• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.2835-2839
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• 2014

Prostate cancer is one of the most prevalent malignant cancers in men. The isoflavone formononetin is a main active component of red clover plants. In the present study, we assessed the effect of formononetin on human prostate cancer DU-145 cells in vitro, and elucidated posssible mechanisms. DU-145 cells were treated with different concentrations of formononetin and cell proliferation was assessed by MTT assay, cell apoptosis by Hoechst 33258 and flow cytometry, and protein levels of RASD1, Bcl-2 and Bax by Western blotting. The results showed that formononetin inhibited the proliferation of DU-145 cells in a dose-dependent manner. DU-145 cells treated with different concentrations of formononetin displayed obvious morphological changes of apoptosis under fluorescence microscopy. In addition, formononetin increased the proportion of early apoptotic DU-145 cells, down-regulated the protein levels of Bcl-2 and up-regulated those of RASD1 and Bax. The level of RASD1 reached its maximum at 48h post-treatment, and rapidly decreased thereafter. Together, we present evidence that formononetin triggered cell apoptosis through the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway by up-regulating RASD1.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.135-142
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• 2007

Formononetin is an isoflavonoid phytoestrogen found in certain foodstuffs such as soy and red clover. In this study, we examined the action of formononetin with the carcinogen activation pathway mediated through the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) in MCF-7 breast carcinoma cells. Treating the cells with formononetin alone caused the accumulation of CYP1A1 mRNA as well as elevation in CYP1A1-specific 7-ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD) activity in a dose dependent manner. However, a concomitant treatment with 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) and formononetin markedly reduced both the DMBA-inducible EROD activity and CYP1A1 mRNA level. Under the same conditions, formononetin inhibited the DMBA-induced AhR transactivation, as shown by reporter gene analysis using a xenobiotic responsive element (XRE). Additionally, formononetin inhibited both DMBA-inducible nuclear localization of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) and metabolic activation of DMBA, as measured by the formation of the DMBA-DNA adducts. Furthermore, formononetin competed with the prototypical AhR ligand, 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), for binding to the AhR in an isolated rat cytosol. These results suggest that formononetin might be considered as a natural ligand to bind on AhR and consequently produces a potent protective effect against DMBA-induced genotoxicity. Therefore, that's the potential to act as a chemopreventive agent that is related to its effect on AhR pathway as antagonist/agonist.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.33 no.1 s.60
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• pp.33-40
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• 2007

Astradalus membranaceus root extract (ARE) contains saponins, flavonoids, and their glycosides. Two flavonoids, calycosin and formononetin, were predominant constituents with the different amount by diverse extraction conditions. ARE showed the anti-oxidative activities, inhibited tyrosinase activity, and increased type I procollagen expression in proportion to calycosin and formononetin contents. The clinical study also showed that skin wrinkles were significantly reduced in the test group treated with a cream formulation containging 0.1% ARE compared with a group treated with a cream formulation without 0.1% ARE (p < 0.05). These results suggest that ARE may have potential as an anti-aging ingredient in cosmetics.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.25-30
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• 2000

Phytoestrogen has been used as a suppliment of estrogen in order to treat osteoporosis. The representative phytoestrogens, isoflavones, are daidzein, genistein and formononetin which were present highly in our traditional soybean foods. The quantitative analysis of the isoflavone was done with a high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC) using a UV/VIS detector for the contents of the isoflavones in Astragali Radix, soybean sprouts, bean-curd(Tofu), soybean, soybean oil, pea, kidney pea, black bean(Yak-kong), soybean sauce(Ganjang). soybean paste(Doenjang), and fermented soybean(Maejoo). The content of free daidzein in soybean sprouts was $43.49{\pm}3.41\;mg/kg$$ which was much higher than that in soybean, $14.52{\pm}0.58\;mg/kg$, although total daidzein of fermented soybean was lower than that in soybean (Table 2. P<0.01). The amounts of free genistein in soybean sprouts, fermented soybean. and soybean paste were $27.63{\pm}1.66\;mg/kg,\;291.52{\pm}6.81\;mg/kg,\;and\;18.75{\pm}1.33\;mg/kg$, respectively. The level of free formononetin in soybean paste was the highest among the soybean products (P<0.01). The content of formononetin in Aatragali Radix, $9629.73{\pm}0.57\;{\mu}g/kg$, was about 160 times higher than that in soybean. Thus Korean traditional soybean products, black bean(Yak-Kong) and Astragali Radix can be a good choice of phytoestrogens.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.190-194
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• 2005

In our search for monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors from natural resources, we found that the methanol extract of the roots of Sophora flavescens showed an inhibitory effect on mouse brain monoamine oxidase (MAO). Bioactivity-guided isolation of the extract yielded two known flavonoids, formononetin (1) and kushenol F (2), as active compounds along with three inactive compounds, oxymatrine (3), trifolirhizin (4), and ${\beta}$-sitosterol (5). Formononetin (1) and kushenol F (2) showed significant inhibitory effects on MAO in a dose-dependent manner with $IC_{50}$ values of 13.2 and $69.9\;{\mu}M$, respectively. Formononetin (1) showed a slightly more potent inhibitory effect against MAO-B ($IC_{50}:\;11.0\;{\mu}M$) than MAO-A ($IC_{50}:\;21.2\;{\mu}M$). Kushenol F (2) also preferentially inhibited the MAO-B activity than MAO-A activity with the $IC_{50}$ values of 63.1 and $103.7\;{\mu}M$, respectively.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.49-56
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• 2016

This study analyzed the physicochemical characteristics of Astragalus membranaceus (AM) fermented with seven different mushroom mycelia. Physicochemical characteristics, such as contents of moisture, pH, total reducing sugars, free sugar, and isoflavonoid, were investigated. The moisture content was increased in most of the samples. The pH values of AM fermented with Phellinus linteus and Flammulina velutipes were increased, while the pH of other samples were similar to that of non-fermented AM. The reducing sugar content was in the range of 211.69~391.74 mg/100 g. The extraction yield using water was higher than that when extracted with 80% ethanol. The free sugar content was increased through fermentation with mushroom mycelia. However, the glucose contents of the 80% ethanol and water extracts were decreased. Finally, the calycosin and formononetin contents in 80% ethanol and water extracts of AM fermented with Phellinus linteus were 2,549.24 mg/g, and 827.66 mg/g for calycosin, and 1,366.69 mg/g and 221.28 mg/g for formononetin, respectively. These results suggest that fermentation with mushroom mycelia could be used to increase the bioactivity of AM. The mycelium-fermented AM might be a valuable source of functional material and edible resource for industry.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.105-108
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• 1991

An insecticidal isoflavon glycoside was isolated from the roots of Maakia ammurensis. Its structure was shown to be formononetin-7-O-$\beta$ glucosy [1-6] glucoside [1] by chemical and spectroscpic methods and to have insecticidal activities against Brown planthopper female adults by spray and topical applications.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.139-141
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• 2000

From the $CHCl_3-fraction$ of the root cortex of Robinia pseudo-acacia, five compounds have been isolated. On the basis of spectral data, these compounds were identified as medicarpin, biochanin A, formononetin, 3'-methoxydaidzein.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.75-79
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• 1997

Two compounds were isolated from roots of Astragalus membranaceus Bunge. On the basis of chemical spectro scopic evidence, they were identified as Formononetin (compound E) and Linoleic acid (9Z,12Z-Octadecadienoic acid) (compound F). Linoleic acid (9Z,12Z-Octadecadienoic acid) was reported the first time from the genus Astragalus.

• 한국약용작물학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2010.10a
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• pp.324-325
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• 2010