• Proceedings of the Ginseng society Conference
• /
• 1988.08a
• /
• pp.108-114
• /
• 1988

One of the major effects of Panax ginseng the best known traditional medicine in the Far East. is the enhancement of host resistance against infections. which could depend on an influence from the immune system. The studies presented have been carried out with extracts from Korean ginseng roots which were examined for immunological activity in vitro and in vivo. The results obtained in a double-blind clinical study with humans confirmed results obtained in vitro with human granulocytes and in vivo with mice. The ginseng extracts showed a significant stimulatory action on the immune response.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
• /
• v.32 no.5
• /
• pp.27-38
• /
• 2017

Objective : In the present study, we examined whether Canavalia gladiata D.C. (CG) and Arctium lappa L., Redix (AL) mixture (CGAL), their components, lupeol and chicoric acid, regulate immune system and suppress the tumor in vitro and in vivo. Methods : LPS-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO) were measured after treatment with CG extract (CGE), CGAL, lupeol, chicoric acid and lupeol and chicoric acid mixture (lupeol+CA) in Raw264.7 cell. To determine the effect of CGE on immune responses, immune cell population and IgG production were assessed in mice. To investigate the effect of CGAL and their component on anti-tumor activity, tumor volume and weight were measured, cell cycles and immune cell population were analyzed in MC38 injected tumor bearing mice. Also, NK cell activity was determined in splenocyte isolated from tumor bearing mice. Results : CGE, CGAL, lupeol, chicoric acid and lupeol+CA decreased the LPS-induced ROS and NO production without cell toxicity in RAW264.7 cells. CGE increased the immune cell populations of $CD4^+T$, $CD8^+T$ and macrophages in various immune organ of mice. In tumor bearing mice, CGAL, lupeol, chicoric acid and lupeol+CA suppressed tumor volume and weight. In cell cycle analysis, they decreased the percentages of S phase. In addition, CGAL, lupeol, chicoric acid and lupeol+CA immune cell populations of $CD4^+T$, $CD8^+Tcell$, NK cell and macrophage in tumor as well as NK cell activity. Conclusion : CGAL and its compounds may enhance immune responses and suppress tumor growth, and may be capable of developing health functional foods.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
• /
• v.44 no.2
• /
• pp.169-174
• /
• 2000

Pedunculagin is an ellagitannin purified from Alnus hirsuta var. microphylla. Betulaceae. The effects of pedunculagin on immune system have been characterized to induce enhancement of NK (natural killer) cell cytotoxicities against tumor cells. Here, we report the evaluation of the effects of pedunculagin on the growth of murine Bl6-F10 melanoma in vivo. After the intradermal inoculation of Bl6-F10 melanoma, Bl6-F10 tumors grew progressively in immunocompetent syngenic C57BL/6 mice. The mice treated with pedunculagin(10 mg/kg, every 48 hrs) resulted in a significant improvement in survival. Inhibitory effects of pedunculagin on lung metastasis in C57BL/6 mice were also detected. Summarizing treatment with pedunculagin has a significant antitumor effect upon Bl6-F10 murine melanoma.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
• /
• v.34 no.5
• /
• pp.411-419
• /
• 2021

In this study, we investigated in vitro immune-enhancing and anti-obesity activity of Abelmoschus manihot roots (AMR) in mouse macrophage RAW264.7 cells and mouse adipocytes 3T3-L1 cells. AMR increased the production of immunostimulatory factors such as nitric oxide (NO), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in RAW264.7 cells. The inhibition of toll like receptor (TLR) 2 and 4 blocked AMR-mediated production of immunostimulatory factors in RAW264.7 cells. In addition, the inhibition of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) signaling pathway reduced AMR-mediated production of immunostimulatory factors. From these results, AMR is considered to have immune-enhancing activity through TLR2/4-mediated activation of MAPKs signaling pathway. In addition, AMR inhibited lipid accumulation and reduced the protein level such as CCAAT enhancer-binding protein alpha (CEBPα), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ), perilipin-1, adiponectin and fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4) associated with lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 cells, indicating that AMR may have anti-obesity activity. Based on these results, AMR is expected to be used as a potential functional agent for immune enhancement and anti-obesity.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
• /
• v.16 no.3
• /
• pp.483-489
• /
• 2002

APA-01, which is an aqueous extract of five Chinese herbs, is a modified formula of Huoxiang-Zhengqi-San. The effect of new herb extract on immune response was investigated. The parameter examined to assess apparent immune response of APA-01 in mice included changes of body weight, relative weight of immune organs, cell proliferation and cytokine gene expression. The body weight and relative weight of immune organs were not significantly changed among the tested groups. In the spleen cell prolijeration assay, APA-01 increased the cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner. Methotrexate (MTX), an agent of immune suppression, inhibited the spleen cell proliferation (IC/sub 50/: 800㎍/㎖). However, APA-01 significantly inhibited the suppression of mouse spleen cell proliferation. Therefore, it seems that APA-01 has a reducing effect of immune suppression. Immunomodulatory effect of APA-01 was further investigated using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in mouse spleen cells. In RT-PCR test, APA-01 enhanced the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) mRNA in a dose-dependent manner. In spite of immune suppression by MTX, COX-2 mRNA was induced by co-treatment with APA-01. These results suggest that APA-01 stimulates the proliferation of spleen cells, regulates the expression of COX-2 mRNA, and accelerates the recovery of inhibition of spleen cell proliferation induced by MTX, thus providing the immunological basis for clinical benefit of APA-01.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
• /
• v.11 no.3
• /
• pp.169-174
• /
• 2011

Background: NADPH oxidase (NOX) modulates cell proliferation, differentiation and immune response through generation of reactive oxygen species. Particularly, NOX2 is recently reported to be important for regulating Treg cell differentiation of CD4+ T cells. Methods: We employed ovalbumin-induced airway inflammation in wild-type and NOX2-deficient mice and analyzed tissue histopathology and cytokine profiles. Results: We investigated whether NOX2-deficiency affects T cell-mediated airway inflammation. Ovalbumin injection which activates T cell-mediated allergic response increased airway inflammation in wild-type mice, as evidenced by increased immune cell infiltration, allergic cytokine expression, and goblet cell hyperplasia in the lung. Interestingly, NOX2 knockout (KO) mice were more susceptible to allergen-induced lung inflammation compared to wild-type mice. Immune cells including neutrophils, lymphocytes, macrophages, and eosinophils were drastically infiltrated into the lung of NOX2 KO mice and mucus secretion was substantially increased in deficiency of NOX2. Furthermore, inflammatory allergic cytokines and eotaxin were significantly elevated in NOX2 KO mice, in accordance with enhanced generation of inflammatory cytokines interleukin-17 and interferon-${\gamma}$ by CD4+ T cells. Conclusion: These results indicate that NOX2 deficiency favorably produces inflammatory cytokines by T cells and thus increases the susceptibility to severe airway inflammation.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.13 no.3
• /
• pp.174-180
• /
• 2005

Antigen presenting cells (APCs), dendritic cells (DCs) and macrophages, playa critical role not only in the initiation of immune responses, but also in the induction of immune tolerance. In an effort to regulate immune responses through the modulation of APC function, we searched for and characterized APC function modulators from natural products. Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum SPM1204 (SPM1204) isolated from feces of healthy Korean in the age of 20s was used in this experiment. DCs and macrophages were cultured in the presence of supernatants of SPM 1204 and then examined for their activities for the presentation exogenous antigen in association with major histocompatibility complexes (MHC) and macrophage activation. SPM1204 increased class I MHC-restricted presentation of exogenous antigen (cross-presentation) in a DC cell line, DC2.4 cells. The RAW 264.7 cell line was used to test the nonspecific effect of immune reinforcement of SPM1204 as a source of biological regulating modulator for the macrophage activation, include nitric oxide (NO) production and cytokine production. Results showed that the production of NO, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-$\alpha$, interleukin 1 (IL-1)-$\beta$ and morphological changes in macrophages were largely affected by SPM1204 in a dose-dependent manner. Our results demonstrated that SPM1204 promote cross-presentation of dendritic cells as well as the induction of NO, TNF-$\alpha$ production, and activation of macrophage.

• Ocean and Polar Research
• /
• v.32 no.2
• /
• pp.157-164
• /
• 2010

A marine alga, Spirulina maxima, was extracted under high pressure and low temperature conditions at 500 MPa and $60^{\circ}C$ for 5 and 10 min. A high pressure of 500 MPa was applied to improve process yields because of low temperature extraction. This method resulted in highest higher extraction yield of 26.1% (w/w) in comparison to those results obtained from conventional extraction methods which produced a yield of 17.6% (w/w) from water. The extracts from this process also showed 19% of low cytotoxicity against human normal fibroblast cells in adding 1.0 mg/ml of the highest concentration. The crude extract significantly reduced the production of Prostaglandin $E_2$ ($PGE_2$) from CCD-986sk cells and increased nitric oxide production by macrophages. These higher activities of enhancing skin immune functions were found to have high antioxidant extract properties, like a 98% increase in DPPH radical scavenging activity. The extracts from the high pressure process showed a higher elution of active components than other processes and generated new compounds based on HPLC analysis. This clearly indicates that the extracts from high pressure and low temperature conditions have higher skin immune activation properties that have not been previously reported.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
• /
• v.7 no.5
• /
• pp.352-358
• /
• 2013

Korean pine nut oil (PNO) has been reported to have favorable effects on lipid metabolism and appetite control. We investigated whether PNO consumption could influence weight gain, and whether the PNO-induced effect would result in an improvement of immune function in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mice. C57BL/6 mice were fed control diets with 10% energy fat from either PNO or soybean oil (SBO), or HFDs with 45% energy fat from 10% PNO or SBO and 35% lard, 20% PNO or SBO and 25% lard, or 30% PNO or SBO and 15% lard for 12 weeks. The proliferative responses of splenocytes upon stimulation with concanavalin A (Con A) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS), Con A-stimulated production of interleukin (IL)-2 and interferon (IFN)-${\gamma}$, and LPS-stimulated production of IL-6, IL-$1{\beta}$, and prostaglandin $E_2$ ($PGE_2$) by splenocytes were determined. Consumption of HFDs containing PNO resulted in significantly less weight gain (17% less, P < 0.001), and lower weight gain was mainly due to less white adipose tissue (18% less, P = 0.001). The reduction in weight gain did not result in the overall enhancement in splenocyte proliferation. Overall, PNO consumption resulted in a higher production of IL-$1{\beta}$ (P = 0.04). Replacement of SBO with PNO had no effect on the production of IL-2, IFN-${\gamma}$, IL-6, or $PGE_2$ in mice fed with either the control diets or HFDs. In conclusion, consumption of PNO reduced weight gain in mice fed with HFD, but this effect did not result in the overall improvement in immune responses.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
• /
• v.21 no.2
• /
• pp.105-111
• /
• 2013

This study was performed to investigate the enhancement of immunomodulatory activities of Lithospermum erythrorhizon by extreme process. The extracts are WE100 (water extract for 24 hours at $100^{\circ}C$), WE80 (water extract for 24 hours at $80^{\circ}C$), EE (70% ethyl alcohol extract for 24 hours at $80^{\circ}C$) and EPE (extreme process for 30 minutes at $25^{\circ}C$, 500 MPa after 70% ethyl alcohol extracts for 3 hours at 40, 50, $60^{\circ}C$). Extraction yield was increased up to 5~10% by extreme process, compare to the normal extraction such as water solvent extraction, 70% ethyl alcohol solvent extraction. The cytotoxicity of the extracts was showed in the range of 12.68~15.89% at $1.0mg/m{\ell}$ for human lung cell (HEL299). The EPE40 was showed the lowest cytotoxicity 12.68%. The EPE60 extracted by extreme process increased the growth of human B and T cells up to $12.12{\times}10^4\;cells/m{\ell}$ and $14.88{\times}10^4\;cells/m{\ell}$, respectively and the EPE60 greatly increased the cytokine secretion of both IL-6 and TNF-${\alpha}$. The extracts by extreme process also exhibited higher levels of nitric oxide production from macrophages than the lipopolysaccaharides. It can be concluded that Lithospermum erythrorhizon has immune activities and The extreme process could increase higher immune activities possibly by immunomodulatory compounds.