• CELLMED
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.20.1-20.6
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• 2020

The Karafs is a dried herb of whole plant of Apium graveolens L. from Apiaceae (carrot family). The seeds (fruits) of Apium graveolens are known as Tukhm-e- Karafs in Unani Medicine. Karafs is known as Celeri in French, Apio in Spanish, Selderiji in Dutch, Syelderey in Russian and Chin in Chinese. It is cultivated in different parts of the world for its seeds as spice and green leaves and root as salad crop. Its seeds are also used for medicinal purposes in complementary and alternative medicines. In Unani it is used as a single drug or as an ingredient in compound formulations used for management in various ailments. The seeds have various pharmacological actions like hepatoprotective, diuretic and lithotriptic etc. It is commonly found in Western Asia, Europe, North Africa and various parts of India like Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh etc. In Unani its actions are described as Mudirr-i-Bawl (Diuretic), Mufattit-i-Hasāh (Lithotriptic), Dafi'-i-Tashannuj (Antispasmodic) and Kāsir-i-Riyāh (Carminative). It is used for the treatment of Hasah al-Kulya (Nephrolithiasis), Nafkh al-Mi'da (Flatulence), Istisqā' (Oedema) and Ihtibās al-Bawl (Retention of urine) etc.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.9
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• pp.5243-5248
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• 2013

Background: Triptolide, extracted from the herb Tripteryglum wilfordii Hook.f that has long been used as a natural medicine in China, has attracted much interest for its anti-cancer effects against some kinds of tumours in recent years. Artesunate, extracted from the Chinese herb Artemisia annua, has proven to be effective and safe as an anti-malarial drug that possesses anticancer potential. The present study attempted to clarify if triptolide enhances artesunate-induced cytotoxicity in pancreatic cancer cell lines in vitro and in vivo. Methods: In vitro, to test synergic actions, cell viability and apoptosis were analyzed after treatment of pancreatic cancer cell lines with the two agents singly or in combination. The molecular mechanisms of apoptotic effects were also explored using qRT-PCR and Western blotting. In vivo, a tumor xenograft model was established in nude mice, for assessment of inhibitory effects of triptolide and artesunate. Results: We could show that the combination of triptolide and artesunate could inhibit pancreatic cancer cell line growth, and induce apoptosis, accompanied by expression of HSP 20 and HSP 27, indicating important roles in the synergic effects. Moreover, tumor growth was decreased with triptolide and artesunate synergy. Conclusion: Our result indicated that triptolide and artesunate in combination at low concentrations can exert synergistic anti-tumor effects in pancreatic cancer cells with potential clinical applications.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.129-135
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• 1985

In order to search for potential antidotes for T-2 toxin poisoning, seven Chinese herbal drug extracts and five natural constituents were tested on mice intoxicated with T-2 toxin. When extracts of Panax ginseng and Atractylodes japonica (500 mg/kg) were administered p.o. once 3 hrs before and once 1 hr after T-2 toxin treatment, a 30% complete survival rate was noted. In case of Paeonia albiflora var. typica, a 30% complete survival rate was also produced at a dose of 250 mg/kg. Other extracts, Glycyrrhiza uralensis, Scutellaria baicalensis, Rehmannia glutinosa and Plantago asiatica exhibited no significant protection from the T-2 toxin poisoning. A nucleoside, thymidine showed protective activity against T-2 toxin toxicity and it produced a 40% complete survival rate when administered i.p. once 0.5 hr after T-2 toxin treatment. Other natural constituents, aucubin, vitamin C and E, and lipoic acid did not show any significant protective activities.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.621-629
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• 2000

Camptothecin (CPT) is an antitumor alkaloid that has been isolated from the Chinese tree, Camptotheca acuminata. The cytotoxicity of CPT has been correlated to its inhibition of DNA topoisomerase (Topo) I by stabilizing drug-enzyme-DNA “cleavable complex" resulting in DNA single-strand breaks and DNA-protein crosslinks. This studies were designed to elucidate whether CPT regulates Topo I mediated by CPT in DNAs containing c-myc protooncogene. We have conducted experiments on Topo I purification, pUC-MYC I cloning and Topo I assay using electrophoresis, quantitative RT-PCR and Northern blotting techniques. CPT ingibited the relaxation activity of Topo I in pUC19 DNA at various concentrations (1-1000 $\mu$M), while it enhanced the cleavage of Topo I in the pUC-MYC I by forming a cleavable complex at relatively high concentrations (100-1000 $\mu$M). In HL-60 cells treated with CPT, the expression of c-myc gene was decreased over that in the control group with no changes in the expression of Topo I mRNA. Our results suggest that Topo I is the target of CPT cytotoxicity but it does not affect Topo I extression, and the suppression of c-myc mRNA expression by CPT is due to c-myc damage resulted from formation of a cleavable complex with CPT. CPT.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.67-71
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• 2014

Planaria were recently reported to be a simple and sensitive model to investigate the mechanistic aspect of seizure and to screen potential anticonvulsants. Using planarian model, we analyzed the pharmacological effect of ukgansan (UGS), an oriental herbal medicine containing seven medicinal herbs, on the planarian locomotor velocity (pLMV) and glutamate-induced seizure-like activity (pSLA). To test whether D. japonica is suitable for studying anti-seizure agents, we investigated the effect of glutamate on pLMV and pSLA in D. japonica. In the present study we first confirmed that pSLA in D. japonica was induced by L-glutamate. Glutamate significantly produced pSLA in a dose dependent manner, but did not affect pLMV. These glutamate-induced paroxysms were decreased by antiepileptic drug, topiramate. A similar inhibitory effect on glutamate-induced pSLA was observed after the treatment of UGS. The present results suggest that UGS and its active constituents possess useful substance inhibiting seizure in planarian and that D. japonica provides a convenient model to search active herbs containing anti-seizure activity.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.105-107
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• 2002

To get basic data for the utilization of S. herbacea L. as a raw material in food and Chinese herbs, chemical compositions of its leaves, stem and root were investigated. Leaves had the highest level of moisture and the lowest bevel of total sugar. The crude protein and crude lipid contents of the stem were similar to those of the root. Crude ash and salt contents (dry basis) in leaves were considerably higher than those of the stem and root. Total amino acid contents of leaves, stem and root were 1,270 mg/100 g, 1,525 mg/100 g, and 1,569 mg/100 g, respectively. Although the amino acid compositions of loaves, stein, and root were different, their major amino acids were glutamic acid, leuicine, isoleucine and aspartic acid. The rich minerals in leaves, stem and root were Na, K and Ca.

• The Journal of Churna Manual Medicine for Spine and Nerves
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.45-56
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• 2016

Objectives : The aim of this study is to verify if the translation of chronic low back pain questionary is done properly. Methods : We used pattern identification of chronic low back pain in the guideline suggested by Ministry of Food and Drug Safety when making the questionnaire. And we used expressions which four native korean speakers who have bachelor's degree on chinese and teach related subjects in university have agreed on for two times. Results : We examined translated sentences about 40 symptoms according to 9 large categories on the questionnaire and corrected them into agreed expressions. Conclusions : In this study, we carried out evaluations on the suitability of the translations of categories which identify symptoms of low back pain. From now on, it is necessary to verify the degree of accuracy of question items that have been subjected to translation verification in clinical diagnosis. Furthermore considering the characteristics of patients with low back pain, we think diagnostic tools which reflects objective diagnosis results other than diagnostic identification are needed in the clinical field.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.16-24
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• 2013

CTLA-4Ig is regarded as an inhibitory agent of the T cell proliferation via blocking the costimulatory signal which is essential for full T cell activation. To improve applicability, we developed the CTLA-4Ig-CTKC in which the c-terminal lysine had been replaced by cysteine through single amino acid change. The single amino acid mutation of c-terminus of CTLA-4Ig was performed by PCR and was checked by in vitro transcription and translation. DNA construct of mutant form was transfected to Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells by electroporation. The purified proteins were confirmed by Western blot and B7-1 binding assay for their binding ability. The suppressive capacity of CTLA-4Ig-CTKC was evaluated by the mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) and in the allogeneic pancreatic islet transplantation model. CTLA-4Ig-CTKC maintained binding ability to B7-1 molecule and effectively inhibits T cell proliferation in MLR. In the murine allogeneic pancreatic islet transplantation, short-term treatment of CTLA-4Ig-CTKC prolonged the graft survival over 100 days. CTLA-4Ig-CTKC effectively inhibits immune response both in MLR and in allogeneic islet transplantation model, indicating that single amino acid mutation does not affect the inhibitory function of CTLA-4Ig. CTLA-4Ig-CTKC can be used in vehicle-mediated drug delivery system such as liposome conjugation.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.222-227
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• 2002

Squalene synthase catalyzes the reductive dimerization of two molecules of farnesyl diphosphate to form squalene at the final branch point of the cholesterol biosynthetic pathway. Due to the unique position of this enzyme in the pathway, its inhibitors may have advantages as antihypercholesterolemic agents. Therefore, selective inhibitors of squalene synthase do not prevent the formation of the essential branch products of the isoprene pathway, such as dolichol, coenzyme-Q, and prenylated proteins, as might be expected for inhibitors of enzymes earlier in the pathway; for example, lovastatin and mevalotin. The current study reports that CJ90002, a pentagalloylglucose isolated from Paeonia moutan SIM (Paeoniaceae), which is an important Chinese crude drug used in many traditional prescriptions, was a potent inhibitor of rat microsomal squalene synthase, and also a potent inhibitor of cholesterol biosynthesis in vitro. In addition, the intraperitoneal and oral administration of CJ90002 had a significant lowering effect on plasma cholesterol levels in hamsters.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.196-203
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• 2010

Black sesame (Sesami semen nigrum) has been used to treat dizziness, earnoise, constipation in the traditional Chinese medicine. In the present study, we assessed memory enhancing properties of 70% ethanolic extract of black sesame (EBS70) and its ameliorating activities on learning and memory impairments induced by scopolamine. Drug-induced amnesia was made by scopolamine treatment (1 mg/kg, i.p.). Single EBS70 (200 mg/kg, p.o.) administration significantly enhanced cognitive function and attenuated scopolamine-induced cognitive impairments as determined by the passive avoidance and Y-maze tasks (P<0.05) and also reduced escape-latency on the Morris water maze task (P<0.05). In addition, EBS70 increased BDNF expression in hippocampus 4 h after its administration (P<0.05). These results suggest that EBS70 enhances learning and memory in normal state and attenuates amnesic state caused by cholinergic dysfunction.