• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.2179-2183
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• 2014

Background: In vitro, in vivo and clinical studies have demonstrated anti-cancer effects of deuterium depleted water (DDW). The nature of this agents action, cytotoxic or cytostatic, remains to be elucidated. We here aimed to address the point by examining effects on different cell lines. Materials and Methods: 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) -based cytotoxicity analysis was conducted for human breast, stomach, colon, prostate cancer and glioblastoma multiforme cell lines as well as human dermal fibroblasts. The cell lines were treated with decreasing deuterium concentrations of DDW alone, paclitaxel alone and both. One way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used for statistical analysis. Results: Treatment with different deuterium concentrations of DDW alone did not impose any significant inhibitory effects on growth of cell lines. Paclitaxel significantly decreased the survival fractions of all cell lines. DDW augmented paclitaxel inhibitory effects on breast, prostate, stomach cancer and glioblastoma cell lines, with influence being more pronounced in breast and prostate cases. Conclusions: DDW per se does not appear to have inhibitory effects on the assessed tumor cell lines as well as normal fibroblasts. As an adjuvant, however, DDW augmented inhibitory effects of paclitaxel and thus it could be considered as an adjuvant to conventional anticancer agents in future trials.

• Plant Resources
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.116-121
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• 2005

Compositae plants are known to contain biologically active substances that are allelopathic to agricultural crops as well as weed species. Aqueous or methanol extracts and plant residues from leaves of Xanthium occidentale were assayed against alfalfa (Medicago sativa) to determine its allelopathic effects, and the results showed that the extracts applied onto filter paper significantly inhibited seed germination as well as root growth of alfalfa. Aqueous leaf extracts of $40g\;L^{-1}$ were completely inhibitory on root growth of alfalfa, while root growths of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and soybean (Glycine max L.) were less sensitive. Leaf residue incorporation at $100g\;kg^{-1}$ into soil on seedling growth of barnyard grass (Echinochloa crus-galli Beauv. var. oryzicola Ohwi) inhibited both shoot and root fresh weights of barnyard grass by 94 and $96\%$, respectively. Methanol extracts from BuOn and EtOAc fractions of X. occidentale reduced alfalfa root growth more than did those from hexane and water fractions. The results based on bioassay of extracts and residues show that X. occidentale had potent an allelopathic activity against other plant species.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.89-97
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• 1984

The possible effects of garlic (Aliium sativurn L.) extract on growth and aflatoxin production by Aspergillus parasiticus R- 716 were investigated. Various solvent extracts of garlic strongly inhibited growth and sporulation by Aspergillus parasiticus R-716, and effective solvents used for extraction of garlic were chloroform, benzene, and water-chloroform. The growth and aflatoxin production decreased with the increase in extract concentration, and extract equivalent 1.5g of raw garlic weight in 25ml SLS medium completely inhibited, and at a level of 1.25g garlic, total aflatoxin was reduced 64% (472 ${\mu}g$/25ml) of that produced in the control (1, 352 ${\mu}g$/25 ml). During cultivation inhibitory rate of growth was reduced from 89.1% to 40% and aflatoxin $B_2$, $G_1$ production increased with the laps of time. Especially garlic extract appeared to have a stimulatory effect on lipid accumulation on the contrary aflatoxin production.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.87-94
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• 2008

In view of obtaining potential anticancer compounds, we studied the inhibitory activity and the cytotoxic effects of a candidate compound in cancer cells. The cytotoxic effects of cannabidiol (CBD) in vitro were evaluated in NIH3T3 fibroblasts, B16 melanoma cells, A549 lung cancer cells, MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells, Lenca kidney cells and SNU-C4 colon cancer cells. The cells were cultured in various concentrations of CBD for 48 h and 25 ${\mu}$M of CBD for 6-36 h. The cells were observed to exhibit inhibitory effects of the cell viability in their growth, and then cytotoxicity was estimated. The inhibitory activity of CBD was increased in all cancer cells and showed especially strong increment in breast cancer cells. The cytotoxicity of CBD increased in a dose- and time-dependent manner with growth inhibition in all cancer cell lines. Also, to assess the membrane toxicity induced by CBD, we investigated lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release. After treatment with various concentrations of CBD, LDH release rate of cancer cells was accelerated. On the other hand, in the induction of cell death, caspase-3, -8 and -9 activations were detected in cancer cells after treatment with various concentrations of CBD, and CBD effectively induced activity of caspase-3, -8 and -9 in A549 lung cancer cells, MDAMB-231 breast cancer cells and Renca kidney cells. Therefore these results suggest that CBD has a possibility of anticancer agents and anticancer effects against cancer cells by modulation of apoptotic pathway in the range of 5-80 ${\mu}$M concentration.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.34-38
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• 1997

Recombinant human epidermal growth factor (rhEGF), a polypeptide of 53 amino acid residues, is subject to degradation by numerous enzymes, especially proteases, when it is applied on the skin for the treatment of open wound. Amastatin, aprotinin, bestatin, EDTA, EGTA, gabexate, gentamicin, leupeptin, and TPCK were investigated for the possible protease inhibitors, which may use to protect rhEGF from degradation by the enzymes in the skin. Skin homogenates containing protease inhibitors and rhEGF were incubated at $37^{\circ}C$ for 30 minutes. After the reaction was stopped with trifluoroacetic acid, the amount of rhEGF remaining in the sample was determined with an HPLC method. The percentages of rhEGF degraded, at the skin/PBS ratio of 0.25, in the mouse, rat, and human skin homogenate were 85%, 70%, and 46%, respectively. The degree of degradation of rhEGF in the cytosolic fraction was higher than that in the membrane fraction and these enzyme reactions were completed in 30 minutes. Bestatin, EGTA, and TPCK showed significant inhibitory effects on the degradation of rhEGF in the two fractions (p<0.05), while the other protease inhibitors had no significant inhibitory effects or, even resulted in deleterious effects. Therefore, the formulation containing one or several inhibitors among these effective inhibitors would be a promising topical preparation of rhEGF for the treatment of open wound.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.1502-1506
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• 2006

To investigate the inhibitory effects of Citaowan (CTW) on the growth and angiogenesis of breast cancer in vivo. Orthotopic breast cancer model was established by injection of MDA-MB-231 cells into mammary fat pad of nude mice. Seven weeks after injection, CTW was orally administered at dose of 50, 100 mg/mouse every day for 40 days. Body weight, tumor volume, tumor apoptosis, microvessel density and tumor proliferation were evaluated, after the mice were sacrificed. The body weight and tumor volume were not significantly changed in CTW group compared with the control group. Tumor apoptosis, proliferation and microvessel density were significantly reduced in CTW group (100 mg/mouse) compared with the control group. These data indicate that CTW has anti-angiogenic and proapoptotic effects on breast cancer.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.17 no.11
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• pp.1533-1538
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• 2007

This study was carried out to determine the inhibitory effects of solvent extracts from Sargassum hemiphyllum on growth of cancer cell lines (AGS human gastric adenocarcinoma and HT-29 human colon cancer cells) and production of lipid peroxides. Inhibitory effects of acetone with methylene chloride extract from S. hemiphyllum on the growth of AGS and HT-29 cancer cells were increased as dose dependent patterns (p<0.05). The methanol extract was more effective on inhibition of growth of AGS. The treatments of hexane, 85% aq. methanol, butanol and water fractions significantly inhibited the growth of cancer cells (p<0.05) and the inhibitory effect was stronger in HT-29. In DCFH-DA (dichlorodihydrofluorescin diacetate) assay, acetone with methylene chloride and methanol extracts showed a stronger inhibitory effect on the production of cellular lipid peroxides (p<0.05) compared with the butanol and hexane fractions. These results indicate that the consumption of S. hemiphyllum may be recommended as a potent functional food for preventing cellular oxidation and cancer.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.95-99
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• 2009

This study was performed to investigate the possible effect of garlic produced in Korea on the inhibition/reduction of growth of A. parasiticus, a toxigenic strain. The effect was studied using different concentrations of freeze-dried garlic in potato-dextrose agar (PDA) and/or in yeast-extract sucrose (YES) broth at $25^{\circ}C$ for 15 days. While inhibition of the fungal growth due to increasing the concentration of garlic was observed, the more remarkable effect was observed on the ninth day. Reduction of fungal diameter as a result of addition of garlic on PDA was observed to range between 3.4% to 20.1 % while reduction of mycelial weight in YES broth ranged from 9.9% to 30.5%. The 0.5% and 1.0% concentrations of garlic significantly reduced fungal diameter in PDA on the 9th day, while 0.1 %, 0.5%, and 1.0% concentrations of garlic significantly reduced the mycelial weight in YES broth (p<0.05). Dose-response relationships were observed between the concentration of garlic and inhibition of growth both in solid culture and in liquid culture. This study indicates that garlic could be an effective inhibitor at a human consumption level of the growth of A. parasiticus. More research is needed to study the inhibitory effects of the main active component of garlic.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.30-35
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• 2004

Compositae plants are known to contain biologically active substances that are allelopathic to agricultural crops as well as weed species. Aqueous extracts from leaves of Xanthium occidentale were assayed against alfalfa (Medicago sativa) to determine their allelopathic effects, and the result showed that the extracts applied onto filter paper significantly inhibited seed germination as well as root growth of alfalfa. Untreated seeds germinated in 60h, but extract concentrations greater than 30g $\textrm{L}^{-1}$ delayed seed germination. The extracts significantly inhibited seed germination of alfalfa, and $\beta$-amylase activity of alfalfa and barley seeds during 24-36 hours after treatment. Aqueous extracts of 40 g $\textrm{L}^{-1}$ from X. occidentale were completely inhibited the hypocotyl and root growth of alfalfa. Aqueous leaf extracts showed the highest inhibitory effect and followed by root and stem extracts. Early seedling growth of both alfalfa and barnyard grass (Echinochloa crus-galli) was significantly reduced by methanol extracts. By means of high-performance liquid chromatography, chlorogenic acid and trans-cinnamic acid were quantified as the highest amounts from water and EtOAc fractions, respectively. BuOH and EtOAc fractions of X. occidentale reduced alfalfa root growth more than did hexane and water fractions. The findings of the bioassays for aqueous or methanol extracts reflected that the inhibitory effect of extract was closely related to the level of responsible allelochemicals found in plant extracts.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.190-194
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• 2007

Aflatoxin $B_1$ is a mycotoxin produced by Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus and is a human carcinogen. This study was performed to investigate reduction of growth and aflatoxin production of A. parasiticus by kimchi. A. parasiticus was grown in a modified APT broth with the juice of kimchi (at a concentration of 7%) at $28^{\circ}C$ for 9 days. Aflatoxin $B_1$ was determined by use of high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The addition of the juice of kimchi significantly reduced mycelial growth and aflatoxin production during the incubation period (p<0.05). Reduction of mycelial growth of A. parasiticus as the result of addition of the juice of kimchi was observed to range between 64.8 to 83.4% while reduction of aflatoxin production ranged from 62.2 to 73.0%. This study indicates that kimchi could be an effective inhibitor of aflatoxin production although mycelial growth may be permitted. More research is needed to study the inhibitory effects of the metabolites of kimchi.