• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.1856-1859
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• 2004

The diterpene acid (1) was tested for its growth inhibitory effects against tumor cell lines using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Full assignments of the 1D/2D-NMR data of the compound (1) are reported. These results suggest that the diterpene acid (1) possessed a cytotoxic agent.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.32 no.3 s.126
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• pp.226-232
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• 2001

To explore the possible cancer therapeutic application of "Bo-yang-hwan-oh-tang" (BH), a herbal medicinal recipe used for improvement of blood stasis, we have examined its direct cytotoxicity against tumor cell, and induction of cytotoxic activity of lymphocytes. Water extract of BH alone did not exhibit direct cytotoxicity to Yac-1 target cells even with high concentrations (10 mg/ml). By exposure for 3 days, BH did not induce any nonspecific cytotoxic activity of mouse spleen cells, either, when assessed in a 4 hr $^{51}Cr-release$ assay. However, when BH was added during CD3 stimulation of non-adherent spleen cells, non-specific CTL activity was markedly promoted in a dose dependent manner. In contrast, BH did not alter activated NK cell activity following IL-2 stimulation. These data suggest that BH does not induce but upregulates non-specific CTL effecter function and that activated NK cell does not respond to BH. For elucidation of the mechanism underlying this function of BH, time kinetic study for IL-2 production using ELISA was undertaken. IL-2 production following CD3 stimulation was significantly augmented and higher level of IL-2 is sustained over 3 days in the culture medium by BH treatment. Moreover, addition of exogenous IL-2 during CD3 stimulation resulted in a similar level of cytotoxicity between control and BH-treated culture. These data indicate that the BH-mediated upregulation of non-specific CTL activity is contributed by augmentation of IL-2 production. Our data imply the possible application of BH for combination therapy of cancer with non-specific activator.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.187-190
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• 1985

A cytotoxic coumarin against L1210 cell was isolated from the unripe fruit of Poncirus trifoliata ($ED_{5}$) = 10.2 $\mu$ g/ml. Its structure was identified as aurapten, 7-geranyloxycoumarin. Hydrolysis of the substance gave umbelliferone and geraniol. Only geraniol showed the cytotoxic activity ($ED_{53}$ = 6.5 $\mu$g/ml) while umbelliferone and its methyl or allyl derivatives were not active.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.27 no.12
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• pp.1211-1215
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• 2004

Ten coumarins were isolated from the root of Angelica dahurica by repeated silica gel column chromatography. Their chemical structures were elucidated on the basic of physicochemical and spectroscopic data. Among them, oxypeucedanin hydrate acetonide (7) was isolated for the first time from this plant. Cytotoxicity of coumarins isolated were determined in vitro against L1210, HL-60, K562, and B16F10 tumor cell lines by MTT method. Pangelin (5) and oxypeucedanin hydrate acetonide (7) showed a potent cytotoxic activity with the $IC_{50}$ values of 8.6 to 14.6 ${\mu}g$ /mL against four kinds of tumor cell lines. Other compounds showed the moderate cytotoxic activity or no activity against the tumor cell lines.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.115-120
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• 2022

Ten compounds, consisting of neoflavonoids (1-5), isoflavonoids (6 and 7), flavanone (8), and chalcones (9 and 10) were isolated from the ethyl acetate and n-butanol-soluble fractions of the heartwood of Dalbergia melanoxylon. The chemical structures were identified on the basis of spectroscopic evidence and compared to previously reported spectra. Compounds 1-10 were evaluated for cytotoxicity against HCT116 human colorectal cancer, MDA-MB-231 human metastatic breast cancer, and A2058 human melanoma cell lines. Among them, compounds 3 and 10 showed the strongest cytotoxic activity with IC₅₀ values of 11.92±1.07 μM, 10.83±1.02 μM, and 14.37±1.02 μM, 13.62±1.09 μM against HCT116 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines, respectively. Compounds 9 and 10 also had cytotoxic activity with IC₅₀ values of 13.49±1.18 μM and 9.82±0.91 μM against A2058 cell lines, respectively. To the best our knowledge, compounds 2 and 5-10 were isolated from this source for the first time.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.38 no.7
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• pp.630-637
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• 2015

Morus alba root extract (MARE) has been used to treat hyperglycaemic conditions in oriental medicine. Here, we studied whether MARE possesses a cytotoxic effect on neuroblastoma. To check the cytotoxicity generated by MARE was whether relatively higher against the cancer cells rather than normal cells, we chose a neuroblastoma cell line (B103) and a normal cell line (Rat-2). A CCK assay revealed that MARE ($10{\mu}g/ml$) reduced cell viability to approximately 60% compared to an untreated control in B103 cells. But in Rat-2 cells, MARE induced relatively lower cytotoxicity. To investigate the mechanisms underlying the cytotoxic effect of MARE, we used flow cytometry combined with immunoblot analyses. We found that MARE-treatment could accumulate ROS and depolarize mitochondria membrane potential of B103 cells. Further treatment with MARE in B103 cells also could damage DNA and induce apoptosis. An expression study of p-Akt also suggested that there was a reduction in cellular proliferation and transcription along with the process of apoptosis, which was further evidenced by an increase in Bax and cleaved-caspase 3 activity. Together, our findings suggest that MARE produces more cytotoxicity in cancer cells while having a relatively attenuated effect on normal cells. As such, MARE may be a safer option in cancer therapeutics, and it also shows potential for the patients with symptoms of hyperglycemia and cancer.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.121-127
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• 2000

Cannabigerol (1, CBG), methyl 4-[(2E)-3,7-dimethyl-2,6-octad ienyl)oxy]-3-methoxybenzoate (2, DTM), 5-fluorouracil (3, FU) as a reference, and cannabidiol (4, CBD) were tested for their growth inhibitory effects against KB(ATCC NO, OCL 17) cell lines using two different assays, the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazoliumbromide (MTT) assay and the sulforhod-amine B protein (SRB) assay. These compounds showed inhibitory activity in vitro in the micromolar range against KB cell lines. In general, the antitumor activities of these compounds (1, 2, 3 and 4) were dose-dependent over the micromolar concentration range of 1 to 100 M. The comparison of $IC_{50}$ values of these compounds in tumor cell lines showed that their susceptibility to these compounds decreases in the following order: DTM > CBD > 5-FU > CBG by MTT assay and DTM = CBD > 5-FU > CBG by SRB assay. CBG 1, DTM 2, 5-FU 3, and CBD 4 were tested for their cytotoxic effects on NIH 3T3 fibroblasts using two different assays, the MTT assay and SRB assay. These compounds exhibited potent cytotoxic activities in vitro in the micromolar range against NIH 3T3 fibroblasts. In general, the cytotoxic acivities of these compounds (1, 2, 3 and 4) were dose-dependent over the micromolar concentraion range of 1 to 100 M. The comparison of $CD_{50}$ values of these compounds in NIH 3T3 fibroblasts shows that their susceptibility to these compounds in decreases the following order(:) CBD > 5-FU > DTM > CBG by MTT assay, CBD > 5-FU > CBG > DTM by SRB assay. These results suggest that DTM 2 has the most growth-inhibitory activity against KB cell lines.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2016

Phytochemical investigation of the twigs of Corylopsis coreana afforded 10 phenolic compounds, bergenin (1), 6'-O-galloylbergenin (2), 3'-O-galloylbergenin (3), (-)-catechin (4), (-)-epicatechin (5), (-)-epicatechin-3-O-galloyl ester (6), 4-methoxy-3,-5-dihydroxybenzoic acid (7), gallic acid (8), 2,4,6-trimethoxyphenol-1-O-${\beta}-\small{D}$-glucopyranoside (9), and 2,4,6-trimethoxyphenol-1-O-${\beta}-\small{D}$-(6-O-galloyl)-glucopyranoside (10). Their structures were characterized by spectroscopic data and identified by comparing these data with those in the literatures. The compounds 3, 9 and 10 were isolated for the first time from this source. All the isolates (1-10) were tested for their cytotoxic activity against A549, SK-OV-3, SK-MEL-2, and HCT15 cell lines in vitro using the SRB bioassay. The compounds 5, 7 and 8 exhibited selective cytotoxic activity against SK-MEL-2 cell line.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.53-62
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• 2020

Natural killer (NK) cells are innate lymphocytes that play an essential role in preventing cancer development by performing immune surveillance to eradicate abnormal cells. Since ex vivo expanded NK cells have cytotoxic activity against various cancers, including breast cancers, their clinical potential as immune-oncogenic therapeutics has been widely investigated. Here, we report that the pyrazole chemical XRP44X, an inhibitor of Ras/ERK activation of ELK3, stimulates NK-92MI cells to enhance cytotoxic activity against breast cancer cells. Under XRP44X stimulation, NK cells did not show notable apoptosis or impaired cell cycle progression. We demonstrated that XRP44X enhanced interferon gamma expression in NK-92MI cells. We also elucidated that potentiation of the cytotoxic activity of NK-92MI cells by XRP44X is induced by activation of the c-JUN N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling pathway. Our data provide insight into the evaluation of XRP44X as an immune stimulant and that XRP44X is a potential candidate compound for the therapeutic development of NK cells.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.390-395
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• 2022

Objectives: Sweet bee venom (sBV) is purified from Apis mellifera, containing a high level of melittin-its main component. It has been used as a therapeutic agent for pain relief and anti-inflammation, as well as for treating neuronal abnormalities. Recently, there have been studies on the therapeutic application of sBV for anticancer treatment. In the present study, we investigated the pharmacological effect of sBV treatment in A549 human lung cancer cells. Methods: We used microscopic analysis to observe the morphological changes in A549 cells after sBV treatment. The MTT assay was used to examine the cytotoxic effect after dose-dependent sBV treatment. Molecular changes in sBV were evaluated by the expression of apoptosis marker proteins using western blot analysis. Results: Microscopic analysis suggested that the growth inhibitory effect occurred in a dose-dependent manner; however, cell lysis occurred at a concentration over 20 ㎍/mL of sBV. The MTT assay indicated that sBV treatment exhibited a growth inhibitory effect at a concentration over 5 ㎍/mL. On fluorescence activated cell sorting analysis, G0 dead cells were observed after G1 arrest at treatment concentrations up to 10 ㎍/mL. However, rapid cell rupture was observed at a concentration of 20 ㎍/mL. Western blot analysis demonstrated that sBV treatment modulated the expression of multiple cell death-related proteins, including cleaved-PARP, cleaved-caspase 9, p53, Bcl2, and Bax. Conclusion: sBV induced cell death in A549 human lung cancer cells at a pharmacological concentration, albeit causing hemolytic cell death at a high concentration.