• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.306-311
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• 2003

Soy, high dietary intake for the oriental population, is a main source of isoflavonoids. Sophoricoside (SOP) an isoflavone glycoside was isolated from immature fruits of Sophora japonica (Leguminosae family) and its inhibitory effect on chemical mediators involved in inflammatory response was investigated in this study. SOP inhibited the interleukin (IL)-6 bioactivity with an $IC_{50}$ value of 6.1 $\mu$M whereas it had no effects on IL-1$\beta$ and TNF-a bioactivities. SOP was identified as a selective inhibitor of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 activity with an $IC_{50}$ value of 4.4 $\mu$ M, but did not show inhibitory effect on the synthesis of COX-2. However, SOP had no effect on the production of reactive oxygen species including superoxide anions and nitric oxide. These results revealed that in vitro anti-inflammatory action of SOP is significantly different from that of genistein known as a phytoestrogen of soy products. This experimental study has documented an importance of dietary soy isoflavonoids as multifunctional agents beneficial to human health, and will help to clarify protective mechanisms of SOP against inflammatory conditions.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 2000.04a
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• pp.10-14
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• 2000

The cycloooxygenase enzymes catalyze the oxidative conversion of arachidonic acid into prostag1andin H$_2$Which mediates both benificial and pathological effects. The COX-1 is constitutively expressed in most tissues and in blood platelets wherease the expression of COX-2 isoform is induced in response to inflmmatory stimuli such as cyctokynes. Thus the identification of a novel COX-2 selective inhibitor should offer excellent antiinflammatory activity with minimal side effects such as gastrointestinal toxicity. Recently, a group of structurally unique and biologically active pimarane diterpenoids has been isolated from indigenous Korean medicinal plants. These new diterpenoids turned out to be potential analgesic and antiinflammatory agent due to their potent inhibitory activities of prostaglandin synthesis. We have also found that the inhibition of PGE$_2$synthesis is attributed to the potent COX inhibition by pimarane diterpenoid in arachidonic acid cascade. In conjunction with development of new analgesic and nonsteroidal antiinflammatory agent, a series of works on these diterpenoids have been extensively carried out in our laboratories. These efforts involve the structure-activity relationship of pimaradienoic acid, molecular modelings and COX inibitory activities as well as actiinflammatory effects of its structural analogues. In addition, the total syntheses of the new natural pimarane diterpenoids, their stereoisomers and other structural variants were intensively investigated.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2004

In chronic airway inflammatory diseases such as asthma and chronic bronchitis, it has been suggested that matrix metalloproteinases secreted from infiltrating neutrophil contribute the pathogenesis of the disease and have been a focus of intense investigation. We report here that hamster tracheal surface epithelial goblet cells (HTSE cells) produce matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 (TIMP-2). Matrix metalloproteinase activities were investigated using [$^3H$]collagen-digestion assay and gelatin zymography. The subtype of matrix metalloproteinases expressed from HTSE cells was MMP-2 (gelatinase A), which was determined by Western blot with various subtype selective anti-matrix metalloproteinase antibodies. The MMP-2 and TIMP-2 cDNAs from HTSE cells were partially cloned by RT-PCR and they reveal more than 90% of sequence homology with those from human, rat and mouse. The collagenolytic activity was increased with the secretory differentiation of the HTSE cell and it was found that zymogen activation was responsible for the increased MMP-2 activity in HTSE cells. The results from the present study suggest that the metaplastic secretory differentiation of airway goblet cells may affect chronic airway inflammatory process by augmenting the zymogen activation of MMP-2.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.185-191
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• 2011

Trimethyltin chloride (TMT) has been used as a neurotoxin for inducing brain dysfunction and neuronal death. Neuronal death in the hippocampus by TMT may generate excessive nitric oxide, but there are few studies about nitric oxide synthase enzyme involved in the synthesis of nitric oxide. The purpose of present study is to analyze the TMT toxicity in each region of rat hippocampus. To evaluate the involvement of nitric oxide, we analyzed the effects of aminoguanidine known as a selective inhibitor for inducible nitric oxide synthase on behavioral changes and the hippocampus of rat by TMT toxicity. 6-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were administered with a single dose of TMT (8 mg/kg b.w., i.p.) and the control group was similarly administered with distilled water. TMT + aminoguanidine-treated groups were administered with aminoguanidine (10 mg/kg or 100 mg/kg b.w., i.p.) for 3 days prior to TMT injection. The rats were sacrificed 2 days after TMT administration. In the TMT-treated group, a number of cell losses were seen in CA1, CA3 and the dentate gyrus. In the TMT + aminoguanidine-treated group, neuronal death was seen in CA1 and CA3, but reduced in the dentate gyrus compared to the TMT-treated group. Western blot analysis showed that cleaved caspase-3 expression was increased in the TMT-treated group compared to the control group. However, the expression significantly declined in the TMT + aminoguanidine-treated group. The present findings suggest that inducible nitric oxide synthase is involved in neuronal death induced by TMT.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.243-259
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• 1993

The bone resorbing activity of $PGE_2$ and elevated level of prostaglandins(PGs) and thromboxanes (TXs) in inflamed gingiva which are cyclooxygenase(C) metabolites have been well documented. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs(NSAIDs) have been known to suppress gingival inflammation and bone resorption through the specific inhibitory action on the C pathway thereby decrease of various C metabolites. Recent studies provide unequivocal results that gingival tissue metabolizes arachidonic acid(AA) mainly through lipoxygenase(L) pathway. And the results of our previous experiments suggest that indomethacin may have inhibitory action on L as well as C. Thus we started this study to show the influences of several C inhibitors on the L activity at therapeutic and toxic dosage. Periodontal tissue samples were obtained from patients with advanced periodontitis and incubated with $^{14}C-AA(0.2{\mu}Ci)$ and various enzyme inhibitors. The tissue lipid extracts were separated by means of thin layer chromatography(TLC) and analyzed by means of autoradiography and TLC analyzer. Our results showed that aspirin inhibited C more selectively than L, however at higher concentration it also decreased HETEs production significantly. Indomethacin showed dose-dependent inhibition of L as well as C and all of the L metabolites were decreased to the same degree by high concentration of indomethacin. AA-861, which is an experimental tool of selective L inhibitor, showed inhibition of HETEs production but no effect on the production of $TXB_2$, PGs and $LTB_4$. Various propionic acid derivatives NSAIDs(ibuprofen, flurbiprofen, naproxen) showed the same patterns of effect on AA metabolism each other that was profound inhibition of PGs production, to the less degree HETEs and $TXB_2$ production, and of no effect on the $LTB_4$ production.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.352-359
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• 2014

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: In this study, we determined the anti-inflammatory activities and the underlying molecular mechanisms of the methanol extract from Erigeron Canadensis L. (ECM) in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophage cells. MATERIALS/METHODS: The potential anti-inflammatory properties of ECM were investigated by using RAW264.7 macrophages. We used western blot assays and real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction to detect protein and mRNA expression, respectively. Luciferase assays were performed to determine the transactivity of transcription factors. RESULTS: ECM significantly inhibited inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS)-derived NO and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) derived PGE2 production in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages. These inhibitory effects of ECM were accompanied by decreases in LPS-induced nuclear translocations and transactivities of $NF{\kappa}B$. Moreover, phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPKs) including extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK1/2), p38, and c-jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) was significantly suppressed by ECM in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages. Further studies demonstrated that ECM by itself induced heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) protein expression at the protein levels in dose-dependent manner. However, zinc protoporphyrin (ZnPP), a selective HO-1 inhibitor, abolished the ECM-induced suppression of NO production. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggested that ECM-induced HO-1 expression was partly responsible for the resulting anti-inflammatory effects. These findings suggest that ECM exerts anti-inflammatory actions and help to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the potential therapeutic values of Erigeron Canadensis L.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.13-17
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• 2015

Objectives : Taraxacum platycarpum H. Dahlstedt has been reported to have several biological properties such as skin hydration and antiinflammation. The purpose of this study was to examine the antidepressive effects of water extract of T. platycarpum (WTP) on an animal model of depression. Methods : In the present study, normal ICR mice (4 weeks) were used, and orally administered with WTP (25, 50 and 100 mg/kg). Depression-like behavior was monitored the forced swimming test (FST) and tail suspension test (TST) in mice. The locomotor activity was evaluated to eliminate the false-positive activity in the open field test (OFT). Fluoxetine, the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, as a positive control was intraperitoneally administered at a dose of 15 mg/kg at 30 min before starting the behavioral test. Moreover, we evaluated the effects of WTP on the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)/ cyclic AMP response-element binding protein (CREB) signaling pathway in the hippocampus using Western blot. Results : The administration of WTP (50 and 100 mg/kg) significantly (P < 0.05, respectively) reduced the immobility time during FST and TST without accompanying changes in locomotor activity by OFT. Furthermore, WTP at dose of 100 mg/kg increased the BDNF expression and the phosphorylation of ERK and CREB in the hippocampus region. Conclusions : These results suggest that WTP has a useful anti-depressant effect through the regulation of BDNF/ERK/CREB signaling pathway.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.313-318
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• 2005

In this study, we demonstrate the use of a PCR-based method for the detection of the specific genes involved in natural-product biosynthesis. This method was applied, using specifically designed PCR primers, to the amplification of a gene segment encoding for sedo-heptulose 7-phosphate cyclase, which appears to be involved in the biosynthetic pathways of $C_7N$ aminoacyclitol or its keto analogue-containing metabolites, in a variety of actinomycetes species. The sequences of DNA fragments (about 540 bp) obtained from three out of 39 actinomycete strains exhibited a high degree of homology with the sedo-heptulose 7-phosphate cyclase gene, which has been implicated in acarbose biosynthesis. The selective cultivation conditions of this experiment induced the expression of these loci, indicating that the range of $C_7N$ aminoacyclitol or its keto analogue-group natural products might be far greater than was previously imagined. Considering that a total of approximately 20 $C_7N$ aminoacyclitol metabolites, or its keto analogue-containing metabolites, have been described to date, it appears likely that some of the unknown loci described herein might constitute new classes of $C_7N$ aminoacyclitol, or of its keto analogue-containing metabolites. As these metabolites, some of which contain valienamine, are among the most potent antidiabetic agents thus far discovered, the molecular detection of specific metabolite-producing actinomycetes may prove a crucial step in current attempts to expand the scope and diversity of natural-product discovery.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.111-123
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• 2005

The purpose of this study was to investigate the anticancer effects of Caesalpiniae Lignum (Somok) on HepG2 cells, a human liver cancer cell line. To study the cytotoxic effect of Caesalpiniae Lignum methanol extract (CL-MeOH) on HepG2 cells, the cells were treated with various concentrations of CL-MeOH and then cell viability was determined by XTT reduction method and trypan blue exclusion assay. CL-MeOH reduced proliferation of HepG2 cells in a dose-dependent manner. To confirm the induction of apoptosis, HepG2 cells were treated with various concentrations of CL-MeOH. The activation of caspase 3 and the cleavage of poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP), a substrate for caspase-3 and a typical sign of apoptosis, was examined by western blot analysis. CL-MeOH decreased procaspase 3 level in a dose-dependent manner and induced the clevage of PARP at concentration> $200{\mu}/ml$. Mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase signaling cascades are multi-functional signaling networks that influence cell growth, differentiation, apoptosis, and cellular responses to stress. CL-MeOH-induced MAPK activation was examined by Western blot for phosphorylated ERK, p38 and JNK. CL-MeOH significantly increased p38 phosphorylation and JNK phosphorylation in a dose-dependent manner. Inhibition of p38 function using the selective inhibitor SB20358O results in inhibition of apoptosis by CL-MeOH. These results suggest that CL-MeOH-induced apoptosis is MAP kinase-dependent apoptoric pathway. These results suggest that CL-MeOH is potentially useful as a chemotherapeutic agent in human liver cancer.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.70-74
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• 1999

The primary objective of these studies was to screen the materials showing inhibitions of HMG-CoA reductase in vitro. The secondary objective was to determine the effect of garlic, lovastatin and copper on cholesterol concentrations in plasma. liver and brease muscle of pullets. In experiment 1, the degree of inhibition of the selective samples on HMG-CoA reductase activity was determined in vitro. The inhibition rate of water soluble garlic extracts, lovastatin and copper to HMG-coA reductase activity were 51.3%, 87.5%, and 82.0% respectively . In experiment 2, control diet (basal diet), garlic powder (3% in diet) , lovastatin (300mg/kg of diet) and copper(200mg/kg of diet) were fed to pullets in order to investigate the changes of cholesterol concentration in plasma and tissues. Plasma total cholesterol , and LDL-cholesterol were significantly reduced in pullets fed a diet containing 3 % garlic powder. However, coper significantly increased total cholesterol compared to controls and lovastatin did not affect plasma chholesterol concentration . Total cholesterol inlover and breast muscle inpullets were not affectedb y adding cholesterol lowering materials to the diets. The data suggests that it is not easy for HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors to reduce cholesterol levels in the body due to complication in cholestrol metabolism . However, garlic administration can lower the levels of plasma cholesterol in pullets.