• Journal of Life Science
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• v.31 no.7
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• pp.631-640
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• 2021

Houttuynia cordata Thunberg has been studied for a variety of pharmacological actions in traditional oriental medicine. In this study, we investigated the effects of Houttuynia cordata ethanol extract (HCE) on benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) models induced by castration and testosterone propionate (TP) injection. Thirty rats were divided into six groups. One group was used as a normal control, and the other groups were castrated and had intraperitoneal injections of TP for 14 days to induce BPH. A positive control group was given daily doses of finasteride (5 mg/kg) to the BPH model. Rats administered HCE (0.5, 1 or 2 mg/kg) instead of finasteride were compared with controls as experimental groups. There was no statistical significance in terms of prostate weight based on 100 g of body weight. The concentrations of 5-α reductase and dehydroxytestosteronre (DHT) were determined via ELISA tests, and there was a significant decrease in all experimental groups. The 0.5 mg/kg HCE group had the lowest level of 5-α reductase, and the 2 mg/kg HCE group had the lowest level of DHT. In the histopathological observation of prostates, the control and the 2 mg/kg HCE groups had normal cell shapes and no swelling. However, in the negative control group and the 1 mg/kg HCE group, the cells were swollen, and the gap between the cells was narrowed. In particular, in the 0.5 mg/kg HCE group, some cells were bursting. Therefore, the administration of more than 2 mg/kg of HCE is suitable to protect against BPH.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.389-396
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• 2022

The purpose of this study was to investigate the safety of Houttuynia cordata Thunb extract (HCE) in Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) mice, to determine the effects of the extract on the growth performance and colony count, and to establish the optimal concentration of HCE. In total, 60 five-week-old male ICR mice with an average initial body weight (BW) of 27.24 ± 0.44 g were used in a four-week experiment. Mice were randomly allotted to four treatment groups (five replications per group, three mice per cage): 1) a control (CON) group fed with normal distilled water; 2) treatment group 1 (T1) fed with normal distilled water containing 0.05% HCE; 3) treatment group 3 (T3) fed with normal distilled water containing 0.1% HCE; and 4) treatment group 3 (T3) fed with normal distilled water containing 0.2% HCE. BW, feed intake (FI), and water intake were measured on the first, fourteenth, and eighteenth days. T2 showed a significant improvement (p < 0.05) in the feed conversion ratio (FCR) over the experimental period. However, water intake levels did not show significant differences among the groups. In the large intestine and feces, E. coli and Lactobacillus levels were significantly improved (p < 0.05) in the HCE treated group compared to the CON group. Supplying HCE via the drinking water improved the growth performance and colony count in ICR mice. Based on results of this study, utilizing HCE in livestock species is expected to be safe and feasible.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.195-199
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• 2014

Although the Herba Cirsii is known to posses beneficial health effects, the anti-diabetic effects and the mechanism of action have not been elucidated. In the present study we have shown that Herba Cirsii Extract (HCE) can stimulate glucose uptake in OP9 adipocytes. Unlike insulin, HCE did not stimulate the Ser473 phosphorylation and activation of Akt. The increasing effects of HCE on glucose uptake were inhibited by PD680509 and compound C pretreatment, which means that the glucose uptake effects by HCE were carried out by extracelluar signal-regulated kinase1/2(ERK1/2) and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation. Further studies revealed that HCE stimulated glucose transport occurs through a mechanism involving ERK1/2 activation and AMPK activation.

• International Commerce and Information Review
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.97-119
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• 2014

This study measures the efficiency of intellectual capital of Korea's banks, financial investment companies, and insurance companies using the Value Added Intellectual Coefficient (VAICTM) model, which was developed by A. Pulic and investigates into the relationship of each of VAIC's elements - efficiency of human, structural, and material capital -with business performance of the institution. we found, first, average VAIC and human capital efficiency(HCE) of Korean financial institutions during 2001 - 2012 were highest among banks, followed by insurance companies and securities firm. Secondly, in general, banks in advanced countries tend to have higher HCE and VAIC compared with the banks of developing countries. Thirdly, Korean financial institutions' HCE and VAIC are lower than those of Australia and even Taiwan and Thailand and have been on the decrease in recent years. This suggests that Korean financial institutions should enhance VAIC and HCE to build-up the international competitiveness.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.45-54
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• 1998

The antilipidperoxidative and hepatopreventive effects of Houttuynia cordata extract(HCE) were investigated at the level of liver homogenates and serum of SD rats intoxicated EtOH(3g/kg for 3days). We measured MDA(malondialdehyde) in the live. homogenate, AST(1-aspartate-2-oxoglutarate aminotransferase) and ALT( 1-alanine-2-oxoglutarate aminotransferse) in the serum. The analysis of the measurement indicated that HCE reduced MDA, ALT and AST significantly and their reduction was in relation to dose dependence. In rat liver homogenate intoxicated with EtOH, HCE treatment group inhibited lipidperoxidation by 50-75%. In rat serum intoxicated EtOH, HCE inhibited AST and ALT by 40-70%.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.819-827
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• 2000

Purpose : To investigate the inhibitory effect of HCE on platelet aggragation and erythrocyte deformiability, we performed following experiments. Methods : Concentrated Hyulbuchukotang (HCE) was fed to rats for 10days. We compare normal group with $500{\beta}{\Sigma}/{\beta}{\Sigma}$-high dose group and $100{\beta}{\Sigma}/{\beta}{\Pi}$-low dose group. Results : HCE enhanced the blood filtration rate, erythrocyte deformiability, reduced the platelet aggreablilty and inhibited granule release from collagen stimulated platelet, the prostaglandin synthesis in platelat. Conclusion : HCE should inhibit thrombos formation due to platelet hyperaggraeability and reduction of erythrocyte defonmiability.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.379-385
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• 2015

The eye irritation potential of drug candidates or pharmaceutical ingredients should be evaluated if there is a possibility of ocular exposure. Traditionally, the ocular irritation has been evaluated by the rabbit Draize test. However, rabbit eyes are more sensitive to irritants than human eyes, therefore substantial level of false positives are unavoidable. To resolve this species difference, several three-dimensional human corneal epithelial (HCE) models have been developed as alternative eye irritation test methods. Recently, we introduced a new HCE model, MCTT HCE$^{TM}$ which is reconstructed with non-transformed human corneal cells from limbal tissues. Here, we examined if MCTT HCE$^{TM}$ can be employed to evaluate eye irritation potential of solid substances. Through optimization of washing method and exposure time, treatment time was established as 10 min and washing procedure was set up as 4 times of washing with 10 mL of PBS and shaking in 30 mL of PBS in a beaker. With the established eye irritation test protocol, 11 solid substances (5 non-irritants, 6 irritants) were evaluated which demonstrated an excellent predictive capacity (100% accuracy, 100% specificity and 100% sensitivity). We also compared the performance of our test method with rabbit Draize test results and in vitro cytotoxicity test with 2D human corneal epithelial cell lines.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.11-16
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• 2007

The arylsulfatase gene (astA, 984 bp ORF) from Pseudoalteromonas carrageenovora genome was amplified by PCR and subcloned into the pHCE-IA vector, in which the hyper consitutive expression (HCE) promoter from the D-amino acid aminotransferase (D-AAT) gene of Geobacillus toevii was employed. The transformant cell, Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3)/pHCE-AST, on LB agar plate containig 4-methylumbelliferyl sulfate, showed an intense fluorescence at 360 nm, indicating that 4-methylumbelliferone was liberated by desulfatate activity. When BL21 (DE3)/pHCE-AST was grown on LB media containing 0.4% glucose or 0.4% glycerol, the arylsulfatase activity was higher at glycerol rather than at glucose. On 2% glycerol medium, the arylsulfatase activity reached 15.0 unit/ml, which was 2.6-fold higher expression level than that with 1% glycerol. The DNA ladder in agarose prepared from agar by this recombinant enzyme revealed similar resolution and migration patterns with a commercial agarose. This results suggests that arylsulfatase overexpressed in E. coli could be applicable to the economic production of electrophoretic-grade agarose.

• Journal of Korean Ophthalmic Optics Society
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.83-87
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• 2000

To investigate exhausted-medium-induced apoptosis in human corneal epithelial(HCE) cells, this study was performed DNA gel electrophoresis, M30 CytoDEATH staining and FAS-FAS ligand ELISA. SV-40 transfected cells were grown to confluency in culture for 7days. The supernatant was harvested and filtered with $0.22{\mu}m$ filter paper. Fresh HCE cells were exposed to the filtered exhausted medium for 1~2 days. Apoptotic cells were prepared for DNA extraction and run the agarose gel for DNA ladder pattern. M30 CytoDEATH was used a tool for easy and reliable determination of very early apoptosis in HCE cells. The control and exhausted medium were assayed for soluble FAS/FAS ligand protein by ELISA. HCE cells exposed to exhausted medium showed a typical DNA ladder pattern. Sporadic M30 CytoDEATH positive cells were detected among HCE cells exposed to exhausted medium. Soluble FAS/FAS ligand levels were not elevated in the exhausted medium compared to the fresh medium control. This study suggests that possible mechanism of exhausted medium induced apoptosis does not include the FAS-FAS ligand system.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.70-80
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• 2013

Objectives : Haliotidis Concha has been used to treat various human diseases such as liver dysfunction and inflammatory disorder. Although it has been shown the effects of Haliotidis Concha on the various diseases, it has almost not been studied about the anti-inflammatory effects of the Haliotidis Concha and its mechanisms. Methods : This research investigated the effects of the Haliotidis Concha ethanol extract (HCE) on the production of nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin $E_2$ ($PGE_2$) as well as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-${\alpha}$). The protein expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) were assayed by immunoblot analyses, and the productions of NO, $PGE_2$ and TNF-${\alpha}$ were assessed by ELISA. Results : Haliotidis Concha decreased the production of NO and $PGE_2$, and inhibited the expression iNOS and COX-2 proteins in a concentration-dependent manner in LPS-treated Raw 264.7 cells. HCE suppressed the ability of LPS to activate the signaling pathways of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-${\kappa}B$) as indicated by HCE inhibited nuclear NF-${\kappa}B$ level and I-${\kappa}B{\alpha}$ phosphorylation. Also, HCE inhibited mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs). Conclusions : HCE repressed the production of LPS-inducible NO, $PGE_2$ and TNF-${\alpha}$, which may be mediated by inhibition of NF-${\kappa}B$ translocation. This study suggest the use for the treatment of acute inflammatory disorders.