• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.269-278
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• 2020

Objectives: Yukmijihwang-won (Liuweidihuang-wan in Chinese) is a frequently used medicinal herbal formula. It is used as Yin tonic in Korea and China to recover patients from Yin deficiency. However, the scientific evidence on this drug has not revealed the beneficial effect or mechanism of its effects on the neurological disorder. We designed this study to examine the antidepressive and analgesic effects of Yukmijihwang-won (YJ-01) and the minor modification of YJ-01, YJ-06 on the reserpine-induced pain-depression dyad mice model. Methods: Reserpine (1 mg/kg) was administered subcutaneously once a day for three consecutive days to induce pain and depression-like behavior. The oral administration of YJ-01 and YJ-06 (100, 200, or 300 mg/kg) was performed once daily from three days after the reserpine injection. Results: Repeated administration of the YJs significantly reduced the immobility time in a forced swimming test and increased the moved distance and number of crossings in the open field test. In the von-Frey filament test, the oral administration of YJs remarkably suppressed the increase in paw withdrawal frequency. Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that YJ-01 and 06 may be good candidates to treat the pain-depression dyad.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.193-200
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• 2021

Sophora flavescens Ait. (Fabaceae) is a medicinal plant widely founded in Northeast Asia, and its dried root (Kushen) has been used as a traditional Chinese herbal medicine. The therapeutic effects of Kushen in micturition disorder was not investigated comprehensively yet. In the present study, we examined and compared the efficacy of three batches of Kushen extract using different ethanol content through an in vitro cell-based assay. Among them, we chose the batch with the highest efficacy and augmented the volume of extract for industrial purpose. The bulk extract was examined in its efficacy in the in vitro cell-based assay, and the therapeutic effects through an in vivo behavioral assay of OAB rats. The main components of the extracts were analyzed by liquid chromatography. Cytotoxicity of the extracts was investigated by MTT assay. The overall efficacy of the extract was as much as, or more than, kurarinone, a potent BK_Ca channel activator. Thus, the extract was a potent relaxant of urinary smooth muscle by upregulating the activity of BK_Ca channel. The Kushen extract could be explored as an alternative medicine against overactive bladder patients indicating severe dysfunction of BK_Ca channel.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.249-255
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• 2009

Forsythiaside is a polyphenolic constituent of the fruits of Forsythia suspense Vahl which are widely used as anti-inflammatory herbal raw materials in traditional Chinese medicine. In the present study, the authors assessed the effects of forsythiaside on learning and memory impairments induced by scopolamine using a passive avoidance and the Morris water maze tests in mice. Drug-induced amnesia was induced by scopolamine treatment (1 mg/kg, i.p.). Forsythiaside (10 mg/kg, p.o) administration significantly prevented scopolamine-induced step-through latency reduction in the passive avoidance test and scopolamine-induced increased escape latency in the Morris water maze test (p<0.05). Moreover, in an ex-vivo study, forsythiaside treatment (10 mg/kg, p.o) significantly reduced the increase of thiobarbituric acid reactive substance levels induced by scopolamine (p<0.05). Taken together, the present study suggests that forsythiaside could be useful for the treatment of cognitive impairment, and that its beneficial effects are mediated, in part, by its antioxidative properties.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.165-174
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• 2017

Background: Traditional plant drugs, are less toxic and free from side effects compared to general synthetic drugs. They have been used for the treatment of diabetes and associated renal damage. In this study, we evaluated effect of Hachimi-jio-gan against diabetic renal damage in a rat model of type 1 diabetic nephropathy induced by subtotal nephrectomy plus streptozotocin (STZ) injection, and in Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rats and db/db mice as a model of human type 2 diabetes, and its associated complications. To explore the active components of Hachimi-jio-gan, the antidiabetic effect of corni fructus, a consituent of Hachimi-jio-gan, and 7-O-galloyl-${{\small}D}$-sedoheptulose, a phenolic compound isolated from corni fructus, were investigated. Methods and Results: We conducted an extensive literature search, and all required data were collected and systematically organized. The findings were reviewed and categorized based on relevance to the topic. A summary of all the therapeutic effects were reported as figures and tables. Conclusions: Hachimi-jio-gan serves as a potential therapeutic agent to against the development of type 1 and type 2 diabetic nephropathy. From the results of characterization active components of corni fructus, 7-O-galloyl-${\small}D$-sedoheptulose is considered to play an important role in preventing and/or delaying the onset of diabetic renal damage. 7-O-Galloyl-${\small}D$-sedoheptulose is expected to serve as a novel therapeutic agent against the development of diabetic nephropathy.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.38-43
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• 2023

Objectives: Psychiatric symptoms in epilepsy are very common, and the most common symptoms are depression, insomnia, and anxiety. These symptoms not only lower the quality of life of epilepsy patients, but also elevate the risk of epileptic seizures. There are no specific criteria for the available antiepileptic drugs to ameliorate these symptoms in patients with epilepsy, and there is a lack of evidence to support the efficacy and safety of existing drugs. The Shugan Jieyu capsule (SJC) is a traditional herbal medicine composed of Acanthopanax senticosus and Hypericum perforatum and is reported to be effective in relieving psychiatric symptoms. The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of SJC as a treatment for psychiatric symptoms in epilepsy patients. Methods: Electronic databases will be investigated for publications in English, Korean, Japanese, and Chinese. The participants of the study are epilepsy patients with psychiatric symptoms diagnosed using any validated criteria. All types of controls will be compared-placebo, conventional treatments, and no treatment-to groups treated with SJC or modified SJC. We will measure the degree of improvement in psychiatric symptoms and check epileptic symptoms, such as the frequency of seizures. The study selection and data extraction will be performed by two independent reviewers, who will also assess methodological quality using the risk-of-bias tool by Cochrane. We will use Review Manager software (RevMan) to carry out all statistical analyses. Results: This systematic review and meta-analysis will be performed in accordance with the PRISMA-P statement. Conclusion: This systematic review is the first study to assess the efficacy and safety of SJC for the treatment of psychiatric symptoms in epilepsy. We expect that this study will provide clinically applicable evidence for patients with epilepsy when selecting drug treatments.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.27-37
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• 2007

Objectives: Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common primary malignant tumor of the liver worldwide. In-Jin-Ho-Tang(IJHT) has been used as a traditional Chinese herbal medicine since ancient time. and today it is widely applied as a medication for jaundice which is associated with inflammation in liver. In this study, I investigated whether methanol extract of IJHT induced HepG2 cancer cell death. Methods: Cytotoxic activity of IJHT on HepG2 cells was using XTT assay. Apoptosis induction by Ros A in HCT116 cells was verified by the induction of cleavage of poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP). and activation of caspase-3, -8 and -9. The release of cytochrome c from mitochondria to cytosol. the level of Bcl-2 and Bax and the expression of p53 and p21 were examined by western blotting analysis. Furthermore, MAPKs activation was analyzed by western blotting analysis. Results: IJHT induced apoptosis in HepG2 cells. And treatment of IJHT resulted in the release of cytochrome c into cytosol, decreased anti-apoptotic Bcl-2, and increased pri-apoptotic Bax expression. IJHT markedly inactivated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2), and activated p38 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase. Sodium orthovanadate (SOV), a phosphatase inhibitor, to reverse IJHT-induced ERK1/2 inactivation and SB203580, a specific p38 MAP Kinase inhibitor efficiently blocked apoptosis of HepG2. Thus, IJHT induces apoptosis in HepG2 cells via MAP kinase modulation. Conclusion: These results indicated that IJHT has some potential for use as an anti-cancer agent.