidence that flower and whole plant of Lonicera japonica inhibited the production of $IL-1{\beta}$, IL-6 and activated the phosphorylation of inhibitor ${\kappa}B{\alpha}$ in Raw 264.7 cells activated with LPS. These findings suggest that flower and whole plant of Lonicera japonica can produce anti-inflammatory effect, which may play a role in adjunctive therapy in Gram-negative bacterial infections, respectively.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.26 no.7
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• pp.764-771
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• 2016

Extracts from Artemisia annua Linné (AAE) have been known to possess various functions, including anti-bacterial, anti-virus, and anti-oxidant effects. However, the mechanism of those effects of AAE is not well-known. The aim of this study was to analyze the inhibitory effects of AAE on cell proliferation of the human hepatoma cell line (Hep3B) and to examine its effects on apoptosis. Activation by phosphorylation of Akt is cell proliferation through the phosphorylation of TSC2, mTOR, and GSK-3β. We suggested that AAE may exert cancer cell apoptosis through Akt/mTOR/GSK-3β signal pathways and mitochondria-mediated apoptotic proteins. For this, we examined the effects of extracts of AAE on cell proliferation according to treatment concentration. Treatment with AAE not only reduced cell viability, but also resulted in the induced release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). These results were determined with a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and a lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay. Furthermore, we determined the effects of apoptosis through Hoechst 33342 staining, annexinⅤ-propidium iodide (PI) staining, 5,5′, 6,6′-tetrachloro-1,1′,3,3′-tetraethyl-imidacarbocyanine iodide (JC-1) staining, and Western blotting. Our study showed that the treatment of liver cancer cells with AAE resulted in the inhibition of Akt, TSC2, GSK-3β-phosphorylated, Bcl-2, and pro-caspase 3 and the activation of Bim, Bax, Bak, and cleaved PARP expressions. These results indicate that AAE induced apoptosis by means of a mitochondrial event through the regulate of Akt/mTOR/GSK-3β signaling pathways.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.508-514
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• 2016

Effects of the ethyl acetate fraction from gomchwi (Ligularia fischeri) extract against high $glucose/H_2O_2-induced$ oxidative stress and in vitro neurodegeneration were investigated to confirm the physiological property of the extract. The ethyl acetate fraction of gomchwi extract showed the highest total phenolic contents than the other solvent fractions. An anti-hyperglycemic activity of the ethyl acetate fraction was evaluated using the ${\alpha}-glucosidase$ inhibitory assay, and the half maximal inhibitory concentration ($IC_{50}$) value for ${\alpha}-glucosidase$ was found to be $727.64{\mu}g/mL$. In addition, the ethyl acetate fraction showed excellent 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt radical scavenging activity, and inhibition of malondialdehyde production. The ethyl acetate fraction also decreased intracellular reactive oxygen species, whereas neuronal cell viability against high glucose/$H_2O_2$-induced cytotoxicity was found to be increased. Finally, 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid as a main phenolic compound in the ethyl acetate fraction was analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography. These results suggest that gomchwi might be a good natural source of functional materials to prevent diabetic neurodegeneration.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.295-302
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• 2019

Liquiritigenin (LG) is a chiral flavonoid isolated from the roots of licorice. It exhibits multiple biological activities including anti-oxidant, anti-cancer, and anti-inflammatory effects. In particular though, the anti-cancer activity of LG in oral squamous cell carcinoma has yet to be elucidated, and LG-induced apoptosis in oral squamous cell carcinoma remains poorly understood. In the present study, we tested the role of LG in inducing apoptosis in oral squamous cell carcinoma cells. LG treatment of HN22 cells resulted in a dose-dependent inhibition of cell viability as detected by a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5 diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. The induction of apoptosis in terms of Annexin V/7-Aminoactinomycin D staining, sub-G1 population, and multi-caspase activity were assessed with a $Muse^{TM}$ Cell Analyzer. Flow cytometric analysis revealed that LG treatment resulted in G2/M arrest in cell cycle progression and downregulation of cyclin B1 and CDC2 expression in a concentration-dependent manner. It also resulted in significant upregulation of p27. In addition, LG was seen to trigger the generation of reactive oxygen species and induce CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein homologous protein and 78-kDa glucose-regulated protein in concentration-dependent upregulation. The LG treatment of HN22 cells led to a loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (${\Delta}{\Psi}m$); it also reduced the levels of anti-apoptotic protein and increased the expression of apoptotic protease activating factor-1, cleaved poly (ADP-ribose)polymerase and Bax. Overall, our results indicate that the pro-apoptotic effects of LG in HN22 cells depend on the activation of both intrinsic and extrinsic signaling pathways. Thus, our results suggest that LG constitutes a natural compound with a potential role as an anti-tumor agent in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.1003-1012
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• 2018

This study is for checking the possibility of Lentinula edodes as cosmetic materials. For this we carried out biological active evaluation about anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects by Lentinula edodes extracts. We extracted Lentinula edodes with water and 70% ethanol and then in order to evaluate anti-oxidant activity we treated samples by concentrations (100, 500, 1000) ${\mu}g/ml$ and carried out 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging, the activity of 2,2'-azino-bis ( 3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid )-diammonium salt (ABTS) cation radical scavenging and superoxide dismutase(SOD) like activity. Also, in order to evaluate effect of anti-inflammatory the samples in macrophages(RAW 264.7 cells), we carried out evaluation of cell viability, nitric oxide inhibitory activity western blot. The results of DPPH, $ABTS^+$ radical scavenging activity and SOD-like activity of the Lentinula edodes extracts increased in dose-dependent manner. The cytotoxic of samples by MTT assay showed no toxicity at the concentrations of 10, 25 and $50{\mu}g/ml$ of Lentinula edodes extract. Nitric oxide inhibition activity results showed that the extracts reduced NO productions in a concentration-dependent manner. Expression of inflammatory cytokines as $TNF-{\alpha}$, $PGE_2$ and $IL-1{\beta}$ decreased in a concentration-dependent manner and iNOS and COX-2 proteins expression rates were decreased significantly in western blot analysis. From the results of the experiment, it was comfirmed that the Lentinula edodes extracts had excellent anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effect and could be used as a safe natural cosmetic material in the future.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.661-676
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• 2018

Veronica persica (V. persica) is a perennial plant that is broadly distributed in Europe, Asia and so on. V. persica is used for pain about the lower abdomen and low back. The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of V. persica ethanol extract in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells. To evaluate the anti-oxidant activity, the DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging, total polyphenol and flavonoid contents, and reducing power activity were carried out. The DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activity were evaluated as 72.0% and 73.0% at the concentrations of 200 and $500{\mu}g/mL$, respectively. Total polyphenol and flavonoid contents of V. persica extracts were measured as 65.22 mg/g and 43.82 mg/g at the concentration of 1 mg/mL. The reducing power activity measurement showed 53.0% activity at 1 mg/mL. The anti-inflammatory effects of the V. persica extract were evaluated in LPS induced RAW 264.7 cells. In the evaluation of cell viability by proliferation ＆ cytotoxicity assay kit, the cytotoxicity of the extract was not confirmed at $0{\sim}800{\mu}g/mL$ concentration. And the V. persica significantly inhibited NO production in a concentration dependent manner. The inhibition effects of NO in cell medium of V. persica was over 80% at $800{\mu}g/mL$. The V. persica also suppressed the expression of iNOS, COX-2, and phosphorylation of $NF-{\kappa}B$ and $IkB-{\alpha}$ proteins. These results indicate that the V. persica has anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects by modulating $NF-{\kappa}B$ signaling pathways and can be used as natural functional materials.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.379-392
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• 2019

The current study investigated the effect of Gabjubaekmok (Diospyros kaki) ethanolic extract (GEE) on $H_2O_2$-induced human neuroblastoma MC-IXC cells and amyloid beta $(A{\beta})_{1-42}$-induced ICR (Institute of Cancer Research) mice. GEE showed significant antioxidant activity that was evaluated based on ABTS, DPPH scavenging activity, and inhibition of malondialdehyde (MDA) and acetylcholinesterase activity. Further, GEE inhibited ROS production and increased cell viability in $H_2O_2$-induced MC-IXC cells. Administration of GEE ameliorated the cognitive dysfunction on $A{\beta}$-induced ICR mice as evaluated using Y-maze, passive avoidance, and Morris water maze tests. Results of ex vivo test using brain tissues showed that, GEE protected the cholinergic system and mitochondrial functions by increasing the levels of antioxidants such as ROS, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) against $A{\beta}$-induced cognitive dysfunction. Moreover, GEE decreasd the expression levels of apoptosis-related proteins such as $TNF-{\alpha}$, p-JNK, p-tau, BAX and caspase 3. While, expression levels of p-Akt and $p-GSK3{\beta}$ increased than $A{\beta}$ group. Finally, gallic acid was identified as the main compound of GEE using high performance liquid chromatography.