• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
• /
• v.46 no.3
• /
• pp.268-278
• /
• 2015

In this study, 80 herbal medicines from Vietnam have been investigated with an in vitro evaluation system using advanced glycation end products (AGEs) formation inhibitory activity. Of these, 10 herbal medicines (IC₅₀: <5 μg/ml) were found to have significant AGEs formation inhibitory activity. Particularly, herbal medicines Strobilanthes pateriformis (aerial parts), Rhodamnia dumetorum (twigs), Glochidion rubrum (twigs), Dipterocarpus obtusifolius (twigs), Bombax ceiba (twigs), Amesiodendron chinense (twigs), Bauhinia coccinea (twigs), Lithocarpus laouanensis (twigs), Bauhinia bracteata (twigs) and Connarus paniculatus (twigs), showed more potent inhibitory activity (approximately 16-31 fold) than the positive control aminoguanidine (IC₅₀: 76.47 μg/ml).

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
• /
• v.40 no.4
• /
• pp.388-393
• /
• 2009

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) have been implicated in the development of diabetic complications. The AGEs inhibitors or cross-link breakers attenuate various functional and structural manifestations of diabetic complications. In this study, 64 herbal medicines from China and Vietnam have been investigated with an in vitro evaluation system using AGEs inhibitory activity. Of these, eight herbal medicines ($IC_{50}$<50 ${\mu}g$/ml) were found to have strong AGEs inhibitory activity compared with aminoguanidine (14 days, $IC_{50}$=75.98 ${\mu}g$/ml; 28 days, $IC_{50}$=88.27 ${\mu}g$/ml). Particularly, four herbal medicines, Buddleja officinalis (whole plant), Syzygium cuminii (leaf), Eugenia caryophyllate (seed), and Paeonia suffruticosa (root) showed more potent inhibitory activity (approximately 5-6 fold) than the positive control aminoguanidine.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• v.22 no.2
• /
• pp.193-201
• /
• 2018

Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) is a novel fibrotic mediator, which is considered to mediate fibrosis through extracellular matrix (ECM) synthesis in diabetic cardiovascular complications. Statins have significant immunomodulatory effects and reduce vascular injury. We therefore examined whether fluvastatin has anti-fibrotic effects in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and elucidated its putative transduction signals. We show that advanced glycation end products (AGEs) stimulated CTGF mRNA and protein expression in a time-dependent manner. AGE-induced CTGF expression was mediated via ERK1/2, JNK, and Egr-1 pathways, but not p38; consequently, cell proliferation and migration and ECM accumulation were regulated by CTGF signaling pathway. AGE-stimulated VSMC proliferation, migration, and ECM accumulation were blocked by fluvastatin. However, the inhibitory effect of fluvastatin was restored by administration of CTGF recombinant protein. AGE-induced VSMC proliferation was dependent on cell cycle arrest, thereby increasing G1/G0 phase. Fluvastatin repressed cell cycle regulatory genes cyclin D1 and Cdk4 and augmented cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors p27 and p21 in AGE-induced VSMCs. Taken together, fluvastatin suppressed AGE-induced VSMC proliferation, migration, and ECM accumulation by targeting CTGF signaling mechanism. These findings might be evidence for CTGF as a potential therapeutic target in diabetic vasculature complication.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
• /
• v.39 no.3
• /
• pp.223-227
• /
• 2008

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) contribute to the progression of micro and macrovsacular complication of diabetes and therefore present a promising target for therapeutic agents. In this study, 40 Korean herbal medicines have been investigated with an in vitro evaluation system using AGEs inhibitory activity. Of these, 21 herbal medicines $(IC_{50}<50{\mu}g/ml)$ exhibited an inhibitory activity against AGEs formation compared with anminoguanidine $(IC_{50}=72.12{\mu}g/ml)$. Particularly, 7 herbal medicines, Actinidia arguta (root and stem), Crataegus pinnatifida (twig), Camellia japonica (whole), Kalopanax pictus (bark), Lagerstroemia indica (leaf-stem), Reynoutria sachalinensis (root) showed more potent inhibitory activity (approximately 3-10 fold) than the positive control aminoguanidine.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
• /
• v.42 no.1
• /
• pp.46-53
• /
• 2011

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) have been postulated to play a central role in the development of diabetic complications. A variety of different agents that inhibit AGEs have been under investigation. In this study, 66 herbal medicines from China have been investigated with an in vitro evaluation system using AGEs formation inhibitory activity. Of these, 31 herbal medicines ($IC_{50}$ < $50\;{\mu}g/ml$) were found to have significant AGEs formation inhibitory activity. Particularly, 5 herbal medicines, Camptotheca acuminata (branches and leaves), Quercus franchetii (branches), Camellia pitardii (leaves, branches, and fruits), Antidesma bunius (whole plants), and Loranthus parasiticus (whole plants) showed more potent inhibitory activity (approximately 6-20 fold) than the positive control aminoguanidine ($IC_{50}=52.96\;{\mu}g/ml$).

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
• /
• v.29 no.10
• /
• pp.821-825
• /
• 2006

Two isoflavone C-glucosides, puerarin (1) and PG-3 (2), a but-2-enolide, $({\pm})-puerol$ B (3), two isoflavone O-glucosides, daidzin (4) and genistin (5), and three pterocarpans, (-)-medicarpin (6), (-)-glycinol (7) and (-)-tuberosin (8), were isolated from a MeOH extract of the roots of Pueraria Iobata, using an in vitro bioassay based on the inhibition of the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) to monitor chromatographic fractionation. The structures of 1-8 were determined by spectroscopic data interpretation, particularly by 1D- and 2D-NMR studies, and by comparison of these data with values in the literature. All of the isolates (1-8) were evaluated for their inhibitory activity on AGEs formation in vitro. Of these, puerarin (1), PG-3 (2), and $({\pm})-puerol$ B (3) exhibited more potent inhibitory activity than the positive control aminoguanidine.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
• /
• v.44 no.3
• /
• pp.305-311
• /
• 2013

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) have been postulated to play a central role in the development of diabetic complications. A variety of different agents that inhibit AGEs have been under investigation. In this study, 54 herbal medicines from China have been investigated with an in vitro evaluation system using AGEs formation inhibitory activity. Of these, 6 herbal medicines ($IC_{50}&lt;5{\mu}g/ml$) were found to have significant AGEs formation inhibitory activity. Particularly, herbal medicines Punica granatum (peels), Terminalia chebula (fruits), Rheum palmatum (roots), Oxyria digyna (stems and leaves), Anisodus luridus (roots) and Quercus schottkyana(stems and leaves) showed more potent inhibitory activity (approximately 9-43 fold) than the positive control aminoguanidine ($IC_{50}=77.04{\mu}g/ml$).

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
• /
• v.43 no.4
• /
• pp.345-351
• /
• 2012

In this study, 49 Korean herbal medicines have been investigated with an in vitro evaluation system using glycation end products (AGEs) formation inhibitory activity. Of these, 18 herbal medicines ($IC_{50}$ < $50{\mu}g/ml$) were found to have significant AGEs formation inhibitory activity. Of these, five herbal medicines ($IC_{50}$ < $50{\mu}g/ml$) were found to have significant AGEs formation inhibitory activity. Particularly, Mallotus japonicus (twigs and leaves), Rhus javanica (twigs and leaves), Boehmeria nivea (whole plants), Quercus acuta (stems), and Eurya japonica (stems) showed more potent inhibitory activity (approximately 9-37 fold) than the positive control aminoguanidine ($IC_{50}=76.47{\mu}g/ml$).

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
• /
• v.44 no.3
• /
• pp.298-304
• /
• 2013

In this study, 64 Korean herbal medicines have been investigated with an in vitro evaluation systems using glycation end products (AGEs) formation inhibitory activity. Of these, 30 herbal medicines ($IC_{50}&lt;50{\mu}g/ml$) were found to have significant AGEs formation inhibitory activity. Of these, four herbal medicines ($IC_{50}&lt;5{\mu}g/ml$) were found to have significant AGEs formation inhibitory activity. Particularly, Cornus controversa (branches and leaves), Acer ginnala (stems and leaves), Platycarya strobilacea (flowers) and Picrasma quassioides (stems), showed more potent inhibitory activity (approximately 17-27 fold) than the positive control aminoguanidine ($IC_{50}=77.04{\mu}g/ml$).

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.39 no.2
• /
• pp.116-124
• /
• 2015

Background: Ginseng, the root of Panax ginseng (PG), is used widely as a herbal medicine to prevent and treat various diseases. Panax ginseng has pharmacological effects on neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). The present study evaluated the neuroprotective effects of PG and its possible neuroprotective mechanisms in advanced glycation end product (AGE)-induced AD in a rat model. Methods: Advanced glycation end products were injected bilaterally into the CA3 region of the rats' brains. The Morris water maze test and step-down type passive avoidance test were performed to evaluate their memory and cognitive abilities. The oxidation indexes in the hippocampus were detected. Immunohistochemistry was conducted to visualize the receptors for advanced glycation end products (RAGEs) and nuclear factor-kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cell (NF-${\kappa}B$). Results: Behavioral results showed that PG (1 g/kg, 0.5 g/kg, and 0.25 g/kg) significantly shortened the escape latency, remarkably increased the number of crossing times, significantly decreased the number of errors, and prolonged the latency in rats with AGE-induced AD. Panax ginseng also significantly reduced the malondialdehyde level, increased the glutathione content, and increased superoxide dismutase activity in the hippocampus. Panax ginseng significantly decreased the expression of RAGE and NF-${\kappa}B$. The blockade of anti-RAGE antibody could significantly reduce AGE-induced impairments and regulate these expressions. Conclusion: Our results demonstrated that PG significantly inhibits AGE-induced memory impairment and attenuates Alzheimer-like pathophysiological changes. These neuroprotective effects of PG may be associated with the RAGE/NF-${\kappa}B$ pathway. Our results provided the experimental basis for applying PG in preventing and treating AD.