• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.12-23
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• 2021

Objectives : This study is to investigate the anti-aging and antioxidant effects of Naesohwangryeon-tang(NSHRT) extract in Hs68 fibroblasts. Methods : The fibroblast cell line Hs68 cells were used and MTT analysis was performed to measure the cell viability of Naesohwangryeon-tang, and then MMP-1 was induced with the cytokine TNF-𝛼 to confirm the anti-aging effect through real-time PCR and ELISA. In addition, ROS was induced with the TNF-𝛼 to confirm the anti-oxidant effect through DCF-DA. The signaling pathway according to the antioxidant effect was performed by western blot. Results : Naesohwangryeon-tang did not show cytotoxicity at all concentrations(100-800㎍/㎖) treated on Hs68 cells, and the inhibitory effect of MMP-1 was also confirmed. In addition, it was confirmed that the intracellular ROS increased by TNF-α was decreased by Naesohwangryeon-tang, and it was confirmed that the expression of NQO1 was increased in a concentration-dependent manner of Naesohwangryeon-tang. Conclusions : These results suggest that Naesohwangryeon-tang can be used as an anti-aging material by demonstrating the anti-aging and antioxidant effects of Naesohwangryeon-tang.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.56-62
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• 2003

The liver progenitor cells could form a potential target cell population fore both tumor-initiating and -promoting chemicals. Induction of drug-metabolizing and antioxidant enzymes, including AhR-dependent CYP1A1, NQO-1 and AKR1C9, was detected in the rat liver epithelial WB-F344 "stem-like" cells. Additionally, WB-F344 cells express a functional, wild-type form of p53 protein, a biomarker of genotoxic events, and connexin 43, a basic structural unit of gap junctions forming an important type of intercellular communication. In this cellular model, two complementary assays have been established for detection of the modes of action associated with tumor promotion: inhibition of gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC) and proliferative activity in confluent cells. We found that the PAHs and PCBs, which are AhR agonists, released WB-F344 cells from contact inhibition, increasing both DNA synthesis and cell numbers. Genotoxic effects of some PAHs that lead to apoptosis and cell cycle delay might interfere with the proliferative activity of PAHs. Contrary to that, the nongenotoxic low-molecular-weight PAHs and non-dioxin-like PCB congeners, abundant in the environment, did not significantly affect cell cycle and cell proliferation; however both groups of compounds inhibited GJIC in WB-F344 cells. The release from contact inhibiton by a mechanism that possibly involves the AhR activation, inhibition of GJIC and genotoxic events induced by environmental contaminants are three important modes of action that could play an important role in carcinogenic effects of toxic compounds. The relative potencies to inhibit GJIC, to induce AhR-mediated activity, and to release cells from contact inhibition were determined for a large series of PAHs and PCBs and their metabolites. In vitro bioassays based on detection of events on cellular level (deregulation of GJIC and/or proliferation) or determination of receptor-mediated activities in both ?$stem-like^{\circ}{\times}$ and hepatocyte-like liver cellular models are valuable tools for detection of modes of action of polyaromatic hydrocarbons. They may serve, together with concentration data, as a first step in their risk assessment.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.1-16
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• 2024

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of Goryeon-hwan (GRH), which is mentioned in ≪Donguibogam≫ that treats leukorrhea. Methods: In this study, the antioxidant efficacy of GRH was evaluated by measuring the total polyphenol and flavonoid content, DPPH radical scavenging activity, ABTS radical scavenging activity, and ROS production through RAW264.7 cells. The concentration of GRH cytotoxicity was confirmed through the cell viability of RAW264.7 cells, and the production of NO, the production of Cytokine through ELISA assay, and the expression of genes through Real-time PCR were measured to evaluate anti-inflammatory efficacy. Protein phosphorylation and protein expression were measured through Western blot analysis. Results: As a result of the experiment, GRH contained polyphenol and flavonoid, and concentration-dependent increased DPPH radical scavenging activity and ABTS radical scavenging activity and decreased ROS production. The anti-inflammatory efficacy measurement results showed a significant decrease in NO and Cytokine production in the GRH administration group compared to the control group. In terms of gene expression and protein expression, there was a significant decrease in iNOS, COX-2, IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α depending on the concentration, and a significant increase in HO-1 and NQO1. Protein phosphorylation measurements showed a concentration-dependent significant decrease in the GRH group at ERK and p38. Conclusions: As a result, the study experimentally confirmed the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of GRH, suggesting that it may be used as a treatment for various gynecological inflammatory diseases including vaginitis.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.938-945
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• 2011

Epimedium koreanum Nakai is a wild herb commonly consumed in South Korea due to its beneficial health effects. In the present study, the antimutagenic and immunoactivities of extracts from E. koreanum Nakai containing different icariin quantities were investigated for food use. In the Ames test, both the water and ethanol extracts were found not to have a mutagenic effect on Salmonella typhimurium TA98 and TA100, respectively. The E. koreanum Nakai extracts showed over 80 and 90% antimutagenic effects on benzo(${\alpha}$)pyrene (B(a)P) in S. typhimurium TA98 and TA100, respectively. Moreover, all the extracts showed over 70% antimutagenicity on S. typhimurium TA98 and TA100 against 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide (4NQO). The E. koreanum Nakai extract with ethanol showed strong antimutagenic activity, higher than that of the water extract and the sequenced KE9412, KE9408, and KE9405. In the immunomodulating activity test, the effect of E. koreanum Nakai on the B (Rhamos) and T (Jukat) cells were investigated. The immunoactivity results showed that the growth and viability of the B and T cells increased and were activated more in KE9405 (1.8 times), KE9408 (1.6 times), and KE9412 (1.32 times) in the water extracts, and least in KE9412 (1.74 times), KE9408 (1.52 times), and KE9405 (1.4 times) in the ethanol extracts. In the case of both the water and ethanol extracts ($500{\mu}g/mL$) from E. koreanum Nakai, the highest cell number of the human B (Rhamos) and T (Jukat) cells was observed on day 4 in KE9405 and KE9412, and on day 5 in KE9408. Based on the obtained results, the development of E. koreanum Nakai as a food material is recommended.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.563-570
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• 2007

This study was performed to observe the antioxidative effects, antimutagenic capacity, and cytotoxic activity of the 70% ethanol extract, and fractions, of Agaricus blazei Murill mycelium, using DPPH free radical scavenging ability, the Ames test, and SRB assay, respectively. Among the fractions, ethyl acetate showed the most effective antioxidative capacity according to the $RC_{50}$(73.6 $\mu$g/mL) of the scavenging effect on the DPPH radical. The inhibition rate of both the aqueous fraction and 70% ethanol extract(200 $\mu$g/plate) toward the Salmonella typhimurium TA100 strain was 94.6%, and it was 89.4% against the mutagenesis induced by MNNG(0.4 $\mu$g/plate). In addition, an identical concentration of the 70% ethanol extract in the TA98 strain, and the ethyl acetate fraction in the TA100 strain, showed inhibition rates of 80.3% and 76.9%, respectively, the highest activities against the mutagenesis induced by 4NQO(0.15 $\mu$g/plate). The cytotoxic effects of the 70% ethanol extract and its fractions increased with increasing sample concentration against human cervical adenocarcinoma(HeLa), human hepatocellular carcinoma(Hep3B), human breast adenocarcinoma(MCF-7), human stomach adenocarcinoma(AGS), and human lung carcinoma (A549). A 1 mg/mL concentration of the ethyl acetate fraction showed cytotoxicities of 77%, 83.8%, 82.1%, 83.1%, and 92.6% against HeLa, Hep3B, MCF-7, AGS and A549, respectively.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.291-297
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• 2000

This study was conducted to find out the environmental factors affecting the differences in the half-life of the insecticide cyfluthrin in soil between field and laboratory tests carried out in 1998. Degradation and leaching of cyfluthrin in soil were examined under various environmental conditions that were considered to affect the residuality. Cyfluthrin was degraded 1.9 times faster in non-sterilized soil than in sterilized soil and 1.2 times at $25^{\circ}C$ than at $15^{\circ}C$. The half-lives of cyfluthrin were 61.4 days under the dark condition and 4.5 days under sunlight, and those were 11.8 days under the open condition and 23.8 days under the closed condition. The half-lives of the authentic compound and the commercial product of cyfluthrin were 15 and 1 day in the field test and 26 and 3 days in the laboratory test, respectively. Cyfluthrin was rapidly degraded with an increase in soil moisture content and decomposed faster in the alkaline solution of pH 12 than in the acidic solution of pH 3, but the half-life of cyfluthrin did not make any difference between pH 6.4 of the field test soil and pH 5.6 of the laboratory test soil. Cyfluthrin was immobile in soil from the results that $81{\sim}94%$ of the initial amount remained in the $0{\sim}2\;cm$ layer of the soil column regardless of the amount and time of rainfall after the chemical treatments. From viewing the abovementioned results, soil moisture content, sunlight and formulation type affected greatly soil microbes and volatilization affected slightly, and temperature, pH and rainfall did not affect the big difference in the half-life of cyfluthrin in soil between the field and laboratory tests in the year of 1998.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.745-751
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• 2013

Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) seeds have been used in Korea and China for promoting bone formation and protection. This study was designed to examine the Nrf-2 mediated anti-oxidative effects of Korean and Chinese safflower seeds. Water and ethanol extracts of safflower seeds were treated to RAW 264.7 cells. Nrf-2 transcriptional activity was measured by reporter gene assay and western blot analysis. Semi-quantitive RT-PCR analysis was adopted to measure Nrf-2 dependent gene expressions. Water extracts of safflower seeds have strongly induced the activation of Nrf-2 transcription than ethanol extracts. Especially, water extracts of Korean safflower seeds has more strongly increased the expression of nuclear Nrf-2. Water extracts of Korea and China safflower seeds have also increased the expression of Nrf-2-dependent genes such as GCLC, NQO-1 and HO-1 in RAW 264.7 cells. However, all kinds of safflower seeds extracts did not increase intracellular ROS production. These results demonstrate that the antioxidant effects of safflower seeds are not related with ROS production, rather it is mediated by the direct activation of Nrf-2.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.396-401
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• 2015

Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is an important redox-sensitive transcription factor that regulates the expression of several cytoprotective genes. More recently, genetic analyses of human tumors have indicated that Nrf2 may cause resistance to chemotherapy. In this study, we found that the expression levels of Nrf2 and its target genes GCLC, HO-1, NQO1 were significantly higher in cisplatin-resistant A549 (A549/CDDP) cells than those in A549 cells, and this resistance was partially reversed by Nrf2 siRNA. 3,4,5,5,7-Pentamethoxyflavone (PMF), a natural flavon extracted from Rutaceae plants, sensitized A549/CDDP to CDDP and substantially induced apoptosis compared with that of CDDP alone treated group, and this reversal effect decreased when Nrf2 was downregulated by siRNA. Mechanistically, PMF reduced Nrf2 expression leading to a reduction of Nrf2 downstream genes, and in contrast, this effect was decreased by blocking Nrf2 with siRNA. Taken together, these results demonstrated that PMF could be used as an effective adjuvant sensitizer to increase the efficacy of chemotherapeutic drugs by downregulating Nrf2 signaling pathway.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.283-293
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• 2023

Objectives : Native to East Asia, Japan, and Korea, Cinnamomum japonicum Siebold (CJ) is renowned for its aromatic leaves and bark. We previously assessed the antioxidant activity of fractionated CJ branches (CJB:70% EtOH extract), including hexane (CJB1), chloroform (CJB2), ethyl acetate (CJB3), butanol (CJB4), and water (CJB5). Our findings revealed that CJB3 exhibited the highest antioxidant activity. Here, we aimed to investigate whether CJB3 possesses cytoprotective effects and induces the activity of antioxidant enzymes in hepatocytes. Methods : As HepG2 cells were the first to exhibit the key characteristics of hepatocytes, we investigated the hepatoprotective effects of CJB3 on HepG2 cells. Results : Before conducting the cell experiment, we checked that CJB3, up to a concentration of 100 ㎍/mL, did not exhibit cytotoxicity toward HepG2 cells. ROS production increased because of t-BHP treatment decreased in a concentration-dependent manner upon CJB3 treatment. We confirmed that CJB3 inhibited t-BHP-induced cell death. CJB3 was found to reverse the expression of proteins associated with t-BHP-induced apoptosis. We also observed that CJB3 induced Nrf2 phosphorylation and the nuclear translocation of Nrf2. And, CJB3 treatment caused a time-dependent enhancement of GCL and NQO1 protein expression. We further confirmed that CJB3 increased the expression of Nrf2 target genes, and this effect was associated with the activation of JNK, p38, and AMPK. Conclusion : CJB3 prevents t-BHP-induced oxidative stress and apoptosis and enhances the expression of Nrf2 target genes via JNK, p38, and AMPK activation. These results suggest that CJB3 is a promising candidate for the treatment of liver diseases.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.924-930
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• 2002

Ixeris dentata extracts exllibited antimicrobial activity against some bacteria and fungi. Also EtOH extracts showed strong antioxidant activity and RC$_{50}$ value was 28 $\mu\textrm{g}$/mL. The inhibitory effect of Ixeris dentata on the mutagenicity in Salmonella and cytotoxicity on cancer cell were studied. Ixeris dentata extracts showed anti-mutagenic effects of 78.83 and 75.96% on B(a)P in S. typhimurium TA98 and Th100, respectively. These extracts showed 78.72% antimutagenicity on TA100 against MNNG. The Ixeris dentata extract with strong antimutagenic activities was further fractionated by hexane, ethyl acetate, butanol and water. Butanol fraction was found to be highest in antimutagenic activity against MNNG than the other fractions. Butanol fraction of Ixreis dentate revealed the highest cytotoxicity against AS49 human lung carcinoma cells in which cell growth was inhibited by 93.75% at 375 $\mu\textrm{g}$/mL. Hexane fraction of ixeris dentate exhibited 68.56% inhibition against MCF-7 human breast adenocarcinoma cells at 500 $\mu\textrm{g}$/mL. Hexane fraction of Ixeris dentata exhibited 84.91% inhibition against Hep 3B human hepatocellular carcinoma cells at 500 $\mu\textrm{g}$/mL. From these results, it is considered that Ixeris dentata has strong antimutagenic and anticancer effects in vitro. However, these extracts and fractions did not show any cytotoxic effect against 293 cells.