• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.63-82
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• 2024

Objective : Saengkankunbi-tang (SKT) is used as a traditional Korean herbal formula for treatment of liver diseases. We investigated the hepatoprotective effects of SKT plus Epimedium koreanum Nakai (EKE) against arachidonic acid (AA) + iron-mediated cytotoxicity in HepG2 cells and carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄)-mediated acute liver damage in mice. Methods : The cyto-protective effects of SKT + EKE were determined by MTT assay, western blot and fluorescence activated cell sorting analysis. In mice, blood biochemistry and western blot were assessed in CCl₄-induced acute hepatic damage. The animal groups included vehicle-treated control, CCl₄, SKT (200 mg/kg/day), EKE (100 mg/kg/day), SKT (200 mg/kg/day) + EKE (100 mg/kg/day) and silymarin (200 mg/kg/day). Results : In HepG2 cells, pretreatment with SKT + EKE significantly suppressed cytotoxicity induced by AA + iron and reduced the expression of proteins related to apoptosis. In addition, pretreatment with SKT + EKE significantly prevented the increase in H₂O₂ production, GSH depletion, and lower mitochondrial membrane potential induced by AA + iron. In CCl₄-induced liver damage mice, the administration of SKT + EKE prevented the liver damage by inhibition of hepatocyte damage and expression of apoptosis proteins in liver. More importantly, in vitro and in vivo assay, SKT + EKE showed significant effect compare with SKT alone or EKE alone in all parameters. Conclusions : These results indicated that SKT + EKE could protect against oxidative stress-induced liver damage, and SKT + EKE is more effective than SKT alone or EKE alone.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.29 no.8
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• pp.849-860
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• 1996

The supply of different fatty acids during the development period has significant effects. This study examined the effects of dietary $\omega$3 and $\omega$6 fatty acid compositions on phospholipids (PLs) of RBC and rat brain subcellular fractions (synaptosome, microsome, mitochondria), and on learning ability of the 2nd generation rat. Rats were fed experimental diets 3-4 wks prior to the conception. Early in the lactation period, the feeding mothers were exchanged. Diets consisted of 10% fat(by weight), which was either safflower oil('S') poor in $\omega$3 fatty acids or computer-searched mixed oil('M') with P/M/S ratio, 1/1.4/1 and $\omega$6/$\omega$3 ratio, 6.1/1. The 'S' and 'M' rats were subdivided further into SS, SM, MS & MM rats according to their lactation stauts. At 3 (weaning) & 9 wks of age, the percentage of total $\omega$3 fatty acids to their lactation status. At 3 (weaning) & 9 wks of age, the percentage of total $\omega$3 fatty acids and the ratios of $\omega$3/$\omega$6 fatty acids in PLs of RBC and brain subcellular fractions in SM and MM groups fed milk from the mixed oil-fed mothers for 2 wks tended to be higher than those in SS and MS groups respectively. In contrast, the concentrations of $\omega$6 fatty acids, especially 22:5$\omega$6 in all fractions, were significantly lower in the SM & MM groups compared to those of the SS & MS groups respectively. In contrast, the concentration of $\omega$6 fatty acids, especially 22:5$\omega$6 in all fractions, were significantly lower in the SM & MM groups compared to those of the SS & MS groups, The values for the DHA$\omega$3/22:5$\omega$6 ratios after the lactation period were markedly higher in the groups (SM & MM) which were reared by mixed oil(MO) fed mothers. In carring out Y-water maze at 9th wk of age, the SM(4.2$\pm$0.5) & MM (5.3$\pm$0.5) groups made significantly less errors compared to the SS(6.2$\pm$0.6, p<0.05 compared with SM) & MM (7.2$\pm$0.5, p<0.05 compared with MM) groups which were lactated by the safflower oilfed mothers. Therefore, by feeding a balanced fatty acid diet from the lactation period up to 9 wks of age as compared with the groups fed $\omega$3 fatty acid-deficient diet regardless of mother's diet given before parturition. The levels of DHA(synaptosome) and 22:5$\omega$3 (mitochondria) were positively correlated not only with these values in RBC but also with visual discriminating ability. The levels of DHA and 22:5$\omega$3 in RBC can, therfore, reflect visual discriminatng ability in the rat.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.574-585
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• 2017

This study was conducted to investigate effects of a potato byproduct on growth performance, blood metabolites, and carcass characteristics of Hanwoo steers. The palm oil coated potato byproduct was supplemented to the diet of Hanwoo steers to estimate the effect on growth performance, blood metabolites, and carcass characteristics during the late fattening period. Thirteen steers with initial body weight of control ($676.8{\pm}31.7kg$), treatment 1 ($671.8{\pm}46.2kg$) and treatment 2 ($672.8{\pm}31.1kg$) were used for 60 days, respectively. Average daily gain of steers in treatment 2 and control was greater than that in treastment 1 (p > 0.05). All steers in treatment 2 had a grade quality grading system than B in meat quantity and had a meat quality higher than the $1^{st}$ grade. According to the physicochemical analysis of longissimus muscle, treatment 2 had high brightness resulting from high meat quality (p > 0.05), and a decrease in redness and yellowness is seen as a dilution effect due to muscle hypertrophy (p > 0.05). The fatty acid composition showed low levels of linoleic acid (p = 0.039) and arachidonic acid (p = 0.008) in treatment 2. This resulted in lower polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) levels (p = 0.034). On the other hand, high levels of oleic acid resulted in high levels of MUFA (p > 0.05). These results indicate that potato byproduct had similar effects with ${\beta}_2-adrenergic$ agonist (${\beta}_2-AA$). And there was no negative effect on the intramuscular fat. In conclusion, palm oil coated potato byproduct could be potentially used as an alternative growth enhancer.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.127-133
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• 2006

Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 has the ability to inhale certain metals and chemical compounds and exhale these materials in an altered state; as a result, this microorganism has been widely applied in bioremediation protocols. However, the relevant characteristics of cell growth and biosynthesis of PuFAs have yet to be thoroughly investigated. Therefore, in this study, we have attempted to characterize the growth and fatty acid profiles of S. oneidensis MR-1 under a variety of temperature conditions. The fastest growth of S. oneidensis MR-1 was observed at $30^{\circ}C$, with a specific growth rate and doubling time of $0.6885h^{-1}\;and\;1.007 h$. The maximum cell mass of this microorganism was elicited at a temperature of $4^{\circ}C$. The eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) synthesis of S. oneidensis MR-1 was evaluated under these different culture temperatures. S. oneidensis MR-1 was found not to synthesize EPA at temperatures in excess of $30^{\circ}C$, but was shown to synthesize EPA at temperatures below $30^{\circ}C$. The EPA content was found to increase with decreases in temperature. We then evaluated the EPA biosynthetic pathway, using a phylogenetic tree predicted on 16s rRNA sequences, and the homology of ORFs between S. oneidensis MR-1 and Shewanella putrefaciens SCRC-2738, which is known to harbor a polyketide synthase (PKS)-like module. The phylogenetic tree revealed that MR-1 was very closely related to both Moritella sp., which is known to synthesize DHA via a PKS-like pathway, and S. putrefaciens, which has been reported to synthesize EPA via an identical pathway. The homology between the PKS-like module of S. putrefaciens SCRC-2738 and the entire genome of S. oneidensis MR-1 was also analyzed, in order to mine the genes associated with the PKS-like pathway in S. oneidensis MR-1. A putative PKS-like module for EPA biosynthesis was verified by this analysis, and was also corroborated by the experimental finding that S. oneidensis MR-1 was able to synthesize EPA without the expression of $dihomo-{\gamma}-linoleic$ acid (DGLA) and arachidonic acid (AA) formed during EPA synthesis via the FAS pathway.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.418-427
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• 2003

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is the mixture of positional and geometric isomers of linoleic acid (LA, C18:2 $\omega$6), which is found abundantly in dairy products and meats. This study was peformed to investigate the anticarcinogenic effect of CLA in MCF-7 breast cancer cells. MCF-7 cell were treated with LA and CLA at the various concentrations of 15, 30, 60, 120 UM each. After incubation for 48 and 72 hours, cell proliferation, fatty acids incorporation into cell, peroxidation and activities of antioxidant enzymes were measured. Postaglandin E$_2$ (PGE$_2$) and thromboxane $A_2$ (TXA$_2$) were measured for the eicosanoids metabolism. There was no cell growth differences in both of LA and CLA treated MCF-7 cells at 48 hr incubation. Compared to LA, cell growth was decreased by CLA treatment according to increasing concentration at longer incubation times, respectively (p<0.05). Both of LA and CLA was incorporated into the cellular lipids 22~54% higher than in control but LA incorporation was not so linear as CLA according to concentration. Arachidonic acid (C20:4, $\omega$6) was synthesized after treatment of LA but did not in CLA, respectively. The lipid peroxide concentration in LA 120 $\mu$M group increased as 1.7 times as that in CLA 120 $\mu$M treated. The activities of antioxidant enzymes such as glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase were increased by the supplementation with CLA 120 $\mu$M at 72 hr incubation (p<0.001) compared to LA, otherwise activity of superoxide dismutase was not different in both. PGE$_2$ and TXA$_2$ levels were lower in condition of CLA treatments according to lower levels of arachidonic acids than those in LA treated group, respectively. Overall, the dietary CLA might change the MCF-7 cell growth by the changes of cell composition, production of lipid peroxide, activities of antioxidant enzymes and eicosanoid synthesis compared to dietary LA.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.273-279
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• 2000

Leukotriene $B_4\;(LTB_4)$ is a pro-inflammatory mediator synthesized in myeloid cells from arachidonic acid. Elevated levels of $LTB_4$ have been found in a number of inflammatory diseases and levels are related to disease activity in some of these. Because $LTB_4$ interacts with cells through specific cell surface receptors, $LTB_4$ receptor blockade is the most specific approach to reduce the pathogenic role of $LTB_4$. In order to find $LTB_4$ receptor antagonist from plants, we screened the $LTB_4$ receptor antagonistic activity of the methanol extract and solvent fractions of herbal drugs. The ability of samples to inhibit specific binding of $[^3H]-LTB_4$ to human peripheral neutrophils was used as assay to evaluate the antagonistic activity of plant materials. Among the tested methanol extracts of herbal drugs, Mori Radicis Cortex, Perillae Semen, Armeniacae Semen and Sophorae subprostratae Radix showed potent inhibitory activity above 70% at the concentration of $100\;{mu}g/ml$. The inhibitory activities of $LTB_4$ binding to human neutrophils were evaluated for several solvent fractions at three different concentrations. Especially, hexane soluble fractions of Anemarrhenae Rhizoma and Embeliae Radix, and ethyl acetate soluble fractions of Aristolochiae Fructus, Magnoliae Cortex and Zingiberis Rhizoma crudus showed moderate activity at $25\;{mu}g/ml$. These fractions were promising candidates for the study of the activity-guided chromatographic purification of active compounds. Silica gel column chromatography of hexane soluble fractions of Anemarrhenae Rhizoma and Embeliae Radix gave very active sub-fractions, AA-4 and ES-4, and their inhibition activities of $LTB_4$ binding to human neutrophil at $30\;{mu}g/ml$ were 78% and 62%, respectively. From these results we could anticipate new $LTB_4$ receptor antagonist from herbal drugs, and the block of $LTB_4$ effects may provide beneficial in neutrophil mediated diseases such as inflammation and bronchial asthma.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.561-571
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• 2010

Colon cancer is one of the most common malignancies in the western world and the second leading cause of cancer death in Korea. Epidemiology studies have shown a reduced incidence of colon cancer among populations consuming a large quantity of ${\omega}3$-polyunsaturated fatty acids (${\omega}3$-PUFA) of marine origin. Recently, it has been found that ${\omega}3$-PUFA has an antineoplastic effect in several cancers. This study was designed to investigate the mechanism of the anti-invasive effect of ${\omega}3$-PUFA in colon cancer. ${\omega}3$-PUFA, docosahexaenoic acids (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) treatment resulted in a dose-dependent inhibition of cell growth in SW480 human colon cancer cells. In contrast, arachidonic acid (AA), a ${\omega}6$-PUFA, exhibited no significant effect. This action likely involves apoptosis, given that DHA treatment increased apoptotic cells in TUNEL assay. Moreover, invasiveness of SW480 cells was inhibited following treatment of DHA in a dose-dependent manner; in contrast, AA had no effect. The levels of MMP-9 and MMP-2 mRNA decreased after DHA pretreatment. MMP-9 and MMP-2 promoter activities were also inhibited by DHA treatment. The levels of NF-kB and p-IkB protein were down-regulated by DHA pretreatment in a dose dependent manner. In addition, DHA inhibited NF-kB promoter reporter activities. These findings suggest that ${\omega}3$-PUFA may inhibit cancer cell invasion by inhibition of MMPs via reduction of NF-kB in colon cancer. In conclusion, ${\omega}3$-PUFA could be used for chemoprevention and treatment of human colon cancer.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.189-198
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• 2015

Objectives : Sparganii Rhizoma is frequently used in traditional herbal medicine for treatment of blood stasis, amenorrhea and functional dyspepsia and has been reported to exhibit anti-oxidant, anti-proliferation and anti-angiogenesis peoperties. In this study, we investigated the cytoprotective effect and underlying mechanism of Sparganii Rhizoma water extract (SRE) against oxidative stress-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptosis in hepatocyte. Methods : To determine the effects of SRE on oxidative stress, we induced synergistic cytotoxicity by co-treatment of arachidonic acid (AA) and iron in the HepG2 cell, a human derived hepatocyte cell line. Results : Treatment of SRE increased relative cell viability and altered the expression levels of apoptosis-related proteins such as Bcl-xL, Bcl-2 and procaspase-3. And SRE also inhibited the mitochondrial dysfunction and excessive reactive oxygen species production induced by AA+iron. In addition, SRE activated of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a potential target for cytoprotection, by increasing the phosphorylation of AMPKα at Thr-172. Morever, SRE increased phosphorylation of acetyl-CoA carboxylase, a direct downstream target of AMPK. Conclusion : These results indicated that SRE has the ability to protect against oxidative stress-induced hepatocyte damage, which may be mediated with AMPK pathway.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.126-135
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• 2001

Quinacrine (QU), a phospholipase-A2 (PLA-2) inhibitor has been used clinically as a chemotherapeutic adjuvant. To understand the mechanisms leading to its chemotherapeutic effect, we have investigated QU-induced apoptotic signaling pathways in human cervical squamous carcinoma HeLa cells. In this study, we found that QU induced cytochrome c-dependent apoptotic signaling. The release of pro-apoptotic cytochrome c was QU concentration- and time-dependent, and preceded activation of caspase-9 and -3. Flow cytometric FACScan analysis using fluorescence intensities of $DiOC_6$/ demonstrated that QU-induced cytochrome c release was independent of mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT), since the concentrations of QU that induced cytochrome c release did not alter mitochondrial membrane potential (${\blacktriangle}{\Psi}_m$). Moreover, kinetic analysis of caspase activities showed that cytochrome c release led to the activation of caspase-9 and downstream death effector caspase-3, Caspase-3 inhibitor (Ac-DEVD-CHO) partially blocked QU-induced apoptosis, suggesting the importance of caspase-3 in this apoptotic signaling mechanism. Supplementation with arachidonic acid (AA) sustained caspase-3 activation induced by QU. Using inhibitors against cellular arachidonate metabolism of lipooxygenase (Nordihydroxyguaiaretic Acid, NDGA) and cyclooxygenase (5,8,11,14-Eicosatetraynoic Acid, ETYA) demonstrated that QU-induced apoptotic signaling may be dependent on its role as a PLA-2 inhibitor. Interestingly, NDCA attenuated QU-induced cytochrome c release, caspase activity as well as apoptotic cell death. The blockade of cytochrome c release by NDCA was much more effective than that attained with cyclosporin A (CsA), a MPT inhibitor. ETYA was not effective in blocking cytochrome c release, except under very high concentrations. Caspase inhibitor z-VAD blocked the release of cytochrome c suggesting that this signaling event is caspase dependent, and caspase-8 activation may be upstream of the mitochondrial events. In summary, we report that QU induced cytochrome c-dependent apoptotic signaling cascade, which may be dependent on its role as a PLA-2 inhibitor. This apoptotic mechanism induced by QU may contribute to its known chemotherapeutic effects.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.29 no.10
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• pp.849-858
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• 2006

Previous screening of the pharmacological action of Gastrodia elata (GE) root (Orchidaceae) showed that methanol (MeOH) extracts have significant anti-inflammatory properties. The antiinflammatory agents of GE, however, remain unclear. In this experiment, MeOH extracts of GE were fractionated with organic solvents for the anti-inflammatory activity-guided separation of GE. Eight phenolic compounds from the ether (EtOEt) and ethyl acetate (EtOAc) fractions were isolated by column chromatography: 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde (I), 4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol (II), benzyl alcohol (III), bis-(4-hydroxyphenyl) methane (IV), 4(4'-hydroxybenzyloxy)benzyl-methylether (V), 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzyl alcohol (VI), 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde (VII), and 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzoic acid (VIII). To investigate the anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant activity of these compounds, their effects on carrageenan-induced paw edema, arachidonic acid (AA)-induced ear edema and analgesic activity in acetic acid (HAc)-induced writhing response were carried out in vivo; cyclooxygenase (COX) activity, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in rat basophilic leukemia (RBL 2H3) cells and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydroazyl (DPPH) scavenging activity were determined in vitro. These phenolic compounds not only had anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties in vivo, but also inhibited COX activity and silica-induced ROS generation in a dose-dependent manner. Among these phenolic compounds, compound VII was the most potent anti-inflammatory and analgesic. Compound VII significantly inhibited silica-induced ROS generation and compound VI significantly increased DPPH radical scavenging activity. Compounds I, II and III significantly inhibited the activity of COX-I and II. These results indicate that phenolic compounds of GE are anti-inflammatory, which may be related to inhibition of COX activity and to anti-oxidant activity. Consideration of the structure-activity relationship of the phenolic derivatives from GE on the anti-inflammatory action revealed that both C-4 hydroxy and C-3 methoxy radicals of benzyl aldehyde play an important role in anti-inflammatory activities.