• 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.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.158-172
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• 2017

Nigella sativa (N. sativa, family Ranunculaceae) is a medicinal plant that has been widely used for centuries throughout the world as a natural remedy. A wide range of chemical compounds found in N. sativa expresses its vast therapeutic effects. Thymoquinone (TQ) is the main component (up to 50%) in the essential oil of N. sativa. Also, pinene (up to 15%), p-cymene (40%), thymohydroquinone (THQ), thymol (THY), and dithymoquinone (DTQ) are other pharmacologically active compounds of its oil. Other terpenoid compounds, such as carvacrol, carvone, 4-terpineol, limonenes, and citronellol, are also found in small quantities in its oil. The main pharmacological characteristics of this plant are immune system stimulatory, anti-inflammatory, hypotensive, hepatoprotective, antioxidant, anti-cancer, hypoglycemic, anti-tussive, milk production, uricosuric, choleretic, anti-fertility, and spasmolytic properties. In this regard, we have searched the scientific databases PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar with keywords of N. sativa, anti-cancer, apoptotic effect, antitumor, antioxidant, and malignancy over the period from 2000 to 2017. The effectiveness of N. sativa against cancer in the blood system, kidneys, lungs, prostate, liver, and breast and on many malignant cell lines has been shown in many studies, but the molecular mechanisms behind that anti-cancer role are still not clearly understood. From among the many effects of N. sativa, including its anti-proliferative effect, cell cycle arrest, apoptosis induction, ROS generation, anti-metastasis/anti-angiogenesis effects, Akt pathway control, modulation of multiple molecular targets, including p53, p73, STAT-3, PTEN, and $PPAR-{\gamma}$, and activation of caspases, the main suggestive anti-cancer mechanisms of N. sativa are its free radical scavenger activity and the preservation of various anti-oxidant enzyme activities, such as glutathione peroxidase, catalase, and glutathione-S-transferase. In this review, we highlight the molecular mechanisms of apoptosis and the anti-cancer effects of N. sativa, with a focus on its molecular targets in apoptosis pathways.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.376-382
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• 2013

[6]-Gingerol, a major polyphenol of ginger (Zingiber officinale), exhibits a variety of biological properties including anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer activity. However, the radioprotective effect of [6]-gingerol is still unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the radioprotective effect of [6]-gingerol against radiation-induced cell cytotoxicity and oxidative stress in HepG2 cells. [6]-Gingerol pretreatment attenuated radiation-induced cell cytotoxicity caused by 5Gy (half lethal dose, $LD_{50}$ of HepG2 cells). The measurements of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activity were also performed. The results showed that [6]-gingerol pretreatment reduced increasing SOD and CAT activity after exposure of IR, indicating that [6]-gingerol protected oxidative stress by regulating cellular antioxidant enzyme (SOD and CAT) activity. These findings suggest that [6]-gingerol acts as a radioprotector by attenuating cell cytotoxicity and oxidative stress.

• CELLMED
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.14.1-14.6
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• 2018

Santalum album Linn. [Family: Santalaceae] is commonly known as white sandalwood, sandal safaid and safed chandan. It is one of the most valuable trees and second costliest wood in the world. Sandalwood and its oil is extensively used in the Unani and other traditional systems of medicine as it has blood purifier, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, exhilarant, cardiotonic, antiseptic, nervine tonic and expectorant properties. It is used in skin, cardiac, liver, gastrointestinal, respiratory, integument and urogenital disorders. These uses are supported and proven by many in vitro or in vivo studies. The proven pharmacological activities of S. album are antimicrobial, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimutagenic and anti-fatigue. The research has proven that sandal oil or its constituents have anti-microbial activity. Sandalwood oil showed skin cancer preventive effect in mice and its constituent alpha santalol showed the anticancer property. The methanolic extract of wood was confirmed for antioxidant, free radical scavenging, analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities. ${\alpha}$ and ${\beta}$ santalols present in sandal oil showed sedative effects. Sandalwood tea had a significant effect on heart muscles of frog and showed increased myocardial contractility. Its oil showed significant changes in hepatic xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes. Sandalwood oil and its major constituents showed less acute oral and dermal toxicity in laboratory animals. Hence, the aforementioned studies justify the uses of sandalwood and its oil mentioned in the classical Unani literature. However, further clinical trials are suggested to confirm its efficacy and safety in humans.

• CELLMED
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.8.1-8.7
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• 2017

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is one of the major diseases of the urinary system in older men. WSY-0702 is the extracted from the traditional medicinal plant; Seoritae, and it has effects of anti-obesity, chronic cervical pain, and anti-oxidant. The present study aimed to investigate the therapeutic potential of WSY-0702 in the prevention and treatment of BPH. Several parameters including inflammatory mediators, hormones, and oxidative stress (OS) have been considered to play a role in the development of BPH. Prostate tissue damage and OS may lead to compensatory cellular proliferation with resulting hyperplastic growth. An in vitro study showed that proliferation inhibited the human prostate epithelial cell line RWPE-1 in a dose-dependent manner. In cell line, the cell cycle at the G2/M and G0/G1 phase and downregulated the expression of CyclineB1 (CCNB1) and CyclineD1 (CCND1). In addition, we measured the $H_2O_2$-induced OS damage using RWPE-1 cells. We examined the relative expression of protein involved in the regulation of prostate apoptosis: transforming growth factor (TGF)-${\beta}$, a negative growth factor able to induced prostate apoptosis under physiological conditions. These results suggest that WSY-0702 that can inhibit the growth of prostate epithelial cell by a mechanism that may involve arresting the cell cycle and downregulating CCNB1 and CCND1 expression. In addition, WSY-0702 exposure resulted in significant protective effects in $H_2O_2$-stressed PWPE-1 cells by reduction in TGF-${\beta}$ levels.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.241-248
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• 2012

Exposure of cells to ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation can induce production of free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS), which damage cellular components. In addition, these agents can stimulate the expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) and decrease collagen synthesis in human skin cells. In this study, we examined the anti-photoaging effects of extracts of Tetraselmis suecica (W-TS). W-TS showed the strongest scavenging activity against 2,2-difenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and peroxyl radicals, followed by superoxide anions from the xanthine/xanthine oxidase system. We observed that the levels of both intracellular ROS and lipid peroxidation significantly increased in UVB-irradiated human skin fibroblast cells. Furthermore, the activities of enzymatic antioxidants (e.g., superoxide dismutase) and the levels of non-enzymatic antioxidants (e.g., glutathione) significantly decreased in cells. However, W-TS pretreatment, at the maximum tested concentration, significantly decreased intracellular ROS and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, and increased superoxide dismutase and glutathione levels in the cells. At this same concentration, W-TS did not show cytotoxicity. Type 1 procollagen and MMP-1 released were quantified using RT-PCR techniques. The results showed that W-TS protected type 1 procollagen against UVB-induced depletion in fibroblast cells in a dose-dependent manner via inhibition of UVB-induced MMP-1. Taken together, the results of the study suggest that W-TS effectively inhibits UVB-induced photoaging in skin fibroblasts by its strong anti-oxidant ability.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.59 no.2
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• pp.145-147
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• 2016

Recently, conjugates of medicinal herb-derived bioflavonoids, such as quercetin, and gold nanoparticles (GNPs) have gained attention as targeted drug delivery systems. In the present study, because quercetin is an important flavonoid with anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidant properties, GNP-quercetin complexes (GNPQs) were synthesized to investigate possible adverse effects such as cytotoxicity. We found that while quercetin was cytotoxic, GNPQs were not cytotoxic towards the RAW 264.7 and THP-1 cell lines. Therefore, GNPQs may serve as a potential drug delivery system for cancer treatment.

• Advances in environmental research
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.155-172
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• 2015

In this study, a complete set of recirculating cooling water system and the required instruments were built in a semi-industrial-scale and a 50 g/h ozone generation plant and a chlorine system were designed for cooling water treatment. Both chlorination and ozonation treatment methods were studied and the results were analyzed during two 45-days periods. The concentrations of ozone and chlorine in recirculating water were constant at 0.1 mg/lit and 0.6 mg/lit, respectively. In ozone treatment, by increasing the concentration cycle to 33%, the total water consumption decreased by 26% while 11.5% higher energy efficiency achieved thanks to a better elimination of bio-films. In case of Carbon Steel, the corrosion rate reached to 0.012 mm/yr and 0.025 mm/yr for the ozonation and chlorination processes, respectively. Furthermore, consumptions of the anti-corrosion and anti-sedimentation materials in the ozone cooling water treatment were reduced about 60% without using any oxidant and non-oxidant biocides. No significant changes in sediment load were seen in ozonation compared to chlorination. The Chemical Oxygen Demand of the blow-down in ozonation method decreased to one-sixth of that in the chlorination method. Moreover, the soluble iron and water turbidity in the ozonation method were reduced by 97.5% and 70%, respectively. Although no anaerobic bacteria were seen in the cooling water at the proper concentration range of ozone and chlorine, the aerobic bacteria in chlorine and ozone treatment methods were 900 and 200 CFU/ml, respectively. The results showed that the payback time for the ozone treatment is about 2.6 years.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.486-489
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• 2008

Curcumin (diferuloylmethane), a pigment derived from turmeric, has anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Accumulating evidence points to a biochemical link between increased oxidative stress and reduced bone density. Osteoclast formation was evaluated in co-cultures of bone marrow stromal cells (BMSC) and whole bone marrow cells (BMC). Expression of receptor activator of nuclear factor-${\kappa}B$ ligand (RANKL) was analyzed at the mRNA and protein levels. Exposure to curcumin led to dose-dependent suppression of osteoclastogenesis in the co-culture system, and to reduced expression of RANKL in $IL-1{\alpha}$-stimulated BMSCs. Addition of RANKL abolished the inhibition of osteoclastogenesis by curcumin, whereas the addition of prostaglandin $E_2$ ($PGE_2$) did not. The decreased osteoclastogenesis induced by curcumin may reduce bone loss and be of potential benefit in preventing and/or attenuating osteoporosis.

• Proceedings of the Korean Biophysical Society Conference
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• 2002.06b
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• pp.54-54
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• 2002

$\sigma$$\^$R/ is a sigma factor responsible for inducing the thioredoxin system in response to oxidative stress in Streptomyces coelicolor. RsrA, an anti-sigma factor, specifically binds to $\sigma$$\^$R/ and inhibits $\sigma$$\^$R/-directed transcription under reducing conditions. Exposure to H$_2$O$_2$ or thiol-specific oxidant diamide dissociates $\sigma$$\^$R/-RsrA complex. The redox-dependent regulation of $\sigma$$\^$R/-RsrA binding has been reported to involve thiol-disulfide exchange in RsrA, which contains 7 cysteines in 105 amino acid residues.(omitted)