• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.113-118
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• 2003

We recently extracted lignans such as matairesinol and 2-hydroxyarctigenin from safflower seeds and found that they exhibit a potent cytotoxic effect on human promyleocytic leukemia HL-60 cells. In this study, we investigated whether mechanisms of the matairesinol-induced cell death are associated with the programmed cell death, apoptosis. Matairesinol dose-dependently reduced viability of HL-60 cells with an IC/sun 50/ value of 60 $\mu$M. Staining of cells with Hoechst 33342 revealed distinct morphological features of apoptosis, such as the nuclei broken into chromatin containing fragments of various sizes in the cells exposed to 100 $\mu$M matairesinol for 24 hr. Agarose gel electrophoresis of DNA from the cells treated with matairesinol showed internucleosomal DNA degradation into oligonucleosomal sizes. DNA ladder like patterns were easily detected after treatment with matairesinol concentrations ranging from 10 to 100 $\mu$M after 24 hr. In cells treated with 100 $\mu$M matairesinol for differing time periods, the DNA ladder was detectable from 6 hr onward. A time course histogram of the DNA content analyzed by flow cytometry revealed a rapid increase in subdiploid cells and a concomitant decrease in diploid cells exposed to 100 $\mu$M matairesinol. These results indicate that matairesinol-induced HL-60 cell death was due to the DNA damage and apoptosis.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.21 no.6 s.101
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• pp.444-450
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• 2006

Skin anti-aging effect of Forsythia viridissima L. extract was evaluated by using antioxidant assay, expression of type I procollagen, and UVA-induced matrix metalloproteinase-1 in human dermal fibroblasts. Matairesinol-rich Forsythia viridissima L. extract was showed the scavenging activity of radicals and reactive oxygen species with the $IC_{50}$ values of $4.50\;{\mu}m/ml$ against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazly radical and $542.43\;{mu}m/ml$ against superoxide radicals in the xanthine/xanthine oxidase system, respectively. The type I procollagen was increased 33.76% by treatment with matairesinol-rich Forsythia viridissima L. extract, and UVA-induced MMP-1 was reduced 35.78% in a dose dependent manner. In the human skin irritation test, 2% matairesinol-rich Forsythia viridissima L. extract did not show any adverse effect. Also, the clinical study indicated that a cream group treated with 0.2% matairesinol-rich Forsythia viridissima L. extract significantly reduced skin wrinkles, as compared with a non-treated cream group (p < 0.05). These results suggest that Forsythia viridissima L. extract may be useful as a potential source of functional anti-aging cosmetics.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.153-160
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• 2022

Neuroinflammation is known to be associated with brain injury in Alzheimer's disease (AD), and the inhibition of microglial activation, a key player in inflammatory response, is considerd as important target for AD. In this study, the ethanol extract of aerial parts of Forsythia velutina Nakai, a Korean native species, significantly inhibited nitric oxide (NO) production in LPS-stimulated BV2 microglial cells. Thus, the active principles in F. velutina aerial parts were isolated based on activity-guided isolation method. As a result, six compounds were isolated and their structures were elucidated based on NMR data and the comparison with the relevant references as arctigenin (1), matairesinol (2), rengyolone (3), ursolic acid (4), secoisolariciresinol (5), and arctiin (6). Among them, four compounds including arctigenin (1), matairesinol (2), secoisolariciresinol (5), and arctiin (6) significantly inhibited NO production in a dose-dependent manner. In particular, matairesinol (2) and secoisolariciresinol (5) reduced 60% of NO production compared to LPS-treated group. This inhibitory effects of matairesinol (2) and secoisolariciresinol (5) were accompanied with the reduced expression levels of iNOS and COX-2. These results suggest that the extract of F. velutina and its active compounds could be beneficial for neuroinflammatory diseases including AD.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.279-283
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• 2006

This study was conducted to examine the effect of polyphenols from safflower seed on HMG-CoA reductase (HMGR) activity, LDL oxidation and Apo A1 secretion from Hep3B cell. The safflower seed polyphenols were matairesinol (Iignan), enterolactone (lignan metabolite), acacetin (flavone) and serotonin derivative. In addition to safflower polyphenols, mevastatin, ${\alpha}-estradiol,\;{\alpha}-tocopherol$ and soy genistein were tested as reference compounds depending on the type of the test. HMGR source was liver microsome obtained from rat fed 2% cholestyramine for 10 days. Inhibition of HMGR activity was greater with mevastatin (53%) than safflower serotonin derivatives (45%), followed by genistein (35%), but was very small with matairesinol, enterolactone and acacetin. LDL oxidation induced by $CuSO_4$ was suppressed by all the test material used in the present study and in the order of safflower serotonin derivatives> matairesinol > ${\beta}-estradiol$ > genistein > acacetin > enterolactone. Apo A1 secretion from Hep3B cell was significantly stimulated by mevastatin, but moderately (p<0.1) by ${\beta}-estradiol$ and genistein as well as enterolactone. These results suggest that the safflower polyphenols improve body lipid status via inhibition of cholesterol synthesis and suppression of LDL oxidation.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.221-225
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• 1999

Antioxidative compounds contained in roasted safflower seeds were investigated. Six phenolic compounds, N-feruloylserotonin, N-(p-coumaroyl) serotonin, matairesinol, 8'-hydroxyarctigenin, acacetin 7-Ο-β-D-glucoside(tilianine) and acacetin were isolated and identified from the extract of seeds. The inhibitory effects of six phenolic compounds on 1,1-dipheny1-2-picrylhydrazyl(DPPH) radical and lipid peroxidation induced by H₂O₂/FeSO₄in rat liver microsomes were determined. Two serotonins showed more potent DPPH radical scavenging activity, and a stronger inhibitory effect on the lipid peroxidation than that of α-tocopherol. In addition, acacetin and matairesinol also considerably inhibited lipid peroxidation, while 2-hydroxy-arctigenin and tilianine were inactive. These results suggest that phenolic compounds, including serotonins, lignans and flavonoids in the roasted safflower seeds can be used as potential dietary natural antioxidants.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.71-77
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• 2007

The antioxidant properties of twelve phenolic compounds, including matairesinol 4'-O-$\beta$-D-glucoside, 8'-hydroxyarctigenin 4'-O-$\beta$-D-glucoside, matairesinol, 8'-hydroxyarctigenin, N-feruloylserotonin 5-O-$\beta$-D-glucoside, N-(p-coumaroyl)-serotonin-5-O-$\beta$-D-glucoside, N-feruloylserotonin, N-(p-coumaroyl)serotonin, luteolin 7-O-$\beta$-D-glucoside, luteolin, acacetin 7-O-$\beta$-glucuronide, and acacetin, isolated from defatted safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) seeds were evaluated with regard to the DPPH, superoxide and hydroxyl radicals. Additionally, levels of phenolic compounds were determined by HPLC in two cultivars of safflower seeds. Among them, four serotonin derivatives showed potent DPPH ($IC_{50}=10.83-21.75\;{\mu}M$) and hydroxyl ($IC_{50}=75.93-374.63\;{\mu}M$) radical scavenging activities, and their activities were significantly stronger than that of ${\alpha}-tocopherol$. Four flavonoids ($IC_{50}=170.65-275.83\;{\mu}M$) and four lignans ($IC_{50}=114.22-406.10\;{\mu}M$) exhibited significant superoxide and hydroxyl radical scavenging activities, respectively, whereas these compounds contained less activity toward the DPPH and hydroxyl radicals than serotonin derivatives. The levels of serotonin derivatives, lignans and flavonoids in safflower seeds of two cultivars ranged from 49.30 to 260.40, 3.72 to 158.90, and 11.72 to 214.97 mg% (dry base), respectively. Of the two cultivars, 'Cheongsu' had somewthat higher concentrations of phenolic compounds than 'Uisan'. These results suggest that phenolic compounds in safflower seeds may playa role as protective phytochemical antioxidants against reactive oxygen-mediated pathological diseases.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.22 no.8
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• pp.1092-1098
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• 2012

This study was carried out to discover the skin wrinkle reducing components in the seeds of Arctium lappa. The isolation of a methylene chloride-soluble fraction of 70% ethanol extract from the seeds of Arctium lappa using a procollagen type-1 synthesis and MMP-1 activity resulted in the isolation and identification of four lignin compounds: arctiin, arctigenin, matairesinol, and diarctigenin. All structures were confirmed via NMR and MS spectroscopic data. To determine cell viability and procollagen type-1 synthesis, human dermal fibroblasts were treated with 10-100 ${\mu}M$. As a result, none of the four compounds showed cytotoxicity up to 50 ${\mu}M$. We also investigated their procollagen type-1 synthesis and MMP-1 inhibition activity and found that arctiin had the highest activity in terms of both procollagen synthesis and MMP-1 inhibition among all four compounds. Putting all the data together, we suggest that arctiin be used in cosmetics as an anti-wrinkle material.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.102-106
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• 2006

The phytoestrogens including isoflavones (genistein, daidzein, biochanin A, formononetin, and glycitein), coumestrol, and lignans (secoisolariciresinol, matairesinol, and anhydrosecoisolariciresinol) were quantified in edible sea vegetables from Korea. Sea vegetable samples were collected based on domestic consumption data. After hydrolysis of phytoestrogen glycosides in prepared samples, aglycones of phytoestrogens were extracted with diethyl ether and analyzed with isotope dilution gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in selected ion monitoring mode (ID-GC-MS-SIM). Total samples included 19 samples representing eight species. Most of the samples showed rather low concentrations, ranging from not determinated to $79.2\;{\mu}g/kg$ for isoflavones and from 106.4 to $694.8\;{\mu}g/kg$ for lignans. The daily intake of phytoestrogen from sea vegetables, estimated from the present data and domestic consumption data, was about $0.13\;{\mu}g/day$ for isoflavones and $2.0\;{\mu}g/day$ for lignans. When we compared these results with those from legumes, sea vegetables would not be considered the major source of phytoestrogens in the Korean diet.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.543-551
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• 2022

There has been increased interest in lignans due to their potential effect in reducing the risk of developing several diseases. To evaluate lignan contents, sensitive and accurate methods should be developed for their quantification in food. The present study aimed to validate a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for the quantification of 5 lignans: lariciresinol (Lar), matairesinol (Mat), pinoresinol (Pin), secoisolariciresinol (Seco), and syringaresinol (Syr). The validation included selectivity, linearity, recovery, accuracy, and precision. The method was proved to be specific, with a linear response (R²≥0.99). The limits of detection were 0.040~0.765 ㎍/100 g and the limits of quantification were 0.114~1.532 ㎍/100 g. Recoveries were 90.588~109.053% for black sesame powder. Relative standard deviations of repeatability and reproducibility were below 5%. Total lignan contents of roasted coffee bean, oat, and blacksoy bean were 105.702 ㎍/100 g, 78.965 ㎍/100 g, and 165.521 ㎍/100 g, respectively. These results showed that LC-MS/MS analysis would be effective in producing acceptable sensitivity, accuracy, and precision in five lignan analyses.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.165-169
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• 2002

We have previously demonstrated that phytoestrogens isolated from safflower seeds significantly attenuated bone loss in ovariectomized rats, and directly stimulated proliferation and differentiation of cultured osteoblastic cells. In an attempt to elucidate underlying cellular mechanisms, in the present study we investigated effects of $17{\beta}-estradiol\;(E_2)$ and phytoestrogens such as matairesinol and acacetin, a type of lignan and flavonoid, respectively, on activation of mitogen activated protein (MAP) kinases, extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 (ERK1) and ERK2, in cultured osteoblastic ROS 17/2.8 cells. Western blot analysis with anti-MAP kinase antibody showed that a wide range concentrations $(10^{-14}\;to\;10^{-6}\;M)\;of\;E_2$ as well as both phytoestrogens induced rapid and transient activation of ERK1/2 through phosphorylation within minutes. Maximum activation of MAP kinases by $E_2$ and phytoestrogens were observed at 10 and 15 min, respectively. $E_2-induced$ phosphorylation of ERK1/2 returned to the control level at 30 min, whereas phytoestrogen-induced phosphorylation was maintained at high level until 30 min. PD-98059, a highly selective inhibitor of MAP kinase, prevented phosphorylation of ERK1/2 in the cells treated either with $E_2$ or phytoestrogens. To examine a possible involvement of estrogen receptor in the activation process of MAP kinase, Western blot analysis was performed in the presence and absence of the estrogen receptor antagonists, ICI 182,780 and tamoxifen. These antagonists blocked MAP kinase phosphorylation induced not only by $E_2,$ but also by the phytoestrogens. To the best our knowledge, this study is the first to demonstrate that phytoestrogens such as flavonoid and lignan extracted from safflower seeds produce a rapid activation of MAP kinase, at least partially via membrane estrogen receptor of the cultured osteoblastic cells.