• Journal of Korean Traditional Oncology
• /
• v.17 no.1
• /
• pp.39-43
• /
• 2012

Objective : This study reports one case of a patient diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the lung cancer with bone metastasis. Methods : A 56-year old male patient was diagnosed as squamous cell lung cancer in 1997 and received chemotherapy. The chemotherapy stopped after one cycle because of toxicity and the lung abscess. After four months from the diagnosis, rib metastasis was found and received the radiation therapy for two weeks. After the treatment, adverse effects such as nausea and anorexia appeared. The patient visited K. Korean Medicine Hospital and started the treatment with the allergen removed Rhus verniciflua stokes (aRVS) since December, 1997. Results and Conclusion : During treatment, the patient's quality of life had improved, and he had survived for 14 years after the administration of aRVS. This case suggests that aRVS can be an alternative treatment for the advanced NSCLC patients with bone metastasis.

• Journal of Korean Traditional Oncology
• /
• v.15 no.1
• /
• pp.47-61
• /
• 2010

Objective : The aim of this present study is to evaluate the inhibitory effect of allergen removed Rhus verniciflua (ARV) on Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), Matrix Metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) which is considered to have a clinically important role in tumor metastasis. Methods : The inhibitory effects of standardized extract of ARV on the MMP-2, MMP-9 were investigated by spectrofluorometer while the inhibitory effects on the active MMP-2, pro MMP-2, pro MMP-9 were investigated by zymography. Antimetastatic effect of standardized extract of ARV was investigated in vitro on human fibrosarcoma cell (HT1080)'s invasion through Matrigel. Results : The standardized extract of ARV showed inhibitory effects on the active MMP-2 (IC50, $1.01{\mu}g$/ml), active MMP-9 (IC50, $2.5{\mu}g$/ml) depending on concentrations which was determined by spectrofluorometer. The standardized extract of ARV showed inhibitory effects on the active MMP-2, pro MMP-2, pro MMP-9 depending on concentrations which was determined by zymography. However its inhibitory effect on pro MMP-9 was relatively weaker rather than active MMP-2, pro MMP-2. The standardized extract of ARV showed inhibitory effects in vitro on human fibrosarcoma cell (HT1080)'s invasion through Matrigel according to concentration. Conclusions : These results indicate that standardized extract of ARV has antimetastatic effect through inhibit again MMP-2, MMP-9. Also its inhibitory effect is more powerful on active MMP-2, pro MMP-2 than on active MMP-9, pro MMP-9. It is necessary to conduct further studies on other MMP families, TIMP, and each component of standardized extract of ARV.

• Journal of Korean Traditional Oncology
• /
• v.15 no.1
• /
• pp.63-69
• /
• 2010

We report a case of an 85-year old man with an adenocarcinoma of the rectosigmoid colon (clinical stage II). Though tumor was resectable, the patient was considered to be inoperable because of old age and comorbidities such as asthma, diabetes and old myocardial infarction. He wanted to receive alternative care, so he was exclusively treated with standardized Allegern-removed Rhus verniciflua Stokes (aRVS) extract and other herbal medicine such as BOJUNGIKGI-TANG GAMIBANG. During 18 months, he has shown good performance status without transfusion. This report suggests that herbal treatment including standardized aRVS for rectosigmoid colon cancer could be an alternative treatment option when it is unabled to be treated by surgical resection.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.34 no.3
• /
• pp.250-258
• /
• 2001

For a long time Rhus verniciflua Stokes (RVS) has traditionally been used as a herbal plant. It is known to contain various biological activities. Previously, a crude ethanol extract from RVS was reported to have antioxidant effects, and antiproliferative activities, on human cancer cell lines. In this report, we prepared a highly purified ethanol extract from RVS, which did not contain the urushiol derivatives, named REEE-1 ($\underline{R}$hus $\underline{e}$thanol $\underline{e}$luted $\underline{e}$xtract-1), to investigate the mechanisms of the scavenging activity of hydroxyl radicals using mouse thymocytes. The results from the deoxyribose, DNA nicking, and glucose/glucose oxidase enzyme assays showed that REEE-1 contained a strong scavenging activity of oxygen free radicals, especially of hydroxyl radicals. However, interestingly, REEE-1 also showed cytotoxicity against the thymocytes, although the effect was variable, depending on the concentrations and times of treatment. The REEE-1-mediated cytotoxicity against thymocytes, which has been used as one of the well-characterized models for apoptosis studies, was verified to be apoptotic. This was proven by the following: the appearance of DNA laddering, increases in DNA fragmentation, low fluorescence intensity in the nuclei after propidium iodide staining, and positive Annexin V staining of the cells. These results suggested that REEE-1 had both antioxidative activity and cytotoxicity against the thymocytes, although the effect of the cytotoxicity was variable, depending on the dose and time of the treatment.

• Journal of Korean Traditional Oncology
• /
• v.12 no.1
• /
• pp.91-97
• /
• 2007

Tonsil is rich in lymphatics, blood vessels, muscle, nearby nerve fibers and epithelium. All of these are potential sources of malignancy. Malignancy of the tonsils is an uncommon entity that accounts for little more than 0.5% of new malignancies in the United States every year. Approximately, more than 70% of malignancies in this region are squamous cell carcinoma. In this report, I introduce a case of 47 year male patient who has right tonsillar cancer that is squamous cell carcinoma(T4N3M0). After three times chemotherapy, the patient refused to get conventional western medical treatment including chemotherapy and surgical operation. After 8 month of traditional oriental medical treatment using allegen removed Rhus Verniciflua Stokes(ARV), the size of cancer mass decreased and mass showed necrosis at inner portion. The patient improved pain in the neck. More case will be needed in order to determine the effect of ARV on tonsillar cancer.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.27 no.6
• /
• pp.1090-1097
• /
• 2017

Rhus verniciflua Stokes (RVS), an herbal medicine found in East Asia, was extracted and further fractionated to investigate its antioxidant capacity and neuroprotective effects. The RVS ethyl acetate (EtOAc) fraction had the highest level of total phenolics and antioxidant capacity among all solvent fractions tested. Pretreatment of PC-12 cells with the EtOAc fraction effectively attenuated $H_2O_2$-induced oxidative damage. Furthermore, the EtOAc fraction significantly attenuated caspase-3 activity, resulting in inhibition of $H_2O_2$-induced apoptosis. We identified and quantified fustin, sulfuretin, and butein in the EtOAc fraction using accurate mass quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry and reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. The intracellular antioxidant capacity and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were significantly increased in PC-12 cells treated with the EtOAc fraction and with individual flavonoids. When cells were pretreated with the EtOAc fraction or individual flavonoids and then co-incubated with diethyldithiocarbamic acid (an inhibitor of SOD activity), cell viability against $H_2O_2$-induced oxidative stress was attenuated. These results suggest that the RVS EtOAc fraction and its flavonoid constituents protect PC-12 cells against $H_2O_2$-induced neurotoxicity through their antioxidant properties.

• Journal of Korean Traditional Oncology
• /
• v.14 no.1
• /
• pp.21-27
• /
• 2009

Advanced gastric cancer is the most common type of all cancers in Korea, which account for approximately 18.1% of all incident cancers, and mortality from advanced gastric cancer is estimated at nearly 15.6% of death that caused by all cancer. In the conventional medicine, treatments of advanced gastric cancer include chemotherapy such like FOLFOX. In this case report, we introduce a case of advanced gastric cancer with greater omentum, thyroid, supraclavicular lymph node metastasis who had received chemotherapy. Chemotherapy was stopped because of weight loss and neurologic symptom such like cognitive disorder. The patient visited $M{\cdot\mu}$ Integrative cancer center in 2008, and was treated by Sojeukjungwon-san and allergen removed Rhus verniciflua stokes(aRVS). There was no evidence of brain metastasis. The patient showed improvement of cognitive disorder and gained weight. Further case study will be needed in order to determine the effects of Sojeukjungwon-san and allergen removed Rhus verniciflua stokes(aRVS) for the quality of life of advanced gastric cancer patients after chemotherapy.

• Journal of Korean Traditional Oncology
• /
• v.14 no.1
• /
• pp.13-20
• /
• 2009

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related death throughout the world. Non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC) is the most deadly form of lung cancer. Patients with non-small cell lung cancer are often found to be unavailable for operation at primary diagnosis. They are typically given conventional chemotherapy. When the tumor progresses during chemotherapy, a change in regimen is considered. The average period of administration differs with the regimen. In this case report, the authors introduce two cases of non-small cell lung cancer patients treated with allergen removed Rhus verniciflua stokes based herbal medicine along with pemetrexed($Alimta^{(R)}$) and erlotinib($Tarceva^{(R)}$). The authors report this case because these molecular-targeted agents were used for longer periods than expected, while improving the performance and other symptoms. Further studies illuminating the synergistic effects through conjunctive treatment with both conventional and Eastern medicine in lung cancer treatment should be performed in the future.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
• /
• v.14 no.5
• /
• pp.463-477
• /
• 2020

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Many studies have suggested that Rhus verniciflua Stokes (RVS) and its extract are anticancer agents. However, RVS had limited use because it contains urushiol, an allergenic toxin. By improving an existing allergen-removal extraction method, we developed a new allergen-free Rhus verniciflua Stokes extract (RVSE) with higher flavonoid content. In this study, we examined whether RVSE inhibits the ability of AGS gastric cancer cells to migrate and invade. MATERIALS/METHODS: The flavonoids content of RVSE was analyzed by HPLC. The effects of RVSE on migration and invasion in AGS cells were analyzed by each assay kit. Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) and urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) protein expression was analyzed by protein antibody array. The Phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) 3 were assayed by Western blot analysis. RESULTS: RVSE treatment with 0-100 ㎍/mL dose-dependently reduced the ability of AGS cells to migrate and invade. Notably, treatment with RVSE strongly inhibited the expression of MMP-9 and uPA and the phosphorylation of STAT3. In contrast, RVSE treatment dramatically increased the expression of PAI-1. These results indicate that the inhibition of MMP-9 and uPA expression and STAT3 phosphorylation and the stimulation of PAI-1 expression contributed to the decreased migration and invasion of AGS cells treated with RVSE. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that RVSE may be used as a natural herbal agent to reduce gastric cancer metastasis.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
• /
• v.29 no.3
• /
• pp.124-133
• /
• 2016

Objectives : Recently, the demands for the effective and safe depigmentating and anti-aging agents of the skin have increased due to the medical, pharmaceutical and cosmetic reasons. The aim of this study is to search new materials from the traditional herbal medicines which inhibit the aging process of skin in vitro.Methods : Human dermis cell (HS68) was used to test the effect of Rhus verniciflua Stokes (RVS). 80% ethanol or water extracts were screened for their inhibitory activities against elastase. Elastase inhibition effect was tested by microplate reader instrument. And MMP-1 suppression effect of RVS was tested by western blot. These cells were investigated the viability by MTS assay. And also the inhibition effect of tyrosinase by RVS was tested.Results : RVS (final concentrstion 1 ㎎/㎖ appeared over 30% of inhibition of elastase activity. So we are investigated anti wrinkle effects of Rhus verniciflua Stokes look through MMP-1 inhibition activity, also Extracts of RVS showed higher anti-tyrosinase activity than arbutin as final concentration 1 mg/ml. These results suggest that herbal medicines could be strong potential sources of inhibition of anti-aging and whitening effects for the skin.Colclusions : RVS was the best suppressor candidate of elastase activity among other control oriental drugs. It was found that RVS did not have toxicity to cells. We found proper concentration of RVS to treat in HS68 culture and investigated not only wrinkle care effect but also whitening effect of RVS.