• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.755-761
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• 2012

In this study, we examined immuno-modulatory activities of crude polysaccharides from wild ginseng adventitious roots (WGAR). The crude polysaccharide (WGAR-CP) was isolated from WGAR by hot water extraction, ethanol precipitation, and dialysis. The major constituents in WGAR-CP were neutral sugar (64.77%), and uronic acid (34.32%). WGAR-CP demonstrated anti-complementary activity dose-dependently. The immuno-modulatory effects of WGAR-CP were also analyzed by measuring nitric oxide and cytokines in the supernatants of mouse peritoneal macrophages. Mouse peritoneal macrophages stimulated with WGAR-CP produced nitric oxide and various cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-12 in a dose-dependent manner. In conclusion, WGAR-CP may have immuno-modulatory activities by activating a complementary system and macrophages, which produces cytokines.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.63-70
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• 2007

Objectives : This experimental study was designed to investigate the effects of Acanthopanax, sessiliflorus SEEM extracts following gamma-ray irradiation on immuno-stimulating and anti-tumor activity in terms of proliferation of tumor cells, thymocytes, splenocytes, and NO production from peritoneal macrophages in mice. Methods: 10AS and 100 AS were the bark powders of Acanthopanax sessiliflorus $S_{EEM}$ stems which were exposed in 10 kGy or 100 kGy of electron beam respectively. Results : Treatment with either 10AS or 100AS increased proliferation rates of thymocytes and splenocytes significantly, and treatment with l0AS also decreased proliferation rates of tumor cells significantly. Treatment with either l0AS or l00AS promoted NO production from peritoneal macrophages significantly. Conclusion : These results suggested that AS has direct inhibition effect of tumor growth and immuno-stimulating activity. In conclusion, we demonstrate that AS could be used to treat cancer patient as complementary or alternative medicine to typical anti-cancer medication.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.16-27
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• 2019

Generative and vegetative parts of the cactuses have had a long-lasting position in folk medicine and their effects could partly be confirmed in scientific experiments. Nowadays, the cactus, fruits, and cladodes are the focus of many studies because of their desirable properties. Therefore, the summarized reports of valuable properties of medicinal plants may be a good way to familiarize researches with a new source of drugs with lower side effects and higher efficacy. Opuntia dillenii, a well-known member of the Cactaceae family, is used as a medicinal plant in various countries and grows in the desert, semi-desert, tropical and sub-tropical areas. It shows diverse pharmacological activities such as: antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, neuroprotective, hepatoprotective, hypotensive etc. OD fruit also possesses valuable constitutes for instance: betalains, ascorbic acid, total phenol, protein as well as essential elements which suggest the significant potential of this plant as a complementary therapy against several pathological conditions. This review describes experimental evidence about pharmacological and therapeutic potential of OD in order to give the basis of its application in the prevention and treatment of some chronic diseases. More studies on OD can help better understanding of its pharmacological mechanism of action to explain its traditional uses and to identify its potential new therapeutic applications.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.220-227
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• 2008

In this study, polysaccharides were isolated from Korean persimmon vinegar to characterize the polysaccharides existing as soluble forms within traditional Korean fermented beverages, and their immuno-stimulating activities were examined. Three successive chromatographies were used to purify the main polysaccharide in the persimmon vinegar, PV-1b-I, to homogeneity from the crude polysaccharide (PV-0). The molecular mass of PV-1b-I was estimated as 110 kDa and it contained significant proportions of mannose (46.8%), galactose (28.5%) and arabinose (19.1%). PV-1b-I strongly reacted with ${\beta}$-glucosyl Yariv reagent, suggesting the presence of an arabino-3,6-galactan moiety. PV-1b-I also induced high levels of macrophage activation and mitogenicity on murine splenocytes in vitro. The intravenous administration of PV-1b-I significantly augmented NK cytotoxicity against YAC-1 tumor cells. PV-1b-I also showed potent anticomplementary activity in a dose-dependent manner. Finally, C3 activation products were identified by crossed immunoelectrophoresis using anti-human C3 and the anti-complementary activity of PV-1b-I under $Ca^{2+}$-free conditions, suggesting that this PV-1b-I causes complementary activations via both alternative and classical pathways. From these results, one can conclude that Korean persimmon vinegar contains select polysaccharides in addition to healthy components, and these polysaccharides appear to provide immuno-stimulating activities beneficial to human health.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.21-28
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• 2004

We purified and characterized a crude polysaccharide from Spirodela polyrhiza with anti-complement activities. The crude polysaccharide fraction (SP-0) which had potential anti-complement activity was extracted in hot water for 4 hrs at 10$0^{\circ}C$. The ethanol-precipitate, the crude polysaccharide traction (SP-1), showed a potent anti-complement activity. Further purification of the crude polysaccharide (SP-1) was carried out by cetavlon, ion exchange chromatography and gel column chromatography. Among cetavlon fractions, SP-4 showed the most potent anti-complement activity. When 100 $\mu\textrm{g}$/mL of SP-4 was incubated with an equal volume of normal human serum (NHS), the TCH$_{50}$ was reduced by about 78%. When the SP-4 fraction was further purified by DEAE-Sepharose (Cl$^{[-10]}$ ), the SP-4IIa, SP-4IIb and SP-4IIc, absorbed fractions, were almost the same as the anti-complement activities of SP-4. SP-4IIc, having the greatest potential activation and the highest yield by ion exchange chromatography, was further purified by gel column chromatography on a Sepharose CL-6B column. Four polysaccharide fractions of SP-4IIc-1, SP-4IIc-2, SP-4IIc-3 and SP-4IIc-4 were obtained, consisting mainly of arabinose, rhamnose, galactose and glucose, with approximate molecular weights of about 305,000, 132,000, 64,000 and 12,000, respectively. Among these subfractions, SP-4IIc-1 had the most potent anti-complement activity. When the SP-4IIc-1 aggregate was applied to a gel column chromatography in 10 mM and 50 mM NaCl solution, the position of the peak fractions shifted to a low molecular weight region, and the molecular weight of SP-4IIc-1 decreased with increased NaCl concentration in the gel column chromatography. It was found that the self-aggregation formed spontaneously in void volume by gel column chromatography using Sepharose CL-6B in water and the self-aggregation significantly affected the anti-complement function.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.17-22
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• 2008

Ojectives : Cheonggukjang(natto) is known to have anti-hyperlipidemic action. This study was designed to investigate whether Herbal-cheonggukjang (HC, Herbal-natto) is more effective than cheonggukjang only, Methods : We investigated anti-hyperlipidemic effects of HC in hyperlipidemic rats induced by high-fat diet in terms of observation on levels of total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and triglyceride in serum. HC was made by cheonggukjang added Codonopsis Lanceolata, Houttuynia cordata and Lentinus edodes in indicated concetrations. Results : In this experiment, hyperlipidemic rats showed elevated levels of total cholesterol and triglyceride, and also showed lowered level of HDL-cholesterol. Oral administration of HC decreased levels of total cholesterol and triglyceride, Cheonggukjang(natto) did not affect levels of total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and triglyceride. Conclusions : In these results, oral administration of HC decreased total cholesterol and triglyceride effectively. These results demonstrate that HC is useful to modulate cholesterol and triglyceride in serum.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.513-520
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• 2023

Cornuside is a secoiridoid glucoside compound extracted from the fruits of Cornus officinalis. Cornuside has immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory properties; however, its potential therapeutic effects on diabetic nephropathy (DN) have not been completely explored. In this study, we established an in vitro model of DN through treating mesangial cells (MMCs) with glucose. MMCs were then treated with different concentrations of cornuside (0, 5, 10, and 30 μM). Cell viability was determined using cell counting kit-8 and 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine assays. Levels of proinflammatory cytokines, including interleukin (IL)-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, and IL-1β were examined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Reverse transcription quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting were performed to detect the expression of AKT and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB)-associated genes. We found that cornuside treatment significantly reduced glucose-induced increase in MMC viability and expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Moreover, cornuside inhibited glucose-induced phosphorylation of AKT and NF-κB inhibitor alpha, decreased the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen and cyclin D1, and increased the expression of p21. Our study indicates that the anti-inflammatory properties of cornuside in DN are due to AKT and NF-κB inactivation in MMCs.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.9
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• pp.5317-5323
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• 2013

Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer and one of the leading causes of death among women in the world. Plants and herbs may play an important role in complementary or alternative treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant and anti-proliferative potential of Urtica dioica. The anti oxidant activity of an aqueous extract of Urtica dioica leaf was measured by MTT assay and the FRAP method while its anti-proliferative activity on the human breast cancer cell line (MCF-7) and fibroblasts isolated from foreskin tissue was evaluated using MTT assay. Mechanisms leading to apoptosis were also investigated at the molecular level by measuring the amount of anti and pro-apoptotic proteins and at the cellular level by studying DNA fragmentation and annexin V staining by flow cytometry. The aqueous extract of Urtica dioica showed antioxidant effects with a correlation coefficient of $r^2$=0.997. Dose-dependent and anti-proliferative effects of the extract were observed only on MCF-7 cells after 72 hrs with an $IC_{50}$ value of 2 mg/ml. This anti proliferative activity was associated with an increase of apoptosis as demonstrated by DNA fragmentation, the appearance of apoptotic cells in flow cytometry analysis and an increase of the amount of calpain 1, calpastatin, caspase 3, caspase 9, Bax and Bcl-2, all proteins involved in the apoptotic pathway. This is the first time such in vitro antiproliferative effect of aqueous extract of Urtica dioica leaf has been described for a breast cancer cell line. Our findings warrant further research on Urtica dioica as a potential chemotherapeutic agent for breast cancer.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.103-114
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• 2017

Gnaphalium affine D. DON (GA) has been used as a vegetable as well as a folk medicine in East Asia. The antioxidant and anti-complementary activity of GA extract (GAE) has also been reported. However, little is known about its anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic effect and mechanism of action. In this study, we evaluated the inhibitory effects of GAE on the production of inflammatory mediators such as NO, $PGE_2$, TLR4, eotaxin-1 and histamine. Our results suggest that GAE inhibits the production of NO and $PGE_2$ by inhibiting transcriptional activation via the involvement of iNOS and COX-2. The LPS-induced expression of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) was also attenuated. In addition, GAE inhibited A23187-induced histamine release from MC/9 mast cells. It also inhibited the production of eotaxin-1 induced by IL-4. Collectively, these results suggest that GAE may have considerable potential as a cosmetic ingredient with anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic properties.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.518-522
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• 2007

The cortex and root of Acnthopanax sessiliflorus, a herbal medicine, have been used for several diseases including cancer in Oriental countries. In the previous study, we showed that the cortex of this plant have anti-cancer activity. But its therapeutic efficacy of CORTEX ACANTHOPANAX RADICIS (CAR) is not clarified. For these reasons, we investigated immuno-potentiating and anti-cancer properties of CAR compared with CA, in terms of body and tumor weights, proliferation of thymocytes and tumor cells, and nitric oxide production from macrophages through in vitro and in vivo studies. In our results, administration of CAR reduced tumor mass and increased body weights. CAR also inhibited proliferation of tumor cells in vivo and in vitro dose-dependently. Thymocyte proliferation was accelerated by treatment with CAR and NO production was also promoted by CAR in vivo and vitro. In conclusion, we demonstrated that CAR is useful to treat for cancer as complementary or alternative medicine to Western medication, its therapeutic efficacy is involved in direct inhibition of tumor growth and immuno-potentiating activity.