• 대한한의학방제학회지
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• 제17권2호
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• pp.143-150
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• 2009

The effects of aqueous extract of Schizandrae Fructus (AESC) on lead (Pb)-induced changes of monoamine neurotransmitters in the hippocampus (HIP) of adult rats were investigated. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were received intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration of Pb acetate (5 mg/kg/d) for 28 days and sacrificed 7 days after the last administration. Concentrations of norepinephrine (NE), dopamine (DA), serotonin (5-HT), 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid (5-HIAA) in HIP were measured by HPLC. There were significant decreases of NE, DA, 5-HT and 5-HIAA in Pb treated rats (P < 0.05), while pretreatment with AESC (100 mg/kg/d or 300 mg/kg/d, p.o., 2 h before Pb) greatly inhibited the decrease of monoamine transmitters, respectively (P < 0.05). Also, AESC (300 mg/kg/d) significantly increased the reduction of glutathione contents and superoxide dismutase activities in HIP induced by chronic Pb. These results suggest that AESC ameliorates Pb-induced depletion of monoamine neurotransmitters in HIP through its antioxidant activity.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제18권12호
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• pp.1997-2003
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• 2008

Cordyceps militaris is well known as a traditional medicinal mushroom and has been shown to exhibit immunostimulatory and anticancer activities. In this study, we investigated the apoptosis induced by an aqueous extract of C. militaris (AECM) via the activation of caspases and altered mitochondrial membrane permeability in human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells. Exposure to AECM induced apoptosis, as demonstrated by a quantitative analysis of nuclear morphological change and a flow cytometric analysis. AECM increased hyperpolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential and promoted the activation of caspases. Both the cytotoxic effect and apoptotic characteristics induced by AECM treatment were significantly inhibited by z-DEVD-fmk, a caspase-3 inhibitor, which demonstrates the important role of caspase-3 in the observed cytotoxic effect. AECM-induced apoptosis was associated with the inhibition of Akt activation in a time-dependent manner, and pretreatment with LY294002, a PI3K/Akt inhibitor, significantly increased AECM-induced apoptosis. The results indicated that AECM-induced apoptosis may relate to the activation of caspase-3 and mitochondria dysfunctions that correlate with the inactivation of Akt.

• 한국염색가공학회지
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• 제27권3호
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• pp.194-201
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• 2015

Cotton and silk fabrics were dyed with Houttuynia cordata extract using aqueous ethanol solution and the dyeing and post-treatment conditions were optimized to impart antimicrobial activity to the fabrics. The dried Houttuynia cordata can be extracted at $80^{\circ}C$ for 3 hours using an aqueous ethanol solution containing 70%(w/w) ethanol. For the highest color yields. Both cotton and silk fabrics can be dyed at $100^{\circ}C$ for 60min with 10g/L of NaCl under pH 4. Silk fabrics can be dyed to higher K/S than cotton fabrics. The color fastness properties of the dyed fabrics were good when either citric acid crosslinking or aluminum alum mordanting was carried out as a post treatment. The dyed silk and cotton fabrics with the post treatments showed excellent antimicrobial activity against both Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• 제9권1호
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• pp.44-48
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• 2003

The effect of aqueous extract of Stachys riederi var. japonica Miq. (Labiatae) (SRAE) on the immediate-type allergic reactions was investigated. SRAE was found to exhibit a inhibitory activity on the compound 48/80-induced systemic anaphylaxis in mice. SRAE inhibited the plasma histamine release induced by compound 48/80 in mice. In addition, SRAE also inhibited the passive cutaneous anaphylaxis reaction induced by IgE/anti-IgE in mice. The effect of SRAE on the histamine release from rat peritoneal mast cells (RPMC) was studied. SRAE inhibited the histamine release induced by compound 48/80 in RPMC. To clarify the mechanism of these inhibiting reactions, we investigated the effects of SRAE on cyclic AMP (cAMP). The level of cAMP in human leukemia cell line, HMC-1, when SRAE (1 mg/ml) was added, significantly increased compared with that of basal cells. These results indicate that SRAE may be beneficial in the treatment of immediate-type allergic reaction.

• 동의생리병리학회지
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• 제19권3호
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• pp.797-801
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• 2005

While conducting an in vitro screening of various medicinal plant extracts, an aqueous extract of Rosa rugosa Radix (ARR) was found to exhibit a distinct vasorelaxant activity. ARR induced a concentration-dependent relaxation of the phenylephrine-precontracted aorta. This effect disappeared with the removal of functional endothelium. Pretreatment of the aortic tissues with NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) or 1H-[1,2,4]-oxadiazole-[4,3-]-quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ) completely inhibited the relaxation induced by ARR. ARR-induced vascular relaxations were also markedly attenuated by addition of diltiazem or verapamil. However, the relaxant effect of ARR was not blocked by pretreatment with indomethacine, tetraethylammonium (TEA), glibenclamide, atropine, or propranolol. Taken together, the present study suggests that ARR dilates vascular smooth muscle via endothelium-dependent NO/cGMP signaling.

• 한방비만학회지
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• 제15권2호
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• pp.55-67
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• 2015

Objectives: This study was to evaluate the effect of Palmijihwang-whan (PMJHW) aqueous extract in the regulation of hypothyroidism related reproductive organ damages in propylthiouracil (PTU)-induced rat model. Methods: PMJHW aqueous extract (yield=17.90%) were administered, once a day for 42 days from 2 weeks before start of PTU treatment as oral doses of 500, 250, and 125 mg/kg (body weight), and hypothyroidism was induced by daily subcutaneous treatment of PTU 10 mg/kg for 28 days. Results: PTU-induced hypothyroidism and related male reproductive organ damages-atrophic changes of testis, epididymis and prostate, were favorably and dose-dependently inhibited by treatment of PMJHW 500, 250, and 125 mg/kg. They also effectively regulated the PTU-induced abnormal antioxidant defense system changes in the testis. Although levothyroxine also favorably inhibited PTU-induced hypothyroidism, it deteriorated the hypothyroidism related male reproductive organ damages through testicular oxidative damages. The results suggest that oral administration of 125, 250, and 500 mg/kg of PMJHW has favorable effects on the hypothyroidism and related reproductive organ damages through augmentation of antioxidant defense system in the testis. Conclusions: This study suggest that PMJHW may be help to ameliorate the hypothyroidism and related organ damages in clinics.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• 제26권12호
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• pp.1042-1046
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• 2003

This study was undertaken to observe the effects of the blend of partially purified Yucca schidigera and Quillaja saponaria extracts on cholesterol levels in the human's blood and gastrointestinal functions, and to determine if a new cholesterol-lowering drug can be developed by the further purification of the extracts. Ultrafiltration and sequential diafiltration increased the amounts of steroidal saponin in aqueous yucca extract and terpenoid saponin in aqueous qullaja extract from 9.3% and 21.4% to 17.2% and 61.8%, respectively. Taking 0.9 mg of the blend (6:4, v:v) of the resulting filtrates a day for 4 weeks resulted in the decreases in total and LDL cholesterol levels in blood plasma of hyper-cholestrolemic patients with enhancement in gastrointestinal symptoms of patients.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• 제4권1호
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• pp.60-64
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• 2004

The effect of aqueous extract of processed Xanthii fructus (PXF) on cell viability and histamine release from mast cell has been investigated. PXF showed higher cell viability than unprocessed Xanthii fructus (XF) at the concentrations of 5 and 10 mg/ml. Aqueous extract of PXF and unprocessed XF inhibited compound 48/80-induced systemic anaphylaxis in mouse. Both PXF and unprocessed XF dose-dependently inhibited histamine release from rat peritoneal mast cells by compound 48/80 to the similar extent at 0.01, 0.1 and 1 mg/ml. Our studies provide evidence that processing of XF may be beneficial to reduce cytotoxicity in high concentration (at 5 and 10 mg/ml) but does not affect on anti-allergic activity.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• 제17권3호
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• pp.154-160
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• 1994

The antigenicity of the aqueous extract of red ginseng (ARG) was evaluated using the following assay procedures : 1. active systemic anaphylaxis (ASA) in guinea pigs, 2 active cutaneous anaphylaxis (ACA) in guinea pigs, 3 passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) in guinea pigs, 2.active cutaneous anaphylaxis (ACA) in guinea pigs, 3. passive cutanepous anaphylaxis (PCA) in guina pigs with serum for guina pigs sensitized with ARG and 4. passive hemagglutination (PHA) with serum from guinea pigs sensitized with ARG. 1. ASA : No anaphylaxis reaction was observed in any of the sensitized guinea pigs by elictitation with ARG. 2. ACA : No skin reaction was observed in sensitized guinea pigs after intrademal injection of ARG. 3. PCA in guinea pigs : PCA titer of sera from all the sensitized animals was less than 10 in eliciation with ARG. 4. PHA reaction : When eythrocytes coated with challenge antigen were added to sensitized sera, the hemagglutination titer was less than 1. These results suggest that ARG has no antigenicity under the conditions used. And the dose levels of ARG employed in the present experiment were confirmed not to suppress immune reactions.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• 제22권1호
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• pp.20-24
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• 2016

Pentacyclic triterpenes, mainly, asiatic acid, madecassic acid, asiaticoside, and madecassoside are the active constituents of Centella asiatica. A pentacyclic triterpene enriched C. asiatica extract (PRE) was prepared and standardized to contain a total pentacyclic triterpenes not less than 65% w/w. This work was focused on determination of antiinflammatory, antioxidant, and tyrosinase inhibitory activities of PRE and its stability. The PRE exhibited a satisfactory nitric oxide inhibitory effect, with an $IC_{50}$ value of $64.6{\mu}g/mL$. In addition, the PRE inhibited tyrosinase enzyme activity with an $IC_{50}$ value of $104.8{\mu}g/mL$. In contrast, the PRE possessed only weak antioxidant activity. The PRE was stable over a period of four months when stored as a dried powder but only in a well-closed container protected from light at $4^{\circ}C$. An aqueous alcoholic solution of the PRE was stable at pH values of 5.8 and 7.0, but was not stable at a pH of 8.2. Preparations of the PRE in an aqueous solution should be performed in acidic or neutral conditions.