• Journal of Korean Medical classics
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.135-150
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• 2016

Objectives : KangHaiChengZhiLun (亢害承制論; If Excess Brings Harm, Lifing Qi (承氣) Restrains) was originally a theory that explained how the realms of nature remain in harmony and equilibrium. It later became an important theory for clinical trials of Traditional Chinese Medicine, explaining the physiological and pathological mechanism. Methods : The researcher considered all the annotations and the original text of SuWen(素問), LiuWeiZhiDaLun(六微旨大論) and theories of medical practitioners who applied KangHaiChengZhiLun(亢害承制論) to their clinical trials. Results & Conclusions : Wangbing (王氷) went with a theory that phenomena of Lifting Qi (承氣) take place in the realms of nature when Qi (氣) flourishes. In XinJiaoZheng(新校正), he wrote about two theories: one was that Six Kinds of Natural Factors (六氣) first work as the main Qi (本氣) but later bring about Lifting Qi. (終見下承之氣說); the other was that excessive Stagnation Qi (鬱氣) can be exploded and invite another accompanying Qi, Lifting Qi. (甚者兼其下承之氣說) Liuwansu (劉完素) had a theory that if Six Kinds of Natural Factors go disproportionately excessive, it becomes accompanied by imaginary Qi (假象) that conquers self. (反兼勝己之化說) $Wangl{\ddot{u}}$(王履) maintained that Lifting Qi usually works as a means to prevent Six Kinds of Natural Factors (六氣) from becoming rampant; but when Six Kinds of Natural Factors become overly excessive, Lifting Qi restrains them in order to maintain equilibrium. (防之與克勝說) Yutuan explained that since Excessive Qi (亢氣) does damage to the mother of Lifting Qi, Lifting Qi restrains Excessive Qi to protect Original Qi (元氣), its mother. (護救承者之元氣說) Gongtingxian was in favor of two theories: one argued that causes and symptoms of a disease differ from each other. (體用不同說); the other said that diseases are naturally cured if the patient finds out the time when Lifting Qi gains strength. (得承之時自愈說) Mashi (馬蒔) had a theory that Lifting Qi is generated when Six Kinds of Natural Factors are prosperous and reveals itself when its season comes. (極則生承氣 至本位著說) Zhangjiebin (張介賓) asserted that when Six Kinds of Natural Factors are thriving, Lifting Qi, as a restraining force, is generated to disperse the thriving natural factors and leads to a new one. (前之退而後之進說) Zhangqi (張琦)'s argument was that if Lifting Qi restrains the main Qi, a son of the main Qi is generated and every four season goes in harmony. (承氣制則生化說) Hemengyao (何夢瑤) had an argument that a son of the restrained Qi succeeds to its father and later achieves equilibrium by restraining Excessive Qi. (被克承父 制之平衡說).

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.10
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• pp.1151-1156
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• 2014

Traditional medicinal plants are widely used to treat many diseases, such as inflammation, infections, and even cancer. Ulmus macrocarpa Hance, a Chinese elm species, is distributed in Korea, China, and Japan. The stem bark is widely employed in Korean traditional medicine to treat dermatitis, mastitis, and edema. The aim of this study was to investigate whether water extract of U. macrocarpa Hance bark (Ulmus cortex) has a immune-modulating function in a mouse model. Three different concentrations (30 mg/kg, 100 mg/kg, and 300 mg/kg) of Ulmus cortex water extract (UCWE) were orally administered to mice for 14 days, and their immune responses were analyzed. Cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-2, IL-12, and IFN-${\gamma}$, increased in the blood of UCWE-fed groups when compared with a control group. In contrast, the IL-4 level did not change in any of the UCWE-fed groups Cell-mediated cytotoxicity was also assayed using lymphokine-activated killer cells (LAK). LAK showed greater cytotoxicity in the UCWE-fed groups than LAK in the control group. Internal organ indices, such as liver, kidney, spleen, and thymus, were similar in all the groups, including the control group, indicating that UCWE may have been nontoxic in the experimental animals. These data suggest that UCWE has an immune-modulating function in a mouse model.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.155-162
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• 2012

Somok, the heart wood of Caesalpinia sappan is used in traditional Chinese medicine. Adherence of S. mutans to the tooth surface can result in the formation of a dental plaque. This study was performed to investigate the antibacterial activity and bacterial adhesion of ethyl acetate extract from C. sappan against S. mutans ATCC 25175. The bacteria were cultured in brain heart infusion(BHI) broth, and then incubated under 5% $CO_2$ at $37^{\circ}C$ for 18~24 hours. The antimicrobial activity of the ethyl acetate extract of C. sappan was then examined using the paper disc methods and MIC. In addition, bacterial adherence to hydroxyapatite was also examined. The ethyl acetate extract was shown to produce inhibitory effects and had MIC values of 125 mg/ml against S. mutans ATCC 25175. The ethyl acetate extract inhibited adhesion of S. mutans to saliva coated-hydroxyapatite beads(S-HA). At 24 hr, the ethyl acetate extract significantly reduced the adherence of S. mutans to S-HA beads relative to the control. The isolated active substance was identified as brazilin($C_{16}H_{14}O_5$) by $^1H-NMR$ and $^{13}C-NMR$. Thus, the application of C. sappan can be considered a useful and practical method for the prevention of dental caries.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.965-972
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• 2020

Objective: Astragalus membranaceus root is a well-known traditional Chinese herbal medicine with many biological active constituents. This study was conducted to examine the effects of Astragalus membranaceus root powder (AMP) on growth performance, serum antioxidant and immune response in finishing lambs. Methods: A total of thirty-six Guangling fat-tailed ram lambs (body weight = 19±2 kg, mean±standard deviation) were randomly assigned to one of six treatments for a 40 d feeding period, with the first 10 d for adaptation. Treatments consisted of the lambs' basal diets with addition of 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 30 g/kg of diet of AMP. Results: Response to supplementation level of AMP was quadratic (p≤0.032) for final weight and ADG with the greatest at 10 g/kg of diet, but dry matter intake was not affected (p≥0.227) by treatments. The increase of AMP supplementation resulted in a quadratic response in contents of triglyceride and creatinine (p<0.05), with the lowest values for 10 and 20 g/kg of diet, respectively. A linear and quadratic decrease was observed in activity of alkaline phosphatase in serum of lambs. As the AMP supplementation increased, the activities of total superoxide dismutase and total antioxidant capacity increased linearly (p≤0.018) and hydroxyl radical (OH^-) decreased linearly (p = 0.002). For catalase (CAT) and malondialdehyde (MDA), quadratic (p≤0.001) effects were observed among treatments, with the greatest CAT and lowest MDA values at 10 g/kg AMP. Additionally, supplementing AMP up to a level of 10 or 15 g/kg of diet quadratically increased immunoglobulin and interleukin contents in the serum. Conclusion: The results indicated that AMP can be used as natural feed additive in the ration of lambs to improve ADG, antioxidant status, and immune functions, and the optimal dose was 10 g/kg of diet under the condition of this experiment.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.12-18
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• 2017

The dried root of Angelica species is used in traditional Chinese medicine in East Asia, particularly in Korea, China and Japan. Since the plant origin differs in these countries, they are often misused or adulterated in the commercial markets, resulting in distrust among the consumers. Enormous efforts have therefore been focused to distinguish the origin for the Angelica genus, by using morphological or cytogenetical analyses, and chemical markers based on biochemical analyses of secondary metabolites. DNA is considerably stable against different cultivation conditions, and to treatment and processing after harvesting of plants. Hence, several researches have been filed for the development of molecular markers, based on the single nucleotide polymorphisms in specific regions of DNA. However, there are several obstacles for application in the commercial markets, concerning the reproducibility, accuracy, sensitivity, and rapidity of these tests. In this review, we summarize the research achievements that help classify the origin of Angelica species, in particular, Angelica gigas Nakai. A. sinensis(oliv.) Diels, A. acutiloba Kitag., and A. acutiloba var. sugiyamae Hikino. Further researches are required for practical applications.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.69-78
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• 2017

Cordyceps militaris has been used in traditional Chinese medicine owing to its anticancer and immunomodulatory activities. Germanium compounds have also been shown to be associated with many pharmacological functions, such as antimicrobial, antiviral, antitumor, antimutagenic, and immunomodulating effects. In this study, we examined the biological properties of hot water extract from mycelial liquid culture of germanium-enriched C. militaris (CMGe). CMGe displayed a concentration-dependent antiproliferation activity against four human cancer cell lines. The antiproliferative activity of CMGe was 2-4-fold lower than that of hot water extract from mycelial liquid culture in C. militaris (CM). However, CM had a concentration-dependent cytotoxicity to human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Contrastingly, CMGe did not cause any cellular damage to MSCs. MSCs cultured with CMGe displayed an increased proliferative activity with no cytotoxic effect. The oral administration of CMGe inhibited increased tumor volume and weight compared with the control group. CMGe has the potential to be used as an industrial product in medicinal foods as well as in pharmaceutical products.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.8
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• pp.888-895
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• 2017

Salsola collina (S. collina) is an annual plant widely distributed in drought and semi-drought areas, which has been used for a long time as a kind of folk remedy in traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of hypertension. Previously, the anti-oxidative and anti-cancer activities of S. collina were elucidated in our research group. In this study, the anti-obesity activities of S. collina ethanol extract (SCEE) were evaluated using a pancreatic lipase enzyme inhibition assay and cell culture model. The results showed that SCEE effectively suppressed pancreatic lipase enzyme activity in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, SCEE significantly suppressed adipocyte differentiation, lipid accumulation, and triglyceride (TG) content, and triggered lipolysis on insulin, dexamethasone, and 3-isobutyl-l-methylxanthine-treated 3T3-L1 preadipocytes in a dose-dependent manner without cytotoxicity. Its anti-obesity effect was modulated by cytidine-cytidine-adenosine-adenosine-thymidine (CCAAT)/enhancer binding proteins ${\alpha}$ ($C/EBP{\alpha}$), $C/EBP{\beta}$, and the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ${\gamma}$ ($PPAR{\gamma}$) gene, as well as protein expressions. Taken together, these results offer the important new insight that S. collina possesses anti-obesity properties, such as pancreatic lipase inhibition and anti-adipogenic and lipolysis effects through the modulation of their upstream signaling pathway. It could become a promising source in the field of nutraceuticals, and the identification of active compounds that confer the biological activities of SCEE may be needed.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.1233-1239
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• 2014

Background: The incidence of brain metastases (BM) varies in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), calls into question the value of prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI). It is possible that clinicopathologic characteristics are associated with the development of BM, but these have yet to be identified in detail. Thus, we conducted the present meta-analysis on risk factors for BM and the value of PCI in patients with NSCLC. Methods: Eligible data were extracted and the risk factors for BM and the value of PCI in patients with NSCLC were analyzed by calculating the pooled odds ratio (OR). Heterogeneity was detected using Q and I-squared statistics, and publication bias was tested by funnel plots and Egger's test. Results: Six randomized controlled trials with a focus on the value of PCI and 13 eligible studies with a focus on risk factors for BM were included. PCI significantly reduced the incidence of BM in patients with NSCLC (p=0.000, pooled OR=0.34, 95% confidence interval = 0.37-0.59). Compared with non-squamous cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma was associated with a low incidence of BM in patients with NSCLC (p=0.000, pooled OR=0.47, 95% confidence interval =0.34-0.65). The funnel plot and Egger's test suggested that there was no publication bias in the current meta-analysis. Conclusions: This meta-analysis provides statistical evidence that compared with non-squamous cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma can be used as a predictor for BM in patients with NSCLC, and PCI might reduce the incidence of BM in patients with NSCLC, but does not provide a survival benefit.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.413-417
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• 2013

Purpose: This phase II study was undertaken to determine the efficacy and safety of Loubo$^{(R)}$ (Lobaplatin) in combination with pemetrexed in treating patients with metastatic breast cancer who failed to respond to anthracycline or taxanes. Patients and Methods: Metastatic breast cancer cases who had previously received an anthracycline and a taxane in either adjuvant or metastatic settings, were enrolled. All patients were recruited from Jiangsu Cancer Hospital and Research Institute, and were treated with Loubo$^{(R)}$ (Lobaplatin) 35 $mg/m^2$ (intravenous; on day 1) and pemetrexed 500 $mg/m^2$ (intravenous; on day 1) every 21 days. Efficacy and side effects were evaluated after at least two cycles of chemotherapy. Results: All eligible 19 patients completed at least 2 cycles of chemotherapy with pemetrexed and lobaplatin, and were evaluable. Overall, 3 (15.8%) patients achieved partial response, 11 (57.9%) stable disease, 5 (26.3%) progression of disease, with no complete remission. Response rate was 15.8%, disease control rate was 42.1%. The median survival time was 10.3 months. Neutrophil suppression occurred in 36.8% of patients who had grade 2 toxicity, and 26.3% had grade 3, 26.4% had grade 4. Thrombocytopenia was encountered as follows: 21.1% grade 2, 15.8% grade 3 and 5.5% grade 4. Incidences of anemia were 10.5% in grade 2, 5.3% grade 3 and 0% grade 4. Only 5.3% of patients required packed red blood cell transfusion. Grade 3 digestive tract toxicity occurred in 5.5% of patients. Other toxicities included elevated transaminase,oral mucositis and skin rashes. Conclusions: The regimen of lobaplatin and pemetrexed is modestly active in metastatic breast cancer patients who failed anthracycline or taxanes, and the toxicity profile suggesting that the doses of chemotherapy should be further modified.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.1119-1124
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• 2012

Background: The effect and possible mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine, baicalin, on the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in drug-resistant human myeloid leukemia HL-60/ADR cells have been investigated in this current study. Methods: HL-60/ADR cells were treated by 20, 40, $80\;{\mu}mol/L$ baicalin followed by cell cycle analysis at 24h. The mRNA expression level of the apoptosis related gene, Bcl-2 and bad, were measured by RT-PCR on cells treated with $80\;{\mu}mol/L$ baicalin at 12, 24 and 48hr. Western blot was performed to detect the changes in the expression of the proteins related to HL-60/ADR cell apoptosis and the signaling pathway before and after baicalin treatment, including Bcl-2, PARP, Bad, Caspase 3, Akt, p-Akt, NF-${\kappa}B$, p-NF-${\kappa}B$, mTOR and p-mTOR. Results: Sub-G1 peak of HL-60/ADR cells appeared 24 h after $20\;{\mu}mol/L$ baicalin treatment, and the ratio increased as baicalin concentration increased. Cell cycle analysis showed 44.9% G0/G1 phase cells 24 h after baicalin treatment compared to 39.6% in the control group. Cells treated with $80\;{\mu}mol/L$ baicalin displayed a trend in decreasing of Bcl-2 mRNA expression over time. Expression level of the Bcl-2 and PARP proteins decreased significantly while that of the PARP, Caspase-3, and Bad proteins gradually increased. No significant difference in Akt expression was observed between treated and the control groups. However, the expression levels of p-Akt, NF-${\kappa}B$, p-NF-${\kappa}B$, mTOR and p-mTOR decreased significantly in a time-dependent manner. Conclusions: We conclude that baicalin may induce HL-60/ADR cell apoptosis through the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.