• Food Science and Biotechnology
• /
• v.18 no.1
• /
• pp.218-222
• /
• 2009

Ability of water extract from Prunella vulgaris Labiatae to stimulate immune system and inhibit tumor metastasis in mice was assessed. In experimental lung metastasis, prophylactic intravenous (i.v.) administration of water extract from P. vulgaris significantly inhibited lung metastasis in a dose-dependant manner. Peritoneal macrophages stimulated with P. vulgaris produced various cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-$\alpha$ and interlukin (IL)-12 as well as induced tumoricidal activity. In an assay for natural killer (NK) cell activity, i.v. administration of P. vulgaris significantly augmented NK cytotoxicity. The depletion of NK cells by injection of rabbit anti-asialo GM1 serum abolished the inhibitory effect of P. vulgaris on lung metastasis of colon26-M3.1 cells. These data demonstrate that P. vulgaris activate innate immune system to inhibit the growth of foreign materials including tumor cells in mice.

• CELLMED
• /
• v.5 no.4
• /
• pp.27.1-27.6
• /
• 2015

Literatures and experimental studies have shown that Prunella has an effect on anti-hypertension, however, its components are complicated, so that it is still difficult to clear the specific roles of its various components in blood pressure regulation in. So we decide to systematically study the anti-hypertension mechanism of Prunella. We integrated multiple databases and constructed molecular interaction network between the chemical constituents of Prunella Vulgaris and hypertension based on entity grammar systems model. The network has 262 nodes and 802 edges. Then we infer the interactions between chemical compositions and disease targets to clarify the anti-hypertension mechanism. Finally, we found Prunella could influence hypertension by regulating apoptosis, cell proliferation, blood vessel development and vasoconstriction, etc. Thus this study provides reference for drug development and compatibility, and also gives guidance for health care at a certain extent.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.46 no.7
• /
• pp.352-357
• /
• 2013

Atherosclerosis, which manifests as acute coronary syndrome, stroke, and peripheral arterial diseases, is a chronic inflammatory disease of the arterial wall. Prunella vulgaris, a perennial herb with a worldwide distribution, has been used as a traditional medicine in inflammatory disease. Here, we investigated the effects of P. vulgaris ethanol extract on TNF-${\alpha}$-induced inflammatory responses in human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMCs). We found that P. vulgaris ethanol extract inhibited adhesion of monocyte/macrophage-like THP-1 cells to activated HASMCs. It also decreased expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, E-selectin and ROS, No production in TNF-${\alpha}$-induced HASMCs and reduced NF-${\kappa}B$ activation. Furthermore, P. vulgaris extract suppressed TNF-${\alpha}$-induced phosphorylation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK). These results demonstrate that P. vulgaris possesses anti-inflammatory properties and can regulate TNF-${\alpha}$-induced expression of adhesion molecules by inhibiting the p38 MAPK/ERK signaling pathway.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
• /
• v.56 no.1
• /
• pp.3.1-3.7
• /
• 2014

We examined the effects of Prunella vulgaris Labiatae (P. vulgaris L.) on specific and non-specific immune responses of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus. The optimal concentration without toxicity of P. vulgaris was determined to $30-40{\mu}g/ml$ in vitro and $120{\mu}g$/100 g of fish in vivo. P. vulgaris significantly elicited an antibody titer compared to FCA or ${\beta}$-glucan. ${\beta}$-glucan plus P. vulgaris group synergistically enhanced antibody production. No significant difference in antibody production was observed between P. vulgaris and P. vulgaris plus ${\beta}$-glucan group. A respiratory burst activity of head kidney (HK) leucocytes of tilapia administered with 300 or $500{\mu}g$ P. vulgaris was significantly (p < 0.05) enhanced compared with the PBS-injected control group and FCA-treated group. Maximum increase in the NBT reduction value was observed in $500{\mu}g$ P. vulgaris group but no significant difference was found between 300 and $500{\mu}g$ P. vulgaris group. The level of serum lysozyme activity was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in the 300 and $500{\mu}g$ P. vulgaris than $100{\mu}g$ P. vulgaris and FCA group. The phagocytic activities of HK leucocytes from tilapia administered with 300 and $500{\mu}g$ P. vulgaris were significantly (p < 0.05) higher than $100{\mu}g$ P. vulgaris and the control group. P. vulgaris was revealed with a good immunoadjuvant evoking the specific and non-specific immune responses of tilapia.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
• /
• v.22 no.1
• /
• pp.126-130
• /
• 2008

Water extract from Prunella vulgaris L. (PVW) was tested for colon cancer chemopreventive activity by measuring the activities of cytochrome P450 1A1, phase Ⅱ detoxification enzyme [quinone reductase (QR) and glutathione S-transferase (GST)] and ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) and glutathione (GSH) levels in cultured human colorectal adenocarcinoma HT-29 cells. PVW significantly inhibited 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA)-induced cytochrome P450 1A1 activity at 10 and 50 ${\mu}g/ml$. PVW induced QR activity in a dose-dependent manner over a concentration range of $1{\sim}50\;{\mu}g/ml$. GST activity was also induced with the treatment of PVW in HT-29 cells. In addition GSH levels were increased with PVW. PVW inhibited ODC activity, a key enzyme of polyamine biosynthesis, which is enhanced in tumor promotion. These results suggest that Prunella vulgaris L. has colon cancer chemopreventive activity by inhibiting cytochrome P450 1A1 and ODC activities and by increasing phase Ⅱ enzyme activity and GSH levels.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
• /
• v.20 no.1
• /
• pp.22-27
• /
• 2007

Effects of prunella vulgaris L., chrysanthemum indicum L. and pueraria Radix on plasma lipid composition and histological consideration were investigated in hyperlipidemic rats. Concentration of plasma ${\beta},-lipoprotein$ showed a tendence to decrease in prunella vulgaris L., chrysanthemum indicum L. and pueraria Radix treatment groups. However these values were showed not significantly different from control group. Concentration of plasma FFA in prunella vulgaris L., chrysanthemum indicum L. and pueraria Radix treatment groups showed a lower values compared to control group and concentration of plasma FFA of prunella vulgaris L. and pueraria Radix treatment group showed a lower values than prunella vulgaris L. and chrysanthemum indicum L. treatment group. Concentration of plasma glucose and triglyceride showed a tendence to decrease in prunella vulgaris L., chrysanthemum indicum L. and pueraria Radix treatment groups. However plasma glucose values showed not significantly different from control group. Plasma total cholesterol concentration showed a low and HDL-cholesterol concentration showed a high in prunella vulgaris L. and pueraria Radix treatment group. However LDL-cholesterol concentrations were not significantly different in treatment groups. Histological consideration of heart, liver and kidney in prunella vulgaris L. and pueraria Radix treatment groups showed a good features in fat accumulation condition than those of other treatment groups. However in the condition of high fat accumulation in tissues, heart, liver and kidney were showed a slight congestion and a bashed cell nucleus.

• Food Science and Preservation
• /
• v.20 no.2
• /
• pp.234-241
• /
• 2013

The phenolic compounds of water extracts from Prunella vulgaris were highest at 9.25 mg/g, respectively, when various extraction solvents were used. The optimum condition for extracting phenolic compounds from Prunella vulgaris was extraction in water for 18hr. The DPPH-scavenging activities of Prunella vulgaris were highest at the water extracts. The ABTS radical cation decolorization was higher than 40% in the range of 0~100% ethanol extract section. The antioxidant protection factor on the lipophilic phenolic metabolites was shown to be 1.1 PF in the water extracts from Prunella vulgaris. The TBARS was lower than the control ($0.53{\mu}M$) in all the sections. The tyrosinase inhibitory effect, which is related to skin whitening, was above 40%, and for the anti-wrinkle effect, the elastase inhibition activity was above 40% at 0.2 mg/mL. The astringent effect of the Prunella vulgaris 40% ethanol extracts was 98.1% at 1 mg/mL. As a result, it can be concluded that Prunella vulgaris has the potential to be used as a cosmetic material.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
• /
• v.15 no.3
• /
• pp.242-245
• /
• 1992

Two triterpenes 1 and 2 with antiviral activity against Herpes simplex virus type 1 in vitro were isolated from Prunella vulgaris. Each compound caused a significant reduction in viral cytopathic effect when vero cells were exposed to them for 72 hours after viral challenge. They were identified as betulinic acid (1) and $2\alpha, 3\alpha$-dihydroxyurs-12-en-28-oic acid(2) on the basis of their spectroscopic properties. The antiviral activity of them was estimated as $EC_{50}=30\;\mu$g/ml(1) and $8\;\mu$g/ml(2), respectively by plaque reduction assay.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
• /
• v.35 no.2 s.137
• /
• pp.147-151
• /
• 2004

Water extracts from Thesium chinense Tunczaninov (TCTW) and Prunella vulgaris L. (PVW) were tested for aromatase and cyclooxygenase activities. TCTW and PVW were capable of suppressing aromatase in a human placenta microsomal assay. PVW was shown to be more effective than TCTW in the suppression of aromatase activity. TCTW significantly inhibited cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) activity at the concentration of 0.25 (p<0.05), 0.5 (p<0.01) and 2.5 mg/ml (p<0.005). PVW also inhibited COX-2 activity in a dose-dependent manner in a concentration range of $0.05{\sim}2.5\;mg/ml$. The expression of COX-2 was inhibitied by TCTW and PVW in western blot analysis. These results suggest that TCTW and PVW may have breast cancer chemopreventive potentials by inhibiting aromatase and cyclooxygenase activities.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
• /
• v.44 no.2
• /
• pp.97-103
• /
• 2013

Schizophrenia is a severe psychiatric disorder and characterized by positive symptom (i.e., delusions, hallucinations), negative symptom (i.e., lack of emotion, social withdrawal), and cognitive impairment. Previously, we reported that the ethanolic extract of Prunella vulgaris var. lilacina attenuated the MK-801-induced schizophrenia-like behaviors such as prepulse inhibition (PPI) deficits and cognitive impairment in mice. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether danshensu isolated from P. vulgaris var. lilacina attenuates MK-801-induced sensorimotor gating dysfunction (PPI deficits), hyperlocomotion, and memory impairment in mice. Acute administration of danshensu (1, 3, or 10 mg/kg) significantly ameliorated the MK-801-induced PPI deficits in the acoustic startle response test. We also observed that the impaired recognition memory induced by MK-801 was attenuated by danshensu (1 mg/kg) in the novel object recognition test. However, danshensu failed to reverse the MK-801-induced hyperlocomotion in the open-field test. Collectively, the present results indicate danshensu would be an active agent for treating neuropsychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia.