• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.32 no.9
• /
• pp.734-741
• /
• 2022

Currently, around 40 million people worldwide are living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection making HIV a critical global health risk. Present therapies for HIV infection consist of drug cocktails that target different steps of the HIV life cycle to prevent infection, replication, and release of the virus. Due to its mutating nature, drug resistance coupled with side-effects of long-term drug use, novel strategies, and pharmaceuticals to treat and manage HIV infection are constant needs and continuously being studied. Plants allocate a major repertoire of chemical diversity and are therefore regarded as an important source of new bioactive agents that can be utilized against HIV. Since the early 1990s, upon recommendations of the World Health Organization, numerous studies reported phytochemicals from different structural classes such as flavonoids, coumarins, tannins and terpenes with strong inhibitory effects against HIV infection. The present review gathered and presented recent research (2021-present) on plant extracts and phytochemicals that exhibit anti-HIV properties with the aim of providing insights into future studies where ethnomedical and underutilized plant sources may yield important natural products against HIV. Considering the relation and importance of HIV treatment with current viral infection risks such as SARS-CoV-2, screening plants for anti-HIV agents is an important step towards the discovery of novel antivirals.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.53 no.5
• /
• pp.497-509
• /
• 2002

Background : The mechanisms through which cellular activation results in intracellular mycobacterial killing is only partially understood. However, in vitro studies of human immunity to Mycobacterium tuberculosis have been largely modeled on the work reported by Crowle, which is complicated by several factors. The whole blood culture is simple and allows the simultaneous analysis of the relationship between bacterial killing and the effect of effector cells and humoral factors. In this study, we attempted to determine the extent to which M. tuberculosis is killed in a human whole blood culture and to explore the role of the host and microbial factor in this process. Methods : The PPD positive subject were compared to the umbilical cord blood and patients with tuberculosis, diabetes and lung cancer. The culture is performed using heparinized whole blood diluted with a culture medium and infected with a low number of M. avium or M. tuberculosis $H_{37}Ra$ for 4 days by rotating the culture in a $37^{\circ}C$, 5% $CO_2$ incubator. In some experiments, methlprednisolone- or pentoxifyline were used to inhibit the immune response. To assess the role of the T-cell subsets, CD4+, CD8+ T-cells or both were removed from the blood using magnetic beads. The ${\Delta}$ log killing ratio was defined using a CFU assay as the difference in the log number of viable organisms in the completed culture compared to the inoculum. Results : 1. A trend was noted toward the improved killing of mycobacteria in PPD+ subjects comparing to the umbilical cord blood but there was no specific difference in the patients with tuberculosis, diabetes and lung cancer. 2. Methylprednisolone and pentoxifyline adversely affected the killing in the PPD+ subjects umbilical cord blood and patients with tuberculosis. 3. The deletion of CD4+ or CD8+ T-lymphocytes adversely affected the killing of M. avium and M. tuberculosis $H_{37}Ra$ by PPD+ subjects. Deletion of both cell types had an additive effect, particularly in M. tuberculosis $H_{37}Ra$. 4. A significantly improved mycobacterial killing was noted after chemotherapy in patients with tuberculosis and the ${\Delta}$ logKR continuously decreased in a 3 and 4 days of whole blood culture. Conclusion : The in vitro bactericidal assay by human whole blood culture model was settled using a CFU assay. However, the host immunity to M. tuberculosis was not apparent in the human whole blood culture bactericidal assay, and patients with tuberculosis showed markedly improved bacterial killing after anti-tuberculous chemotherapy compared to before. The simplicity of a whole blood culture facilitates its inclusion in a clinical trial and it may have a potential role as a surrogate marker in a TB vaccine trial.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
• /
• v.33 no.4
• /
• pp.287-292
• /
• 2020

Lathyrus palustris often used as a treatment for inflammation of the kidneys in Korean traditional medication. Generally, drugs for arthritis have anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive properties. However, the validity of the anti-inflammatory effect has not been scientifically investigated so far. Therefore, the purpose of the research was to investigate the latent anti-inflammatory ability of L. palustris using the ethanol extract. To evaluate the anti-inflammatory activities, we examined the inflammatory arbitrators such as a nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) on RAW 264.7 cells. Our results indicated that ethanol extract significantly inhibited the lipopolysaccharide E (LPS) derived PGE₂ production in RAW 264.7 cell. The inhibitory activity of ethanol extract for PGE₂ tests with inhibition ratio showed in 40 ㎍/mL. Overall, PGE₂ tests had a higher inhibitory effect on inflammation than NO tests. This result anticipated that the ethanol extract from L. palustris is a good candidate for developing the origin of anti-inflammatory agents.

• Korean journal of food and cookery science
• /
• v.15 no.3
• /
• pp.231-237
• /
• 1999

The anticancer effect of the bark of Broussonetia kazinoki root extracts (hexane. chloroform, ethylacetate, butanol, aqueous) were studied. The cytotoxicity by MTT assay and inhibitory effect on the growth of sarcoma 180 cells were tested in vitro. The reduction rate of the tumor formation and spleen/body weight rate on BALB/c mouse were tested in vivo. From the tests, each fraction showed the cytotoxic effect against the sarcoma 180 cells. In addition, as the concentration of the fractions increased, cytotoxic effect tendency increased as well. The cytotoxic rate of the hexane, chloroform, ethylacetate, butanol and aqueous fractions showed by 58.7%, 40.1%, 75.7%, 52.6% and 62.7% respectively after testing by MTT assay system. And sarcoma 180 cells were incubated for 6 days at 37$^{\circ}C$ with various concentrations of each fraction. As the incubation days go on, the number of cells increased, while the inhibition rate on the growth of sarcoma 180 cells were decreased. Especially the ethylacetate fraction at the concentration of 1.0 mg/ml strongly inhibited the growth of sarcoma 180 cells by 74% compared with the control for a day 37$^{\circ}C$ The hexane, chloroform, ethylacetate, butanol and aqueous fractions inhibited on the growth of sarcoma 180 cells by 31%, 19%, 60%, 30% and 42% respectively, when sarcoma 180 cells has been incubated for 6 days at 37$^{\circ}C$. The each fraction exhibited the antitumor effect in vivo. The ethylacetate fraction reduced the tumor formation by 41% compared with the control, when sarcoma 180 cells were injected subcutaneously into the left groin of BALB/c mice. Also spleen/body weight rate of ethylacetate fraction was increased by 2.10% compared with the control (1.08%). And it is considered that there would be no toxic effect caused by each fraction of body weight and organ as there was on more changes in mouse' weight compared with the control.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.32 no.1
• /
• pp.1-10
• /
• 2022

Natural products have gained increasing attention due to their advantage of long-term safety and low toxicity for a very long time. Torreya nucifera is widespread in southern Korea and Jeju Island and its seeds are commonly used as edible food. Oriental ingredients have often been reported for their insecticidal, antioxidant and antibacterial properties, but there have not yet been any studies on their antidiabetic effect. In this study, we investigated several biological activities of T. nucifera pericarp (TNP) and seeds (TNS) extracts and proceeded to characterize the antidiabetic compounds of TNS. The initial results suggested that TNS extract at 15 and 10 ㎍/ml concentration has inhibitory effects on α-glucosidase and protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B, that is 14.5 and 4.35 times higher than TNP, respectively. Thus, the stronger antidiabetic TNS was selected for the subsequent experiments to characterize its active compounds. Ultrafiltration was used to determine the apparent molecular weight of the active compounds, showing 300 kDa or more. Finally the mixture was then partially purified using Diaion HP-20 column chromatography by eluting with 50~100% methanol. Therefore we concluded that the active compounds of TNS have potential as therapeutic agents in functional food or supplemental treatment to improve diabetic diseases.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
• /
• v.33 no.4
• /
• pp.643-650
• /
• 2003

Cyclosporin-A(CsA)는 장기와 조직 이식에 따른 거부반응을 조절하기 위해 사용되는 면역억제제로, 이식의학의 발달과 더불어 사용량이 증가하고 있다. CsA의 부작용중의 하나인 치은과증식은 30-50%의 빈도로 발발하고 있다. 최근 macrolide 계열의 항생제인 azithromycin을 이용하여 이런 부작용을 억제시킨다는 임상 보고가 있어서, 이를 실험적으로 확인하고자 하였다. 이를 위해 CsA를 투여한 적이 없는 환자에서 정상 치은조직을 채취, 치은섬유아세포를 배양하였다. 우선 CsA에 대한 치은섬유아세포의 반응을 보기 위해 다양한 농도($10^{-8}-10^{-10}$g/ml)로 처치하여, 세포 증식량과 교원질 합성량을 MTT assay와 Sirol Collagen Assay를 이용하여 측정하였다. 이에 반응을 보인 조건과 세포를 대상으로 다양한 농도($10^{-8}-10^{-10}$g/ml)의 azithromycin을 CsA와 동시 처치하여 아래와 같은 결과를 얻었다. 1. CsA는 일부 치은섬유모세포의 증식을 증가시켰다. 그러나 Collagen 합성능에는 변화를 주지 않았다. 2. Azithromycin은 정상 치은섬유아세포의 증식능에 영향을 미치지 않았다. 3. Azithromycin은 CsA 에 반응을 보인 세포의 증식을 감소시켰으며, 이는 정상 수준과 유사하였다. 이상의 결과에서 azithromycin이 CsA에 의한 치은과증식 치료에 유익하다고 사료된다.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.25 no.1
• /
• pp.29-36
• /
• 2015

Prodigiosin, a member of natural red pigment family, is produced by Serratia marcescens, and characterized by a common pyrrolylpyrromethane skeleton. This pigment has been reported with the effects of anticancer, immunosuppressant, antifungal, and algicidal activities. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a major cause of hospital infections. In this study, anti-MRSA properties of prodigiosin isolated from Serratia sp. PDGS 120915 were investigated. We identified and purified prodigiosin using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and evaluated anti-MRSA activity. Purified prodigiosin inhibited the growth of MRSA. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of prodigiosin were determined to $32{\mu}g/ml$ against the MRSA strains. Fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) indices of ampicillin and penicillin were indicated synergistic effects of prodigiosin on MRSA.

• Proceedings of the KOR-BRONCHOESO Conference
• /
• 1993.05a
• /
• pp.85-85
• /
• 1993

The clinical staging system for laryngeal cancers is not sufficient for prognosticator due to different biologic characteristics and their microenvironment according to primary sites. For determining the prognosticators, the authors peformed immunohistochemical staining to EGFR, p53 protein, and pRB in 40 cases of surgically treated squamous cell carcinomas of larynx in our institute during the past 5 years. The results are as followings; 1. The positive expression rate of p53 protein and negative expression rate of pRB showed correlations with clinical parameters. 2. The three-year survival rate for p53 protein positive cases was worse than the p53 protein negative cases. 3. Expression rate of EGFR was not correlated with the clinical parameters. As a conclusion, expression rates of p53 protein and pRB not only reflect well the biologic behavior of laryngeal cancer, but correlate closely with the tumor factors. Therefore they may be useful as the prognosticator to predict the malignant potency of laryngeal squamous cell carcinomas.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
• /
• v.13 no.1
• /
• pp.61-69
• /
• 2001

사상의학적 견지에서 태음인(太陰人)의 중풍, 치매와 같은 신경계질환에 다용되고 있는 열다한소탕(熱多寒少湯)은 최근에 그 임상적 효과를 뒷받침할 다각적인 연구들이 이루어지고 있음에도 불구하고 그 정확한 약리학적 기전에 대해서는 밝혀지지 않고 있다. 본 연구에서는 인간성상세포를 이용하여 열다한소탕(熱多寒少湯)이 substance P (SP)와 lipopolysaccharide (LPS)에 의해 유도되는 다양한 세포활성물질의 분비량의 조절을 검토함으로써 열다한소탕(熱多寒少湯)의 약리기전을 면역학적 측면에서 보다 세밀하게 살펴보고자 하였다. 열다한소탕(熱多寒少湯) 수침액은 인간 뇌 성상세포로 부터 LPS와 SP의 동시자극에 의해 생성되는 세포활성물질중 interleukin (IL)-1, IL-4, IL-6 및 tumor necrosisfaccor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$)의 분비를 농도의존적으로 억제했다. 그러나 interferon-${\gamma}$ (IFN-${\gamma}$) 및 IL-2의 분비 조절에는 영향을 미치지 않았다. 그리고 항 IL-$1{\beta}$ 항체에 의해 SP 유도성 TNF-${\alpha}$ 분비의 증가가 억제되기 때문에 IL-1은 TNF-${\alpha}$ 증가를 매개하는 역할을 하는 것으로 사료된다. 이상의 결과는 열다한소탕(熱多寒少湯)에 의한 급성기 중풍환자 치료 효과가 뇌 성상세포로부터 분비되는 세포활성물질의 조절과 밀접한 관련성이 있다는 것을 암시하고 있다.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.48 no.8
• /
• pp.886-893
• /
• 2005

Purpose : Kawasaki disease is the most common cause of systemic vasculitis in children less than 5 years of age. Recent immunohistochemistry findings suggest that many vascular growth factors play a role in the formation of the coronary artery lesions. Active remodeling of the coronary artery lesions in Kawasaki disease continues in the form of intimal proliferation and neoangiogenesis for several years after the onset of the disease. Intravenous immunoglobulin(IVIG) and corticosteroid have been used in the treatment of Kawasaki disease but the exact mechanism is not clear. We have investigated that IVIG and corticosteroid inhibited vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)-induced tube formation of endothelial cells in vitro on Matrigel assay. Methods : Human umbilical vein endothelial cells(HUVECs) were cultured and seeded on Matrigel coated 24 well plates in medium with or without the following agents : VEGF, VEGF plus IVIG, VEGF plus VEGF antibody, VEGF plus methylprednisolone, VEGF, IVIG plus methylprednisolone for 18 hours. The total length of tube structures in each photograph was quantified. Results : IVIG significantly inhibited the proliferation of HUVECs. The inhibitory effect of IVIG was also reversible. In the meantime, VEGF induced the differentiation of HUVECs into capillary like structures on Matrigel, which was inhibited by VEGF antibody in a dose-dependent manner. Interestingly, IVIG and methylprednisolone inhibited VEGF-induced tube formation of HUVECs. IVIG was more effective in inhibition than methylprednisolone alone. Conclusion : We revealed that VEGF induced the differentiation of HUVECs and this effect was inhibited by IVIG and methylprednisolone.