• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.138-146
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• 2018

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a great potential approach for the localized tumor removal with fewer metastatic potentials and side effects in treating the disease. In the treatment process, a photosensitizer (PS) that absorbs a light energy to generate reactive oxygen is essential. In general, a visible light is used as a light source of PDT, so that side effects from the light source are inevitable. For this reason, upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) using near-infrared (NIR) as an excitation source are attracting attention in the field of disease diagnosis and treatment. UCNPs have the low cytotoxicity and phototoxicity, and also advantages such as deep tissue penetration and low background autofluorescence. For PDT, UCNPs should be combined with a PS which absorbs the light energy from UCNPs and transfers it to the surrounding oxygen to produce reactive oxygen. In addition, the therapeutic efficacy can be improved by modifying nanoparticle surfaces, adding anti-cancer drugs, or combining with photothermal therapy (PTT). In this review, we summarize the recent research to improve the efficiency of PDT using UCNPs.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.228-235
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• 2010

This study was performed to investigate the memory enhancing effect of Poria cocos Wolf (Hoelen cum radix) against scopolamine-induced amnesia in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. To induce amnesia, scopolamine (0.75 mg/kg) was intraperitonically injected into SD rats 30 min before starting behavior tests. We have conducted Morris water-maze and Y-maze tests to monitor learning and memory functions. Poria cocos effectively reversed scopolamine-induced memory impairment in SD rats which was represented by an improvement of mean escape latency in water-maze test and spontaneous alterations in Y-maze test. To elucidate possible molecule mechanism, we have measured mRNA as well as protein expression of acetylcholine esterase (AchE), choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (mAchR), and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) using RT-PCR and Western blot analysis, respectively. Poria cocos increased mRNA levels of ChAT and mAchR in rat hippocampus compared with those in the scopolamine-injected amnesic group. In addition, protein expression of ChAT and BDNF was also elevated by Poria cocos intake. Furthermore, as an upstrem regulator, the activation of cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) was assessed by immunohistochemistry. In this immunohistochemical analysis, the phosphorylation of CREB (p-CREB) was reduced by scopolamine injection, which was restored back to control levels by administration of Poria cocos. These results suggest that Poria cocos may improve memory and cognitive deficit in amnesia and have therapeutic potentials through up-regulation of ChAT, mAchR, and BDNF, which seemed to be mediated by activation of CREB.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.179-204
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• 1998

The purpose of this research was to investigate the efficacy of Goiwhasan extract powder on the gastric injuries, antiulcer, gastrointestinal tract and blood hemostasis. Animals were used through this studies mice and rats. All animals were divided into 3 groups, contol group(no treatment), sample Ⅰ group(375mg/kg administration), sample Ⅱ group(750mg/kg administration). The gastric injuries and ulcer have been made by using pyloric ligation, indomethacin, HCI-ethanol, acetic acid and then The histological observation was followed. In the gastrointestinal tract, gastric juice secretion, gastric acidity, pepsin output, blood gastrin and secretin level, transport potentials in the small and large intestine were checked. And studies on blood hemostasis were performed on normal hemostatic activities and plasma prothrombin time, plasma recalcification time, plasma fibrinogen levels in the hypoprothrombinemic mice induced by warfarin. The results were as follows: 1. The antigastric ulcer effects on the pyloric ligation, indomethacin, HCl-ethanol, acetic acid induced gastric injuries were shown in Sample Ⅱ group(p<0.05). 2. Through the morphologic examination on the acetic acid induced ulcer, Sample Ⅰ group showed mild regeneration of epithelium and slight decrease of periulcer edema then that of Control group, while Sample Ⅱ group showed more retraction of round ulcer site, remarkable loss of swelling and edema then that of Control group, and revealing the regenerated epithelium in the surrounding ulcer site. Thus it was noted that both Sample groups have antigastriculcer effects on the experimentally induced gastric ulcer. 3. The inhibitory effects on gastric juice were noted in both Sample Ⅰ group(p<0.05) and Sample Ⅱ group(p<0.01). However, only Sample Ⅱ group showed the inhibitory effects on total acidity and pepsin output(p<0.05). 4. The significant inhibition of blood gastrin level showed at 30 min.(P<0.05) and 90 min.(P<0.05) after starting medication in only Sample Ⅱ group, but significance of blood secretin level in both groups was not recognized. 5. Any significant changes in barium sulfate transport in the small intestine of mice was not recognized in both groups, but the significantly inhibitory effect in large intestine was recognized in both Sample Ⅰ group(p<0.05) and Sample Ⅱ group(p<0.001). 6. In hemostatic effect on both normal mice and hypoprothrombinemic mice induced by warfarin, the significantly shortening effect on coagulation time was seen in only Sample Ⅱ group(p<0.01). 7. On plasma prothrombin time in hypoprothrombinemic rat induced by warfarin, Sample Ⅱ group have shortened the prothrombin time significantly(p<0.001). 8. On plasma reclcification time in hypoprothrombinemic rat induced by warfarin, the recalcification time have been shortened significantly in both Sample Ⅰ group(p<0.05) and Sample Ⅱ group(p<0.01). 9. On plasma fibrinogen levels in hypoprothrombinemic rat induced by warfarin, the fibrinogen contents in Sample Ⅱ have been decreased significantly(p<0.01). Overall the above results suggest that Goiwhasan has an therapeutic efficacy on antigastric ulcer and blood hemostasis. Further studies would be needed on the interaction of its herbal medicine and its mechanism in the future.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.39
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• pp.8.1-8.8
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• 2017

Background: For an effective bone graft for reconstruction of the maxillofacial region, an adequate vascular network will be required to supply blood, osteoprogenitor cells, and growth factors. We previously reported that the secretomes of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSC-CM) contain numerous growth factors such as insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1, transforming growth factor $(TGF)-{\beta}1$, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which can affect the cellular characteristics and behavior of regenerating bone cells. We hypothesized that angiogenesis is an important step for bone regeneration, and VEGF is one of the crucial factors in MSC-CM that would enhance its osteogenic potential. In the present study, we focused on VEGF in MSC-CM and evaluated the angiogenic and osteogenic potentials of MSC-CM for bone regeneration. Methods: Cytokines in MSC-CM were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were cultured with MSC-CM or MSC-CM with anti-VEGF antibody (MSC-CM + anti-VEGF) for neutralization, and tube formation was evaluated. For the evaluation of bone and blood vessel formation with micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) and for the histological and immunohistochemical analyses, a rat calvarial bone defect model was used. Results: The concentrations of IGF-1, VEGF, and $TGF-{\beta}1$ in MSC-CM were $1515.6{\pm}211.8pg/mL$, $465.8{\pm}108.8pg/mL$, and $339.8{\pm}14.4pg/mL$, respectively. Tube formation of HUVECs, bone formation, and blood vessel formation were increased in the MSC-CM group but decreased in the MSC-CM + anti-VEGF group. Histological findings suggested that new bone formation in the entire defect was observed in the MSC-CM group although it was decreased in the MSC-CM + anti-VEGF group. Immunohistochemistry indicated that angiogenesis and migration of endogenous stem cells were much more abundant in the MSC-CM group than in the MSC-CM + anti-VEGF group. Conclusions: VEGF is considered a crucial factor in MSC-CM, and MSC-CM is proposed to be an adequate therapeutic agent for bone regeneration with angiogenesis.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.60-73
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• 2022

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The extract from Dendropanax morbifera exhibited diverse therapeutic potentials. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of D. morbifera leaf extract for improving metabolic parameters in human. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A 12-week, double blind, placebo-controlled and randomized trial included a total of 74 adults, and they were assigned to the placebo group (n = 38) or 700 mg/day of D. morbifera group (n = 36). The efficacy endpoints were changes in glycemic, lipid, obesity, and blood pressure (BP) parameters, in addition to the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and the numbers of MetS components. Safety was assessed by monitoring adverse events (AEs). RESULTS: After 12 weeks of treatment, the hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) level significantly decreased in the D. morbifera group compared to that of the placebo group (difference: -0.13 ± 0.20% vs. 0.00 ± 0.28%, P = 0.031; % of change: -2.27 ± 3.63% vs. 0.10 ± 5.10%, P = 0.025). The homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance level also decreased significantly from its baseline in the D. morbifera group. The systolic BP of D. morbifera group decreased significantly than that of placebo group (difference: -3.9 ± 9.8 mmHg vs. 3.3 ± 11.7 mmHg, P = 0.005; % of change: -2.8 ± 7.7% vs. 3.3 ± 10.2%, P = 0.005). However, the lipid parameters and body composition including body weight did not differ between the groups. The prevalence of MetS (36.8% vs. 13.9%, P = 0.022) and the incidence of MetS (10.5% vs. 13.9%, P = 0.027) at 12 weeks was significantly lower in the D. morbifera group than it was in the placebo group. No serious AEs occurred in either group. CONCLUSIONS: Supplementation with D. morbifera extracts over a 12-week period improved metabolic parameters such as HbA1c and BP and reduced the prevalence of MetS.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.10
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• pp.1207-1214
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• 2017

Schisandrae Fructus (SF), the fruit of Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill., is widely used in traditional medicine for the treatment of a number of chronic diseases. SF extracts have been recently reported to attenuate the inflammatory responses in SW1353 human chondrocyte cells in in vitro and monosodium iodoacetate (MIA)-induced cartilage degradation in in vivo osteoarthritis (OA) models. However, their protective and therapeutic potentials against OA in primary culture chondrocytes and animal models remain unclear. Therefore, we investigated the effects of the ethanol extract of SF on the activity of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), biomarkers for diagnosis of OA, on interleukin $(IL)-1{\beta}-induced$ primary cultured rat cartilage chondrocytes and MIA-induced osteoarthritis in a rat model. Our data indicated that SF treatment significantly reduced the mRNA expression and enzyme activity of MMP-1, -3 and -13 in $IL-1{\beta}-induced$ primary cultured rat cartilage chondrocytes. The chondro-protective effects of SF were then analyzed in a rat OA model using a single intra-articular injection of MIA in the right knee joint. According to our results, the elevated levels of MMP-1 and -3 were markedly ameliorated by SF administration. Collectively, these findings indicate that SF could be a candidate for the treatment of OA.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.20 no.5 s.94
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• pp.363-370
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• 2005

Neural stem cells (NSCs) of the central nervous system (CNS) have raised a great interest not only for their importance in basic neural development but also for their therapeutic potentials in neurologically degenerative diseases such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer and stroke. During the CNS development, two molecular cascades determine specification of midbrain dopamine system. In one pathway, FGF-8, sonic hedgehog and transcription factor Nurr1 specify dopamine neurotransmitter phenotype. In the other, transcription factors $Lm{\times}lb\;and\;Pt{\times}3$ are required for induction of dopaminergic neurons. In Nurr1 knockout mouse, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) positive cells fail to appear in substantia nigra, indicating that Nurr1 is essential in specification of dopaminergic cell phenotype. In this study, we used the immortalized human NSCs retrovirally transduced with Nurr1 gene to probe the Nurr1 mediated mechanism to induce dopamine phenotype. While Nurr1 over-expression alone did not generate dopamine phenotype in NSCs, applications of retinoid and forskolin induced expression of TH and AADC mRNAs. In addition, co-cultures of Nurr1 expressing NSCs with human astrocytes induced a marked increase of TH expression. In this co-culture system, the addition of retinoid and forskolin dramatically increased expression of TH. These results indicate that the immortalized human NSCs with Nurr1 gene could have a clinical utility for cell replacement for the Parkinson patients.