• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.183-187
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• 2001

Nitric oxide (NO) produced in large amounts by the inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) is known to be responsible for the vasodilation and hypotension observed in septic shock and inflammation. The inhibitors of iNOS, thus, may be useful candidate for the treatment of inflammatory diseases accompanied by the overproduction of NO. We prepared alcoholic extracts of Chinese medicinal plants and screened their inhibitory activity against NO production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated macrophages. Among the 80 kinds of extracts of herbal drugs, 15 extracts showed potent inhibitory activity of NO production above 80% at the concentration o$50\mu\textrm{g}/ml$. These potent extracts showed dose dependent inhibition of NO production of LPS-activated macrophages at the concentration of 50, 30,$10\mu\textrm{g}/ml$. Especially, Rhus chinensis, Senecio scandens and Wikstroemia indica showed most potent inhibition above 50% at the concentration of $10\mu\textrm{g}/ml$. These plants are promising candidates for the study of the activity-guided purification of active compounds and would be useful for the treatment of inflammatory diseases and endotoxemia accompanying the overproduction of NO.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.56-59
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• 2005

Blister beetles produce cantharidin, which is toxic to people and animals. Cantharidin has been believed to be an aphrodisiac and an abortifacient based on its tendency to cause marked irritation to the genitourinary system leading to priapism in men and pelvic congestion in women for many years. Cantharidin was used by oriental traditional medicine for more than 2000 years. Typical signs related to cantharidin ingestion are gastrointestinal tract and urinary tract irritation, endotoxemia, shock and myocardial dysfunction. Cantharidin is a severe irritant to epithelial linings (gastrointestinal tract, urinary tract, and skin) and develop systemic inflammatory response syndrome. We report a case of corrosive esophagogastritis and acute renal failure by ingestion of cantharidin.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.148-154
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• 2012

Previously, we have reported that high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), a proinflammatory mediator in sepsis, is released via the IFN-${\beta}$-mediated JAK/STAT pathway. However, detailed mechanisms are still unclear. In this study, we dissected upstream signaling pathways of HMGB1 release using various molecular biology methods. Here, we found that calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (CaM kinase, CaMK) is involved in HMGB1 release by regulating IFN-${\beta}$ production. CaMK inhibitor, STO609, treatment inhibits LPS-induced IFN-${\beta}$ production, which is correlated with the phosphorylation of interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3). Additionally, we show that CaMK-I plays a major role in IFN-${\beta}$ production although other CaMK members also seem to contribute to this event. Furthermore, the CaMK inhibitor treatment reduced IFN-${\beta}$ production in a murine endotoxemia. Our results suggest CaMKs contribute to HMGB1 release by enhancing IFN-${\beta}$ production in sepsis.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.100-107
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• 2008

The purpose of this research was to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of Gagamtunong-san(GTNS) which has been medicated the patient such as mastitis. The results were as follows. The cytotoxicity on mouse lung fibroblast Cells(mLFC) was not served at all concentration of GTNS. GTNS in RAW264.7 cell inhibited $IL-1{\beta}$, IL-6, $TNF-{\alpha}$, COX-2 and NOS-II mRNA genes expression in a concentration-dependent manner. Specially GTNS inhibited NOS-II production very significantly at 100 ${\mu}g/ml$. GTNS inhibited NO production significantly in a concentration-dependent manner. GTNS inhibited ROS production in a concentration-dependent manner. GTNS inhibited $IL-1{\beta}$, IL-6 and $TNF-{\alpha}$ production significantly in serum of acute anti-inflammation-induced mice. GTNS increased the survival rate from the 3rd day on LPS-induced lethal endotoxemia. These results suggest that Gagamtunong-san(GTNS) can be useful in treating a lot of women mammary diseases caused by inflammation such as acute and chronic mastitis.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.415-424
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• 2016

Berberine is an isoquinoline alkaloid found in Rhizoma coptidis, and elicits anti-inflammatory effects through diverse mechanisms. Based on previous reports that activating transcription factor-3 (ATF-3) acts as a negative regulator of LPS signaling, the authors investigated the possible involvement of ATF-3 in the anti-inflammatory effects of berberine. It was found berberine concentration-dependently induced the expressions of ATF-3 at the mRNA and protein levels and concomitantly suppressed the LPS-induced productions of proinflammatory cytokines ($TNF-{\alpha}$, IL-6, and $IL-1{\beta}$). In addition, ATF-3 knockdown abolished the inhibitory effects of berberine on LPS-induced proinflammatory cytokine production, and prevented the berberine-induced suppression of MAPK phosphorylation, but had little effect on AMPK phosphorylation. On the other hand, the effects of berberine, that is, ATF-3 induction, proinflammatory cytokine inhibition, and MAPK inactivation, were prevented by AMPK knockdown, suggesting ATF-3 induction occurs downstream of AMPK activation. The in vivo administration of berberine to mice with LPS-induced endotoxemia increased ATF-3 expression and AMPK phosphorylation in spleen and lung tissues, and concomitantly reduced the plasma and tissue levels of proinflammatory cytokines. These results suggest berberine has an anti-inflammatory effect on macrophages and that this effect is attributable, at least in part, to pathways involving AMPK activation and ATF-3 induction.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.747-756
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• 2024

Chronic gut inflammation promotes the development of metabolic diseases such as obesity. There is growing evidence which suggests that dysbiosis in gut microbiota and metabolites disrupt the integrity of the intestinal barrier and significantly impact the level of inflammation in various tissues, including the liver and adipose tissues. Moreover, dietary sources are connected to the development of leaky gut syndrome through their interaction with the gut microbiota. This review examines the effects of these factors on intestinal microorganisms and the communication pathways between the gut-liver and gut-brain axis. The consumption of diets rich in fats and carbohydrates has been found to weaken the adherence of tight junction proteins in the gastrointestinal tract. Consequently, this allows endotoxins, such as lipopolysaccharides produced by detrimental bacteria, to permeate through portal veins, leading to metabolic endotoxemia and alterations in the gut microbiome composition with reduced production of metabolites, such as short-chain fatty acids. However, the precise correlation between gut microbiota and alternative sweeteners remains uncertain, necessitating further investigation. This study highlights the significance of exploring the impact of diet on gut microbiota and the underlying mechanisms in the gut-liver and gut-brain axis. Nevertheless, limited research on the gut-liver axis poses challenges in comprehending the intricate connections between diet and the gut-brain axis. This underscores the need for comprehensive studies to elucidate the intricate gut-brain mechanisms underlying intestinal health and microbiota.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.16-21
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• 2005

Nitric Oxide (NO), derived from L-arginine, is produced by two types (constitutive and inducible) of nitric oxide synthase (NOS: cNOS and iNOS). The NO produced in large amounts by the iNOS is known to be responsible for the vasodilation and hypotension observed in septic shock, cancer metastasis and inflammation. The inhibitors of iNOS, thus, may be useful candidates for the treatment of inflammatory diseases accompanied by the overproduction of NO. We prepared alcoholic extracts of herbal drugs which have been used for the treatment of inflammation in oriental medicine. We have screened the inhibitory activity of NO production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated macrophages after the treatment of these extracts. Among 82 kinds of extracts of herbal drugs, 35 extracts showed the potent inhibitory activity of NO production above 50% at the concentration of $50\;{\mu}g/mL$. The inhibitory activities of NO production were also evaluated for several solvent fractions at two different concentrations. Especially, hexane and EtOAc fractions of Alpinia officinarum, Angelica gigas, Ostericum koreanum, Saussurea lappa, Torilis japonica, and hexane fractions of Agrimonia pilosa, Machilus thunbergii, Hydrangea serrata, Magnolia obovata, Prunella vulgaris, Tussilago farfara, and EtOAC fractions of Perilla frutescence showed a significant activity at 10 and/or $25\;{\mu}g/mL$. In Western blot analysis, the hexane fractions ($5\;{\mu}g/mL$) of Magnolia obovata and Saussurea lappa, and EtOAc fractions ($20\;{\mu}g/mL$) of Hydrangea Serrata, Perilla frutescence and Torilis japonica inhibited the expression of iNOS protein in LPS-activated macrophages. These plants may be promising candidates for the study of the activity-guided purification of active compounds and might be useful for the treatment of inflammatory diseases and endotoxemia accompanying overproduction of NO.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.43 no.11
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• pp.964-973
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• 2020

Recent studies have highlighted that early enhancement of the glycolytic pathway is a mode of maintaining the proinflammatory status of immune cells. Thiamine, a wellknown co-activator of pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, a gatekeeping enzyme, shifts energy utilization of glucose from glycolysis to oxidative phosphorylation. Thus, we hypothesized that thiamine may modulate inflammation by alleviating metabolic shifts during immune cell activation. First, using allithiamine, which showed the most potent anti-inflammatory capacity among thiamine derivatives, we confirmed the inhibitory effects of allithiamine on the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced pro-inflammatory cytokine production and maturation process in dendritic cells. We applied the LPS-induced sepsis model to examine whether allithiamine has a protective role in hyper-inflammatory status. We observed that allithiamine attenuated tissue damage and organ dysfunction during endotoxemia, even when the treatment was given after the early cytokine release. We assessed the changes in glucose metabolites during LPS-induced dendritic cell activation and found that allithiamine significantly inhibited glucose-driven citrate accumulation. We then examined the clinical implication of regulating metabolites during sepsis by performing a tail bleeding assay upon allithiamine treatment, which expands its capacity to hamper the coagulation process. Finally, we confirmed that the role of allithiamine in metabolic regulation is critical in exerting anti-inflammatory action by demonstrating its inhibitory effect upon mitochondrial citrate transporter activity. In conclusion, thiamine could be used as an alternative approach for controlling the immune response in patients with sepsis.

• Korean Journal of Oriental Medicine
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.97-111
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• 2005

This study was performed to evaluate anti-thrombotic activities and anti-inflammatory effects of ChungyeolHaedogHwaeoTang water extract(CHHT). The results were summarized as follows. In experiment of anti-thrombotic effect; 1. CHHT inhibited human platelet aggregation induced by ADP and epinephrine as compared with the control group, and inhibited pulmonary embolism induced by collagen and epinephrine (inhibitory rate is 37.5%). 2. CHHT increased platelet number significantly, and also CHHT shortened PT and APTT significantly as compared with the control group in thrombus model induced by dextran. In experiment of anti-inflammatory effect; 3. CHHT inhibited $IL-1{\beta}$, IL-6, TNF-${\alpha}$, COX-2 and NOS-II mRNA expression as compared with the control group in a concentration-dependent degree, and inhibited NO production significantly at 50, 100 ${\mu}g/ml$, and also inhibited ROS production in a concentration-dependent degree as compared with the control of group in RAW 264.7 cell line. 4. CHHT inhibited $IL-1{\beta}$, IL-6 and TNF-${\alpha}$ production significantly in serum of acute inflammation-induced mice, and decreased $IL-1{\beta}$, IL-6 and TNF-${\alpha}$ production in spleen tissue, and also decreased $IL-1{\beta}$, and IL-6 production in liver tissue, but increased TNF-${\alpha}$ production in liver tissue of acute inflammation-induced Balb/c mice. 5. CHHT increased survival rate from the 3rd day in ICR mice with lethal endotoxemia induced by LPS. These results suggest that CHHT can be useful in treating diverse female diseases caused by thrombosis and inflammation such as menstrual pain, menstrual disorder, leukorrhea, vaginitis, cervicitis, pelvic inflammatory disease and so on.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.61 no.2
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• pp.64-67
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• 2018

We report the case of a 12-year-old girl who had mild encephalopathy with a reversible splenial lesion (MERS) associated with acutepyelonephritis caused by Escherichia coli. The patient was admitted with a high fever, and she was diagnosed with acute pyelonephritis based on pyuria and the results of urine culture, which detected cefotaxime-sensitive E. coli. Although intravenous cefotaxime and tobramycin were administered, her fever persisted and her C-reactive protein level increased to 307 mg/L. On day 3 of admission, she demonstrated abnormal neuropsychiatric symptoms, such as delirium, ataxia, and word salad. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain performed on day 4 showed marked hyperintensities in the bilateral corpus callosum and deep white matter on diffusion-weighted images, with corresponding diffusion restriction on apparent diffusion coefficient mapping. No abnormalities or pathogens were detected in the cerebrospinal fluid; however, lipopolysaccharides (LPS, endotoxin) were detected in plasma (41.6 pg/mL), associated with acute neurological deterioration. Her clinical condition gradually improved, and no neurological abnormalities were observed on day 6. Follow-up brain MRI performed 2 weeks later showed near-disappearance of the previously noted hyperintense lesions. In this patient, we first proved endotoxemia in a setting of MERS. The release of LPS following antibiotic administration might be related to the development of MERS in this patient. The possibility of MERS should be considered in patients who present with acute pyelonephritis and demonstrate delirious behavior.