• CELLMED
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.22.1-22.12
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• 2014

Phaleria macrocarpa (Scheff.) Boerl. is a dense evergreen tree of the family Thymelaeceae. This plant is popular with the name of Mahkota dewa, which is literally translated as God's Crown. All parts of this plant including fruits, seeds, stem, and leaves have well known therapeutic properties and have been extensively used in traditional medicine for the treatment of various diseases such as cancer, diabetes mellitus, allergies, kidney disorders, blood diseases, stroke, and acne with satisfactory results. Scientific findings on bioactivities of P. macrocarpa also demonstrated different pharmacological properties of various parts of this plant including cytotoxic, antidiabetic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antihypertensive activities. Phytochemicals studies of P. macrocarpa revealed the presence of several classes of compounds such as benzophenones, terpenoids, xanthones, lignans, acids, and sugars. This review aims to provide a critical overview on botanical description, traditional usage, phytochemicals, and pharmacological activities of P. macrocarpa.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.16
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• pp.7285-7290
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• 2015

Background: Although radiotherapy is one of the most effective strategies in the treatment of cancers, it is associated with short and long term side effects on normal tissues. Zataria multiflora Boiss (Laminacea) (ZM) has several biological properties such as antioxidant and anti-inflammation activities.Here we investigated cell killing effects of a hydroalcoholic Zataria multiflora extract on cell death induced by ionizing radiation in a human glioblastoma cell line (A172) and human non-malignant fibroblasts (HFFF2) in vitro. Materials and Methods: A172 and HFFF2 cells were treated with a hydroalcoholic extract of dried aerial parts of Zataria multiflora at different concentrations (25, 50, 100, 150 and $200{\mu}g/ml$) and then exposed to ionizing radiation (IR). Cell proliferation and DNA fragmentation were evaluated. Thymol content in the extract was analyzed and quantified by HPLC methods. Results: A172 cell proliferation was significantly inhibited by ZM. The percentage cell survival was $91.8{\pm}8.57$ for cells treated with $200{\mu}g/ml$ of ZM extract alone while it was $76.0{\pm}4.27$ and $66.2{\pm}8.42$ for cells treated with ZM and exposed to IR at doses of 3Gy and 6Gy, respectively. Radiation-induced apoptosis in A172 cells was significantly increased following treatment with ZM at doses of $200{\mu}g/ml$. ZM extract did not exhibit any enhanced cell killing effects and apoptosis caused by IR on HFFF2 cells. Conclusions: These data show selective radiosensitization effects of ZM in A172 cells apparently due to increased radiation-induced apoptosis.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.869-873
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• 2007

Methanol extracts of Acorus gramineus Solander(AGS) were found to exhibit immuno-regulatory action in BALB/c mice. Oral administration of AGS increased murine splenic T lymphocytes, especially $T_H$ and $T_C/T_S$ subpopulations were increased significantly. Treatment of AGS exerted strong cytotoxicity against U937 and HL60 human leukemia cells. Also, AGS induced apoptosis of U937 leukemia cells in a dose dependent manner. Nitric oxide(NO) production and iNOS gene expression were also increased in AGS-treated RAW264.7 cells. Treatment of AGS increased the expression of p53 gene and decreased the expression of PCNA protein in cultured U937 cells. These data suggest that AGS are effective on the immuno-regulatory action and anti-cancer properties.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.1003-1013
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• 2021

Thioredoxin (TRX) protein is an antioxidant responsible for reducing other proteins by exchanging cysteine thiol-disulfide and is also known for its anti-allergic and anti-aging properties. On the other hand, epidermal growth factor (EGF) is an important material used in the cosmetics industry and an essential protein necessary for dermal wound healing facilitated by the proliferation and migration of keratinocytes. EGF also assists in the formation of granulation tissues and stimulates the motility of fibroblasts. Hence, genetically modified soybeans were developed to overexpress these industrially important proteins for mass production. A single-dose oral-toxicity-based study was conducted to evaluate the potential toxic effects of TRX and EGF proteins, as safety assessments are necessary for the commercial use of seed-specific protein-expressing transgenic soybeans. To achieve this rationale, TRX and EGF proteins were mass purified from recombinant E. coli. The single-dose oral-toxicity tests of the TRX and EGF proteins were carried out in six-week old male and female Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) mice. The initial evaluation of the single-dose TRF and EGF treatments was based on monitoring the toxicity signatures and mortality rates among the mice, and the resultant mortality rates did not show any specific clinical symptoms related to the proteins. Furthermore, no significant differences were observed in the weights between the treatment and control groups of male and female ICR mice. After 14 days of treatment, no differences were observed in the autopsy reports between the various treatment and control groups. These results suggest that the minimum lethal dose of TRX and EGF proteins is higher than the allowed 2,000 mg·kg^-1 limit.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.665-671
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• 1998

Protein-bound polysaccharides (PBP) were extracted from the mycellia of Lentinus edodes SR-1, and their anti-tumor activities and immunopotentiating properties were observed. The amounts of PBP needed to extend the doubling time twofold (1 unit) were found to be 1 mg for mouse leukemic cells $P_{388}\;and\;L_{1210}$; 4.4, 3.6 and 6.6 for bowel cancer cells, HCT-48, HRT-18, HT-29 respectively; and 2.6 mg for liver cancer cell, Hep G2. When $P_{388}\;and\;L_{1210}$ were treated with 4 mg of PBP, more than 90% of the cell number were reduced in 48 hours. However, 9 mg of PBP and 72 hrs of incubation time were needed to obtain the same effect for HRT-18, HT-29, and Hep G2. The significant reduction of cell size was observed as the amount of PBP and the incubation time increased. Mice spleen weight and plaque forming cell number increased when the cancer cells were treated with PBP.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.702-706
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• 2008

Punica granatum (PG) evidences a variety of physiological properties, including anti-diabetic, anti-cancer, antiinflammatory, anti-microbial, and anti-oxidative activities. Using the human basophilic KU812F cells, the inhibitory effects of the methanolic extract of PG seed, shell, and juice on calcium ionophore, A23187-induced degranulation were assessed. All of the PG extracts inhibited A23187-induced intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ levels, ${\beta}$-hexosaminidase, and histamine release in a dose-dependent manner. These results showed that all of the PG extracts are potent inhibitors of degranulation in allergic reactions, via the suppression of $Ca^{2+}$ influx.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.693-702
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• 2015

Blocking new blood-vessel formation (angiogenesis) is now recognized as a useful approach to the therapeutic treatment of many solid tumors. The best validated approach to date is to target the vascular endothelial growth-factor (VEGF) pathway, a key regulator of angiogenesis. Many natural products and extracts that contain a variety of chemopreventive compounds have been shown to suppress the development of malignancies through their anti-angiogenic properties. Phellodendron amurense, which is widely used in Korean traditional medicine, has been shown to possess antitumor, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties, among others. The present study investigated the effects of P. amurense hot-water extract (PAHWE) on angiogenesis, a key process in tumor growth, invasion, and metastasis. To investigate PAHWE’s anti-angiogenic properties, this study’s authors performed an analysis of angiogenesis and endothelial-cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and tube formation, as well as zymogram assays and the rat aortic ring-sprouting assay. PAHWE inhibited cell growth, mobility, and vessel formation in response to VEGF in vitro and ex vivo. Furthermore, it reduced VEGF-induced intracellular signaling events, such as the activation of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) -2 and -9. These results indicate that PAHWE’s anti-angiogenic properties might lead to the development of potential drugs for treating angiogenesis-associated diseases such as cancer.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.48
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• pp.65-71
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• 2003

Sesame seed are one of the oldest oil-bearing crops known to man. Not only are they nutritious, they are physicologically beneficial. Because of these properties, the promotion of sesame as a crop is set to increase from now on. The lignan component of sesame, which has an antioxidative function, varies considerably. In addition, the seeds remain viable for longer than other crops. At low temperature, it has been reported that the seed remain viable for up to thirty years. This is due to the lignan content of the seeds. In the last twenty years, the mysteries of the natural chemistry of sesame seeds have been unravelled one by one. Up to now, the lignan component has been found to have an $\alpha$-tocopherol synergist effect, an anti-aging effect, a cancer suppressing effect, a hypertension reduction effect, an effect on the promotion of liver function, an effect on the control of the ration of unsaturated fat, and an effect on the synthesis of unsaturated fatty acids. The lignan component of sesame does not simply have an anti-oxidant function, but has diverse recently discovered physiological uses which make the study of lignan highly rewarding.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.160-165
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• 2006

Germanium is found in a range of minerals and ores and is present in foods including beans, tomato juice, oysters, tuna and garlic. Germanium is a non-metallic element, which can exist in valence states of 2 and 4. Clinical trials and use in private practices for more than a decade have demonstrated organic germanium's efficacy in treating serious disease including cancer, arthritis and senile osteoporosis. But it was rarely reported that inorganic germanium has biological properties. STB-BM contains mineral complex, rare earth elements and a little amount of Inorganic germanium. The experiment was carried out the anti-obesity effect. To investigate anti-obesity effect of STB-BM, we measured the effect of body weight, fat weight (subcutaneous fat, epididymal fat, visceral fat, kidney fat and total fat) and serum biochemical level in rats fed high fat diets. STB-BM 35 mg/kg suppressed the increasing ratio of body weight, epididymal fat weight, visceral fat weight, total fat weight, triglyceride and LDL-cholesterol (p<0.05).

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.103-118
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• 2008

Antioxidants are compounds that protect cells against the damaging effects of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Some ROS, such as superoxide and hydrogen peroxide, are normally produced in cells as by-products of biochemical reactions or as signaling molecules. When ROS-generating reactions are activated excessively, pathological quantities of ROS are released to create an imbalance between antioxidants and ROS, called as oxidative stress. Oxidative stress, which may result in cellular damage, has been linked to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and other degenerative conditions. In humans the first line of antioxidant defence are the antioxidant enzymes, especially SOD, glutathione peroxidase (GPX), and to a lesser extent catalase, as well as the tripeptide glutathione(GSH). These enzymes will help destroy ROS(reactive oxygen species) such as hydroxyl radical, $H_2O_2$ and lipid peroxides, while GSH protects against oxidized protein. Many herbal medicines possess antioxidant properties. Herbal antioxidants may protect against these diseases by contributing to the total antioxidant defense system of the human body. Here, many herbal medicines including Ginseng, Licorice, Ligusticum Chuanxiong, Ginkgo biloba and many others was reviewed in terms of anti-oxidant efficiency related to their components.