• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Embryo Transfer Conference
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• 2002.11a
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• pp.110-110
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• 2002

Rapidly progressive interstitial renal fibrosis has recently been reported in young women who have been on a slimming regimen including chinese herbs. Aristolochic acid, suspected as the causal factor of this renal disease, is a well known carcinogen. It has been known that Madouling (Aristolochiae fructus) contains aristolochic acid. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of Madouling, Madouling-tang, which are the extract mixture from 10 different chinese herbs including Madouling, and aristolochic acid on reproductive and developmental toxicity. Female rats were administered orally with the extracts of Madouling, madouling-tang, and aristolochic acid from 14 days before mating to day 17 of gestation. Madouling (8mg/kg) decreased fertility in the 8mg/kg group, but Madouling-tang and aristolochic acids did not. Significant decrease of mean fetal body weights were observed in the 16mg/kg group of aristolochic acids. External, visceral and skeletal malformation of fetuses were not observed with treatment. Histopathological examination showed the discrete damage of kidney in the 8mg/kg group of Madouling and 16mg/kg groups of aristolochic acid. In whole embryo culture, Madouling and Madouling-tang caused the retardation of growth and development of embryo in the dose of 1 $\mu$g/ml and 0.02 $\mu\textrm{g}$/kg, respectively while aristolochic acids showed the similar effect in the dose of 300 $\mu\textrm{g}$/kg. These results indicate that Madouling, up to 0.05mg/kg (prescription dose to human) has no adverse effects on the fertility, reproduction and development of Sprague-Dawley rats.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.181-187
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• 2012

Grifola frondosa has been used as an herbal medicine for the treatment of cancer, diabetes mellitus and high blood pressure. In this study, functional polysaccharide was obtained from Grifola frondosa using four different extraction methods: hot water(HwFP), homogenize(HgFP), acid(AcFP), and alkali(AlFP) extraction methods. The effects of these extracts on KB and HepG2 cell lines were then examined for any anti-cancer activity. Alkaline extraction produced a yield of 0.175% and the total sugar content of the extract was 54.97%. We were able to confirm that the polysaccharide extracts from the mushroom produce an anti-cancer effect. The cytotoxicity of AlFP and AcFP against HepG2 cells were 22.86% and 28.88%, respectively, and the cytotoxicity of AlFP against the KB cell lines was 47.76% at a concentration of 1,000 ${\mu}g/m{\ell}$. Therefore, these results suggest that the optimum method for extracting functional polysaccharides from G. frondosa is the alkali extraction method.

• BMB Reports
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.337-343
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• 2003

Rhus verniciflua Stokes (RVS) has been used as a traditional herbal medicine. Several earlier studies indicated that an ethanol extract of RVS has both anti-oxidant and anti-tumor properties, although the mechanism for the activity remains to be elucidated. In this report, we prepared a highly purified ethanol extract from RVS, named REEE-1 ($\underline{R}$hus $\underline{e}$thanol $\underline{e}$luted $\underline{e}$xtract-1), and investigated the mechanism involved in its growth-inhibitory effect on the human B and T lymphoma cell lines, BJAB and Jurkat, respectively. Results from tritium uptake proliferation assays showed that the proliferative capacities of both BJAB and Jurkat cells were strongly suppressed in the presence of REEE-1. This was further confirmed through trypan blue exclusion experiments that revealed a dose-dependent decrease in viable cell numbers after REEE-1 treatment. REEE-1-mediated suppression of cell growth was verified to be apoptotic, based on the increase in DNA fragmentation, low fluorescence intensity in nuclei after propidium iodide staining, and the appearance of DNA laddering. In particular, REEE-1 exerted its anti-oxidant activity through the inhibition of hydroxyl radical-mediated degradation by iron ion chelation rather than direct scavenging of hydroxyl radicals. Furthermore, REEE-1 was revealed to be a potential scavenger of superoxide anions. Collectively, our findings suggest that REEE-1 is a natural anti-oxidant that could be used as a cancer chemo-preventive and therapeutic agent.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.10
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• pp.4169-4172
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• 2015

Background: Oral carcinoma (OC) remains as one of the most difficult malignancies to cure. Hesa-A is an Iranian herbal-marine compound that has shown promising anti-tumor properties on various human cancer cells, although the mechanisms of action remain to be addressed. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of two doses of Hesa-A on mRNA expression of p53 as a main prognosticator of OC. Materials and Methods: 60 rats were randomly divided into 5 groups of 12 animals each. Rats in carcinoma groups received 0, 250 and 500 mg/kg body weight of Hesa-A three times a day. The two other groups considered as treated and untreated healthy groups. At the end of experiment, animals were sacrificed and tongue tissues subjected to H and E staining and real time PCR. Results: Our results indicated that compared to healthy group, p53 over expressed ~ 40% in untreated carcinoma group. After treatment with 250mg/kg and 500mg/kg body weights of Hesa-A, p53 level dropped by 53.4% and 13.6 %, respectively, compared to untreated carcinoma group (p<0.05, p<0.0001). Moreover, there was a significant relation between p53 mRNA content and observed pathological changes in studied groups (p<0.05). Conclusions: These data provide insights into the mechanism(s) by which Hesa-A improves clinical outcome of oral carcinoma by modulation of p53 expression.

• BMB Reports
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• v.41 no.10
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• pp.693-698
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• 2008

The full-length cDNA of LebZIP2 (Lycopersicon esculentum bZIP2) encodes a protein of 164 amino acids and contains a N-terminal basic-region leucine zipper domain. Analysis of the deduced tomato LebZIP2 amino acid sequence revealed that it shares 85% sequence identity with both tobacco bZIP and pepper CcbZIP. LebZIP2 mRNA is expressed at a high level exclusively in flowers. Presently, LebZIP2 was strongly increased also following NaCl and mannitol treatments. No significant LebZIP2 expression was evident following cold treatment. Transient LebZIP2 overexpression resulted in increased NbNOA1 and NbNR transcript levels in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves. Our results indicate that LebZIP2 might play roles as an abiotic stress-signaling pathway and as a transcriptional regulator of the NbNOA1 or NbNR genes.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.14 no.11
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• pp.5778-5784
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• 2013

In order to develop anti-wrinkle agent, we measured the anti-oxidative activity of gallic acid (GA) from Paeonia suffruticosa Andrews and investigated its cytotoxicity in HaCaT cells and then investigated its effect on tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-${\alpha}$)-induced matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) mRNA, protein expressions and secretion in same cells. GA showed anti-oxidative activity with $IC_{50}$ of 30 ${\mu}g/mL$ and its activity was higher than that of butylated hydroxyanisol (BHA). GA showed weak cytotoxicity with high concentration (200 ${\mu}g/mL$) in HaCaT cells. MMP-1 mRNA, protein expression and secretion induced by tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-${\alpha}$) in HaCaT cells were significantly decreased by treatment of GA with dose-dependent manner(p<0.05). Therefore, our findings suggest that GA can be useful as an active ingredient for cosmeceuticals of anti-wrinkle effects.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.11-36
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• 2012

Objectives : Sleep Disorders are very common in clinical stages and there are many reports and papers regarding this subject. I try to understand the present state of sleep research in JON (The Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry) for the benefits of clinical practice. Methods : We searched and read every article on JON from 1990 to 2012 and selected ones that are related to Sleep Disorder; then analyzed the data to 5 categories, like literature study, case study, Clinical Data-Analysis study, experimental study, and clinical trial. Results : 1. We Found 41 articles relating to sleep disorder in JON form 1999 to 2012, and there were 9 literature studies, 13 case studies, 13 Clinical Data-Analysis studies, 4 experimental studies, and 2 clinical trials. 2. There were Sa-Am Acupuncture Method, Pharmacopuncture, electroacupuncture, and Auricular acupuncture to treat Sleep Disorder. 3. There were many additional treatments like Purgative Therapy, etc. 4. They reported the ordinary sleep pattern of Soeumin and Soyangin, too. 5. In the experimental study, they reported several herbs, herbal prescription on the expression of melatonin receptors, and Punsimgeimgamibang on insomnia, anxiety, emotionality in rats. 6. There were 2 clinical trials, one for Hwabyung-patient with insomnia by acupuncture treatment and another for insomnia in the elderly by ETF-I program. 7. There were 2 case of other sleep disorder (enuresis, sleepwalking) and 2 literature study of dream. Conclusions : In JON regarding sleep disorder, the majority was due to insomnia. Therefore, we also have to expand our sight into other sleep diseases. We need more clinical trials and experimental researches for the construction of EBM Sleep Disorder in Oriental Neuropsychiatry.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.32 no.3 s.126
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• pp.226-232
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• 2001

To explore the possible cancer therapeutic application of "Bo-yang-hwan-oh-tang" (BH), a herbal medicinal recipe used for improvement of blood stasis, we have examined its direct cytotoxicity against tumor cell, and induction of cytotoxic activity of lymphocytes. Water extract of BH alone did not exhibit direct cytotoxicity to Yac-1 target cells even with high concentrations (10 mg/ml). By exposure for 3 days, BH did not induce any nonspecific cytotoxic activity of mouse spleen cells, either, when assessed in a 4 hr $^{51}Cr-release$ assay. However, when BH was added during CD3 stimulation of non-adherent spleen cells, non-specific CTL activity was markedly promoted in a dose dependent manner. In contrast, BH did not alter activated NK cell activity following IL-2 stimulation. These data suggest that BH does not induce but upregulates non-specific CTL effecter function and that activated NK cell does not respond to BH. For elucidation of the mechanism underlying this function of BH, time kinetic study for IL-2 production using ELISA was undertaken. IL-2 production following CD3 stimulation was significantly augmented and higher level of IL-2 is sustained over 3 days in the culture medium by BH treatment. Moreover, addition of exogenous IL-2 during CD3 stimulation resulted in a similar level of cytotoxicity between control and BH-treated culture. These data indicate that the BH-mediated upregulation of non-specific CTL activity is contributed by augmentation of IL-2 production. Our data imply the possible application of BH for combination therapy of cancer with non-specific activator.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.210-218
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• 2015

The antioxidant activity of white ginseng was not recorded in Korea Functional Food Code, while its activity of red ginsengs was recorded. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant and hepato protective effect of different ginsengs in H₂O₂-treated HepG2 cells. White and red ginseng were prepared from longitudinal section of the same fresh ginseng (4-year old). The whole parts of white and red ginsengs were separately extracted with 70% ethanol and distilled water respectively, at 70 ℃ to obtain therapeutic ginseng extracts namely, WDH (distilled water extract of white ginseng), WEH (70% ethanol extract of white ginseng), RDH (distilled water extract of red ginseng) and REH (70% ethanol extract of red ginseng). In this work, we have investigated the DPPH, hydroxyl radical, Fe²⁺-chelating activity, intracellular ROS scavenging capacity and lipid peroxidation of different ginsengs. All these extracts showed a dose dependent free-radical scavenging capacity and a ROS generation as well as lipid peroxidation was significantly reduced by treatment with bioactive extracts of white ginsengs (WDH) than red ginsengs. Additionally, white ginseng extracts (WDH) has dramatically increased intracellular antioxidant enzyme activities like superoxide dismutase and catalase in H₂O₂-treated HepG2 cells. All these results explain that administration of white ginseng is useful as herbal medicine than red ginseng for chemoprevention of liver damage.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.493-504
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• 2020

Gastrodia elata Bl. (GE) is a traditional herbal medicine used for the treatment hypertension and cerebrovascular disease. The purpose of this study was to investigate the antioxidant effect and blood pressure control ability of the GABA containing fermented Gastrodia elata Blume. The fermentation strain provided by Dr. Gi in Seoul National University is L. brevis GABA100, excellent strain of GABA production, which is involved in the ability to degrade gastrodin glycosides and activation of brain function. The Gastrodia elata Blume fermented by Lactobacillus brevis GABA 100 showed antioxidant activity (total phenolic contents, DPPH radical and ABTS anion scavenging activities) than unfermented Gastrodia elata Blume. In the spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), the concentration of fermented Gastrodia elata Blume was administered at 500, 1,000, and 2,000 mg/kg for 8 weeks. Systolic blood pressure decreased statistically significantly (p<0.05), especially 2 weeks after feeding fermented Gastrodia elata Blume. Also, it showed a significant decrease in low, medium, and high concentrations of fermented Gastrodia elata Blume at 4 weeks and 8 weeks. These results indicated that Gastrodia elata Blume fermented by the excellent strain of GABA production L. brevis GABA100 shows the antioxidant function and the effect of suppressing the increase in blood pressure.