• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.622-628
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• 2014

The aim of this work is to evaluate the potential of oriental melon (Cucumis melo L. var. makuwa Makino) seeds for the management of type 2 diabetes by controlling glucose absorption. The ${\alpha}$-glucosidase and ${\alpha}$-amylase inhibitory effects of the hexane extracts from oriental melon seeds were investigated. A bioassay-guided fractionation technique was used to elucidate the principal active components. The results show that the hexane extract from oriental melon seeds exhibited high inhibitory activities against ${\alpha}$-glucosidase and ${\alpha}$-amylase. The hexane extract was further fractionated into four sub-fractions. Among them, the sub-fraction F-1 exhibited the most potent anti-diabetic effect. The active components were isolated and identified by gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy (GC-MS). Free fatty acids showed significant hypoglycemic activity (p < 0.001) and fatty acid composition influenced enzyme inhibitory activities. These results suggest that oriental melon seeds could be used to prevent type 2 diabetes.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.31 no.12
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• pp.3760-3764
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• 2010

We screened 10,000 heterocyclic small molecules and identified a novel hit core skeleton of 3-(8-chloro-6-(trifluoromethyl) imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine-2-yl)phenyl acetate derivatives. It has been selected as a potential glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor (GLP-1R) activator and demonstrated its effects in increasing GLP-1 secretion, and thereby increasing the glucose responsiveness in both in vitro and pharmacology analyses. Further studies are currently underway to optimize the potency and selectivity of 3-(8-chloro-6-(trifluoromethyl)imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine-2-yl)phenyl acetate derivatives (hit compounds 2 and 8), and address their in vivo efficacy and therapeutic potential. These molecules may serve as useful evidence showing that compounds with a 3-(8-chloro-6-(trifluoromethyl)imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine-2-yl)phenyl acetate moiety are selective GLP-1R agonists, and have potential as anti-diabetic treatment agents.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.96-102
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• 2008

Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.(family Nymphaeaceae) has been used for summer heat syndrome as home remedy in Japan, China and Korea. Although whole plant parts are edible, root is commonly consumed. It has been reported that rhizome extract showed anti-diabetic and anti-inflammatory effects. However, in spite of usefulness for treatment of various diseases, the effect of Nelumbo nucifera rhizome(NNR) on proliferation, migration and matrix degrading enzymes-matrix metalloproteinsases(MMPs), the expression of which degrades extracellular matrix(ECM) leading to metastasis, has not been fully elucidated. We examined the effect of hot water extract of NNR on the proliferation, migration and secretion of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in rat smooth muscle cells(rSMC), epidermoid cancer cells(A431) and breast cancer cells(MDA-MB-231). The proliferation assay was carried out using MTT assay, the principle of which depends upon the conversion of MTT by mitochondrial dehydrogensases of viable cells to formazan crystals. The effect of NNR on migration of cells was examined using wound healing assay. Our results showed that there was inhibition in the proliferation, migration and expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in dose dependent fashion in all the cells used. Thus, we concluded that NNR could be used as traditional medicine in the treatment of various diseases where proliferation, migration and MMPs' expression plays a pathological role like in restenosis and metastasis.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.185-192
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• 2010

Isaria sinclairii (Cicada Dongchunghacho) was studied as a potential crude natural food in powdered form. The role of tissue fatty acids in relation to the anti-obesity effects of I. sinclairii (IS) was examined by feeding the powder to SD rats ad libitum at 0, 1.25, 2.5, 5 and 10% (calculated about 8 g/kg) of the feed for a period of 3 months and 6 months. The fatty acid composition profile as indicated GC-MS, showed significantly slight dose-dependent increases in the levels of unsaturated fatty acids, particularly, arachidonic acid (C20: 4n6), oleic acid, linoleic acid, eicosadienoic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) (C20: 5) concentration in the the ad libitum IS-fed groups compared to the control group in SD abdominal fat over 6 month period. Over viewing of the SD and Ob mice treated Isaria sinclairii powder; there were increases in the single (mono) unsaturated fatty acids ratio but decreases in polyunsaturated fatty acid. In IS-fed groups in proportion to the treatment period, this Dongchunghacho also induced an increase in the level of same result of unsaturated fatty acid in C57BL/6 obese (ob/ob) mice over a 6-month period treatment compared to those given 10% dry mulberry leaf powder (ML) or silkworm powder mixed with the standard diet.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.136-153
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• 2017

Objectives This experimental study was designed to investigate the effect of Phaseolus angularis shell on metabolic syndrome. Methods Each 5 C57BL/6J mice were randomly assigned to normal diet group, high-fat diet(HFD) control group, high-fat diet plus 15.6 mg/kg/day of Orlistat(HFD-Orlistat) group, high-fat diet plus 100mg/kg/day of Phaseolus angularis shell extract(HFD-PAS_E) group. Weight, the blood chemical and hematologic parameter was med. The mRNA expression was assayed through Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR). Results In HFD-PAS_E group, the body weight gain, weight of liver, and the level of LDL-Cholesterol were significantly decreased and the level of HDL-Cholesterol were significantly increased. The size of adipocyte in HFD-PAS_E group was smaller than HFD group's. In HFD-PAS_E group, the expression of leptin, PPAR-${\gamma}$, AP2/FABP4 mRNA in liver adipocyte tissue was decreased, the expression of Adiponectin, UCP-2 mRNA in liver adipocyte tissue was increased and the expression of Leptin, C/EBP-a, AP2/FABP4 mRNA in epididymal adipocyte tissue was decreased. Conclusion These results suggest that Phaseolus angularis shell has inhibitory effects on metabolic syndrome by reducing the body weight and the levels of lipid contents in high-fat-diet induced obese mice.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.40-46
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• 2012

Ginseng, the root of Panax ginseng Meyer, has been used frequently in traditional oriental medicine and is popular globally. Ginsenosides, which are the saponins in ginseng, are the major components having pharmacological and biological activities, including anti-diabetic and anti-tumor activities. In this study, we investigated the effects of total saponin from Korean red ginseng(TSKRG) on thrombin-produced thromboxane $A_2$ ($TXA_2$), an aggregating thrombogenic molecule, and its associated microsomal enzymes cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 and $TXA_2$ synthase (TXAS). Thrombin (0.5 U/mL) increased $TXA_2$ production up to 169 ng/$10^8$ platelets as compared with control (0.2 ng/$10^8$ platelets). However, TSKRG inhibited potently $TXA_2$ production to the control level in a dose-dependent manner, which was associated with the strong inhibition of COX-1 and TXAS activities in platelet microsomes having cytochrome c reductase activity. The results demonstrate TSKRG is a beneficial traditional oriental medicine in platelet-mediated thrombotic diseases via suppression of COX-1 and TXAS to inhibit production of $TXA_2$.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.275-283
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• 2016

An anti-amnesic effect of water extract from Dendropanax morbifera Lev. leaves (DMW) on memory dysfunction in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats was investigated to assess its potential industrial value. Daily administration of DMW (11 weeks) significantly reduced serum glucose, insulin, and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels increased by an intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ, 55 mg/kg). In addition, the administration of DMW decreased escape latency and increased the time spent in the platform quadrant in the Morris water maze test. Step-through latency in a passive avoidance test was also improved. Finally, DMW produced ameliorating effects on STZ-induced cholinergic deficit through an inhibitory effect on acetylcholinesterase and the increment of acetylcholine level in the hippocampus. These results suggest that DMW might be used as a natural substance for improving diabetic induced cognitive impairment.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.549-557
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• 2005

Effects of Acanthopanax senticosus extract (AS) on blood sugar content and serum lipid profiles of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats were investigated. Experimental groups were classified into four groups, that is, normal control (NC) group, diabetic mellitus (DM) group, AS-fed group and DMAS-fed group. The AS group showed lower feed efficiency than the NC group, but the efficiency of DMAS group was higher than DM group. DMAS group showed the decreased water intake and urine by $45.5\%$ and $23.7\%$ respectively, compared with DM group. Compared with DM group, DMAS group decreased blood sugar by $46.9\%$ and triglyceride by $17.8\%$, total cholesterol by $10.0\%$ and LDL cholesterol by $22.0\%$ in serum, but increased serum HDL cholesterol by $14.4\%$ The relative percentage of liver or kidney per body weight, and the serum ALT activity in DMAS group were lower than those of DM group. There were no significant differences in hepatic glutathione(GSH) contents and total xanthine oxidase(XOD) activities among experimental groups. The hepatic lipid peroxide(LPO) content in DMAS group decreased by $54.6\%$ compared with that in DM group. The XOD (O type) and the ratio of O type to total type of both STZ-treated groups (DM and DMAS) were higher than those of NC group, but less conversion of D to O type was observed in DMAS group than in DM group. There was no significant difference in GST activity between NC and AS, but STZ-treated groups showed lower glutathione S-transferase(GST) activity than NC. In conclusion, it seems that AS reduces blood sugar by inhibiting the activity of xanthine oxidase type O as an oxygen-free radical generating system which induces the tissue damage. Antidiabetic effect of AS may regulate diabetes-induced high lipid profiles in blood.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.549-559
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• 2014

This study investigated the hypoglycemic effects of mulberry leaf (M), green tea (G), and a mixture of mulberry leaf and green tea (MG) in rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into the non-diabetic (N) and diabetic groups. The experimental animals were divided into four groups and fed the following for four weeks: a normal diet (N), the STZ+normal diet (STZ), the STZ+5% mulberry leaf (STZ-M), STZ+5% green tea (STZ-G), and the STZ+5% mixture of mulberry leaf and green tea (STZ-MG). The whole blood glucose level of the STZ-M, STZ-G and STZ-MG groups significantly decreased compared to the STZ group two weeks later. The serum glucose and fructosamine, and urine glucose levels in the STZ-M, STZ-G and STZ-MG groups were lower than in the STZ group. The levels of serum insulin were higher in the STZ-M, STZ-G and STZ-MG groups than in the STZ group. However, serum glucose, fructosamine and insulin levels, and urine glucose levels were not significantly different among the STZ-M, STZ-G and STZ-MG groups. These results indicate that mulberry leaf, green tea, and their mixture help prevent or attenuate the progression of diabetes in rats with STZ-induced diabetes.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.951-957
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• 2004

Hypoglycemic effect of Prunus mume (PM) extract containing in Sangjinyangheul-tang and Hwangkeumtang, one of the diabetic herbal medicines, was determined by investigating insulin-like action, insulin sensitizing action and a-glucoamylase suppressing action. Insulin-like activity of 3T3-L1 fibroblast was not shown with the treatment of PM methanol extracts. However, treatment with 20% or 40% PM methanol extracts and differentiation inducers significantly decreased the differentiation of 3T3-L1 fibroblasts to adipocytes. A significant insulin sensitizing activity was observed in 3T3-L1 adipocytes, giving PM extracts (60%, 80% and 100%) with 1 ng/mL insulin to reach glucose uptake level increased by 50 ng/mL of insulin alone. In addition, 20% and 40% methanol extracts of PM suppressed the a-glucoamylase activity by 30% in vitro. However, there was no significant differences in the peak of serum glucose levels and area under the curve in Sprague Dawley male rats treated with PM ethanol extract or cellulose and 2 g maltose or dextrin/kg body weight. These data suggested that PM extracts contain effective insulin sensitizing compounds, lipid synthesis suppressing compounds and possibly a-glucoamylase suppressing compounds. Therefore, PM extracts are beneficial for anti-diabetic treatment in obese diabetic patients.