• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.7-13
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• 2012

Objectives : Reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been associated with pathogenic processes including carcinogenesis through direct effect on DNA directly and by acting as a tumor promoter. Therefore, it has been regarded that ROS may be a major target for cancer prevention. The root of Paeonia lactiflora pall (PL), a traditional Chinese herb, has been a component of effective prescriptions for treatment of liver disease. Also, there are some reports about the antioxidant activities of the extracts from PL. However, little has been known about the effects of PL against oxidative damage. This work aimed to elucidate the anti-oxidant effects of Paeonia lactiflora pall (PL) in the non-cellular system and cellular system. Methods : Antioxidant activities of PL were evaluated by hydroxyl radical scavenging assay and $Fe^{2+}$ chelating assay. Anti-oxidative effect of PL was evaluated by ${\varphi}X$-174 RF I plasmid DNA cleavage assay in non-cellular system. In addition, DNA migration assay, expression level of phospho-H2AX, MTT assay and lipid peroxidation assay were performed for evaluate the anti-oxidative effect of PL in cellular system. Results : PL had a dose-dependent hydroxyl radical scavenging and $Fe^{2+}$ chelating capacity. In addition, PL inhibited oxidative DNA and cell damage induced by hydroxyl radical in non-cellular system and cellular system. Conclusion : Taken together, P. lactiflora pall may be possible for the application to a potential drug for treating the oxidative diseases such as cancer.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.410-413
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• 1997

In the course of screening synthetic compounds to inhibit tumor cell growth, pyrrolo[1,2-.alpha.] benzimidazole (PBI), an intermediate of azamitosene, was found to inhibit a proliferation of gastric cancer cell lines. Despite a potential cytotoxic activity against solid tumor cells as opposed to that against rapidly-doubled leukemic cells, there has been no report on the inhibition of gastric cancer cell line by PBI and its' derivatives. The present experiment was designed to determine if PBI derivatives can effectively inhibit the cellular proliferation of gastric cancer cells by using in vitro as well as in vivo chemosensitivity system (MTT assay, clonogenic assay and human tumor xenografted assay). Of the tested PBI derivatives, PBI (18) and PBI (20), displayed the effective growth inhibition of cultured gastric cancer cells or even in the xenografted nude mouse model.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.199-205
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• 2009

It is unclear whether Fructus ligustri Lucidi (FLL) extract anti-proliferative effect in human glioma cells. The present study was therefore undertaken to examine the effect of FLL on cell viability and to determine the underlying mechanism in A172 human glioma cells. Cell viability and cell death were estimated by MTT assay and trypan blue exclusion assay, respectively. Apoptosis was measured by Annexin-V binding assay and cell cycle analysis. Activation of kinases and caspase-3 was estimated by Western blot analysis. FLL resulted in apoptotic cell death in a dose- and time-dependent manner. FLL-induced cell death was not associated with reactive oxygen species generation. Western blot analysis showed that FLL treatment caused down-regulation of PI3K/Akt pathway, but not ERK. The PI3K/Akt inhibitor LY984002 sensitized the FLL-induced cell death and overexpression of Akt prevented the cell death. FLL induced caspase-3 activation and the FLL-induced cell death was prevented by caspase inhibitors. These findings indicate that FLL results in a caspase-dependent cell death through a P13K/Akt pathway in human glioma cells. These data suggest that FLL may serve as a potential therapeutic agent for malignant human gliomas.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.135-139
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• 2016

Scrophularia ningpoensis hemsl has been traditionally used in China and Vietnam for treatment of bacteria, atopy, pimple, tonsillitis, angina and encephalitis for a long time. The main objectives of this study were to evaluate the antibacterial activity of the Scrophularia ningpoensis hemsl extract on biofilm formation of Klebsiella pneumoniae. Antibacterial activity was conducted using disc diffusion assay and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were determined using the broth micro dilution method in accordance to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines(CLSI). Furthermore, cytotoxicity on L929 were assessed using animal cell culture for the proliferation test(MTT cell assay) and the biofilm forming capacity of the K. pneumoniae were determined using the colony forming unit (CFU) assay. The extract exhibited considerable antibacterial activity. K. pneumoniae was susceptible to the extract with the MIC and MBC of 0.1875 and $1.5mg/m{\ell}$ respectively. Cytoxicity test in L929 showed no sign of toxicity at the concentration of $0.75mg/m{\ell}$ and at the same concentration the extract caused inhibition of bacterial biofilm formation. The extract of Scrophularia ningpoensis hemsl possesses an in vitro antibacterial antibiofilm activities against K. pneumoniae, with no sign of cytoxicity on L929.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.166-177
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• 2006

Objectives : This study was performed to determine if Orostschys japonicus A. Berger has protective effects against CML in K562 cell lines. Materials and Methods : MTT assay, cell proliferation assay, Reverse transcription-polymerase reaction chain, RT-PCR, DNA fragmentation assay, Quantitative PCR were studied. Results : Orostschys japonicus A. Berger had no effects on Bax gene in K562 cell lines, but decreased Bcl-2 gene, and increased the Caspases-3 gene. This is indicate of induced apoptosis in K562 cell lines by Orostschys japonicus A. Berger. Conclusion : These results suggest that Orostschys japonicus A. Berger has effects on apatosis in K562 cell lines.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.288-297
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• 2009

Objective : Inflammatory cytokines have a close relationship to insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). The inhibitory effect of Smilacis Glabrae Rhizoma (SGR) were examined on production of nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin $E_2$ $(PGE_2)$, synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$) and NF-${\kappa}$B activation in Raw 264.7 cells. Methods: Raw 264.7 cells were pretreated with SGR(20, 50, 100 ${\mu}g$/ml), and then cultured with lipopolysaccharides (LPS). Cell viability was measured by MTT assay; inhibition of NO, $PGE_2$, and TNF-${\alpha}$ production were measured by Griess reagent and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). Induction of COX-2 and iNOS were determined by western blotting analysis. Inhibition of NF-${\kappa}$B was measured by immunofluorescence assay (IFA). Results: SGR inactivated NF-${\kappa}$B, and inhibited the production of NO, iNOS, and $PGE_2$. Inhibition of COX-2 and TNF-${\alpha}$ could not be confirmed. Conclusions: From the above result. SGR was found to have an anti-inflammatory effect of inhibition of NO, iNOS, and $PGE_2$ production via inhibition of NF-${\kappa}$B.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.108-121
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• 2005

Backgrounds: Amygdalin (D-mandelonitrile B-gentiobioside), a cynogenic compound, is found in sweet and bitter almond, Persicae semen, and Armeniacae semen. Aqueous extract of amygdalin was made from Armeniacae semen and used in this study. Objectives: Apoptosis is a very important mechanism in cancer treatment. In the present study, it was investigated whether amygdalin induces apoptotic cell death in human COLO 201 colon cancer cells. Materials and Methods: For this study, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, 4,6diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay, flow cytometric analysis, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(PR-PCR), western blot analysis, and caspase-3 enzyme assay were performed on COLO 201 cells. Cells treated with amygdalin exhibited several characteristics of apoptosis. Results: Amygdalin treatment enhanced Bax expression and suppressed Bcl-2 expression in COLO 201 cells. Amygdalin also was shown to increase the caspase-3 activity. Conclusions: Amygdalin induces apoptotic cell death via Bax-dependent caspase-3 activation in COLO 201 cells.

• 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.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.199-203
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• 2006

Background: Eckol purified from Ecklonia cava, a brown alga has been known to have cytoprotective effects on some cell lines against oxidants and ionizing radiation. However, there is no study about the effects of eckol on immune cells. Methods: Bone marrow (BM)-derived dendritic cells (DCs) were used to demonstrate the immunomodulatory effects of eckol on DCs, such as viability, the expression of surface markers, allogeneic stimulating capacity using MTI, flow cytometric, $^3H$-thymidine incorporation assay. Results: Eckol did protect DCs against cytokine withdrawal-induced apoptosis in a concentration dependent manner based on MTT assay. And also, it increased the expression of MHC class II and CD86 (B7.2) molecules, maturation markers, on the surface of viable DCs gated in FACS analysis. Furthermore, eckol-treated DCs stimulated the proliferation of allogeneic $CD4^+$ T lymphocytes compared to imDCs in $^3H$-thymidine incorporation assay. $CD4^+$ T lymphocytes activated with eckol-treated DCs produced the larger amount of IFN-${\gamma}$ and IL-4 than those cells with imDCs. Conclusion: Taken together, we demonstrate in this study that eckol, a pure compound of Ecklonia cava, may modulate the immune responses through the phenotypic and functional changes of DCs.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.12
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• pp.5975-5979
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• 2012

Background: To investigate the influence of telomerase activity, apoptosis, radiosensitivity of cervical cancer after siRNA-mediated knockdown of telomerase RNA and evaluate in vivo growth with gene interference. Methods: We studied siRNA-targeting-telomerase RNA transfection into the Hela cell line. Expression of hTERC mRNA was detected by RT-PCR and telomerase activity was measured by the TRAP assay. Growth inhibition was determined by MTT assay and radiosensitivity of the cervical cancer cells was examined by colony formation assay. In addtion, effects of hTERC inhibition in vivo were studied by injection of siRNA-transfected Hela cells into nude mice. Results: The hTERC siRNA effectively downregulated the expression of hTERC mRNA and also reduced the telomerase activity to 30% of the untreated control vlaue. The viability of hTERC siRNA transfected Hela cells was reduced by 44.7% after transfection. After radiation treatment, the radiosensitivity of Hela cells with hTERC knockdown was increased. In vivo, the tumors developing from the hTERC siRNA-transfected cells were of reduced size, indicating that the hTERT siRNA also depressed the tumorigenic potential of the Hela cells. Conclusions: Our results supported the concept of siRNA-mediated inhibition of telomerase mRNA which could inhibit the expression of hTERC and telomerase activity. Furthermore, radiosensitivity was upregulated after knockdown the hTERC in vivo and in vitro.