• Title/Summary/Keyword: Picrorrhiza Rhizoma

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Effects of Picrorrhiza Rhizoma on Acute Inflammation in Mice

  • Lee, Hyeung-Sik;Ku, Sae-Kwang
    • Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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    • v.16 no.2
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    • pp.137-140
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    • 2008
  • The effects of Picrorrhiza Rhizoma (PR) aqueous extracts were observed on xylene-induced acute inflammation. The xylene was topically applied 60 min after administration of 500, 250 and 125 mg/kg of PR extracts, and all animals were sacrificed 2 hrs after xylene application. The changes on ear weights, histolopathological analyses of ear were evaluated as compared with indomethacin and dexamethasone 15 mg/kg treated groups - well known anti-inflammatory agents. Xylene application resulted in marked increases in induced ear weights as compared with intact control ear. Severe vasodilation, edematous changes of ear skin and increase in the thickness of the ear tissues as acute inflammation were detected in xylene-treated control ears at histopathological observation. However, these xylene-induced acute inflammatory changes were dosedependently decreased by oral treatment of PR extracts. Therefore, it is concluded that PR extracts has favorable anti-inflammatory effects on xylene-applicated acute ear inflamed mice.

Micronucleus Test of Picrorrhiza Rhizoma Aqueous Extract in Bone Marrow Cells of Male ICR Mice

  • Chung, In-Kwon;Cheon, Woo-Hyun;Ku, Sae-Kwang
    • Toxicological Research
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    • v.27 no.2
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    • pp.119-123
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    • 2011
  • In this research, the genotoxic effect of Picrorrhiza Rhizoma (PR) aqueous extract was evaluated using the mouse micronucleus test. PR extract was administered once a day for 2 continuous days by oral gavage to male ICR mice at doses of 2000, 1000 and 500 mg/kg. Cyclophosphamide was used as a known genotoxic agent in a positive control. The appearance of a micronucleus (MN) in polychromatic erythrocyte (PCE) is used as an index for genotoxic potential, and PCE ratio is used as an index of cytotoxicity. Although significant (p < 0.01) increase of the number of PCE with one or more nuclei (MNPCE) was detected in cyclophosphamide treated groups, no significant increases of MNPCE numbers were observed in all three different dosages of PR extracts treated mice with over 0.39 of the individual polychromatic erythrocyte ratio in all mice used in this study. The results obtained indicated that PR extract shows no genotoxicity effects up to 2000 mg/kg dosing levels.

Single Oral Dose Toxicity Study of Water Extracts of Picrorrhiza Rhizoma In ICR Mice

  • Lee Hyeung-Sik;Lee Ik-Gu;Ku Sae-Kwang
    • Toxicological Research
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    • v.22 no.2
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    • pp.117-126
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    • 2006
  • This study was conducted to obtain the acute information of the oral dose toxicity of lyophilized water extract of Picrorrhiza Rhizoma (PR) - dried underground stem of Picrorrhiza kurroa, having various pharmacological effects, in male and female mice. In order to calculate 50% lethal dose ($LD_{50}$), approximate lethal dose and target organs, test article was administered once by oral gavage to male and female ICR mice at 2000, 1000, 500 and 250 mg/kg. The mortality and changes on body weight, clinical signs and gross observation were monitored during 14 days after dosing with organ weight and histopathology of 12 types of principle organs. As the results, we could not find any mortality, clinical signs, changes in the body weight and gross findings except for hair loss, a significantly (p<0.05) increase of body weight gains in 2000mg/kg of PR extracts-dosing male group and some sporadic gross findings. In addition, no meaningful changes on the organ weight and histopathology of 12 types of principle organs were detected in the present study except for significantly (p<0.05) but dose independent changes on thymus, spleen and popliteal lymph nodes weights, and some sporadic accidental histopathological findings. The results obtained in this study suggest that the PR extract is non-toxic in mice and is therefore likely to be safe for clinical use. The $LD_{50}$ and approximate lethal dose of PR extracts in both female and male mice were considered as over 2000 mg/kg.

Effect of Picrorrhiza Rhizoma on Dinitrofluorobenzene-induced Contact Dermatitis (Type I allergy)

  • Park, Ji-Ha;Lee, Sang-Nam;Ku, Sae-Kwang
    • 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.

Hypolipidemic and Hepatoprotecitive Effects of Picrorrhiza Rhizoma in High Fat Diet Supplied Mice. A Pevention Sudy.

  • Lee, Hyeung-Sik;Woo, Sung-Jung;Ku, Sae-Kwang
    • Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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    • v.16 no.1
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    • pp.46-53
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    • 2008
  • The preventive hypolipidemic effect of the aqueous extracts of Picrorrhiza Rhizoma (PR) was observed in a high fat diet (HFD) feeding hyperlipidemic mouse with their hepatoprotective effects. PR extracts (50, 100 and 200mg/kg) were orally dosed once a day for 12 weeks initiated with HFD supply, and changes on body weight and gains, liver weight, serum aspartate transferase (AST) and alanine transferase (ALT) levels were monitored with serum low density lipoprotein (LDL), high density lipoprotein (HDL), triglyceride and total cholesterol levels. The efficacy of test articles was compared to that of 10mg/kg of simvastatin (SIMVA). Dramatic decrease of both absolute and relative liver weight was dose-dependently observed in all PR extract dosing groups as compared with HFD control group. The serum AST and ALT levels were dose-dependently decreased in PR extract dosing groups. The serum LDL, triglyceride and total cholesterol levels were dose-dependently decreased in PR extract dosing groups compared to that of HFD control group. The serum HDL levels were slightly but dose-dependently increased in PR extract dosing groups as compared with control group. The efficacy on the serum lipid levels of PR extracts was slighter than that of SIMVA. Based on these results, it is concluded that water extract of PR has a relatively good favorable preventive effects on the HFD inducing hyperlipidemia and hepatopathy.