• Toxicological Research
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.95-102
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• 2011

The effect of DHU001, a mixed herbal formula consisted of 7 types aqueous extracts for various respiratory disorders were evaluated on the formalin-induced paw chronic inflammation in mice after oral administration. Mice were subaponeurotically injected in the left hind paw with 0.02 ml of 3.75% formalin, then subjected to 500, 250 and 125 mg/kg of DHU001 oral administration, once a day for 10 days during which then the hind-paw thickness and volume were measured daily. The paw wet-weight, histological profiles, histomorphometrical analyses and paw tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$ contents were conducted at termination. After two formalin treatments, a marked increase in the paw thickness and volume was detected in the formalin-injected control as compared with that in the intact control, plus at the time of sacrifice the paw wet-weights, paw TNF-${\alpha}$ contents were also dramatically increased with severe chronic inflammation signs at histopathological observations. However, these formalin-induced chronic inflammatory changes were dramatically decreased by treatment of dexamethasone and all three different dosages of DHU001. DHU001 has favorable effects on formalin-induced chronic inflammation mediated by TNF-${\alpha}$ suppression, and DHU001 may represent an alternative approach for the treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.66-71
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• 2013

Broussonetia papyrifera and Lonicera japonica have long been used in the treatment of inflammatory disorders in Chinese medicine, especially respiratory inflammation. Previously, a new phytoformula (BL) containing B. papyrifera and L. japonica was found to exert strong anti-inflammatory activity against several animal models of inflammation, especially against an animal model of acute bronchitis. In the present investigation, the effects of BL on animal models of septic inflammation and chronic bronchitis are examined. Against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced septic inflammation in mice, BL (200-400 mg/kg) reduced the induction of some important proinflammatory cytokines. At 1 h after LPS treatment, BL was found to considerably inhibit TNF-${\alpha}$ production when measured by cytokine array. At 3 h after LPS treatment, BL inhibited the induction of several proinflammatory cytokines, including IFN-${\gamma}$ and IL-$1{\beta}$, although dexamethasone, which was used as a reference, showed a higher inhibitory action on these biomarkers. Against chronic bronchitis induced by LPS/elastase instillation in rats for 4 weeks, BL (200-400 mg/kg/day) significantly inhibited cell recruitment in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Furthermore, BL considerably reduced lung injury, as revealed by histological observation. Taken together, these results indicate that BL may have a potential to treat systemic septic inflammation as well as chronic bronchitis.

• BMB Reports
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.95-109
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• 2003

Inflammatory lung diseases are characterized by chronic inflammation and oxidant/antioxidant imbalance. The sources of the increased oxidative stress in patients with chronic inflammatory lung diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) derive from the increased burden of inhaled oxidants, and from the increased amounts of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated by several inflammatory, immune and various structural cells of the airways. Increased levels of ROS produced in the airways is reflected by increased markers of oxidative stress in the airspaces, sputum, breath, lungs and blood in patients with lung diseases. ROS, either directly or via the formation of lipid peroxidation products such as 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal may play a role in enhancing the inflammation through the activation of stress kinases (JNK, MAPK, p38) and redox sensitive transcription factors such as NF-${\kappa}B$ and AP-1. Recent evidences have indicated that oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory mediators can alter nuclear histone acetylation/deacetylation allowing access for transcription factor DNA binding leading to enhanced pro-inflammatory gene expression in various lung cells. Understanding of the mechanisms of redox signaling, NF-${\kappa}B$/AP-1 regulation, the balance between histone acetylation and deacetylation and the release and expression of pro- and anti-inflammatory mediators may lead to the development of novel therapies based on the pharmacological manipulation of antioxidants in lung inflammation and injury. Antioxidants that have effective wide spectrum activity and good bioavailability, thiols or molecules which have dual antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, may be potential therapeutic agents which not only protect against the direct injurious effects of oxidants, but may fundamentally alter the underlying inflammatory processes which play an important role in the pathogenesis of chronic inflammatory lung diseases.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.21-35
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• 2015

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of Picrorrhizae Rhizoma (PR) aqueous extracts on the formalin-induced paw chronic inflammation in mice. Methods: PR extracts (500, 250 and 125mg/kg) or distilled water (DW) were orally administered once a day for 10 days to formalin-injected chronic inflammatory mice. The paw thicknesses and volumes were measured daily and the paw wet-weight and histological profiles were conducted at termination with paw tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$ contents measurement. The anti-inflammatory effects of PR extracts were compared with dexamethasone. Results: In DW treated control group, the paw thickness, paw wet-weights and paw TNF-${\alpha}$ contents were markedly increased. Severe chronic inflammation signs such as severe fibrosis, the formation of necrotic debris, and infiltration of inflammatory cells were detected in histopathological observations. However, these formalin-induced changes were dramatically decreased by treatment of dexamethasone and all three different dosages of PR extracts. The anti-inflammatory effects of PR at highest dose were slighter than that of dexamethasone, but it did not show any harmful effects on the body weight contrary to dexamethasone. Conclusion: These results suggest that PR extracts have safe and favorable effects on formalin-induced chronic inflammation.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 2003.11a
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• pp.95-95
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• 2003

Mycoplasmas resemble H. pylori in production of ammonia and induction of inflammatory cytokines from immune and non-immne cells. In Republic of Korea infection rate of H. pylori is relatively high but only a proportion of them invite additional inflammation and progress into gastric cancers. Therefore, additional risk factors cannot be excluded. The presence and identification of mycoplasma were confirmed by semi -nested PCR and sequencing and the results were compared with pathological data. Fifty-six samples collected from Korean chronic gastritis patients were used for the study. Twenty-three (41.1%) were positive to mycoplasmas and all of them were identified as human mycoplasmas, M. faucium, M. fermentans, M. orale, M. salivarium and M. spermatophilum. Mycoplasma-infected chronic gastritis samples showed more severe, additional infiltration of neutrophils than non-infected samples and the difference was significant (P < 0.05). In conclusion human mycoplasma infection may playa role in progression of chronic gastritis to metaplasia by inducing additional inflammation.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.503-507
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• 2006

Flavonoids are known as natural anti-inflammatory agents. In this investigation, an anti-inflammatory potential of new topical preparation (SK Ato $Formula^{\circledR}$) containing flavonoid mixtures from Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi roots and Ginkgo biloba L. leaves with an extract of Gentiana scabra Bunge roots was evaluated in an animal model of chronic skin inflammation. Multiple 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate treatments for 7 consecutive days on ICR mouse ear provoked a chronic type of skin inflammation: dermal edema, epidermal hyperplasia and infiltration of inflammatory cells. When topically applied in this model, this row formulation $(5-20\;{\mu}L/ear/treatment)$ reduced these responses. Furthermore, it inhibited prostaglandin $E_2$ generation (17.1-33.3%) and suppressed the expression of proinflammatory genes, cyclooxygenase-2 and $interleulin-1{\beta}$ in the skin lesion. Although the potency of inhibition was lower than that of prednisolone, all these results suggest that Ato $Formula^{\circledR}$ may be beneficial for treating chronic skin inflammatory disorders such as atopic dermatitis.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.12
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• pp.1954-1960
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• 2006

The effects of the exopolymers of Aureobasidium pullulans SM-2001 containing $\beta$-1,3/1,6-glucan on formalin-induced chronic inflammation were observed. Doses of 62.5, 125, and 250 mg/kg of the exopolymers were orally administered once a day for 10 days to formalin-induced chronic inflammatory mice (0.02 ml of 3.75% formalin was subaponeurotically injected into the left hind paw), and then the bilateral hind-paw thickness and volume were measured daily, while the paw wet-weight, histological profiles, and histomorphometrical analyses were conducted at termination. The results were compared with those for diclofenac, indomethacin, and dexamethasone (intraperitoneally injected) 15 mg/kg-dosed groups. All the animals were sacrificed 10 days after dosing. As a result of the formalin injection, a marked increase in the difference between the intact and formalin-induced paw thickness and volume was detected in the formalin-injected control compared with that in the intact control with time, plus at the time of sacrifice, the difference in the paw wet-weights was also dramatically increased. In a histological and histomorphometrical analysis, severe histological profiles of chronic inflammation were detected in the formalin-injected control with a marked increase in the thickness of the skin of the dorsum pedis. However, these formalin-induced chronic inflammatory changes were significantly and dose-dependently decreased by the exopolymer treatment. In conclusion, the exopolymer treatment inhibited the chronic inflammatory response induced by formalin injection in the mice. However, somewhat low efficacies were detected compared with those for the diclofenac-, indomethacin-, and dexamethasone-treated groups.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.83-86
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• 2013

Some clinical diseases, such as granulomatous thyroiditis, tuberculosis, and sarcoidosis can cause granulomatous inflammation in thyroid, and theses have various clinical presentations. Granulomatous thyroiditis is an inflammation of thyroid gland, and may be painful and tender in case of infection, radiation, or trauma. Otherwise, autoimmune conditions, medications, or an idiopathic fibrosis may cause to be a painless thyroididtis. It is self-limited, possibly viral, inflammatory thyroid disorder usually presented with thyroid pain and systemic symptoms. Tuberculosis of the thyroid occurs only rarely and the patient may be asymptomatic. In thyroid sarcoidosis, most common findings are painless, progressive enlargement of the thyroid with normal function. We have experienced a case of chronic granulomatous inflammation of thyroid gland presenting as a painless thyroid nodule and report it with a review of literature.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.107-112
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• 2024

27-Hydroxycholesterol (27OHChol), a prominent cholesterol metabolite present in the bloodstream and peripheral tissues, is a kind of immune oxysterol that elicits immune response. Recent research indicates the involvement of 27OHChol in metabolic inflammation (meta-inflammation) characterized by chronic responses associated with metabolic irregularities. 27OHChol activates monocytic cells such that they secrete pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, and increase the expression of cell surface molecules such as pattern-recognition receptors that play key roles in immune cell-cell communication and sensing metabolism-associated danger signals. Levels of 27OHChol increase when cholesterol metabolism is disrupted, and the resulting inflammatory responses can contribute to the development and complications of metabolic syndrome, including obesity, insulin resistance, and cardiovascular diseases. Since 27OHChol can induce chronic immune response by activating monocyte-macrophage lineage cells that play a crucial role in meta-inflammation, it is essential to understand the 27OHChol-induced inflammatory responses to unravel the roles and mechanisms of action of this cholesterol metabolite in chronic metabolic disorders.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.284-293
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• 2018

Objectives: Thymoquinone (TQ) is one of the active ingredients of herbal plants such as Nigella sativa L. (NS) which has beneficial effects on the body. The beneficial effects of TQ on the cardiovascular system have reported. This study aimed to investigate the effect of TQ on cardiac fibrosis and permeability, serum and tissue concentration of inflammatory markers and oxidative stress status in chronic lipopolysaccharide exposure in male rats. Methods: Seventy male Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups as follows: (1) control; (2) LPS (1 mg/kg/day); (3-5) LPS + TQ with three doses of 2, 5 and 10 mg/kg (n=14 in each group). After 3 weeks, serum and cardiac levels of $IL-1{\beta}$, $TNF-{\alpha}$ and nitric oxide (NO) metabolites, and cardiac levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), total thiol groups, catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities, permeability of heart tissue (evaluated by Evans blue dye method) and myocardial fibrosis were determined, histologically. Results: LPS administration induced myocardial and perivascular fibrosis and increased cardiac oxidative stress (MDA), inflammatory markers and heart permeability, while, reduced anti-oxidative enzymes (SOD and CAT) and the total thiol group. Administration of TQ significantly attenuated these observations. Conclusion: TQ improved myocardial and perivascular fibrosis through suppression of chronic inflammation and improving oxidative stress status and can be considered for attenuation of cardiac fibrosis in conditions with chronic low-grade inflammation.