• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.83-104
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• 2005

Objectives : DaeBangPungTang(DBPT) is one of the prescriptions used for the treatment of knee arthritis in oriental medicine. The present study aimed to examine the analgesic effect of DBPT on a rat model of carrageenan-induced arthritis, and the relations between DBPT-induced analgesia and endogenous nitric oxide(NO) and inducible NO synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and c-Fos protein expression in the spinal cord. Methods : Carrageenan-induced arthritis rat model was used to test the effect of DBPT as a chronic pain model. After the induction of arthritis, rats subsequently showed a reduced stepping force of the affected limb for at least tile next 4 days. The reduced stepping force of the limb was presumably due to a painful knee, since oral infection of indomethacin produced temporary improvement of weight bearing. DBPT dissolved in normal saline was minted several acupoints. After the treatment, behavioral tests measuring stepping force were periodically conducted during the next 12 hours. Results : DBPT produced significant improvement of stepping force of the hindlimb affected by the arthritis lasting at least 9 hours. The magnitude of this improvement was equivalent to that obtained after an oral injection of 3mg/kg of indomethacin and this improvement of stepping force was interpreted as an analgesic effect. DBPT produced the improvement of stepping force of the affected hindlimb in a dose-dependent manner. Both NO production and iNOS, COX-2 protein expression increased by arthritis were suppressed by DBPT. DBPT on combination with electroacupuncture (EA) produced more powerful and longer lasting improvement of stepping force of the hindlimb affected by the arthritis than either DBPT or EA did. Conclusion : The present study suggest that DBPT produces a potent analgesic effect on the chronic hee arthritis pain model in the rat and that DBPT-induced analgesia modulate endogenous NO through the suppression of iNOS/COX-2 protein expression.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.67-85
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• 2006

Obiecnves : The purpose of this study was to examine the analgesic effect of moxi-tar on a rat model of carrageenan-induced arthritis and the relations between moxi-tar-induced analgesia and endogenous NO and iNOS, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and c-Fos protein expression in the spinal cord. Methods : Carrageenan-induced arthritis rat model was used to test the effect of moxi-tar as a chronic pain model. After the induction of arthritis, rats subsequently showed a reduced stepping force of the affected limb for at least the next 4 days. The reduced stepping force of the limb was presumably due to a painful knee, since oral injection of indomethacin produced temporary improvement of weight bearing. Moxi-tar dissolved in ethyl alcohol was injected several acupoints. After the treatment, behavioral tests measuring stepping force were periodically conducted during the next 12 hours. Results : Moxi-tar produced significant improvement of stepping force of the hindlimb affected by the arthritis lasting at least 9 hours. The magnitude of this improvement was equivalent to that obtained after an oral injection of 3 mg/kg of indomethacin and this improvement of stepping force was interpreted as an analgesic effect. Moxi-tar produced the improvement of stepping force of the affected hindlimb in a dose-dependent manner. Both NO production and iNOS, COX-2 protein expression increased by arthritis were suppressed by moxi-tar. moxi-tar on combination with electroacupuncture (EA) produced more powerful and longer lasting improvement of stepping force of the hindlimb affected by the arthritis than either moxi-tar or EA did. Conclusion : The present study suggest that moxi-tar produces a potent analgesic effect on the chronic knee arthritis pain model in the rat and that moxi-tar-induced analgesia modulate endogenous NO through the suppression of iNOS/COX-2 protein expression.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.169-186
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• 2000

To study anti-cancer effect and molecular biological mechanism of bee venom for aqua-acupuncture, the effects of bee venom on cell viability, apoptosis, and cell cycle were analyzed using MTT assay, tryphan blue assay, [3H]thymidine release assay, flow cytometric analysis, activity of caspase-3 protease activity assay, and immunocytometric analysis of PCNA. To explore whether anti-cancer effects of bee venom are associated with the transcriptional control of gene expression, quantitative RT-PCR analysis of apoptosis- and cell cycle-related genes was performed. The obtained results are summarized as follows: 1. The MTT assay demonstrated that cell viability was decreased by bee venom in a dose-dependant manner. 2. Significant induction of apoptosis was identified using tryphan blue assay, [$^3H$]thymidine release assay, and flow cytometric analysis of sub $G_1$ fraction. 3. In analysis of caspase-3 protease activity, the activity had increased significantly, in a dose-dependant manner. 4. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis of the apoptosis-related genes showed that Bcl-2 and $Bcl-X_L$ were down-regulated whereas Bax was up-regulated by bee venom treatment. 5. In flow cytometric analysis of cell cycle and immunocytometric analysis of PCNA expression, cell numbers of $G_1$ phase was increased by a dose-dependant manner. 6. In quantitative RT-PCR analysis of the cell cycle-related genes, p21, p27, and p57 were increased, while Cyclin D1, CDK4, c-Myc, c-Fos, and Histone H3 were decreased. In contrast, there were no remarkable changes in expression levels of CDC2 and c-Jun.

• The Journal of Traditional Korean Medicine
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.113-127
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• 2006

Objectives: This study was produced to examine the effects of moxibustion that had been played important role to traditional oriental medical treatment on disease. Recently, it was reported that moxi-tar which is generated in the process of moxibustion as burning combustibles decreased nitric oxide(NO) and inducible NO synthase (iNOS) generation in cellular experiments. Methods: Carrageenan-induced arthritis rat model was used to test the effect of moxi-tar as a chronic pain model. Diluted moxi-tar was single injected in several acupoints or combined with electroacupuncture (l ms, 2 Hz, and 2 mA) into contralateral ST36 acupoint for 30 min to assess the synergic effects. After the treatment, behavioral tests measuring stepping force were periodically conducted during the next 12 hours. Endogenous NO and iNOS, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and c-Fos protein expression in the spinal cord were examined on a rat model of carrageenan-induced arthritis. Results : After the induction of arthritis, rats subsequently showed a reduced stepping force of the affected limb for at least the next 4 days. The reduced stepping force of the limb was presumably due to a painful knee, since oral injection of indomethacin produced temporary improvement of weight bearing. Maxi-tar produced significant improvement of stepping force of the hindlimb affected by the arthritis lasting at least 9 hours. The magnitude of this improvement was equivalent to that obtained after an oral injection of 3 mg/kg of indomethacin and this improvement of stepping force was interpreted as an analgesic effect. Maxi-tar produced the improvement of stepping force of the affected hindlimb in a dose-dependent manner. Both NO production and iNOS, COX-2 protein expression increased by arthritis were suppressed by maxi-tar. Moxi-tar on combination with electroacupuncture (EA) produced more powerful and longer lasting improvement of stepping force of the hindlimb affected by the arthritis than either moxi-tar or EA did. Conclusion : The present study suggest that maxi-tar produces a potent analgesic effect on the chronic knee arthritis pain model in the rat and that moxi-tar-induced analgesia modulate endogenous NO through the suppression of iNOS/COX-2 protein expression.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.1-16
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• 2000

Many natural products elicit diverse pharmacological effects. Using two classes of potential chemopreventive compounds, the phenolic compounds and the isothiocyanates, we review the potential utility of two signaling events, the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and the ICE/Ced-3 proteases (caspases) stimulated by these agents in mammalian cell lines. Studies with phenolic antioxidants (BHA, tBHQ), and natural products (flavonoids; EGCG, ECG, and isothiocyanates; PEITC, sulforaphane), provided important insights into the signaling pathways induced by these compounds. At low concentrations, these chemicals may activate the MAPK (ERK2, JNK1, p38) leading to gene expression of survival genes (c-Fos, c-Jun) and defensive genes (Phase II detoxifying enzymes; GST, QR) resulting in survival and protective mechanisms (homeostasis response). Increasing the concentrations of these compounds will additionally activate the caspase pathway, leading to apoptosis (potential cytotoxicity). Further increment to suprapharmacological concentrations will lead to nonspecific necrotic cell death. The wider and narrow concentration ranges between the activation of MAPK/gene induction and caspases/cell death exhibited by phenolic compounds and isothiocyanates, respectively, in mammalian cells, may reflect their respective therapeutic windows in vivo. Consequently, the studies of signaling pathways elicited by natural products will advance our understanding of their efficacy and safety, of which many man become important therapeuitc drugs of the future.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea TC
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• v.47 no.8
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• pp.9-15
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• 2010

This paper presents an analysis of asynchronous multicarrier-code division multiple access (MC-CDMA) uplink systems over frequency-selective multipath fading channels when the frequency offsets (FOs) of all users are random variables and the frequency offset for the desired user is compensated. The effect of a residual frequency offset(RFO) on the average bit error rate (BER) is evaluated by the semi-analytical method, then the approximated BER performance is obtained as a closed-form expression. Moreover, the signal to noise ratio (SNR) loss caused by RFO is evaluated. Derived results show that the performance degradation due to RFO is negligible if the estimation error of RFO for the desired user is less than the normalized value of 0.1.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.430-437
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• 2009

Metabolites of Soyasaponin I, a major constituent of soybean, by human intestinal microflora were investigated by LC-MS/MS analysis. We found four peaks, one parental constituent and three metabolites: m/z 941 [M-H]$^-$, m/z 795 [M-rha-H]$^-$, m/z 441 [aglycone-$H_2O$+H]$^+$, and m/z 633 [M-rha-gal-H]$^-$, which was an unknown metabolite, soyasapogenol B 3-$\beta$-D-glucuronide. When soyasaponin I was incubated with the human fecal microbial fraction from ten individuals for 48 h, soyasaponin I was metabolized to soyasapogenol B via soyasaponin III and soyasapogenol B 3-$\beta$-D-glucuronide or via soyasaponin III alone. Both soyasaponin I and its metabolite soyasapgenol B exhibited estrogenic activity. Soyasaponin I increased the proliferation, mRNA expression of c-fos and pS2, in MCF7 cells more potently than soyasapogenol B. However, soyasapogenol B showed potent cytotoxicity against A549, MCF7, HeLa and HepG2 cells, while soyasaponin I did not. The cytotoxicity of soyasapogenol B may prevent its estrogenic effect from increasing dose-dependently. These findings suggest that orally administered soyasaponin I may be metabolized to soyasapogenol B by intestinal microflora and that soyasapogenol B may express a cytotoxic effect rather than an estrogenic effect.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.190-198
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• 2018

Periodontitis is an inflammatory disease caused by microbial lipopolysaccharide (LPS), destroying gingival tissues and alveolar bone in the periodontium. In the present study, we evaluated the anti-inflammatory and anti-osteoclastic effects of panduratin A, a chalcone compound isolated from Boesenbergia pandurata, in human gingival fibroblast-1 (HGF-1) and RAW 264.7 cells. Treatment of panduratin A to LPS-stimulated HGF-1 significantly reduced the expression of interleukin-$1{\beta}$ and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-${\kappa}B$), subsequently leading to the inhibition of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and MMP-8 compared with that in the LPS control ($^{**}p$ < 0.01). These anti-inflammatory responses were mediated by suppressing the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling and activator protein-1 complex formation pathways. Moreover, receptor activator of NF-${\kappa}B$ ligand (RANKL)-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells treated with panduratin A showed significant inhibition of osteoclastic transcription factors such as nuclear factor of activated T-cells c1 and c-Fos as well as osteoclastic enzymes such as tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase and cathepsin K compared with those in the RANKL control ($^{**}p$ < 0.01). Similar to HGF-1, panduratin A suppressed osteoclastogenesis by controlling MAPK signaling pathways. Taken together, these results suggest that panduratin A could be a potential candidate for development as a natural anti-periodontitis agent.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.10
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• pp.1543-1551
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• 2020

Panax ginseng has a wide range of activities including a neuroprotective effect, skin protective effects, enhanced DNA repairing, anti-diabetic activity, and protective effects against vascular inflammation. In the present study, we sought to discover the inhibitory effects of a mixture of natural products containing Panax ginseng, Ziziphus jujube, Rubi fructus, Artemisiae asiaticae and Scutellaria baicalensis (PZRAS) on osteoclastogenesis and bone remodeling, as neither the effects of a mixture containing Panax ginseng extract, nor its molecular mechanism on bone inflammation, have been clarified yet. PZRAS upregulated the levels of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione reductase (GSH-R) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) in LPS-treated RAW264.7 cells. Moreover, treatment with PZRAS decreased the production of IL-1β and TNF-α. PZRAS also inhibited osteoclast differentiation through inhibiting osteoclastspecific genes like MMP-2, 9, cathepsin K, and TRAP in RANKL-treated RAW264.7 cells. Additionally, PZRAS has inhibitory functions on the RANKL-stimulated activation of ERK and JNK, which lead to a decrease in the expression of NFATc1 and c-Fos. In an in vivo study, bone resorption induced by LPS was recovered by treatment with PZRAS in bone volume per tissue volume (BV/TV) compared to control. Furthermore, the ratio of eroded bone surface of femurs was significantly increased in LPS-treated mice compared to vehicle group, but this ratio was significantly reversed in PZRAS-treated mice. These results suggest that PZRAS could prevent or treat disorders with abnormal bone loss.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.218-223
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• 2006

Erythropoietin (EPO), a hematopoietic factor, is required for normal erythrocyte developments, but it has been demonstrated to have many other functions, and its receptor is localized in other tissues. In the present study, we investigated whether EPO can promote other cell proliferation and possible molecular mechanisms. EPO restored the inhibition of the RAW264.7 and PC12 cell growth by fetal bovine serum (FBS) withdrawal in a dose dependent manner, but not that of other cell types tested. The restoring effect of EPO was completed when the RAW264.7 cells were cultured in the medium containing as low as 3% of FBS, and 10 U/mL EPO could replace FBS. The restoring effect of EPO in the RAW264.7 cells was associated with the increased of c-Fos and c-Jun expression as well as AP-1 activation. These data demonstrate that EPO can stimulate RAW264. 7 cell as well as PC12 cell growth even when the cells were cultured without FBS or in the presence of small amounts of FBS in the medium, and this stimulating effect is associated with the activation of AP-1 transcription factor.