• Journal of Life Science
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• v.18 no.10
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• pp.1336-1341
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• 2008

Inflammation through the respiratory tract is a crucial event in immune disorders, including asthma, and atopic rhinitis. To investigate whether an aqueous extract of Angelica archangelica L. (AaL) has a beneficial influence in terms of anti-asthmatic activity, its effects on an ovalbumin-induced asthmatic model were examined. Mice sensitized to ovalbumin were orally administered the AaL extract, and their lungs examined by Haematoxylin-Eosin staining to determine IL-4/13 cytokine expression. The AaL extract exerted strong anti-asthmatic effects by regulating each level in the $CD4^+$ cell number, IL-4/13, and other target markers in the lungs. Together, these results collectively indicate that the aqueous AaL extract ameliorates asthmatic symptoms effectively in a mouse ovalbumin-challenge model.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.341-347
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• 2010

In the present study, we investigated whether Houttuynia cordata Thumb (Saururaceae; HC) extracts have an anti-inflammatory effect in human monocytic THP-1 cells and human eosinophilic EoL-1 cells. The dried and powdered whole plants of HC were extracted with 80% EtOH. The combined extract (HC-1) was concentrated under reduced pressure. The residue was diluted with water, and then successively partitioned with n-hexane, EtOAc, and BuOH to produce the n-hexane (HC-2), EtOAc (HC-3), BuOH (HC-4), and the water-soluble fractions (HC-5), respectively. HC extracts have no cytotoxicity on THP-1 cells and EoL-1 cells at a high concentration of $10\;{\mu}g/ml$ for 24 h, except HC-2 extract ($10\;{\mu}g/ml$). Interleukin-6, Interleukin-8 and Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 in THP-1 cells were increased after the treatment with the extract from house dust mite or LPS. The increase of cytokine production was strongly suppressed by HC-3 extract, in comparision with other extracts. HC-3 also had inhibitory effect on Interleukin-6 production increased by mite extract and LPS in EoL-1 cells. However, HC-3 extract increased Interleukin-8 production induced by mite extract and LPS in EoL-1 cells. These results suggest that HC extracts may be used as useful agents for treating allergic disorders such as asthma and atopic dermatitis.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.329-335
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• 2002

Previously, several prenylated flavonoids having a C-8 lavandulyl moiety were found to inhibit cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) as well as 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX), and sophoraflavanone G was the most potent inhibitor against these eicosanoid generating enzymes among 19 prenylated flavonoids tested. In this investigation, effects of sophoraflavanone G on COX-2 induction from RAW 264.7 cells and in vivo inflammatory response were studied. Sophoraflavanone G inhibited prostaglandin $E_2{\;}(PGE_2)$ production from lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated RAW cells by COX-2 down-regulation at 1-50 uM. Other prenylated flavonoids including kuraridin and sanggenon D also down-regulated COX-2 induction at 10-25 uM, while kurarinone and echinoisoflavanone did not. In addition, sophoraflavanone G showed in vivo anti-inflammatory activity against mouse croton oil-induced ear edema and rat carrageenan paw edema via oral (2-250 mg/kg) or topical administration (10-250 ug/ear). Although the potencies of inhibition were far less than that of a reference drug, prednisolone, this compound showed higher anti-inflammatory activity when applied topically, suggesting a potential use for several eicosanoidrelated skin inflammation such as atopic dermatitis.

• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.122-128
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• 2010

This study examined several dyeing properties, physiological responses and comfort sensation of cotton knit underwear dyed with bamboo charcoal. The cotton knit underwear dyed with bamboo charcoal and treated with chitosan showed 99.9% antibacterial property and improved deodorization, and colorfastness. Eight children with atopic dermatitis worn underwear dyed with bamboo charcoal during 4 months. Their parents reported fewer itches of children. Wearing cotton knit underwear dyed with bamboo charcoal and non-dyed with bamboo charcoal respectively, these eight children rested for 20 minutes, then exercised for 10 minutes, and then rested for 30 minutes in the room maintained $28{\pm}1^{\circ}C$ and $50{\pm}5%R.H.$ Children's rectal temperature, skin temperature and microclimate inside garment of two types of cotton knit underwear were compared. As a result, the rectal temperature and skin temperature were higher when children were wearing underwear dyed with bamboo charcoal than non-dyed underwear. The microclimate temperature and microclimate humidity at the back of children were lower when children with underwear dyed with bamboo charcoal exercised and recovered.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.1027-1031
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• 2005

In the present study, wogonin, a major flavone isolated from Scutellaria Radix were examined for its imunosuppressive activity on the 2,4-dinitro-fluorobenzene (DNFB)-induced delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) in C3H/HeN mice. This compound inhibited selectively $TNF-\alpha$ and IL-4, but not IL-6, IL-10 and $IFN-\gamma$ on DNFB-induced Th1 and Th2 cytokines in a concentration-dependent manner. Interestingly, this compound increased the expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in a concentration-dependent manner The above results reveal that wogonin possesses anti-inflammatory, humoral and cellular immunomodulatory, and stress reducing activities on the DNFB-induced DTH in mice and these properties may contribute to the anti-atopic dermatitis activity of Scutellaria Radix.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.339-345
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• 2012

The marine carotenoid fucoxanthin can be found in marine brown seaweeds, macroalgae, diatoms, and microalgae, and has remarkable biological properties. Numerous studies have shown that fucoxanthin has considerable potential and promising applications in human health, but the underlying mechanisms involved in its anti-allergic activity are not fully understood. We here investigated the mechanisms by anti-allergic activity of fucoxanthin fraction from Eisenia bicyclis in immunoglobulin E-antigen complex (IgE/DNP-BSA)-stimulated RBL-2H3 mast cells. This study we found that the fucoxanthin inhibits the release of ${\beta}$-hexosaminidase and suppressed not only transcriptional activation of NF-${\kappa}B$, but also phosphorylation of ERK and JNK in IgE/DNP-BSA-treated RBL-2H3 cells. Fucoxanthin may be useful for preventing allergic diseases, including asthma and atopic dermatitis.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.794-798
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• 2010

Allergic dermatitis is one of the most prevalent diseases in young/juvenile children worldwide. In this research, extracts with persimmon sap-stained fabrics (rayon and cotton) exhibited an elevation in $CD4^+$ cell numbers. MMP-2 and MMP-9 expressions by Hematoxylin-Eosin staining and immunohistochemistry revealed that the expressions were decreased by addition of the extracts. The present results collectively suggest that the active ingredients of persimmon sap-stained fabrics play an important role in inhibition of DNFB-induced-atopic symptoms in vivo.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.111-116
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• 2001

Nummular eczema is well-shaped, coin-like lesion. Usually it is surrounded by the papules and vesicles, and is likely to be the impetigo. It's said that nummular eczema is combined with atopic dermititis, contact dermatitis, bacterial infection and so on. Recently, we experienced a nummular eczema with impetigo and that was successfully treated by the herb-medication and the ceramic resonance therapy. The medications taken by the patient were yunwhasagnatang and gamisopungsan which is used to treat allergic disease and make immune system be strong. The former effects the liver to be cool down and healthy and it also has anti-imflamatory reactions like the corticosteroid hormone. Ceramic resonance therapy utilises irradiation within the frequency range of the radiation emitted by the human body. So we report this case with a brief review of the oriental medical and medical literatures.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.17
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• pp.197-199
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• 2001

Enhancement of antigen-specific IgE is a hallmark of allergic hyperresponsiveness, therefore it is necessary to adopt or develop a highly sensitive and specific assay for determination of allergen-specific IgE levels in vivo. In this presentation, we introduce an ELISA (enzyme linked immunosorbent assay) system developed to measure the levels of chicken egg ovalbumin (OVA)-specific IgE in serum. The ELISA method uses a commercially available purified rat anti-mouse IgE as a capture Ab and biotinylated OVA as a detection reagent. Avidin-peroxidase with its substrate is used for color development resulting in optical density measurement at 405 nm. The ELISA system produces a highly sensitive dose-response relation-ship between optical density levels and the dilution titer of the OVA-IgE standard serum but no cross-reaction with unrelated IgE or IgG. It is believed that the system is an Efficient tool to delineate an adjuvant effect of environmental pollutants on development of asthmatic and atopic responses.

• Journal of Dairy Science and Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.139-143
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• 2012

For human including newborn baby, the intestinal microbiota can play an important role in the development of the intestinal mucosa and in maintaining the balance of the immune cells. Important functions of the intestinal microbiota include the inhibition of the colonization of the intestine by potentially pathogenic microorganisms. Thus, the research of probiotics have been focused on the prevention and treatment of disorders associated with the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), including pathogen infection, traveler's diarrhea, antibiotic-associated diarrhea, and constipation. Probiotics have also been suggested as therapeutic agents against irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel diseases. An increasing amount of evidence from clinical studies suggests that they are effective in the prevention of atopic allergies and may have potential anti-carcinogenic effects. Until recent years many scientific research for this use has been based on empirical observations. Therefore, probiotics in the form of fermented milk products have been long part of attempts to maintain good health in world wide.