• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.1518-1524
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• 2008

Ponciri Fructus (PF), the immature fruit of Poncirus trifoliata, has been used for treatment of constipation in Korean traditional medicine. It has been reported that PF has a prokinetic effect on gastrointestinal tract, but little is known about the effect on colonic contraction. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of PF on spontaneous contractions of proximal and distal colon in rats. The aqueous extract of PF was centrifuged and filtered and its supernatant was used for in vitro motility study. The removed colon from rats was divided into proximal and distal segments. Each segment was mounted in a 10 ml organ bath and measured the change of the spontaneous contraction with increasing dose (1, 5, 10, 50, 100, 500, $1000{\mu}g/ml$) of PF extract administration. Also the effect of PF on the spontaneous contraction was measured under treatment of atropine, acetylcholine (Ach), and tetrodotoxin (TTX). PF increased the spontaneous phasic contraction of distal colon dose dependently, but there was no change in proximal colon. The contractile response induced by PF in distal colon was lower than that of Ach and was partially blocked by atropine ($10^{-6}M$). TTX increased the spontaneous contraction and it was reinforced with Ach addition. But the extract of PF had no or little contractile effect of TTX in colon. PF increased spontaneous contractions selectively in distal colon. The prokinetic effect of PF may be due to enhancement of cholinergic related excitatory neural system.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.829-834
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• 2008

This study was to investigate the effect of Ponciri Fructus ethanol extract on the melanogenesis. The Ponciri Fructus markedly decreased melanin contents of B16F10 cells at a dose of $80{\mu}g/m{\ell}$. It was observed that the color of cell pellets was totally whitened compared with the control. The treatment of Ponciri Fructus inhibited tyrosinase activity, regulate melanin biosynthesis as the key enzyme in melanogenesis. Regarding protein levels of the melanogenic enzymes, the Ponciri Fructus dose-dependently decreased tyrosinase and TRP-1 protein levels, and tyrosinase and TRP-1 were detected in similar manner. These results suggest that the Ponciri Fructus ethanol extract exerts its depigmenting effects through the suppression of tyrosinase and TRP-1.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.1-19
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• 2006

Objectives : This study was carried out to determine the effects of Gamidokwalgisaeng-tang(GDS) oral administration and electro-acupuncture at $BL_{52}$ & $GB_{39}$ on the postmenopausal osteoporosis. Methods: In order to study the effects of the Gamidokwalgisaeng-tang(GDS) oral administration and electro-acupuncture at $BL_{52}$, $GB_{39}$ on osteoporotic rats induced by ovariectomy, body weight, femur weight, uterine weight, serum level of osteocalcin, alkaline phosphatase(ALP), cholesterol, triglyceride, estradiol, androstenedione, testosterone and urinary excretions of calcium & phosphorus were measured. Results : 1. Body weight in all experimental group decreased significantly in comparison with ovariectomized group(OVX). 2. The weight of femur compared with body increased significantly in GDS oral administration and combination treatment group in comparison with ovariectomized group(OVX). 3. Uterine endometrial morphology is caused by ovariectomy and the weight of uterus decreased significantly in control and all experimental group in comparison with sham. 4. The serum level of osteocalcin decreased in all experimental group in comparison with OVX, but significantly in electro-acupuncture and combination treatment group. 5. The serum alkaline phosphatase(ALP) activity decreased in electro-acupuncture and combination treatment group in comparison with OVX, but only significantly in electro-acupuncture group. 6. The serum level of cholesterol increased significantly in OVX in comparison with sham and decreased in all experimental group in comparison with OVX, not insignificantly. The serum level of triglyceride increased in all experimental group in comparison with OVX, not insignificantly. 7. Urinary excretions of calcium and phosphorus decreased significantly in all experimental group in comparison with OVX. Conclusion : We suggest that GDS oral administration and electro-acupuncture at $BL_{52}$ & $GB_{39}$ are available for prevention and curing about the postmenopausal osteoporosis.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.27-43
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• 2015

Objectives The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of AI on AD induced by DNCB in mice. AI has antiallergic property that is useful in treating allergy-related-diseases, such as asthma, anaphylactic shock, acute bronchitis and skin diseases, skin pruritus from gastrointestinal diseases. However, AI has not been studied intensively yet regarding anti-inflammatory effect on AD. Therefore, this study was conducted on 2,4-dinitrochlorobezene (DNCB)-induced mice to investigate effects of AI in AD. Methods In the experiment, we divided mice into four groups: a normal group (NOR), a control group (CON), an AI spread group (AI spread), and an AI spread and feeding group (AI spread & feeding). Then examined the changes in the body weight, weights of spleen and ear, thickness of dorsum skin and ear skin, clinical aspects on dorsum skin, historical assessments, proliferation of splenocytes in vitro and in vivo, and cytokine (TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-10). Results From the experiment, the ear weight of AI spread & feeding group was significantly dropped and the ear thickness of both AI spread and AI spread & feeding were decreased significantly. Dorsum skin thickness was also decreased significantly in both AI spread and AI spread & feeding group. Also, AI treatment improved the symptoms of AD, such as coloration, erythema and desquamation and had a better effect on AI spread & feeding group. In histopathological observation, thickened epidermis, hyperkeratosis, pigmentation, hypergranulosis, parakeratosis were diminished as well in both AI spread and AI spread & feeding group. In vitro, we could observe when AI was increased as proliferation rate of splenocytes were increased, too. Conclusions In conclusion, these data suggest that AI can decrease symptoms of AD and show AI can be useful herbal therapy for AD.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.156-161
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• 2000

The unripe fruit of Poncirus trifoliata Raf has been used for the treatment of allergic disease. Recently it was reported that the fruit inhibits passive cutaneous anaphylaxis and histamine release at mast cell. Type I immediate hypersensitivity of anaphylactic type is caused by released mediate chemical at mast cell. Histamine is also known as one of potent mediate chemical. Also release of mediate chemical is affected by specific stimulation of IgE combined with mast cell. Activation of mast cell is known to be stimulated by compound 48/80 and inhibited by increase of cAMP. In this experiment, the effect of water extract of Poncirus trifoliata Raf fruit (PT) on a histamine release, cAMP concentration and IgE production was measured. Compound 48/80 was administrated to the mouse peritoneal cell which was pretreated with PT. PT dosedependently inhibited histamine release at peritoneal mast cell and the serum level of histamine induced by compound 48/80. PT also instantly increased cAMP level of peritoneal mast cell right after it was added and the level gradually decreased. Production of IgE induced by antigens at mouse peritoneal cell was inhibited by PT. The IgE synthesis is induced by IL-4 and it is known that lipopolysaccharide(LPS) plus IL-4 cause an increase in IgE secretion by murine B cells. The effects of PT inhibited the production of IgE activated by LPS plus IL-4 at human U266B1 cells. These results indicate that PT has antiallergic activity by Inhibition of IgE production from B cells and histamine release by increase of cAMP.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.367-375
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• 2017

Objective: To investigate the effect of Artemisiae Iwayomogii Herba, Curcumae Radix, and Aurantii Fructus Immaturus complex extract (ACA) on dyslipidemia-related factor expression and anti-oxidation in HepG2 cells. Method: After treatment with ACA in the HepG2 cells, DPPH, ABTS radical scavenging activity, ROS production, and glutathione (GSH) production were measured. The free fatty acid, lipid peroxidation (MDA), ACAT1, and HMG-CoA reductase mRNA expression were measured in the HepG2 cells after treatment with ACA. Results: 1. DPPH, ABTS radical scavenging activity increased in an ACA concentration-dependent manner. 2. ACA significantly decreased ROS production in comparison to the control group. 3. ACA significantly increased glutathione production. 4. ACA significantly decreased free fatty acid and lipid peroxidation (MDA) in the HepG2 cells. 5. ACA decreased the mRNA expression of ACAT1 and HMG-CoA reductase. Conclusion: These results suggest that Artemisiae Iwayomogii Herba, Curcumae Radix, and Aurantii Fructus Immaturus complex extract (ACA) inhibits dyslipidemia-related factor expression and that it is effective in anti-oxidation. A future in vivo experiment with ACA is needed to investigate the effect on anti-dyslipidemia. It is expected that ACA is effective in anti-dyslipidemia and applied to cardiovascular disease, ischemic heart disease, stroke, etc.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.416-421
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• 2006

Among the oriental medicine compounds, sulfur is known as a heat-generation material in a human body. Heat-generation reaction results in the consumption of energy source. Some oriental herbs are used to treat obesity and blood lipid composition. Therefore, we hypothesized that a sulfur containing oriental medicine compound, called as Hangbisan, could help weight loss of experimental rats. This study was designed to observe the change of weight of Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats that had been fed with high-fat diet containing 10% cellulose or Hangbisan for 9 weeks. Hangbisan affected the weight loss of rats as reducing the level of plasma cholesterol and triglyceride and increasing the level of HDL-cholesterol. Thus, this study revealed Hangbisan have an anti-obesity effect and a potential role for anti-obesity agent in the application of oriental medicine compounds.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.55-67
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• 2006

Objectives : This study was designed in order to determine the effects of Artemisiae Capillaris, Ponciri Fructus and Cartaegi Fructus so as to care the obesity and obesity-related diabetes. Methods : After induction of obesity by high fat-diet in rats, the each extracts of three medicinal stuffs were administrated with continuous high fat-diet for 4 weeks. And the changes of lipid metabolism, liver function and blood levels of glucose and insulin were examined. Results : Blood concentrations of triglyceride, free fatty acid and LDL-cholestrol were increased in obese group compared with standard dieted group. By treatment of Ponciri Fructus or Cartaegi Fructus with high fat-diet, their concentrations of glyceride and free fatty acid were significantly decreased. Blood level of LDL -cholesterol was decreased in all stuffs treated groups, however atherogenic index was significantly decreased in treatment of Cartaegi Fructus with high fat-dieted group. Conclusion : High fat-dieted with treatment of Ponciri Fructus or Cartaegi Fructus, fatty degeneration was remarkably diminished.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.419-429
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• 1998

Poncirus trifoliata (L.) Raf (Rutaceae) fruits (PTFE) has been used for the treatment of allergic disease. IgE is normally one of the least abundant immunoglobulin (Ig) isotypes in the serum of both humans and several species of experimental animals: however a number of different stimuli can result in profound increases in IgE levels relative to other isotypes. In rodents, infection with many parasitic helminths can cause approximately 100-fold elevation in IgE within 2 wks. Immunization of mice with small amounts of protein antigens on alum also results in 10-fold to fold increase in total serum IgE, much of it specific for the immunizing antigen. In this experiment, I investigated the effect of an aqueous extract of Poncirus trifoliata (L.) Raf (Rutaceae) fruits (PTFE) on a in vivo and in vitro IgE production. PTFE dose-dependently inhibited the serum levels of IgE induced by antigens. The regulation of IgE synthesis is influenced by T cells and T cell derived factors. IL -4, a T cell-derived cytokine, has been shown to stimulate murine IgE synthesis both in vitro and in vivo. Current evidence suggests that IL-4 induces IgE synthesis in the mouse by stimulating H chain isotype switch. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) plus IL-4 cause about l00-fold increase in IgE secretion by murine B cells. The effects of PTFE on the IL-4-dependent IgE response by mouse whole spleen cells were studied. Whole spleen cells were cultured for 7 days in the presence of LPS plus IL-4 and PTFE and the supernatants were assayed for IgE. IL-4 dependent IgE production of LPS-stimulated whole spleen cells was inhibited by PTFE. Moreover, in the present study using U266Bl human IgE-bearing B cells, I found that PTFE inhibited the production of IgE activated by LPS plus IL-4. These results indicate that PTFE have antiallergic activity by inhibition of IgE production from B cells.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.106-114
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• 2013

Ponciri fructus, the unripe fruits of Poncirus trifoliata, are widely used in oriental traditional medicine as a remedy for inflammation, gastritis, emesis, digestive ulcers, allergy, and dysentery. To study the anti-wrinkle effects of Ponciri fructus extract (PFE) containing flavanone glycosides, PFE was fermented with Ganoderma lucidum mycelia and its biological activities were investigated. In Ponciri fructus extracts fermented with G. lucidum (G-PFE), polyphenol content was $1,021.00{\pm}0.50{\mu}g/mL$ and flavonoid content was $589.41{\pm}0.21{\mu}g/mL$. G-PFE was found to scavenge 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals and superoxide anion radical by a dose dependent manner, respectively. G-PFE showed higher antioxidant activity than that of PFE. In addition, the photoprotective properties of G-PFE was tested in human dermal fibroblasts (HDF) exposed to UVA radiation. G-PFE inhibited the activity of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) and showed a dose dependent decrease in the expression level of MMP-1. G-PFE also increased collagen biosynthesis in HDF. These results demonstrate that G-PFE could be useful as a potential cosmetic ingredient for anti-wrinkle.