• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.50-55
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• 2012

To evaluate the ability of Dongchongxiacao ($Paecilomyces$ $japonica$) extract (PJE) to protect the skin from photodamage, the gross and microscopic changes in the skin of hairless mice and PJE-treated mice exposed chronically to ultraviolet (UV) were examined. The skin of the UV-irradiated mice showed characteristic signs of photoaging, such as deep wrinkles across the back. PJE-treated mice showed a significantly decreased wrinkling score. By the 22nd week, 88.9% (i.p. with saline) or 44.4% (topical administration with cream base) of the UV-irradiated mice developed at least one tumor. PJE delayed tumor onset significantly. PJE (i.p.) was also effective in reducing the occurrence of UV radiation-induced skin tumors and reduced the number of tumors per mouse. After 22 weeks of treatment, 80.0% (i.p.) and 75.0% (topical) of the mice treated with PJE were tumor-free. Tumor multiplicity was reduced by 96.2% (i.p.) in the PJE treated groups. It is noted that skin that is chronically exposed to UV is subject to photoaging and photocarcinogenesis and regular use of PJE would prevent these photodamaging effects of UV.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.486-497
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• 2015

Objectives Hataedock is an orally administered herbal extract treatment for newborn babies that dispels toxic heat and meconium gathered by the fetus. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether Hataedock alleviates inflammatory skin damage in AD (Atopic Dermatitis)-induced NC/Nga mice through regulating and maintaining the skin barrier and anti-inflammation effects.Methods We established an AD model in three-week-old NC/Nga mice through the repeated application of DNFB (dinitrochlorobenzene) on days 28, 35, and 42 after Hataedock treatment was orally administered. We identified changes in the skin barrier and anti-inflammation effects through the histological and immunohistochemical changes of TNF- α, NF-κB p65, iNOS, COX-2, and apoptotic bodies.Results Skin damage and angiogenesis were mitigated in the HT (Hataedock) group. Damage to the intercellular space of the stratum corneum as well as hyperplasia, edema, the infiltration of lymphocytes, and the increase of capillaries decreased in the HT group. Our results suggest that Hataedock treatment significantly down-regulated levels of TNF- α by 38% (p<0.001) and of NF-κB p65 by 70% (p<0.001). But Hataedock up-regulated apoptosis by 183% in dermatitis-induced skin.Conclusions These results suggest that Hataedock alleviates AD through diminishing the various inflammatory cytokines in skin lesions that are involved in the initial steps of AD development. It might have potential applications for the prevention and treatment of atopic dermatitis.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.224-228
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• 2001

DA-5018, a recently synthesized capsaicin analog, appears to possess potent analgesic activity when administered topically. The objective of this study is to test the feasibility of the topical administration of this compound. Specifically, our goal was to identify vehicle system that permit a reasonable transdermal permeation of the compound in mice. Among the vehicles examined, isopropyl myristate (IPM) showed the largest in vitro permeability across the intact skin (83.6 ${\pm}$ 5.42${\mu}$l/$\textrm{cm}^2$/h ). However, due to the limited solubility of DA-5018 in IPM (0.53 mg/ml), the maximal flux from the IPM medium remained at only 44.3 ${\pm}2.87{\mu}$g/$\textrm{cm}^2$/hr. In order to increase the flux, addition of better solvents for DA-5018 was attempted, under the assumption that flux is the result of both solubility and permeability. Ethoxydiglycol (EG) and oleic acid (OA) were selected as examples of food solvents. The addition of IC or OA to IPM at a 1:1 volume ratio resulted in a comparable increase in the solubility of the compound (i.e., to 61.1 and 50.2 mg/ml for EG and OA, respectively). However, the addition of EG at a 1:1 volume ratio, for example, increased the flux 6.3 fold (i.e., $279{\mu}$g/$\textrm{cm}^2$/hr), while OA, at a 1:1 volume ratio, decreased the flux 5 fold (i.e., $9.26{\mu}$g/$\textrm{cm}^2$//hr). The mechanism of this discrepancy between EG and OA was investigated by measuring the permeabilty of DA-5018 across the stratum corneum-removed skin of the mouse, under the hypothesis that the viable skin layer may serve as a barrier for the permeation of lipophilic substances such as DA 5018. The permeability of DA-5018, from the medium of EG or OA, across the viable skin differed greatly for EG ($0.41{\mu}$l/$\textrm{cm}^2$/hr) and OA ($0.086{\mu}$l/$\textrm{cm}^2$/hr), suggesting that a higher permeability across the viable skin layer is needed for the second solvents. The maximum flux across the intact skin was achieved for DA-5018 when EG was added to IPM at a 1:1 volume ratio. Thus, the use of a binary system appears to be the best approach for realizing the transdermal delivery of DA-5018 at a reasonable rate.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.136-144
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• 2014

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of Platycarya strobilacea S. et Z. (PSE) extract on mouse hair growth and to determine the mechanism of action of PSE. PSE was purchased and its antioxidant activities, such as electron donating ability, total polyphenol content, and flavonoid content were tested. Toxicity during topical treatment was determined by the CCK-8 assay, a cell viability test. Fifteen 4-week-old male C57BL/6 mice were assigned to receive one of three treatments: dimethyl sulfoxide (negative control), minoxidil (positive control) or PSE. Test materials were topically applied to the shaved dorsal skin of each mouse daily for 3 weeks. After 21 days, we observed skin tissue hair follicle morphology and length, mast cell number, and stem cell factor (SCF) expression using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E), toluidine blue, and immunohistochemical staining, respectively. Furthermore, the expression of cytokines involved in hair growth [i.e., insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1, keratinocyte growth factor (KGF), and transforming growth factor (TGF)-${\beta}1$] was determined by PCR. PSE was found to have very high antioxidant activity. The cell viability rate of PSE-treated mice was markedly higher than that of mice in the control group. We also observed an increase in hair follicle length, strong SCF staining, and a decrease in mast cell number in the PSE group. In addition, PSE-treated mice had higher IGF-1 and KGF expression and lower TGF-${\beta}1$ expression than mice in the minoxidil-treated group. These results suggest that topical application of PSE promotes hair growth by intensifying SCF, suppressing mast cell production, and increasing hair growth-promoting cytokine expression.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.335-342
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• 2017

While adipose-derived stem cell-conditioned medium (ADSC-CM) has been demonstrated to promote skin wound healing, the mechanism regulating this effect remains unelucidated. In this study, we aimed to investigate the role of Ell3 in the wound healing activity of ADSC-CM. In vitro analysis revealed that Ell3 suppression in ADSCs impairs the promotive activity of ADSC-CM on the proliferation and migration of mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEF) and normal human dermal fibroblasts (NHDF). Consistently, the expression of MMP family genes, which regulate cell proliferation and migration, was significantly suppressed in MEF and NHDF treated with siEll3-transfected ADSC-CM. Proinflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin-1 and interleukin-6, were highly expressed in MEF treated with siEll3-transfected ADSC-CM. The wound healing activity of siEll3-transfected ADSC-CM was significantly lower than that of the control in vivo. Our results suggest that Ell3 may contribute to the inhibition of inflammatory response during skin wound healing.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.155-165
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• 2006

Objectives : This study was conducted to carry out quantitative evaluation and safety of Bee Venom Acupuncture. Methods : Content analysis was done using HPLC, measurement of $LD_{50}$, and histological observations were made on the skin and muscles. Results : 1. According to HPLC analysis, each BVA-1 contained approximately $0.36{\mu}g$, and BVA-2 contained approximately $0.54{\mu}g$. But the volume of coating was so minute, slight difference exists between each needle. 2. LD50 of mouse with BVA-1 was 16 counts and this is equivalent to 640 needles/kg, making Bee Venom Acupuncture safe treatment apparatus. 3. Regardless of the number of needles, there was no sign of blood stasis or inflammation detected on the skin and muscle tissues. Conclusion : Above results indicate that the Bee Venom Acupuncture can complement shortcomings of syringe usage as a part of Oriental medicine treatment, but extensive researches should be done for further verification.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.237-242
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• 2008

The effect of Picrorrhiza Rhizoma (PR) aqueous extracts were evaluated on 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB)-induced contact dermatitis, type I allergic model. Contact dermatitis was induced by sensitization with dinitrophenyl-derivatized ovalbumin (DNP-OVA) and DNFB challenge as antigen. Three different concentrations of PR extracts (300,150 and 75mg/kg) were orally administered to DNP-OVA sensitization mice once a day for 7 days with reference materials; dexamethasone (15mg/kg, intraperitoneal treatment). End of 7 days oral administration of PR extracts or intraperitoneal treatment of dexamethasone, the changes on the edematous changes and scratching behavior were measured. Immediate after DNFB challenge on ear or paw of DNP-OVA sensitized mice, increases of ear and paw thicknesses and weights were detected with anterior ear skin (dermis to epidermis) thickness and paw scratching behavior increases. However, these DNFB-induced increases on ear and paw thicknesses, weights and scratching behaviors were decreased by treatment of all three different dosages of PR extracts and dexamethasone, respectively. In addition, the increases of anterior skin thicknesses were also dramatically inhibited by treatment of all three different dosages of PR extracts and dexamethasone at histopathological observations. The results obtained in this study suggest that oral treatment of PR extracts also has relatively favorable effects on allergic dermatitis.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.137-140
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• 1995

The pufferfish Takifugu obscurus (hwang-bok) was examined for toxicity. Forty-six specimens, which had Gaught at the Imjin River in 1992 and 1993, Korea, were collected and assayed for anatomical distribution of toxicity by the mouse assay method. Ovary and liver showed very strong toxicity, testis, intestine, gall bladder and spleen did moderate toxicity, muscles and skin did weak toxicity, and blood was non-toxic. The results of this study were different from those of Tani, who had examined the toxicity in 19 species of pufferfish, in terms of toxicity in testis, muscle, and skin. The toxicity of testis and muscle had been known to be non-toxic or weakly toxic previously, however, they were known to have weak or moderate toxicity. Therefore, careful attention should be taken to prevent food poisoning by pufferfish ingestion.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.271-277
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• 1997

Because omeprazole(OMP) is very unstable in aqueous condition, $OMP-{\beta}-CD$, the inclusion complex of OMP and ${\beta}-cyclodextrin({\beta}-CD)$ was made and physicochemical properties of it were compared with those of OMP. Skin permeability of OMP and $OMP-{\beta}-CD$ in propylene glycol vehicle and the reciprocal action of ${\beta}-CD$ with various enhancers were examined through hairless mouse. Adhesive patches were prepared with polyisobutylene and the skin permeability and stability of OMP were investigated. The inclusion complex showed higher solubility and lower partition coefficient than OMP itself. DMSO, 1-methyl 2-pyrrolidone and sodium cholate had an enhancing effect. However ethanol and polysorbate 80 hardly showed the enhancing effect of OMP. When sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium cholate as enhancer were added in patch, the former case showed higher permeability of OMP.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.165-171
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• 2005

Itraconazole is a triazole antifungal agent to inhibit most fungal pathogens. However, it is difficult for itraconazloe to be delivered by topical system due to its poor aqueous solubility. First, niosomes containing drug were prepared with span 60, cholesterol. tocopherol and poloxamer 407 as vesicle forming agents in an effort to increase solubility of itraconazole. And then prepared niosomes were dispersed in O/W creams (containing xanthan gum, glycerin, vaseline, glyceryl monostearate and $Cerix^{\circledR}-5$) or gels (containing xanthan gum and poloxamer 407). Both creams and gels were evaluated with respect to their rheological properties, in vitro permeation through excised skin of hairless mouse. Creams or gels containing niosome showed pseudoplastic flow and hysteresis loop. For both creams and gels, viscosity was increased with increasing the content of glycerine or vaseline and the content of gel forming polymer, respectively. In creams, the permeability of drug to skin was decreased with increasing the viscosity of cream. The permeability of drug was affected by pH as well as viscosity of gel. In vitro permeation test results demonstrated that cream formulations showed better permeability than gels. In conclusion, these results suggest that creams formulation containing niosome can be useful for the topical delivery of intraconazole.