• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.181-188
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• 2011

This study was carried out to estimate beneficial effects of Foeniculi fructus water extract on activities of key enzymes such as lipoprotein lipase (LPL), acyl-CoA synthetase (ACS), and hormone sensitive lipase (HSL) on lipid metabolism related with obesity. LPL and ACS were extracted from the epididymal adipose tissue and liver of C57BL/6J normal and obese mouse. Foeniculi fructus water extract treatment significantly reduced the activity of normal and obese LPL. When 100 ppm of Foeniculi fructus water extracts were tested, they decreased obese LPL activity by 12.0%. Foeniculi fructus water extract activated obese ACS activity by 7-fold compared with control at 1,000 ppm concentration. Expression of HSL mRNA was increased in Foeniculi fructus water extracts treated cells compared with non treated cells. All things considered, Foeniculi fructus water extract efficiently inhibits the influx of fatty acid into the cell, and activates metabolic process that uses fatty acids flowing as an energy source. Thus, it suggest that Foeniculi fructus water extract may have great potential as a novel anti-obesity agent.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.213-218
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• 2007

Objectives : Effects of Fructus Foeniculi extract on liver function were investigated in carbon tetrachloride(CCl4) intoxicated rats. Methods : Thirty two male Sprague-Dawley rats with mean weight of $227.28{\pm}7.92g$ were used in these experiments and housed with food and water ad libitum. Fructus Foeniculi extract was administerd at dose 100mg/kg/day and 200mg/kg/day p.o. for 2 weeks after that CCl4 was treated 3 times at dose of 2.5ml/kg, p.o. in alternate day basis. Then serum AFP(${\alpha}$-Fetoprotein), Total protein, Albumin, Triglyceride, Total cholesterol concentrations and ALP (Alkaline phosphatase), AST(Aspartate Aminotransferase), ALT(Alanine Aminotransferase), ${\gamma}$-GT( ${\gamma}$-Glutamyl transferase), LDH(Lactate Dehydrogenase) activities were determined with commercial kit by autoanalyzer. Results : Plasma ${\alpha}$-fetoprotein and total protein concentration showed a tendency to decrease in Fructus Foeniculi extract-treated groups. However, plasma albumin concentration showed no significant differences in all treatment groups. Activity of plasma aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase in Fructus Foeniculi extract-treated groups showed a lower value than that of control group. Alkaline phosphatase and lactate dehydrogenase activities showed a tendency to decrease in Fructus Foeniculi treated groups. However, ${\gamma}$-glutamyl transferase activity showed no significant difference in all treated groups. Concentration of plasma triglyceride and total cholesterol showed a high level in CCl4 intoxicated rats but not in Fructus Foeniculi treated groups. Conclusion : Reviewing these experimental results, it appears that Fructus Foeniculi extract have recovering effect against liver injury.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.39-45
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• 2010

Objectives : This study was undertaken to compare the effect of Foeniculi Fructus and Lonicerae Flos extract on the cerulein-induced acute pancreatitis in rats. Methods : Acute pancreatitis was induced by intraperitoneal injection of cerulein. Foeniculi Fructus extract (FE; 300 mg/kg) and Lonicerae Flos extract (LE; 300 mg/kg) were injected 2hr before induction of acute pancreatitis. Rats were sacrificed 6hr after first injection of cerulein. The severity of pancreatitis was assessed by measuring pancreatic weight/body weight ratio, neutrophil, lymphocyte, serum amylase activity, platelet activating factor (PAF) activity, tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$) activity, interleukin 6 (IL-6) activity and by histological assessments of inflammatory cell infiltration. Results : 1. The pancreatic weight/body weight ratios of FE and LE group compared with the control group were decreased significantly. 2. The neutrophil content ratio of FE and LE group compared with the control group were decreased. 3. The lymphocyte content ratio of FE and LE group compared with the control group were increased significantly. 4. The activities of serum amylase of FE and LE group compared with the control group were decreased significantly. 5. The activities of serum PAF of FE and LE group compared with the control group were decreased significantly. 6. The activities of TNF-${\alpha}$ of FE and LE group compared with the control group were decreased significantly. 7. The activities of IL-6 of FE and LE group compared with the control group were decreased significantly. 8. The pancreas injected with FE and LE showed reduction of swelling of acinar cells, inflammation and vacuolization than the control group on light microscopic observation. Conclusions : These results suggest that Foeniculi Fructus and Lonicerae Flos extract have an effect to suppress inflammation on cerulein-induced acute pancreatitis in rats. But there are no significant differences between Foeniculi Fructus extract and Lonicerae Flos extract.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Life Science Conference
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• 2001.02a
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• pp.73-73
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• 2001

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.71-81
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• 2003

So-Hap-Hyang-Won, a traditional oriental medicine used in the treatment of stroke patients, was examined for its ability to reverse the cell damage caused by lipid peroxidation products and oxidative stress in bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAEC). The effects of herbal medicine on cell proliferation and recovery of oxidative damaged situation were studied in BAEC, which was considered an appropriate in vitro model for stroke resulting from various vascular diseases prevalent in advanced age. In a clinical study of stroke patients, So-Hap-Hyang-Won appeared to improve considerably arm and leg movements as well as consciousness disturbance condition, compared with other traditional medicines used for stroke. When BAEC were treated with extracts of the lyophilized herbal medicines, only that of So-Hap-Hyang-Won stimulated cell proliferation and showed no toxicity even at high concentrations. In studies of BAEC treated with extracts of the lyophilized material of the 14 components of So-Hap-Hyang-Won, only the extract of Foeniculi Fructus stimulated cell growth at all concentrations tested. Moreover, when cells were treated with Foeniculi Fructus (10 and 100 mg/ml) extract after prior exposure to t-BHP ($l0\mu\textrm{M}$) or HNE ($0.2\mu\textrm{M}$), lipid peroxidation products which are known to be involved in aging and vascular diseases, or after the exposure to SIN-l ($500\mu\textrm{M}$), which generates nitric oxide (NO) and other reactive oxygen species, there was substantial recovery from the oxidative damage, presumably due to the radical-scavenging effect of Foeniculi Fructus extract. Foeniculi Fructus not only showed stimulatory effects on cell growth and cell damage repair in BAEC, but also appeared to show the most anti-aging activity among all the herbal components of So-Hap-Hyang-Won.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.185-196
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• 2007

Objective : This experimental Study was designed to investigate the effects of FOENICULI FRUCTUS(FF) on the change of inhibition lactate dehydrogenase(LDH) activity in neuronal cells and cytokines production in serum of cerebral ischemic rats. Method : FOENICULI FRUCTUS(FF)freeze dry powder and FF on the LDH activity in neuronal cells. Changes of FF on the physiological parameters(PaO2, PaCO2, MABP and HR) in crerbral ischemic rats. Effects of FF on the IL-1beta production, $TNF-{\alpha}$ production, $TGF-{\beta}$ production, and IL-10 in serum of cerebral ischemic rats. MCAO :. cytokines production of serum by drawing from femoral arterial blood after MCAO 1 hr. Reperfusion : cytokines production of serum by drawing from femoral arterial blood after reperfusion 1 hr. Results and Conclusion : 1. FF did not inhibit lactate dehydrogenase(LDH) activity in neuronal cells. 2. In serum by drawing from femoral arterial blood after middle cerebral arterial occlusion(MCAO) 1 hr and reperfusion 1 hr, sample group was significantly decreased $IL-l{\beta}$ production compared with control group 3. In serum by drawing from femoral arterial blood after MCAO 1 hr and reperfusion 1 hr, sample group was significantly decreased $TNF-{\alpha}$ production compared with control group. 4. In serum by drawing from femoral arterial blood after MCAO 1 hr and reperfusion 1 hr, sample group was significantly increased $TGF-{\beta}$ production compared with control group. 5. In serum by drawing from femoral arterial blood after reperfusion 1 hr, sample group was significantly increased IL-10 production compared with control group. This results were suggested that FF had inhibitive effect on the brain damage by inhibited LDH activity, $IL-l{\beta}$ and $TNF-{\alpha}$production, but accelerated $TGF-{\beta}$ production and IL-10 production.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.9-15
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• 2017

Microglia have multiple functions in regulating homeostasis of the central nervous system. Microglia cells have been implicated as active contributors to neuron damage in neurodegenerative disorders. In this study, medicinal plant extracts (MPEs) were used to evaluate the cell-death induction effect in microglia BV-2 cells. Among 35 MPEs tested in this study, 4 MPEs showed less than a 30% cell survival after 24 hours of incubation. These were Foeniculi Fructus, Forsythiae Fructus, Zingiberis Rhizoma and Hedera Rhombea. The concentration showed that 50% cell death ($IC_{50}$) occurred with 33, 83, 67 Ed highlight: Please confirm wording, and $81{\mu}/ml$, respectively. For further study, we chose Zingiberis Rhizoma (ZR) which showed a reasonably low $IC_{50}$ value and an induction of cell death in a relatively narrow range. Western blot analysis showed that ZR-treated cells showed activation of caspase-3 and cleavage of PARP Ed highlight: When an acronym is first presented it needs to be spelled out in both dose- and time-dependent manners. However, the level of Bcl-2 and Bax were not changed by ZR-treatment in BV-2 cells. These results suggest that ZR-induced apoptosis in BV-2 cells occured through caspase-3 activation. The results also suggested that ZR may be useful in developing treatments for neurodegenerative diseases.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.113-117
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• 2012

The fruits of Foeniculum vulgare (Foeniculi Fructus) have been widely used in Chinese medicine as an antiemetic, ameliorating stomach ailments and as an analgesic. In order to establish its potential for antiallergic use, inhibitory actions of the fruit on 5-lipoxgenase (5-LOX) and ${\beta}$-hexosaminidase release were evaluated. The 70% ethanol extract of this plant material (FR) considerably inhibited 5-LOX-catalyzed leukotriene production from A23187-induced rat basophilic leukemia (RBL)-1 cells. The $IC_{50}$ was $3.2{\mu}g/ml$. From this extract, 12 major compounds including sabinene, fenchone, ${\gamma}$-terpinene, ${\alpha}$-pinene, limonene, p-anisylacetone, panisylaldehyde, estragole (4-allylanisole), trans-anethole, scopoletin, bergapten and umbelliferone were isolated. And it was found that several terpene derivatives including ${\gamma}$-terpinene and fenchone as well as phenylpropanoid, trans-anethole, showed considerable inhibitory action of 5-LOX. In particular, the $IC_{50}$ of trans-anethole was $51.6{\mu}M$. In contrast, FR and the isolated compounds did not show considerable inhibitory activity on the degranulation reaction of ${\beta}$-hexosaminidase release from antigen-treated RBL-2H3 cells. Against arachidonic acid-induced ear edema in mice, FR and trans-anethole showed significant inhibition by oral administration at doses of 100-400 mg/kg. In conclusion, FR and several major constituents are 5-LOX inhibitors and they may have potential for treating 5-LOX-related disorders.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.71-76
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• 2018

Objectives : This study was performed to investigate the single oral toxicity of HBX-6 in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Methods : Twenty SD rats were randomly assigned to four groups of 5 rats each and were administrated singly to female and male SD rats, as an oral dose of 2000 mg/kg. HBX-6 is a newly combined Korean herbal medicine formula 30 % Ethanol extract derived from The Dongui Bogam. Now we are developing the prescription for the aim of improving benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) without undesirable side effects. HBX-6 is composed of nine medicinal herbs: Aconiti Lateralis Radix Preparata, Corni Fructus, Cistanchis Herba, Psoraleae Semen, Dendrobii Herba, Morindae Radix, Cuscutae Semen, Trigonellae Semen, Foeniculi Fructus. Animals were monitored for the mortality and changes in the body weight, clinical signs, gross observation and necropsy findings for the 14 days according to "Standard for Toxicity Study of Pharmaceuticals" of Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA) guideline and "Acute Oral Toxicity - Fixed Dose Procedure" of OECD Test Guideline. Results : We could not find any mortality. Compared with the control group, significant weight change was not observed in the experimental group. After administration, the more common symptoms were not observed. There were no gross abnormalities in all cases. Conclusions : Taken together, these results suggest that the approximate lethal dose of HBX-6 in both female and male SD rats were considered as over 2000 mg/kg.