• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.58-67
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• 2014

Objective : Lycii Fructus Extracts(LFE) can do Anti-hypertension activity, Antidepressant, Anti-diabetic activity. This study was designed to investigate effects of LFE on skin whitening and elasticity using melanoma cells. Methods : In this experiment, effect of LFE on cell viability, inhibition of melanin synthesis and inhibitory effect on tyrosinase and elastase. Results : More than $250{\mu}g/ml$ of LFE treated group showed lowered proliferation rates significantly compared to non-treated group. More than $125{\mu}g/ml$ of LFE treated groups were lower levels of melanin synthesis respectively. LFE showed inhibitory effect on tyrosinase activities in vitro. And, LFE suppressed tyrosinase activities in B16F10 cells significantly. Finally, LFE suppressed elastase type I and IV activities in dose-dependent manner in vitro. And LFE also slightly suppressed elastase activities in vivo. Conclusion : These results suggest that LFE can inhibit melanin synthesis through ihhibitory action on tyrosinase activity and inhibt elastase activity, and also suggest that these results can be used for the study on maintaining skin elasticity or whitening.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.91-100
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• 2003

In the present study, we investigated the protective effect of the Lycii Fructus water extracts (LFE) against CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity and the mechanism underlying these protective effects in the rats. The pretreatment of LFE has shown to possess a significant protective effect by lowering the serum alanine and aspartate aminoteansferase (AST and ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP). This hepatoprotective action was confirmed by histological observation, In addition, the pretreatment of LFE prevented the elevation of hepatic malondialdehyde (MDA) formation and the depletion of reduced glutathione (GSH) content and catalase activity in the liver of CC1₄-injected rats. The LFE also displayed hydroxide radical scavenging activity in a dose-dependent manner (IC50 = 83.6 μg/ml), as assayed by electron spin resonance (ESR) spin-trapping technique. Moreover, the expression of cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) mRNA, as measured by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), was significantly decreased in the liver of LFE-pretreated rats when compared with that in the liver of control group. Based on these results, it was suggested that the hepatoprotective effects of the LFE may be related to antioxidant effects and regulation of CYP2E1 gene expression.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.625-630
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• 2013

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a highly prevalent disorder that affects millions of men worldwide. ED is now considered an early manifestation of atherosclerosis, and consequently, a precursor of systemic vascular disease. Lycii fructus extracts (LFE) were administered for 4 weeks to assess the improving effects on ED. Animals were divided into one normal group and four LFE-treated groups (0, 0.3, 0.6, and 1.2 g/kg). We induced ED in the study animals by oral administration of 20% ethanol instead of water everyday for 4 weeks. This study was designed to investigate the effects of LFE on the mRNA levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and endothelial NOS (eNOS) expression; NO levels of nitric oxide (NO) and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP); blood profile; and erectile response of the corpus cavernosum of the rat penis. The libido of the LFE-administered male rats was higher than that of the ethanol control group. The erectile response of the corpus cavernosum was restored after LFE administration, to a level similar to the normal group. In addition, the iNOS in the corpus cavernosum of the male rats administered LFE decreased. In contrast, compared to the control group, LFE-administered male rats showed increased eNOS, NO and cGMP levels in the corpus cavernosum. These results indicate that LFE effectively restored ethanol-induced ED in male rats.