• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.8 no.5
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• pp.516-520
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• 2014

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Carnosic acid (CA), found in rosemary (Rosemarinus officinalis) leaves, is known to exhibit anti-obesity and anti-inflammatory activities. However, whether its anti-inflammatory potency can contribute to the amelioration of obesity has not been elucidated. The aim of the current study was to investigate the effect of CA on Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) pathways in the presence of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. MATERIALS/METHODS: 3T3-L1 adipocytes were treated with CA ($0-20{\mu}M$) for 1 h, followed by treatment with LPS for 30 min; mRNA expression of adipokines and protein expression of TLR4-related molecules were then measured. RESULTS: LPS-stimulated 3T3-L1 adipocytes showed elevated mRNA expression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$, interleukin-6, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, and CA significantly inhibited the expression of these adipokine genes. LPS-induced up regulation of TLR4, myeloid differentiation factor 88, TNF receptor-associated factor 6, and nuclear factor-${\kappa}B$, as well as phosphorylated extracellular receptor-activated kinase were also suppressed by pre-treatment of 3T3-L1 adipocytes with CA. CONCLUSIONS: Results of this study suggest that CA directly inhibits TLR4-MyD88-dependent signaling pathways and decreases the inflammatory response in adipocytes.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2000

Inhibition of cyclooxygenase(COX), and thus prevention of the formation of prostaglandins, provided a unifying explanation of the therapeutic and toxic actions of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Recently, the discovery of the two isoforms of COX was made by molecular biologists studying neoplastic transformation in chick embryo cells. The constitutive enzyme, COX-1, is obviously responsible for the production of prostaglandins involved in housekeeping functions such as maintenance of integrity of the gastric mucosa, renal blood flow and platelet aggregation. The inducible form of COX (COX-2) is responsible for the formation of prostaglandins that pathologically affects inflammation, pain and fever. Clearly, all the experimental and clinical data support the hypothesis that the beneficial effects of NSAIDs are due to inhibition of the COX-2 enzyme, whereas the gastrotoxicity is due to inhibition of COX-1. The cox-2/COX-1 ratios of the NSAIDs in common use have been measured and compared with epidemiological data on their side effects. There is little evidence to suggest that one NSAID is clearly more effective than another, But substantial individual variability is present with respect to the pharmacology and pharmacokinetics of these drugs: therefore it is essential to adjust the dosage and choose specific drug to the patient's response.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.10-12
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• 2003

In the present study, dikamali resin (obtained from the leaf buds and the young shoots of Gardenia gummifera Linn.) was extracted with diethyl ether and the extract was vacuum dried. Qualitative tests confirmed the presence of flavonoids and free phenolic compounds in the extract. The antioxidant property (qualitative) of the extract was performed by TLC method $({\beta}-carotene-linoleate method)$. The $LD_{50}$ of the extract was found to be 2227 mg/kg by Karber's arithmetic method. The extract was screened for analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg) and anthelmintic (0.1,0.2 and 0.5%w/v) activities by standard methods. The extract exhibited antioxidant property and prevented oxidation of ${\beta}-carotene$. The extract exhibited significant graded dose response for analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic and anthelmintic activities. The extract caused the death of earthworms in all experimental concentration whereas the standard drug (piperazine) only effected paralysis. The present study proved the claims of dikamali resin mentioned in the Indian system of medicine.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.103-112
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• 2010

Objective : The aim of this study was to determine whether methanol extract of Do-Ki-Tang (DKT) inhibit free radical generation and production of nitrite an index of NO, $PGE_2$, iNOS, COX-2 and pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-$1{\beta}$, IL-6 and MCP-1 in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. Methods : Cytotoxic activity of extract on RAW 264.7 cells was measured using 5-(3-caroboxymeth-oxyphenyl)-2H-tetra-zolium inner salt (MTS) assay. The expression level of inflammatory response-related proteins was confirmed by western blot. The production of proinflammatory cytokines was measured by ELISA. Results : Our results indicated that DKT scavenged DPPH radical and nitric oxide in vitro. Moreover, DKT significantly inhibited the LPS-induced NO, $PGE_2$ production and iNOS, COX-2 expression accompanied by an attenuation of TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-$1{\beta}$, IL-6 and MCP-1 formation in macrophages. Furthermore, DKT treatment also blocked LPS-induced intracellular ROS production and the activation of NF-${\kappa}B$ and MAPKs. Conclusion : Our data suggest that the anti-inflammatory effect of DKT is mediated through down-modulation of pro-inflammatory mediators and cytokines by blocking the signaling pathways of NF-${\kappa}B$ and MAPKs. These inhibitory effects by DKT represent a potential therapeutic approach to the treatment of inflammatory diseases.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.206-212
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• 2010

Codium fragile (CF) is an edible green alga consumed as a traditional food source in Korea. In this study, the ethanol extract of CF was evaluated to determine if it has anti-inflammatory activity. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a toxin from bacteria, is a potent inducer of inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-$\alpha$ and interleukin (IL)-6. Therefore, we studied whether CF extracts have an anti-inflammatory effect in LPS-induced murine macrophage cell lines (RAW 264.7). In the present study, IL-6 production was measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), prostaglandin $E_2$($PGE_2$) production was measured using the EIA kit, and cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation were determined by Western blot analysis. IL-6 mRNA, COX-2 mRNA and iNOS mRNA expression were measured using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The results indicated that CF extracts inhibit LPS-induced IL-6, NO and PGE2 production in a dose-dependent manner, as well as expression of iNOS and COX-2. CF extracts significantly inhibited LPS-induced c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) 1/2 phosphorylation. Taken together, these findings may help elucidate the mechanism by which CF modulates RAW 264.7 cell activation under inflammatory conditions.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.256-263
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• 2019

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the anti-inflammatory response of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) activated macrophages (RAW 264.7 murine cell line) to JCE003 which is an extract including Eucommia ulmoides, Juglans regia, Eleutherococcus senticosus, and Zingiber officinale. Methods: An MTT [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazole-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide] assay was performed to analyze the survival rate of RAW 264.7 cells. The production of nitric oxide and pro-inflammatory cytokines (IFN-${\gamma}$, TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-$1{\beta}$, IL-6) in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. mRNA expression levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IFN-${\gamma}$, TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-$1{\beta}$, and IL-6) were analyzed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis. Results: Exposure of LPS-activated RAW 264.7 cells to JCE003 was not cytotoxic up to $400{\mu}g/mL$, but cell survival was statistically significantly decreased at $800{\mu}g/mL$ (p < 0.001). Nitric oxide production was not markedly lowered in LPS-activated RAW 264.7 cells by exposure to JCE003 (10, 50, 100, 200, 400, $800{\mu}l/mL$) compared with the Control group. In addition, JCE003 reduced the production of TNF-${\alpha}$ in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells at $400{\mu}g/mL$ (p < 0.05), but IFN-${\gamma}$ and TNF-${\alpha}$ mRNA expression in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells was decreased at 100, 200, and $400{\mu}g/mL$ JCE003 (p < 0.01). Conclusion: These results suggest that JCE003 inhibited the expression and production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in LPS-activated RAW 264.7 cells. The findings of this study provide basic data for the development of new Korean medicine anti-inflammatory drugs.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.10
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• pp.1626-1634
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• 2018

Ginseng (the root of Panax ginseng Meyer) fermented by Lactobacillus plantarum has been found to attenuate allergic responses in in vitro and in vivo experimental models. Ginseng has been reported to also possess various biological functions including anti-inflammatory activity. The present study was aimed at comparing the anti-allergic effect of ginseng and fermented ginseng extracts on IgE-mediated passive cutaneous anaphylaxis in vitro in a murine cell line and in vivo in mice. Fermented ginseng extract (FPG) showed higher inhibitory effect against in vitro and in vivo allergic responses when compared with ginseng extract (PG). The secretion of ${\beta}$-hexosaminidase and interleukin (IL)-4 from the IgE-DNP-stimulated RBH-2H3 mast cells were significantly (p < 0.05) inhibited by FPG treatment, and this effect was concentration-dependent. Further, MKK4 activation and subsequent JNK phosphorylation were attenuated by FPG treatment. The inhibitory effect of FPG on the in vitro allergic response was verified in vivo against IgE-DNP-induced passive cutaneous anaphylaxis in a mouse model. These data indicated that the fermentation of ginseng with L. plantarum enhanced its anti-allergic effects both in vitro and in vivo. We predict that compositional changes in the ginsenosides caused by the fermentation may contribute to the change in the anti-allergic effects of ginseng. The results of our study highlight the potential of the use of FPG as a potential anti-allergic agent.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.145-149
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• 2022

Airborne fine dust (FD) particles smaller than 10 ㎛ in diameter (PM10) are one of the major causes of air pollution in East Asia, including Korea, and have become a major contributor to respiratory and skin problems. FD inordinately promotes the production of reactive oxygen species and inflammatory response in macrophages, leading to cell damage and death. Rosa rugosa, a deciduous shrub of the Rosa genus, has been used in traditional East Asian herbal medicine to treat various illnesses. The present study investigated the anti-inflammatory effects of R. rugosa organ extracts on PM10-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages. Compared to non-treated RAW264.7 cells, treatment with 100 ㎍.ml^-1 PM10 resulted in increased nitric oxide (NO) production, similar to lipopolysaccharide treatment. Additionally, 100 ㎍/ml stem extract reduced NO production by more than 45% compared to mock treatment. Furthermore, PM10-induced expression of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, inducible NO synthase, and cyclooxygenase-2 was significantly reduced by stem extract treatment, indicating that the anti-inflammatory effect of the stem extract is mediated by the inhibition of pro-inflammatory mediators in PM10-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. These results indicate that the R. rugosa stem could be considered a natural remedy with a protective effect against inflammatory responses induced by harmful airborne dust.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.503-509
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• 2021

Marine sources as potential treatment options for various diseases have been a subject of growing interest. However, information on the anti-inflammatory mechanism employed by Undaria pinnatifida (UP) remains limited. The present study was conducted to investigate the mechanisms of UP on the mast cell-mediated inflammatory response. To determine the pharmacological mechanism of UP in inflammatory reaction, we evaluated the effects of UP on interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α production and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and caspase-1 activation in calcium ionophore A23187 plus phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate-stimulated human mast cells-1 (HMC-1). The results showed that UP suppressed IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α production in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, UP significantly attenuated NF-kB/caspase-1 activation in stimulated HMC-1. Collectively, these findings provide experimental evidence that UP may be a useful candidate for the inflammation-related diseases treatment.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.866-875
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• 2016

In this study, we investigated the variation in free sugars, amino acids, antioxidant activity, and anti-inflammatory activity of Solanum nigrum Linne based on harvest time. Major amino acids identified by HPLC analysis were proline, histidine, and serine. The highest content of total amino acids were found in S. nigrum aerial parts and roots harvested on July 10th and August 10th. Four kinds of free sugars (fructose, glucose, sucrose, maltose) were detected in S. nigrum, and the free sugar content varied significantly with harvest time. The fructose content of S. nigrum decreased with as harvest time increased. The total polyphenol content of S. nigrum was highest in those harvested on August 30th. The antioxidant activity of ethanol extract from S. nigrum collected at different harvest times were measured by DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging assays. The anti-inflammatory activity of these extracts were assayed via nitric oxide suppression in C6 glioma cells with a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory response. The anti-inflammatory activity and antioxidant effects were the highest in the extract from S. nigrum collected on August 30th. Good correlations were observed between antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities in ethanol extract of S. nigrum roots harvested on August 30th.