• CELLMED
• /
• v.3 no.3
• /
• pp.25.1-25.8
• /
• 2013

Homoeopathically prepared Condurango 30C is traditionally used in amelioration of certain types of cancer by homeopathic practitioners. In this study, ability of Condurango 30C in amelioration of the conventional benzo[a]pyrene (BaP)-induced lung cancer in rat has been tested. After one month of scheduled oral feeding of BaP, lung cancer is routinely developed after four months in rats. Tumorbearing rats were then treated with Condurango 30C for the next one ($5^{th}$), two ($6^{th}$) and three ($7^{th}$) months, respectively, and sacrificed. Efficacy of post-cancer treatment by Condurango 30C was evaluated against controls (placebo) by different study parameters like: body and lung weights, number and diameter of lung tumour nodules, lung architecture, DNA damage, anti-oxidant activity and reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation. Administration of this homeopathic remedy caused increase of body weight and decrease of lung weight, decrease in number and diameter of lung tumour nodules, particularly after one and two months of drug treatment. BaP intoxication significantly increased lipid peroxidase (LPO) with concomitant decrease in activities of different antioxidants, while Condurango 30C administration certainly reduce their levels than normal and cancerous groups, notably after one and two months' of drug treatment. Condurango 30C showed capability to induce ROS-mediated cell death evidenced from the study of ROS activities at different time-points. Further, the remedy possibly achieved its anticancer goal through mediation of DNA-nicks that possibly led cancer cells to the apoptotic pathway. Thus, Condurango 30C has anticancer potential in BaP-induced lung cancer of rats via tissue damage recovery and ROS-mediated programmed cell death.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
• /
• v.35 no.4
• /
• pp.296-301
• /
• 1999

A Bacillus strain from Korean soil was isolated and identified to be Bacillus licheniformis B1 through various biochemical tests, VITEK, and MIDI system analysis. The strain produced extracellular amylase and protease. Whether or not the strain can perform Chungkookjang fermentation with autoclaved soybean and Kanjang fermentation was determined in this study. In Chungkookjang fermentation, browining materials of strong anti-oxidant increased 8-fold, and 2-fold in Kanjang, compared with initiation material for fermentation. Maximal protease activity in Chungkookjang was observed one day after inoculation. Protease activities in Kanjang decreased to the half, and then maintained constant values during fermentation, probably due to the inhibitory effect of salt on protease activities. High molecular mass of nucleic acids was identified in Chungkookjang and Kanjang. Since the nucleic acids were not observed in autoclaved soybean, they seem to be originated from B. licheniformis B1. This study demonstrated successive fermentation of Chungkookjang and Kanjang by B. licheniformis B1 isolated from nature, and suggested possible development of food rich in browing and nucleic acids.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
• /
• v.14 no.12
• /
• pp.6296-6301
• /
• 2013

To examine the effects of voice disorders after a laryngeal injuryon the changes in stress, this study examined the effects of the changes observed in laboratory animals and on stress reduction effects, by inducing a laryngeal injury in SD type rats after administering a kudzu leaf extract, which has a sedation effect. For testing, a total of 24 rats comprising the normal group, control group and experimental groups (1 and 2 6 rats in each group) were used, and antioxidant experiments and molecular and chemical tests were conducted by administering a specified amount of kudzu teaorally once a day at a set time, 6 times per week for 5 weeks. The control group appeared to be significantly higher than the normal group (p <0.05), whereas the experimental group showed significant decreases compared to the control group (p <0.05), showing a better result than the normal group. The test results showed that the kudzu leaf extract resulted in significant changes compared to the control group. Overall, the administration of kudzu leaf extract has stress reduction effects.

• Current Research on Agriculture and Life Sciences
• /
• v.15
• /
• pp.93-100
• /
• 1997

Plants are exposed to wide range of different stresses. As plants have only limited mechanism for stress avoidance, they require flexible means for adaption to changing environmental conditions. This study was carried out to reasearch the changes of antioxidant enzymes activities as caused by water stress in four lettuceUactuca sativa) lines. Four lettuce lines exposed to water stress showed premature senescence as evidenced by the consistenent reduction in the content of total soluble protein and total lipid. Water stress also caused decreased activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, but decrease rates were different. Catalase activity was decreased much more than that of ascorbate peroxidase that suggest catalase reacted with hydrogenyperoxide directly not with ascorbate peroxidase.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.40 no.3
• /
• pp.382-395
• /
• 2007

The herb, Cajanus indicus L, is well known for its hepatoprotective action. A 43 kD protein has been isolated, purified and partially sequenced from the leaves of this herb. A number of in vivo and in vitro studies carried out in our laboratory suggest that this protein might be a major component responsible for the hepatoprotective action of the herb. Our successive studies have been designed to evaluate the potential efficacy of this protein in protecting the hepatic as well as renal tissues from the sodium fluoride (NaF) induced oxidative stress. The experimental groups of mice were exposed to NaF at a dose of 600 ppm through drinking water for one week. This exposure significantly altered the activities of the antioxidant enzymes like superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), glutathione reductase (GR) and the cellular metabolites such as reduced glutathione (GSH), oxidized glutathione (GSSG), total thiols, lipid peroxidation end products in liver and kidney compared to the normal mice. Intraperitoneal administration of the protein at a dose of 2 mg/kg body weight for seven days followed by NaF treatment (600 ppm for next seven days) normalized the activities of the hepato-renal antioxidant enzymes, the level of cellular metabolites and lipid peroxidation end products. Post treatment with the protein for four days showed that it could help recovering the damages after NaF administration. Time-course study suggests that the protein could stimulate the recovery of both the organs faster than natural process. Effects of a known antioxidant, vitamin E, and a non-relevant protein, bovine serum albumin (BSA) have been included in the study to validate the experimental data. Combining all, result suggests that NaF could induce severe oxidative stress both in the liver and kidney tissues in mice and the protein possessed the ability to attenuate that hepato-renal toxic effect of NaF probably via its antioxidant activity.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
• /
• v.56 no.3
• /
• pp.152-157
• /
• 2012

Angelica gigas is one of the most widely used herbal medicines in Asia. Root extract of Angelica gigas is known to have anti-oxidant activity and skin whitening effect. The aim of this study was to prepare microemulsion system of root extracts of Angelica gigas for topical delivery. Microemulsion was successfully prepared by using MCT (medium chain triglyceride) as an oil phase, Labrasol as a surfactant, and the mixture of propyleneglycol and phosphatidylcholine (4 : 1) as a cosurfactant. In vitro and in vivo skin permeation and deposition of decursin, as a marker, was determined using hairless mouse. Microemulsion significantly increased the in vitro skin permeation of decursin for up to 12 hours and was significantly higher than the control (water). Moreover, microemulsion formulation showed significantly higher skin deposition of decursin compared to the control in both in vitro and in vivo studies. Thus, microemulsion could be a useful vehicle for topical application of root extracts of Angelica gigas.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
• /
• v.36 no.4
• /
• pp.279-287
• /
• 2010

In this study we examined the effects of water extract of garlic on carbon tetrachloride-induced liver injury, and demonstrated increased beneficial enzyme and anti-oxidant activity as well as histopathological changes (by Hematoxylin-Eosin (H&E) staining, Trichrome staining, and TEM examination), and showed that the treatment was dose-dependent and safe. A total of 42 male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided equally (n=7) into six groups. To induce hepatotoxicity in these subjects, carbon tetrachloride diluted in an equal volume of olive oil was intraperitoneally administrated at 0.5 ml/kg (0.20 g/kg/day) once a day for five days. Water extract of Korean-grown garlic was administered via a stomach sonde once a day, 5 days a week, for a total of 4 weeks. Groups received 0.35 g/kg (E1), 0.70 g/kg (E2), or 1.40 g/kg (E3), with the dose adjusted for body weight. Administration of garlic extract resulted in positive physiological effects in terms of reduced oxidative stress and toxicity, and induced functional changes in the liver. Comparing the subject groups (E1, E2, E3) administered different doses of garlic extract, the importance of morphological analysis in further studies is emphasized, because morphological changes indicating hepatotoxicity could occur, even though beneficial enzyme activities were found to be elevated.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
• /
• v.37 no.1 s.144
• /
• pp.16-20
• /
• 2006

The protective effects of the aqueous MeOH extracts of stem and root Acanthopanax koreanum Nakai against oxidative stress were investigated. Anti-oxidant activity of the stem extract of A. koreanum was observed in the DPPH free radical scavenging $(IC_{50}=58.7\;{\mu}g/ml)$ and the SOD test $(IC_{50}=17.52\;{\mu}g/ml)$. According to data analysis of cell survival ratio of normal fibroblasts, the skin irritation by both extracts from A. koreanum was concerned. However, in the skin primary parch test, both extracts obtained Grade I, which means that there was no skin irritation. After induction of oxidative irritation, cell survival ratio of normal fibroblasts was also monitored and it turned out that stress-inducing group with both extracts had more increased cell survival ratio. The cell extension of the stress-inducing group treated with the stem extract was most dominant in morphological study. Based on these results, the stem extract of A. koreanum showed the protective effect against oxidative stress on normal fibroblast.

• Journal of Mushroom
• /
• v.11 no.4
• /
• pp.226-229
• /
• 2013

This study was carried out to elucidate suitable wavelength of light during development of fruit body in Lentinula edodes. The four colors of LED(Light Emitting Diode), blue, green, red and yellow, were irradiated for formation of fruit-body. The effect of color of LED at all growth stage, the lightness of cap showed darker in blue and green LED irradiation than that of red and yellow LED. The longer stipe were resulted in longer wavelength. And the activity of anti-oxidant did not showed big differences according to LED wavelength. We obtained higher commercial yields and lower ratio of abnormal fruit body in green LED than those in control(fluorescent lamp).

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• v.23 no.2
• /
• pp.121-130
• /
• 2019

Glutamate toxicity-mediated mitochondrial dysfunction and neuronal cell death are involved in the pathogenesis of several neurodegenerative diseases as well as acute brain ischemia/stroke. In this study, we investigated the neuroprotective mechanism of dieckol (DEK), one of the phlorotannins isolated from the marine brown alga Ecklonia cava, against glutamate toxicity. Primary cortical neurons ($100{\mu}M$, 24 h) and HT22 neurons (5 mM, 12 h) were stimulated with glutamate to induce glutamate toxic condition. The results demonstrated that DEK treatment significantly increased cell viability in a dose-dependent manner ($1-50{\mu}M$) and recovered morphological deterioration in glutamate-stimulated neurons. In addition, DEK strongly attenuated intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, mitochondrial overload of $Ca^{2+}$ and ROS, mitochondrial membrane potential (${\Delta}{\Psi}_m$) disruption, adenine triphosphate depletion. DEK showed free radical scavenging activity in the cell-free system. Furthermore, DEK enhanced protein expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), an important anti-oxidant enzyme, via the nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-like 2 (Nrf2). Taken together, we conclude that DEK exerts neuroprotective activities against glutamate toxicity through its direct free radical scavenging property and the Nrf-2/HO-1 pathway activation.