• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.258-263
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• 2013

We demonstrate herein that silibinin, a polyphenolic flavonoid compound isolated from milk thistle (Silybum marianum), inhibits LPS-induced activation of macrophages and production of nitric oxide (NO) in RAW 264.7 cells. Western blot analysis showed silibinin inhibits iNOS gene expression. RT-PCR showed that silibinin inhibits iNOS, TNF-${\alpha}$, and $IL1{\beta}$. We also showed that silibinin strongly inhibits p38 MAPK phosphorylation, whereas the ERK1/2 and JNK pathways are not inhibited. The p38 MAPK inhibitor abrogated the LPS-induced nitrite production, whereas the MEK-1 inhibitor did not affect the nitrite production. A molecular modeling study proposed a binding pose for silibinin targeting the ATP binding site of p38 MAPK (1OUK). Collectively, this series of experiments indicates that silibinin inhibits macrophage activation by blocking p38 MAPK signaling.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.61 no.3
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• pp.227-232
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• 2018

Simultaneous determination of three methoxyflavones, namely, cirsimarin (1), hispidulin (2), and cirsimaritin (3) in selected Korean thistles was performed via reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography system. Compound 1 was present in all the thistle species examined, whereas 2 and 3 were only detected in Cirsium japonicum and C. japonicum var. maackii (CJM). The concentration of compounds 1-3 in CJM varied according to the time of harvest. Plants collected in the spring (CJMS) and fall (CJMF) had the highest contents of 3 and 1, respectively. A lower content of 2 was observed in CJMF than in CJMS. This indicates that seasonal variation affects the flavonoid content of CJM. The results of this study show that CJM is an excellent source of compounds 1-3 and it can potentially be cultivated for industrial and pharmaceutical applications involving these compounds.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.211-218
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• 2015

The present study showed that silymarin, a polyphenolic flavonoid isolated from milk thistle (Silybum marianum), inhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced morphological changes in the mouse RAW264.7 macrophage cell line. We also showed that silymarin inhibited the nuclear translocation and transactivation activities of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-${\kappa}B$), which is important for macrophage activation-associated changes in cell morphology and gene expression of inflammatory cytokines. BAY-11-7085, an NF-${\kappa}B$ inhibitor, abrogated LPS-induced morphological changes and NO production, similar to silymarin. Treatment of RAW264.7 cells with silymarin also inhibited LPS-stimulated activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs). Collectively, these experiments demonstrated that silymarin inhibited LPS-induced morphological changes in the RAW264.7 mouse macrophage cell line. Our findings indicated that the most likely mechanism underlying this biological effect involved inhibition of the MAPK pathway and NF-${\kappa}B$ activity. Inhibition of these activities by silymarin is a potentially useful strategy for the treatment of inflammation because of the critical roles played by MAPK and NF-${\kappa}B$ in mediating inflammatory responses in macrophages.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.31-43
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• 2023

Objectives : The objective of this study was to investigate the phytochemistry and pharmacological activities of Cirsium setidens. Methods : Domestic and international articles about Cirsium setidens were investigated. A review was perfoemed via DB searching engine such as Sci.Direct, Springer, DBpia, KISS, Google scholar, Kipris, and so on. Total 73 listed literature were classified by compound analysis and pharmacological efficacy. Results : C. setidens contains pectolinarin and its glycoside, pectolinarigenin as index compounds, and linarin, apigenin, diosmetin, scopoletin, acacetin, cirsimarin, cirsimaritin, setidenosides A and B, silymarin, hispidulin, 92 volatile compounds, and 15 fatty acids. The Pharmacological activities of C. setidens has been reported to inhibit of platelet aggregation and fat accumulation in the liver, inhibit to hepatitis, anti-cancer, antibacterial, skin improvement, hair growth, liver protection, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, sedative. Also, It has been reported the effect of cholesterol-lowering and anti-obesity, neuroprotective effects, increasing human stem cell viability, inhibiting osteoclast formation and osteogenic differentiation. Conclusion : This reviews showed that C. setidens which has been traditionally used for the treatment of inflammation and hypertension, has anticancer and river protective effect, as well as hair loss and diet. In order to maximize the efficacy of C. setidens, research has also begun on the effect of processing processes such as fermentation or fine powdering and combining natural plant resources.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.201-207
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• 2009

Silibinin is a polyphenolic flavonoid compound isolated from milk thistle (Silybum marianum), with known hepatoprotective, anticarcinogenic, and antioxidant effects. Herein, we show that silibinin inhibits receptor activator of $NF-{\kappa}B$ ligand (RANKL)-induced osteoclastogenesis from RAW264.7 cells as well as from bone marrow-derived monocyte/macrophage cells in a dose-dependent manner. Silibinin has no effect on the expression of RANKL or the soluble RANKL decoy receptor osteoprotegerin (OPG) in osteoblasts. However, we demonstrate that silibinin can block the activation of $NF-{\kappa}B$, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), p38 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase, and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) in osteoclast precursors in response to RANKL. Furthermore, silibinin attenuates the induction of nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) c1 and osteoclast-associated receptor (OSCAR) expression during RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis. We demonstrate that silibinin can inhibit $TNF-{\alpha}$-induced osteoclastogenesis as well as the expression of NFATc1 and OSCAR. Taken together, our results indicate that silibinin has the potential to inhibit osteoclast formation by attenuating the downstream signaling cascades associated with RANKL and $TNF-{\alpha}$.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.1048-1060
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• 2008

Cirsii Japonici Herba(CJ) is a wild perennial herb found in many areas of Korea as well as China and Japan, which has been used to treat bleeding and inflammation. Silibinin is the main flavonoid extracted from milk thistle (Cirsii Japonici Herba). It exhibits potent antioxidant activity and anti-inflammatory effect. In this study, the effect of CJ and silibinin extract on lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation was investigated using MTS assay, RT-PCR, western blot, and nitric oxide detection on mouse BV2 microglial cell lines. In the present results, CJ and silibinin extract suppressed nitric oxide production by inhibiting the lipopolysaccharide-stimulated enhancement of COX-2 and iNOS gene expression in BV2 cells. Moreover, CJ and silibinin also repressed some lipopolysaccharide-induced signaling molecules. Importantly, catalase-induced COX-2 and iNOS expression needed activations of $NF-{\kappa}B$, PI3K/Akt, and MAPK, which were important for the transcriptional up-regulation of COX-2 and iNOS. CJ and silibinin interaction on BV2 cells down-regulated $NF-{\kappa}B$-dependent proinflammatory cytokine (IL-2,IL-6) expression. They are involved in the regulation of inflammatory responses. These data shows that CJ and silibinin exerts anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects, probably by suppression of COX-2 and iNOS synthase expression in BV2 microglial cells.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Plant Pathology Conference
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• 1997.06a
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• pp.5-21
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• 1997

Unique virus-like particles were associated with five eriophyid mite-borne plant diseases of unknown etiology; fig mosaic, redbud yellow ringspot, rose orsette, thistle mosaic, and high plains disease of corn and wheat. Quasi-spherical, double membrane-bound particles (DMPs), 120 - 200 nm in diameter, were observed in the cytoplasm of all cell types in symptomatic leaves of infected plants. No DMPs were observed in symptomless plants. The DMPs in symptomatic thistles were associated with two types of inclusions, electron-dense amorphous material and tubular aggregates. Similar amorphous inclusions were also found in corn and wheat with high plains disease, while tubular inclusions were observed in figs with mosaic symptoms. The particles and inclusions were similar in some aspects to immature particles associated with viroplasms of animal and insect poxviruses and also to the double-enveloped particles of tomato spotted wilt virus associated with viroplasms during early stages of infection, but were unique and unlike any known plant viruses. The DMPs and associated viroplasm-like inclusions in the high plains disease were specifically immunogold labeled in situ with the disease-specific antiserum. Thread-like structures, similar to tenuivirus particles, present in the partially purified virus preparations were also immunogold labeled with the antiserum. It is suggested that the thread-like structures are derived from the DMP. In many cells of symptomatic corn and wheat samples, DMPs occurred together with flexuous rod-shaped particles and cylindrical inclusions of wheat streak mosaic potyvirus (WSMV), suggesting that the disease is caused by a mixed infection of WSMV and the agent represented by the DMPs. Based on cytopathology, symptomatology and mite and/or graft-transmissibility, the five diseases described in this paper are potentially caused by virus(es) and the DMPs associated with these diseases may represent virus particles. If the DMPs are indeed viral in nature, they would comprise a new group of plant viruses.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.17
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• pp.271-280
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• 2001

We report on the applicability oj a method recently developed in our laboratory for measuring the antioxidant potential of isolated chemicals and extracts derived from natural products. Peroxyl radicals generated by thermal homolysis of 2,2'-azobis-amidinopropane (ABAP) oxidize $\alpha$-keto-${\gamma}$-methiolbutyric acid (KMBA) to ethylene, which is monitored by gas chromatography. Inhibition of ethylene formation in the presence of antioxidants that compete with KMBA for peroxyl radicals is the basis of the Total Oxyradical Scavenging Capacity Assay (TOSCA; Winston et al., 1998). Antioxidative activities of water-soluble extracts of American green tea, the anti-hepatotoxic flavonolignan from milk thistle (Silybum marianum) silybin, Ginkgo biloba extract EGb 761, and a series of naturally occuring sesquiterpene lactones (all ger-macranolides found in in fungi, liverworts, and plants) were studied. The specific TOSC value per $\mu$M silybin was 5.2, which is essentially comparable to that of Trolo $x^{ⓡ}$, a water-soluble vitamine E analog. Tea and Ginkgo extracts exhibited potent peroxyl radical scavenging capacity with values, respectively of =1700 and 1000 $\mu$mols Trolo $x^{ⓡ}$ equivalent per gram dry matter. The known anti-inflammatory activity of some germacranolides prompted study of their antioxidant capacity. None of the lactones exhibited antioxidant capacity toward peroxyl radicals comparable to Trolo $x^{ⓡ}$; costunilide, the most lipophilic, had a TOSC value = to glutathione. The potential role of peroxyl radicals in lipidperoxidation, other cellular damage, and var-ious disease states suggest a possible preventive role for silybin, green tea and Ginkgo biloba in oxidative stress caused by these free radical species.ecies.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.307-314
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• 2001

Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) is a thistle-like annual plant mainly grown in dry hot climates as an oilseed or birdseed. Traditionally, the oil has mainly been sold in the health food market because it is unsaturated having high linoleic and oleic acid levels. With increased health consciousness in recent years, the oil quality has become a more general health issue. This study was designed to understand whether safflower seed powder has positive effects on the fracture healing in rats. Simple transverse fracture of rat fibula was made with a rotating diamond disc saw. The histologic changes of rats were observed with a scanning electron microscope. The fractured fibulae showed a complete fusion at the fracture site in the 4th to 5th week after a simple transverse fracture. Administration of safflower seed powder facilitated the speed of histologic changes without affecting qualitative changes. These results suggest that safflower seed powder nay have substances that help the fracture healing process.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.117-124
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• 2017

The present study aimed to show that pro-inflammatory cytokines [tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$, interferon (IFN)-${\gamma}$, and interleukin (IL)-$1{\beta}$] synergistically induce the production of nitric oxide (NO) production in mouse mesangial cells, which play an important role in inflammatory glomerular injury. We also found that co-treatment with cytokines at low doses (TNF-${\alpha}$; 5 ng/ml, IFN-${\gamma}$; 5 ng/ml, and IL-$1{\beta}$; 1.25 U/ml) synergistically induced NO production, whereas treatment with each cytokine alone did not increase NO production at doses up to 100 ng/ml or 50 U/ml. Silymarin, a polyphenolic flavonoid isolated from milk thistle (Silybum marianum), attenuates cytokine mixture (TNF-${\alpha}$, IFN-${\gamma}$, and IL-$1{\beta}$)-induced NO production. Western blot and RT-PCR analyses showed that silymarin inhibits inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression in a dose-dependent manner. Silymarin also inhibited extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase-1 and -2 (ERK1/2) phosphorylation. Collectively, we have demonstrated that silymarin inhibits NO production in mouse mesangial cells, and may act as a useful anti-inflammatory agent.