• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.428-433
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• 2015

Acetylshikonin, a natural naphthoquinone derivative compound, has been used for treatment of inflammation and cancer. In the present study, we have investigated whether acetylshikonin could regulate the NF-${\kappa}B$ signaling pathway, thereby leading to suppression of tumorigenesis. We observed that acetylshikonin significantly reduced proliferation of several cancer cell lines, including human pancreatic PANC-1 cancer cells. In addition, acetylshikonin inhibited phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) or tumor necrosis-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$)-induced NF-${\kappa}B$ reporter activity. Proteome cytokine array and real-time RT-PCR results illustrated that acetylshikonin inhibition of PMA-induced production of cytokines was mediated at the transcriptional level and it was associated with suppression of NF-${\kappa}B$ activity and matrix metalloprotenases. Finally, we observed that an exposure of acetylshikonin significantly inhibited the anchorage-independent growth of PANC-1 cells. Together, our results indicate that acetylshikonin could serve as a promising therapeutic agent for future treatment of pancreatic cancer.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.97-100
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• 1995

The pigments of acetylshikonin and isobutylshikonin isolated from the roots of Lithospermum erythrorhizon were determined over a period of storage for their stabilities influenced by temperatures and metal ions. In dark condition, both pigment solution were unstable at 488 and 560 nm; alcoholic solutions of acetylshikonin pigment were stable at $25^{\circ}C$ and $50^{\circ}C$ for 1 hour, but isobutylshikonin showed severe discoloration within 1 hour at $95^{\circ}C$ . Buffered solutions of acetylshikonin tended to be discolored with the addition of $Fe^{++}$, while those of isobutylshikonin with $Fe^{++}$ and $Cu^{++}$. These studies indicated that acetylshikonin and isobutylshikonin can be used in foods as the natural colorant under selected conditions in case of considering storage temperature and metal ions.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.466-473
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• 2013

This study investigates the effect of supercritical fluid extract (CMPB803-C) of Lithospermum erythrorhizon, shikonin and acetylshikonin isolated from Lithospermum erythrorhizon on IL-$1{\beta}$-induced chondrocytes and monosodium iodoacetate (MIA)-induced osteoarthritis in rat. Shikonin ($50{\mu}m$) and acetylshikonin ($3{\mu}M$) treatment reduced significantly the mRNA expression and enzyme activity of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1, -3 and -13 in IL-$1{\beta}$-induced SW1353 chondrosarcoma cells. The chondro-protective effects of CMPB803-C and acetylshikonin were than analyzed in a rat OA model using a single intra-articular injection of MIA (1mg) in the right knee joint. CMPB803-C (200mg/kg) or acetylshikonin (5mg/kg) was orally administered daily for two weeks starting after 1 week of MIA injection. In the histological observation, CMPB803-C and acetylshikonin clearly improved OA lesions being comparable to or better that control group. Our results demonstrated that CMPB803-C and acetylshikonin as active compound of Lithospermum erythrorhizon have a strong chondro-protective effect in OA rats, which likely attributes to its anti-inflammatory activity and inhibition of MMPs production.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.157-161
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• 1994

The pigments of acetylshikonin and isobutylshikonin isolated from the roots of Lithospermum erythrorhizon were determined over a period of storage for their stabilities influenced by mono- and disaccharides and acids. In general. sugars and acids caused an increase in stability of acetylshikonin at the various concentrations. These studies indicated that acetylshikonin and isobutylshikonin can be used in foods as the natural colorant under selected conditions.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.59 no.5
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• pp.222-229
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• 2015

Lithospermi radix, the dried roots of Litospermum erythrorhizon Sieboid et Zuccarini (Boraginaceae), has long been used to treat detoxification and inflammation. In this study, we isolated two main quinoid compounds, ${\beta}$-hydroxyisovalerylshikonin (1) and acetylshikonin (2) from L. erythrorhizon. As acetylshikonin is considered as a marker compound of L. erythrorhizon, a rapid analysis method for the simultaneous determination of quinoid compounds including 2 was also developed by HPLC (High Performance Liquid Chromatography) and validation of this analytical method. By the developed method, two quinoid marker compounds (${\beta}$-hydroxyisovalerylshikonin and acetylshikonin) were successfully quantified in 31 commercial samples which were collected from different regions. The contents were 0.20% (${\beta}$-hydroxyisovalerylshikonin) and 0.22% (acetylshikonin), respectively.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.152-156
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• 1994

The purplish red pigment from the roots of Lithospermum erythrorhizon, a Korean edible wild plant, has been investigated concerning it's value as a natural colorant for Korean traditional foods. An attempt was made to isolate pigments and define their characteristics. Two compounds of isobutylshikonin and acetylshikonin were identified by melting point determination and spectra of UV, IR, and $^{1}H-NMR$. To examine the utility of these naphthoquinone pigments for foods, the effect of various pH values on stability were determined over a period of storage. Buffered solutions of acetylshikonin and isobutylshikonin at pH 3 and 5 showed stable purplish red. The absorption maxima if acetylshikonin and isobutylshikonin over the range of pH 3 to 7 were 518 nm and 520 nm, respectively. A bathochromic shift to 588 nm at pH 10 was observed on these two naphthoquinone pigments. Sensory evaluation was performed with acetylshikonin and isobutylshikonin of identical absorbance. These two pigments revealed purplish red color in Munsell system.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.295-299
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• 2000

Lithospermi Radix has been used in traditional medicine for antimicrobial, antiinflammatory, immunostimulating, antitumor and wound-healing activities. For the quality control of this drug, acetylshikonin was isolated from the hexane extract of Lithospermum erythrorhizon(Boraginaceae) and identified by the spectroscopic evidences. A quantitative analysis of acetylshikonin using HPLC method showed that the average contents were $0.084{\pm}0.026%$ in 31 samples collected throughout the various regions of Korea.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.383-389
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• 2000

Stabilities to heat, pH, light were investigated about isolated red color pigment from the Korean Lithospermum erythrorhizon. The extracted pigment, acetylshikonin was stable heating at 40∼80$\^{C}$ for 1∼2 hours, hut it was specially unstable on the storage above 55$\^{C}$. The extracted pigment, acetylshikonin was stable on the sunlight under the red and green filters but unstable under the yellow and blue filters. The extracted pigment, acetylshikonin was stable under the pH of 4∼8 but unstable under the pH above 10. The extracted pigment, acetylshikonin was stable under the KCl and NaCl at concentration of 10$\^$-1/Mole. The pigment was very unstable under the CaCl$_2$, FeCl$_3$, CoCl$_2$, AlCl$_3$ and MnCl$_2$ at concentration of 10$\^$-1/Mole. The red pigment, acetylshikonin was stable under citric acid and acetic acid at concentration of 1 Mole. Especially, acetic acid was effective for the stability of the pigment.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.52 no.4
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• pp.221-225
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• 2009

Lithospermum erythrorhizon has been known well as one of traditional medicine for fever reduction, detoxication, and blood circulation improvement. This study was carried out to isolate biological active compounds from roots of Lithospermum erythrorhizon and to investigate their low density lipoprotein (LDL) antioxidant and anticancer activities. The hexane extract of Lithospermi Radix has been separated on silica gel chromatography and a naphthoquinone pigment compound 1 has been isolated. The structure of the compound 1 has been identified by spectroscopic technique, including MS and NMR, as acetylshikonin (1). Acetylshikonin showed significantly inhibitory activity on $Cu^{2+}$-induced human LDL oxidation with $IC_{50}$ value of $8.8\;{\mu}M$ and obvious anticancer effect by inhibiting farnesyl:protein transferase (FPTase) activity with $IC_{50}$ value of $23\;{\mu}M$, which suggested that acetylshikonin might be useful for the treatment of atherosclerosis and cancer.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.435-440
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• 2011

This study was conducted to evaluate the quality variation of Lithospermum radix on the pigment contents and antioxidant activities according to different growth stages and areas of cultivation. Acetylshikonin contents showed the tendency to decrease gradually from the middle of July (0.28%) to the end of August (0.05%) and then the content was increased again to the end of October (0.25%). Shikonin content was detected as small amount of about 0.009% during the period. The weight of plants was increased from the end of September to the end of October and showed the highest value as 19.8 g on October 25. ROS scavenging activity was the highest in the early of October as $IC_{50}$ value of 0.11 ${\mu}g/mL$. Lithospermum radix of September showed lower ROS scavenging activities than those of other growth stages as $IC_{50}$ value of 1.02 and 0.49 ${\mu}g/mL$ on September 9 and September 27, respectively. Among 17 areas cultivated Lithospermum radix, 10 areas (59%) showed 0.05-0.10% of acetylshikonin contents and 3 areas (18%) were measured to contain 0.16-0.26% of acetylshikonin.