• Journal of Convergence Korean Medicine
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.45-54
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• 2023

Objectives : Alcohol-induced liver disease advances as to reactive oxygen species (ROS) and cellular lipid peroxidation increase. We examined the hepatoprotective effects of Zingiber officinale Roscoe rhizome extract (ZR), Pueraria lobata Ohwi flower extracts (PF), and a newly developed herbal juice (HJ), which was a combination of ZR and PF extracts, against ethanol-induced hepatotoxicity. Methods: The study utilized the human hepatoma cell line HepG2 cells to validate the hepatoprotective effect of HJ (50~200 ㎍/mL) against ethanol (EtOH, 700 mM)-induced liver damage. Results: HJ effectively reduced the protein expression of sterol regulatory element-binding transcription factor 1, adiponectin, and AMP-activated protein kinase in EtOH-induced HepG2 cells. The levels of ROS, total cholesterol, and triglycerides, which are the result of various synthesis and lipogenesis processes induced by EtOH in the liver, were reduced by HJ. Furthermore, the activities of alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase, enzymes linked to alcohol degradation, were more effectively downregulated by HJ treatment compared to treatment with ZR and PF alone, all without causing cytotoxic effects. Conclusions: HJ protects the liver by inhibiting EtOH-induced lipogenesis, lowering ROS generation, and improving alcohol degradation, which is more effective than ZR and PF alone. Further, in vivo experiments can offer additional evidence regarding the effectiveness, safety, and underlying mechanism of action of HJ.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.628-635
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• 2013

We investigated the effects of water extracts of unripe black raspberry (UBR) and red ginseng (RG) on cholesterol synthesis, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl (HMG)-CoA reductase activity, and expression of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-related genes in HepG2 and Caco-2 (human hepatoma and intestinal cell lines, respectively). Our results showed that cholesterol synthesis and HMG-CoA reductase activity in HepG2 cells were inhibited by UBR and RG. Further, co-treatment with UBR and RG had a greater effect than did treatment with either UBR or RG. In Caco-2 cells, treatment with UBR and RG increased the expression of LDL-regulated genes, such as LDL receptor and SREBP-2, and also upregulated the level of HDL-associated ABCA1. Moreover, co-treatment with UBR and RG appeared to be more effective than treatment with either UBR or RG. Taken together, our results indicate that UBR and RG regulate the level of HDL-associated ABCA1 via signaling pathway, thereby preventing cholesterol synthesis.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.347-352
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• 1994

Cytotoxic test was performed by SRB assay on human epidermoid carcinoma HEp-2 cell line for screening the soil microorganism, secreting anticancer agent. One microorganism was selected among two thousand microorganisms for its highest cytotoxicity. And this microorganism was identified with Streptomyces species after performing of diaminopimeric acid and reducing sugar analysis of cell wall and analysing the cultural characteristics and named Streptomyces sp. SM 1119. The effect of anticancer agent in SM 1119 culture extract on the cell cycle was studied by using GG$_{o}$ synchronized NIH 3T3 cells. The extract inhibited the serum stimulation of GG$_{o}$ NIH 3T3 cell only within 1 hour after serum stimulation but not after 6 hours. The extract also reduced the amount of c-myc mRNA in Colo 320 cell. These results suggest that the anticancer agent in the extract inhibits the progression of cell cycle very early stages, probably from G$_{0}$ to G$_{1}$.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.1063-1071
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• 2008

Mustard Leaf Kimchi (MLK) is a traditional fermented Korean vegetable food. This study investigated the anticancer effect of partial vacuum treatment of MLK packed in glass bottles during fermentation. Prepared vacuum treated mustard leaf Kimchi (VM) and non-vacuum treated mustard leaf Kimchi (CM) were fermented at $5^{\circ}C$ for 8 weeks. The initial pH and total acidity were approximately 5.7 and, 0.36%, respectively. During fermentation, pH decreased and total acidity increased. Initial contents of reducing sugar and salt were 2.1% and were 2.7 mg/g, respectively. Reducing sugar gradually decreased during fermentation. Growth of cells from mouse cancer cell lines (L12l0 and P338D1) and human cancer cell lines (HepG2 and WiDr) were all decreased by MLK. VM and CM did not affect growth. More potent growth inhibition effects were exhibited by water versus hexane extracts of MLK, and by MLK fermented for 3 weeks versus 6 weeks. However, when applied to control NIH/3T3 cells at the same concentrations, MLK exhibited no cytotoxicity, and cell growth was unimpeded.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.623-631
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• 2010

Hericium erinaceus, an edible and medicinal mushroom belonging to the Basidiomycota family, has been used for curing gastric ulcers and stomach cancers in human beings and is also known to have good inhibitory effects on sarcoma 180 and Ehrlich carcinoma in mice. Neutral saline soluble (0.9% NaCl), hot water soluble and methanol soluble substances (hereinafter referred to as Fr. NaCl, Fr. HW and Fr. MeOH, respectively) were extracted from the fruiting body of the mushroom. In in vitro cytotoxicity tests, crude polysaccharides were not cytotoxic against cell lines such as Sarcoma 180, HepG2, HT-29 and NIH3T3 at concentrations of $10{\sim}2,000\;{\mu}g/ml$. Intraperitoneal injection with crude polysaccharides exhibited a life prolongation effect of 29.1~54.1% in mice previously inoculated with Sarcoma 180. Fr. Na increased the numbers of spleen cells by 2.9 fold at a concentration of $50\;{\mu}g/ml$ compared with the control. Fr. Na improved the immuno-potentiating activity of B lymphocytes by increasing alkaline phosphatase activity by 5.5 fold compared with the control at a concentration of $200\;{\mu}g/ml$. Fr. NaCl increased the numbers of peritoneal exudate cells and circulating leukocytes by 4 and 2.3 folds at a concentration of 50 mg/kg, respectively. Therefore, the crude polysaccharides extracted from the fruiting body of H. erinaceus could improve antitumor activities in mice.

• Journal of Marine Life Science
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.66-72
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• 2021

We investigated the antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects of extracts from the Undaria pinnatifida and Costaria costata against ethanol-induced oxidative damage. The total polyphenol and flavonoid contents were highest in the 70% ethanol extract from Undaria pinnatifida and Costaria costata. Also, the radical scavenging activity of DPPH (IC₅₀ 0.33± 0.21, 0.48±0.47 mg/ml) and ABTS (IC₅₀ 0.34±0.30, 0.47±0.17 mg/ml) in the 70% ethanol extract was higher than that of the hot water and 10% ethanol extracts. To determine the hepatoprotective effects of extracts in ethanol-induced oxidative damage, cell viability was measured using an MTT assay. In the pre-treatment of Undaria pinnatifida and Costaria costata hot water extracts, the concentration-dependent increased the cell viability compared with the ethanol treated cells (73.95%) by 89.91~97.63% and 84.99~90.54%, respectively. The data suggests that 70% ethanol extracts have antioxidant activity and hot water extracts exhibit hepatoprotective effects. Therefore, Undaria pinnatifida and Costaria costata may be considered potential agents for control ethanol-induced liver damage.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.16
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• pp.7003-7006
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• 2015

Background: Nanoparticles of gold and silver are offering revolutionary changes in the field of cancer therapy. N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) metal complexes possess diverse biological activities and are being investigated as potential chemotherapeutic agents. The purpose of this study was to examine the cytotoxicity and possible mechanisms of action of two types of newly synthesized nanofiber composites containing BIAN N-heterocyclic gold carbene complexes in two types of human cancer cells, namely breast cancer (MCF7) and liver cancer (HepG2) cells and also in normal human embryonic kidney cells (HEK 293). Materials and Methods: Cytotoxicity was assessed by MTT cell viability assay and oxidative stress by checking the total glutathione level. Results: Both compounds affected the cell survival of the tested cell lines at very low concentrations (IC50 values in the micro molar range) as compared to a well-known anti-cancer drug, 5 fluorouracil. A 60-80% depletion in total glutathione level was detected in treated cells. Conclusions: Reduction in total glutathione level is one of the biochemical pathways for the induction of oxidative stress which in turn could be a possible mechanism of action by which these compounds induce cytotoxicity in cancer cell lines. The in vitro toxicity towards cancer cells found here means that these molecules could be potential anticancer candidates.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.200-207
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• 2015

Various natural products or their derivatives, mostly originating from plants, fungi, and bacteria, have been exploited as therapeutic drugs to treat various human diseases. In addition to previously explored organisms, research on natural compounds has now expanded into unexamined living organisms in order to identify novel bioactive substances. Here, we determined whether or not the larval form of the mealworm beetle Tenebrio molitor, a species of darkling beetle, contains cytotoxic substances that exclusively affect cancer cell viability. Ethanol extract and its solvent partitioned fractions, hexane and ethyl acetate fractions, showed anticancer effects against various human cancer cells derived from the prostate (PC3 and 22Rv1), cervix (HeLa), liver (PLC/PRF5, HepG2, Hep3B, and SK-HEP-1), colon (HCT116), lung (NCI-H460), breast (MDA-MB231), and ovary (SKOV3). Cell death induced by the fractions was a mix of apoptosis, necrosis, and autophagy. The hexane fraction was administered intraperitoneally to nude mice bearing a hepatocellular carcinoma SK-HEP-1 and showed inhibition of tumor growth in vivo. Therefore, we concluded that worm extracts contain cytotoxic substances, which can be enriched by proper fractionation protocols, and further separation and purification could lead to the identification of novel molecules to treat human cancers.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.45 no.12
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• pp.935-949
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• 2022

Liver cancer has a high prevalence, with majority of the cases presenting as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The prognosis of metastatic HCC has hardly improved over the past decade, highlighting the necessity for liver cancer research. Studies have reported the ability of the KiSS1 gene to inhibit the growth or metastasis of liver cancer, but contradictory research results are also emerging. We, therefore, sought to investigate the effects of KiSS1 on growth and migration in human HCC cells. HepG2 human HCC cells were infected with lentivirus particles containing KiSS1. The overexpression of KiSS1 resulted in an increased proliferation rate of HCC cells. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction and immunoblotting revealed increased Akt activity, and downregulation of the G1/S phase cell cycle inhibitors. A significant increase in tumor spheroid formation with upregulation of β-catenin and CD133 was also observed. KiSS1 overexpression promoted the migratory, invasive ability, and metastatic capacity of the hepatocarcinoma cell line, and these effects were associated with changes in the expressions of epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT)- related genes such as E-cadherin, N-cadherin, and slug. KiSS1 overexpression also resulted in dramatically increased tumor growth in the xenograft mouse model, and upregulation of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and Ki-67 in the HCC tumors. Furthermore, KiSS1 increased the angiogenic capacity by upregulation of the vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) and CD31. Based on these observations, we infer that KiSS1 not only induces HCC proliferation, but also increases the metastatic potential by increasing the migratory ability and angiogenic capacity.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.251-257
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• 2000

To clarifiy the activating effects of Buthus martensi Karsch(BMK) on tumor promotion in two-stage carcinogenesis in mice was investigated. In vivo system, BMK was seen to gave an inhibitory activity on TPA-induced mouse ear edema. In addition, the BMK was proved to have antitumor-promoting activity in two-stage mouse skin carcinogenesis induced by DMBA and two-stage mouse lung carcinogenesis induced by 4-NQO as a initiator plus TPA and glycerol as a promoter. Moreover, BMK significantly exhibited an cytolytic effect in HepG2 cells and showed significant antitumor activity against Sarcoma-180 bearing mice by oral administration. These results suggest that BMK could be effective in adjuvant chemotherapy for human cancer.