• Food Science and Preservation
• /
• v.18 no.2
• /
• pp.244-249
• /
• 2011

The inhibitory effects of adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 adipocytes with water and ethanol extracts of Curdrania tricuspidata leaves were investigated. The lipid accumulation of ethanol extract from Curdrania tricuspidata leaves at a concentration of 5 mg/mL was reduced by 50% compared with control cells, whereas water extracts reduced by 86%. The survival rate of cell viability test showed 80% in the growth of cells at concentrations of 0.5-5 mg/mL. The contents of DNJ(1-deoxynojirimycin) and rutin were higher in leaves than those of stem. Moreover, DNJ contents were detected in large amounts in ethanol extract ($3921.3{\mu}g/g$) compared with water extract ($2906.3{\mu}g/g$). On the contrary, the rutin contents was detected in large amounts in water extracts compared with ethanol extract. These results indicate that Curdrania tricuspidata leaves extract is potential sources of natural antiobesity agent.

• Food Science and Preservation
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.267-274
• /
• 2010

To obtain basic information on the potential use of Camellia japonica leaf as a raw material in functional food, leaf antioxidant and anticancer activities were investigated. The radical-scavenging activity of various solvent fractions from the leaf, as shown by the DPPH radical test, increased in a dose-dependent manner, with the water fraction showing the highest activity. The reducing power of various solvent fractions from the leaf was also dose-dependent, and, again, the water fraction showed the highest reducing power. The water fraction showed strong antioxidant activity in the linoleic acid test and was also capable of scavenging nitrite in a dose-dependent manner. Proportions of 92.15% and 95.61% of available nitrite were scavenged by the water and butanol fractions, respectively, at levels of $1,000{\mu}g/mL$. Both butanol and water fractions exhibited strong inhibitory effects on the growth of human lung and colon cancer cells. The total phenolic contents of the butanol and water fractions were 216.26 mg/g and 220.68 mg/g, respectively. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) showed that quercetin and epicatechin were the predominant phenolic compounds in the water fraction. The activities of this fraction are attributable to the presence of these phenolic compounds, particularly quercetin and epicatechin.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.15 no.21
• /
• pp.9341-9346
• /
• 2014

Acanthopanax trifoliatus (L) Merr (AT) is commonly used as an herbal medicine and edible plant in some areas of China and other Asian countries. AT is thought to have anticancer effects, but potential mechanisms remain unknown. To assess the anticancer properties of AT, we exposed prostate cancer cells to AT extracts and assessed cell proliferation and signaling pathways. An ethanol extract of AT was suspended in water followed by sequential extraction with petroleum ether, ethyl acetate and n-butanol. PC-3 cells were treated with different concentrations of each extract and cell viability was determined by the MTT and trypan blue exclusion assays. The ethyl acetate extract of the ethanol extract had a stronger inhibitory effect on growth and a stronger stimulatory effect on apoptosis than any of the other extracts. Mechanistic studies demonstrated that the ethyl acetate extract suppressed the transcriptional activity of NF-${\kappa}B$, increased the level of caspase-3, and decreased the levels of phospho-Erk1/2 and phospho-Akt. This is the first report on the anticancer activity of AT in cultured human prostate cancer cells. The results suggest that AT can provide a plant-based medicine for the treatment or prevention of prostate cancer.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.37 no.7
• /
• pp.547-553
• /
• 2014

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is one of the most common brain malignancies and has a very poor prognosis. Recent evidence suggests that the presence of cancer stem cells (CSC) in GBM and the rare CSC subpopulation that is resistant to chemotherapy may be responsible for the treatment failure and unfavorable prognosis of GBM. A garlic-derived compound, Z-ajoene, has shown a range of biological activities, including anti-proliferative effects on several cancers. Here, we demonstrated for the first time that Z-ajoene specifically inhibits the growth of the GBM CSC population. CSC sphere-forming inhibition was achieved at a concentration that did not exhibit a cytotoxic effect in regular cell culture conditions. The specificity of this inhibitory effect on the CSC population was confirmed by detecting CSC cell surface marker CD133 expression and biochemical marker ALDH activity. In addition, stem cell-related mRNA profiling and real-time PCR revealed the differential expression of CSC-specific genes, including Notch, Wnt, and Hedgehog, upon treatment with Z-ajoene. A proteomic approach, i.e., reverse-phase protein array (RPPA) and Western blot analysis, showed decreased SMAD4, p-AKT, 14.3.3 and FOXO3A expression. The protein interaction map (http://string-db.org/) of the identified molecules suggested that the AKT, ERK/p38 and $TGF{\beta}$ signaling pathways are key mediators of Z-ajoene's action, which affects the transcriptional network that includes FOXO3A. These biological and bioinformatic analyses collectively demonstrate that Z-ajoene is a potential candidate for the treatment of GBM by specifically targeting GBM CSCs. We also show how this systemic approach strengthens the identification of new therapeutic agents that target CSCs.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
• /
• v.28 no.2
• /
• pp.146-153
• /
• 2014

Gami-Sopungsan (GS) is one of the traditional korean remedy. We investigated the anti-inflammation and anti-atopic dermatitis (AD) effect of GS. No cytotoxicity of GS was observed in the range of $1{\sim}100{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ on Raw 264.7 cells. The Inflammatory response of Raw 264.7 cells were induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS), followed by GS treatment at indicated concentrations (0, 1, 10 and $100{\mu}g/m{\ell}$). At $100{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ concentration, GS showed inhibitory effect on LPS-induced nitric oxide production by 20%. Production of IL-$1{\beta}$, IL-6 and TNF-${\alpha}$ was decreased by approximately 56%, 36% and 79%, respectively upon GS treatment at $100{\mu}g/m{\ell}$. 200 mg/kg of GS was orally administered to NC/Nga mice, where AD was induced by 1-chloro 2,4-dinitrobenzene. There were no significant difference between GS treated group and the control group on body weight and food intake changes during growth. The back skin of GS group showed decrease in erythema, pruritus, dry skin, edema, excoriation, erosion and lichenification level through naked eye observations. In addition, leukocyte infiltration and the thickness of epidermis were significantly decreased in the skin tissues (back and ear). The serum IgE levels were decreased by 28.8% in the GS treated group. The GS treated group showed remarkable inhibition of IL-4 (83%), IL-5 (95%), IL-6 (62%) and TNF-${\alpha}$ (84%) in serum, indicating that GS has similar or higher efficacy than those of the dexamethasone treated group. From the results above, we conclude that GS has significant anti-inflammation and anti-AD effects on Raw 264.7 cells and NC/Nga mice. The results should provide fundamental and valuable data for the research on natural products being developed against atopic dermatitis.

• Food Science and Preservation
• /
• v.13 no.2
• /
• pp.161-167
• /
• 2006

This study was investigated to develope health promoting and high quality of mugwort noodle. Mugwort powder was extracted with water and 70% ethanol and the extracts were tested it electron donating ability (EDA), nitrite scavenging ability (NSA) and inhibitory effects on MDA cell and A549 cell. EDA at 100-1,000 ppm of water extract was ranged f개m 73% to 81% and that of ethanol extract was ranged from 74% to 92% NSA of water extract was 40% and ethanol extract was 41% at 1,000 ppm, which were the highest at pH 1.2. NSA was increased with increasing conncentration of mugwort extracts and decreasing pH. Inhibition ratio of water and ethanol extracts on MDA cell growth was 30 and 27% while that on A549 cell was 22% and 23% at 1,000 ppm, respectively. Quality characteristics of mugwort none were evaluated by their color, shelf life na sensory characteristics. Lightness (L) and redness(a) of dried noodle and cooked noodle were decreased with increasing mugwort concentration(p<0.05). The number of total viable cells and fungi in mugwort noodle was $0.5{\sim}0.7log$ cycles lower than that of contro. In sensory evaluation of dried noodles and cooked noodles, noodles with 2% mugwort powder had significant high scores in overall acceptability.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.19 no.2
• /
• pp.187-194
• /
• 2011

Atherosclerosis and post-angiography restenosis are associated with intimal thickening and concomitant vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation. Obovatol, a major biphenolic component isolated from the Magnolia obovata leaf, is known to have anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor activities. The goal of the present study was to enhance the inhibitory effects of obovatol to improve its potential as a preventive or therapeutic agent in atherosclerosis and restenosis. Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB-induced proliferation of rat aortic smooth muscle cells (RASMCs) was examined in the presence or absence of a newly synthesized obovatol derivative, OD78. The observed anti-proliferative effect of OD78 was further investigated by cell counting and [$^3H$]-thymidine incorporation assays. Treatment with 1-4 ${\mu}M$ OD78 dose-dependently inhibited the proliferation and DNA synthesis of 25 ng/ml PDGF-BB-stimulated RASMCs. Accordingly, OD78 blocked PDGF-BB-induced progression from the $G_0/G_1$ to S phase of the cell cycle in synchronized cells. OD78 decreased the expression levels of CDK4, cyclin E, and cyclin D1 proteins, as well as the phosphorylation of retinoblastoma protein and proliferating cell nuclear antigen; however, it did not change the CDK2 expression level. In addition, OD78 inhibited downregulation of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor (CKI) $p27^{kip1}$. However, OD78 did not affect the CKI $p21^{cip1}$ or phosphorylation of early PDGF signaling pathway. These results suggest that OD78 may inhibit PDGF-BB-induced RASMC proliferation by perturbing cell cycle progression, potentially through $p27^{kip1}$ pathway activation. Consequently, OD78 may be developed as a potential anti-proliferative agent for the treatment of atherosclerosis and angioplasty restenosis.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
• /
• v.36 no.4
• /
• pp.531-538
• /
• 2009

Xylitol has the ability to reduce the adherence of Streptococcus mutans(S. mutans), which can make it easier to remove plaque, decrease acid production and inhibit dental caries. There are few reports on the effects of xylitol on the expression of the virulence related genes in S. mutans. This study examined the inhibitory effect of chewing gum containing xylitol on glucan synthesis related gene expression of S. mutans. Participants were voluntarily recruited for a women's oral health prevention program, classified into two groups(a control and a xylitol group), and then followed for 2 years. Twenty salivary samples were randomly selected from each group. Colony count and real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction were used to analyze the characteristics of S. mutans. The following results were obtained: The S. mutans counts decreased steadily in the xylitol group over the study period(p<0.05). The expression of the virulence related genes (gtfB, gtfC and gtfD) was significantly lower in the xylitol group than in the control groups (p<0.05). In conclusion, these results suggest that chewing xylitol gum for a long period of time may reduce the expression of the genes associated with S. mutans virulence, which can result in a decrease growth of S. mutans colonies as a result.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.45 no.9
• /
• pp.1265-1272
• /
• 2016

The objective of this study was to investigate the antioxidative components and anti-oralmicrobial effect of bamboo (Phyllostachys nigra var. henonis Stapf) leaves. The moisture, crude protein, crude fat, crude ash, and carbohydrate contents were 6.30%, 5.10%, 1.73%, 10.61%, and 76.26%, respectively. Vitamin C content was higher than Vitamin A and E contents. Among organic acids, citric acid content was the most abundant organic acid, followed by succinic acid, acetic acid, malic acid, and formic acid. Total polyphenol and flavonoid contents were 21.66 mg/g and 42.78 mg/g, respectively. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of extracts of bamboo leaves for Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus were determined to be 0.04% and 0.16%, respectively. MICs of extracts of bamboo leaves for Porphyromonas gingivalis and Prevotella intermedia were determined to be 0.02%. Extract of bamboo leaves had strong antimicrobial activity against S. mutans, S. sobrinus, P. gingivalis, and P. intermedia at a concentration of 0.32%. At this concentration, extract of bamboo leaves inhibited growth of these pathogenic bacteria up to 60 h. The results of the present study demonstrate the antimicrobial effects of bamboo leaves ethanol extract against oral pathogenic bacteria, suggesting that bamboo leaves could be an effective natural agent for oral hygiene.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.15 no.24
• /
• pp.10659-10663
• /
• 2015

Background: Rapamycin is an effective anti-angiogenic drug. However, the mode of its action remains unclear. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to elucidate the antitumor mechanism of rapamycin, hypothetically via apoptotic promotion, using MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Materials and Methods: MCF-7 cells were plated at a density of $1{\times}10^5$ cells/well in 6-well plates. After 24h, cells were treated with a series of concentrations of rapamycin while only adding DMEM medium with PEG for the control regiment and grown at $37^{\circ}C$, 5% $CO_2$ and 95% air for 72h. Trypan blue was used to determine the cell viability and proliferation. Untreated and rapamycin-treated MCF-7 cells were also examined for morphological changes with an inverted-phase contrast microscope. Alteration in cell morphology was ascertained, along with a stage in the cell cycle and proliferation. In addition, cytotoxicity testing was performed using normal mouse breast mammary pads. Results: Our results clearly showed that rapamycin exhibited inhibitory activity on MCF-7 cell lines. The $IC_{50}$ value of rapamycin on the MCF-7 cells was determined as $0.4{\mu}g/ml$ (p<0.05). Direct observation by inverted microscopy demonstrated that the MCF-7 cells treated with rapamycin showed characteristic features of apoptosis including cell shrinkage, vascularization and autophagy. Cells underwent early apoptosis up to 24% after 72h. Analysis of the cell cycle showed an increase in the G0G1 phase cell population and a corresponding decrease in the S and G2M phase populations, from 81.5% to 91.3% and 17.3% to 7.9%, respectively. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that rapamycin may potentially act as an anti-cancer agent via the inhibition of growth with some morphological changes of the MCF-7 cancer cells, arrest cell cycle progression at G0/G1 phase and induction of apoptosis in late stage of apoptosis. Further studies are needed to further characterize the mode of action of rapamycin as an anti-cancer agent.