• Toxicological Research
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.17-22
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• 2008

Sopungsan (SS) is a traditional Korean decoction used for the treatment of dermatitis. The aim of this study is to confirm whether or not SS has a preventive effect on the development of atopic dermatitis in dinitrochlorobenzene-applied Nc/Nga mice. SS was administered orally to Nc/Nga mice, which led to the remarkable suppression of the development of dermatitis, as determined by a histological examination and the serum IgE levels. Moreover, SS inhibited the production of thymus- and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC) and its mRNA expression in a keratinocyte cell line, HaCaT, which had been stimulated with tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$) and interferon-${\gamma}$ (IFN-${\gamma}$). Activation of the nuclear factor-${\kappa}B$ (NF-${\kappa}B$) or activator protein-1 (AP-1) is one of key steps in the signaling pathways mediating induction of TARC. In this study, SS selectively suppressed NF-${\kappa}B$ activation which may be essential for TARC expression in $TNF-{\alpha}/IFN-{\gamma}$ treated keratinocytes. The inhibitory effect of SS on NF-${\kappa}B$ activation and TARC production might be associated with the anti-dermatitic effects of SS.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.87-90
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• 2013

The potential role of topical valproate (VPA) in hair regrowth has been recently suggested. However, safety reports of VPA as a topical formulation are lacking. Therefore, in the present study, we investigated whether VPA causes skin irritation in humans. We first performed a cell viability test and showed that VPA did not exhibit toxicity toward HaCaT keratinocytes, fibroblasts, and RBL-3H mast cells. We then performed clinical patch test and skin irritation test through transdermal drug delivery with the help of microneedle rollers. No significant findings were obtained in the clinical patch test. In the skin irritation test, only 1 patient showed erythema at 1 hr, but the irritation reaction faded away within a few hours. Erythema and edema were not observed at 24 hr. We concluded that VPA has minimal potential to elicit skin irritation. Therefore, we consider that VPA can safely be applied to human skin.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.26-30
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• 2010

The root of Korean ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer) is a commonly used herbal medicine in China, Korea, Japan. However, the compositions and effects of Korean ginseng berry are not clear to date. In order to investigate the anti-aging effects in the skin, Korean ginseng berry was extracted with 70% ethanol and tested the biological effects. In the results, Korean ginseng berry extract showed an excellent anti-oxidant effect against oxidative stress and decreased MMP-1 over-expression induced by UV irradiation. Especially the main component of Korean ginseng berry extract, ginsenoside Re, increased hyaluronic acid in HaCaT keratinocytes. We improved Korean ginseng berry could be a good material for the anti-aging effect of skin.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.300-304
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• 2008

The root of Astragalus membranaceus Bunge (Leguminosae) has been used in the Korean oriental medicine for strengthening the vital energy. UV irradiation has been suggested as a major cause of photo aging in skin. In order to investigate protective effects against UV induced cellular damage, Astragali Radix was extracted with 70% ethanol and dissolved in DMSO. The protective effect was detected by MTT assay, LDH assay, and Comet assay in immortalized human keratinocyte cell line, HaCaT cell system after UV irradiation. Astragli Radix 70% EtOH extract reduced UV induced cellular damage in cell survival, membrane integrity and DNA damage.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.390.3-391
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• 2002

Nuclear-kappa B(NF-$\kappa$B) plays a role in the regulation of genes responsible for inflammatory and immune responses as well as growth control of cells. A cell-based assay system for guiding NF-KB activity was developed to determine the influence of activated NF-KB in human keratinocytes. It suggested that this system could be used to determine the quantitative measurement of NF-$\kappa$B activity in the human skin and allow the monitoring of anti-inflammatory agent for dermatological means from various environmental stimuli. (omitted)

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.183-191
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• 2023

Objective : UVB damages skin health by causing skin redness and intense inflammation, sunburn, and skin cancer. Paeoniae Radix Alba has been used to relieve gynecological symptoms, muscle spasms, and skin ailments. This study was conducted to confirm whether it has a protective effect against UVB photodamage. Methods : Ethanol extract of Paeoniae Radix Alba (PRA) was prepared by extracting 100 g Paeoniae Radix Alba in 1 L of ethanol for 48 h. Apoptosis was monitored by the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay and expression levels of apoptosis indicator proteins, and tyrosinase activity was measured with a colorimetric commercial kit. Results : In human keratinocyte HaCaT cells, PRA reduced UVB-induced cell death through apoptosis by inhibiting PARP cleavage and caspase-3 and -9. UVB-induced increase in cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) was suppressed by PRA pretreatment. PRA also showed dose-dependent ABTS and DPPH radical scavenging activities. Furthermore, the inhibitory effect of tyrosinase activity by PRA was confirmed. Conclusion : These results demonstrated the protective role of PRA in UVB photodamage of human keratinocytes, mainly due to its antioxidant and antiapoptotic properties. We also suggest that PRA can be considered as an effective natural agent to prevent skin photodamage.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.67 no.2
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• pp.137-144
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• 2023

In this study were evaluated the whitening and anti-oxidative activities from the extracts of Sorbus alnifolia branches, and identified the chemical structures of the active ingredients. In the whitening tests using α-MSH stimulated B16F10 melanoma cells, the 70% ethanol extract and n-butanol (n-BuOH) fractions concentration-dependently inhibited cellular melanogenesis and intracellular tyrosinase activities without causing cell toxicity. The total polyphenol content of n-BuOH and ethyl acetate (EtOAc) fractions were measured to be respectively 241.1 ± 1.1 and 222.9 ± 2.4 (mg/g GAE), and the total flavonoid content of EtOAc fraction was 75.3 ± 2.0 (mg/g QE). Upon anti-oxidant studies with DPPH and ABTS⁺ radicals, potent radical scavenging activities were observed in the EtOAc and n-BuOH fractions. Moreover, in the study of cell protection efficacy using HaCaT keratinocytes damaged by H₂O₂, the EtOAc and n-BuOH fractions showed a very positive results on prevention of oxidative stress. Phytochemical studies for this extract resulted in the isolation of four compounds; 2-oxopomolic acid (1), euscaphic acid (2), epi-catechin (3), prunasin (4). These results suggested that the extract of S. alnifolia branches containing compounds 1-4 as natural ingredients could be used as whitening and anti-oxidant ingredients in cosmetic formulations.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.1389-1395
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• 2000

Cervical cancer has been one of the leading causes of female death from cancer worldwide with about 500,000 deaths per year. A strong association between certain human papillomaviruses (HPV types 16 and 18) and cervical cancer has been well known. An extract of natural products, Rhus, has been used to investigate whether this agent has the ability of inhibiting the oncogenes E6 and E7 of HPV type 16. This Rhus inhibited the proliferation of human cervical cancer cell lines (C-33A, SiHa, Caski) and HaCaT keratinocytes in a dose response manner. In vitro binding assay and ELISA showed that Rhus inhibited the in vitro binding of E6 and E6AP which are essential for the binding and degradation of the tumor suppressor p53. In addition, Rhus inhibited the in vitro binding of E7 and Rb which essential tumor suppressor for the control of cell cycle. The level of mRNA for E6 was also decreased by Rhus while that of E7 mRNA was not changed. Our data suggested that Rhus inhibited the oncogenecity of E6 and E7 of HPV 16 type, thus can be used as a putative anti-HPV agent for the treatment of cervical carcinomas by HPV.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.198-204
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• 2014

Ultraviolet B (UV-B) irradiation is a negative factor that induces skin damage, inflammation, and aging. UVB irradiation induces the inflammatory response through interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8 expression in keratinocytes. In addition, it induces the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the activation of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1), which plays an important role in collagen 1 degradation in the extracellular matrix. We investigated the antiaging effects of five kinds of berry in human skin keratinocyte (HaCaT) cells using juice of black raspberry (Rubus occidentalis), blueberry wild (Vacciniun angustifolium) and cultivar (Vacciniun corymbosum), black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa (Michx.) Elliott), and mulberry (Morus abla). HaCaT cells irradiated with UV-B exhibited increased ROS generation, as well as IL-6, IL-8, and MMP-1 gene expression, when compared to the control cells that were not irradiated with UV-B. However, pre-treatment of berry juice before UV-B irradiation significantly down-regulated the UV-B-induced ROS generation and inflammatory cytokine and MMP-1 expression. The results suggest that all berries have anti-aging effects including lowering inflammatory cytokine levels, ROS generation, and MMP-1 expression in HaCaT cells during UV-B irradiation.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.253-261
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• 2004

Ginsenosides and green tea extracts show a variety of biomedical efficacies such as anti-aging, anti-oxidation and anti-tumor-promotion effects. (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) has been reported to inhibit the UVB-induced apoptosis by increasing the Bcl-2-to-Bax ratio. We have previously shown that ginsenoside Fl protects human HaCaT cells from ultraviolet-B (UVB)-induced apoptosis by maintaining constant levels of Bcl-2 and Brn-3a. Here, we investigate the combined effect of ginsenoside Fl and EGCG on the protection of human HaCaT keratinocyte against UVB-induced apoptosis. When treated individually, although 5 ${\mu}$M ginsenoside Fl and 50${\mu}$M EGCG protected cells from UVB-induced apoptosis, 2${\mu}$M ginsenoside Fl or 10${\mu}$M EGCG treatment showed very little protection effect. However, cotreatement of 2${\mu}$M ginsenoside Fl and 10${\mu}$M EGCG successfully protected HaCaT cells from UVB-induced cell death. As expected, combining ginsenoside Fl and EGCG efficiently prevented UVB-induced decrease of Bcl-2 and Brn-3a expression. In addition, cotreatment with ginsenoside F1 and EGCG prevented the dephosphorylation of Rb, whereas individual treatment with ginsenoside Fl or EGCG failed to prevent the dephosphorylation of Rb even at high concentrations.