• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.306-312
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• 2002

Aldose reductase, the key enzyme of the polyol pathway, is known to play important roles in the diabetic complication. The inhibitors of aldose reductase, therefore, would be potential agents for the prevention of diabetic complications. To evaluate active principles for the inhibition of aldose reductase from the rhizomes of Belamcanda chinensis, twelve phenolic compounds were isolated and tested for their effects on rat lens aldose reductase. As a result, isoflavones such as tectorigenin, irigenin and their glucosides were found to show a strong aldose reductase inhibition. Tectoridin and tectorigenin, exhibited the highest aldose reductase inhibitory potency, their $IC_{50}$ values, being $1.08{\times}10^{-6}{\;}M{\;}and{\;}1.12{\times}10^{-6}{\;}M$, respectively, for DL-glyceraldehyde as a substrate. Both compounds, when administered orally at 100 mg/kg for 10 consecutive days to streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats, caused a significant inhibition of sorbitol accumulation in the tissues such as lens, sciatic nerves and red blood cells. Tectorigenin showed a stronger inhibitory activity than tectoridin. From these results, it is suggested that tectorigenin is attributed to be a promising compound for the prevention and/or treatment of diabetic complications.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.383-389
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• 1997

Doenjang(fermented soybean paste) was prepared by the series of processes including soaking, cooking, first fermentation(3 days at 30$\pm$2$^{\circ}C$) for the preparation of meju(soybean koji) after inoclulation of Aspergillus oryzae, and further fermentation (60 days at 30$\pm$2$^{\circ}C$) for the ripening after addition of salt 13% to meju. the crude phenolics extracted from defatted soybean and doenjang were fractionated onto the neutral phenolics(isofavonoids) and acidic phenolics(phenolic acids), respectively. Composition and antioxidative characteristics of phenolic fractions were determined. The neutral phenolic fractions contained genistin, genistein and daidzein; on the other hand, acidic phenolic fractions had syringic acid and seven other components. The content of genistin in doenjang dramatically decreased at the early stage of fermentation, whereas the content of genistein rather increased. In addition, the content of syringic acid of acidic phenolic fractions were increased during fermentation. These changes in individual phenolic components affected the antioxidative activity of neutral phenolics or acidic phenolics. antioxidative activity of phenolic compounds were evaluated during soybean fermentation. The antioxidative and free radical scavenging activity of neutral phenolic fractions and acidic phenolic fractions on linoleic acid autoxidation were also investigated.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.293-299
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• 2006

The aim of present study was to investigate the possible influence of Rho-kinase inhibition on the plant-derived estrogen-like compounds-induced arterial relaxation. Agonist- or depolarization-induced vascular smooth muscle contractions involve the activation of Rho-kinase pathway. However there are no reports addressing the question whether this pathway is involved in genistein-or daidzein-induced vascular relaxation in rat aortae precontracted with phenylephrine or thromboxane $A_2$ mimetic U-46619. We hypothesized that Rho-kinase inhibition plays a role in vascular relaxation evoked by genistein or daidzein in rat aortae. Endothelium-intact and denuded arterial rings from male Sprague-Dawley rats were used and isometric contractions were recorded using a computerized data acquisition system. Genistein concentration-dependently inhibited phenylephrine or thromboxane $A_2-induced$ contraction regardless of endothelial function. Surprisingly, in the agonists-induced contraction, similar results were also observed in aortae treated with daidzein, the inactive congener for protein tyrosine kinase inhibition, suggesting that Rho-kinase might act upstream of tyrosine kinases in phenylephrine-induced contraction. In conclusion, in the agonists-precontracted rat aortae, genistein and daidzein showed similar relaxant response regardless of tyrosine kinase inhibition or endothelial function.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.113-118
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• 2017

A new tetracyclic triterpenoid [4,4,24-trimethylcholesta-${\Delta}^{8,9;14,5;24,28}$-trien-$3{\beta},11{\beta},12{\alpha}$-triol-12-acetate, 3-sulfate] sodium salt (1), together with eight known compounds including ergosterol $5{\alpha},8{\alpha}$-endoperoxide (2), 1,9-dihydroxy-3-methoxy-2-methylpterocarpan (3), 3-O-${\beta}$-D-2-acetyl-amino-2-deoxyglucopyranoxyloleanoic acid (4), hydnocarpin (5), derrone (6), isovitexin (7), erythrinin C (8), and 5,4'-dihydroxy-2"-hydroxyisopropyldihydrofurano [4,5:7,8]-isoflavone (9), were isolated from the EtOAc soluble fraction of the methanol extract of aerial part of Desmodium uncinatum collected in the western highland of Cameroon. The structures of these compounds were established by comprehensive interpretation of their spectral data mainly including 1D- ($^1H$ and $^{13}C$), 2D-NMR($^1H$-$^1H$ COSY, HMQC, HMBC) spectroscopic and ESI-TOF-MS mass spectrometric analysis. The isolation of an integracide-like compound from plant origin is a very unusual finding.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.371-378
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• 2020

Background: In this study, the radix of Astragalus membranaceus Bunge extract fermented by Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Weissella cibaria, and Pediococcus pentosaceus to increase the levels of isoflavonoid aglycone contents. Methods and Results: In order to change the in isoflavonoids, we fermented the radix of A. membranaceus extracts with microorganisms that have β-glucosidase activity. Besed on the β-glucosidase activity, we selected three strains, Weissella cibaria, Pediococcus pentosaceus, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. HPLC analysis revealed that the levels of isoflavonoid aglycones were increased in all fermentation cases, and the extracts fermented by S. cerevisiae showed the highest levels of isoflavonoid aglycones. We evaluated the antioxidant activity, anti-wrinkle effects and whitening effects of the S. cerevisiae-fermented extracts using the DPPH assay, tyrosinase inhibition activity assay, and collagenase inhibition activity assay. We confirmed higher activity in S. cerevisiae-fermented extracts than in control, with the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) value of 565.1 ± 59.1 ㎍/㎖ in DPPH radical scavenging activity, tyrosinase inhibition rate of 78.4 ± 0.9%, and collagenase inhibition rate of 83.8 ± 1.1%. Conclusions: We selected three stains of microorganisms showing high β-glucosidase activity, W. cibaria, P. pentosaceus and S. cerevisiae. Isoflavonoid glycones in the radix of A. membranaceus were converted to isoflavonoid aglycones by fermentation. In addition, the fermented radix of A. membranaceus exhibited antioxidant activity, anti-wrinkle effect, whitening effect and radical scavenging activity.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.46-50
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• 2009

The antitumor activity of the roots extract of Pueraria thunbergiana was investigated on the basis of cytotoxicity upon the cultured human tumor cell lines, in vitro. The purification of methylene chloride (MC) soluble part and ethylacetate (EA) soluble part of extract by column chromatography furnished seven isoflavonoids, two triterpenoids, one but-2-enolide. The structures of them were established by chemical and spectroscopic means to be lupeol (1), $\beta$-sitosterol (2), biochanin A (3), (-)-tuberosin (4), calycosin (5), daidzein (6), puerarin (7), daidzin (8), (+)-puerol-B 2-O-$\beta$-glucopyranoside (9), formononetin-7-O-$\beta$-glucopyranoside (10). Each isolates ($1{\sim}10$) were evaluated for inhibitory activities on the proliferation of cultured human tumor cell lines such as A549, SK-OV-3, HCT-15 and SK-MEL-2, respectively.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.434-439
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• 2002

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is one of the most common head and neck cancers. OSCC generally has a poor prognosis due to its tendency towards a local invasion and subsequent metastasis, which is mediated by multiple proteolytic enzymes and angiogenesis. Soy products contain high levels of isoflavonoids, including the tyrosine kinase inhibitor, genistein, which has been identified as a potent inhibitor of cell proliferation and in vitro angiogenesis. The purpose of this in vitro study is to evaluate the anti-cancer effect of genistein with respect to the angiogenesis and basement membrane invasion in OSCC. The highly invasive OSCC cell line, HSC-3 cells were cultured in the presence of $10{\mu}M$ genistein for 24h. To evaluate the effects of genistein on the invasiveness and the gelatinolytic activity, in vitro invasion assay and zymography were performed. In order to evaluate the effect on the VEGF and bFGF mRNA expression, RT-PCR and northern hybridization reaction, and chemiluminescence detection were applied. The in vitro invasion assay showed that the genistein treatment reduced the cellular invasion through the artificial basement membrane and significant difference between the control group and the genistein treated group was shown in MMP-2 activity. Especially, the 62 kDa activated form of MMP-2 in the control group was 1.8 times higher than that in the genistein treated group. The results of the northern blot analyses indicated that VEGF mRNA expression in the genistein treated group was significantly down regulated. This study showed that genistein inhibits angiogenesis and reduces basement membrane invasion in OSCC. It seems to support the possibility of genistein as an anti-cancer agent.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.115-125
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• 2007

The aim of this study was to investigate the protective activities of daidzin, daidzein, genistein or puerarin, active isoflavonoids of Puerariae Radix, on the hepatocyte injury induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl$_4$, 10 mM), tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBH, 0.5 mM) and D-galactosamine (GalN, 30 mM). Primary cultures of rat hepatocytes (18 hr cultured) were treated with CCl$_4$, TBH or GalN and various concentrations (0.1, 1, 10 and 100 ${\mu}$M) of daidzin, daidzein, genistein or puerarin. CCl$_4$ significantly increased the levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST). The increase in LDH level was attenuated by daidzein, genistein and puerarin. Puerarin also inhibited the increase in AST level induced by CCl$_4$. The increases in LDH and ALT levels induced by TBH were significantly attenuated by daidzin and genistein treatments. GalN markedly increased the levels of LDH, ALT and AST These increases were significantly attenuated by daidzein. Daidzin also inhibited the increases in LDH and AST levels induced by GalN. The increases in LDH and ALT levels were attenuated by genistein and puerarin, respectively. These results suggest that daidzin and daidzein possess hepatoprotective activities.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.271-276
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• 2010

This study was carried out to obtain the basic information for isoflavonoid contents that can be used to index Astragalus membranaceus B. cultivated in the Republic of Korea and China. Isoflavonoid contents in Astragalus membranaceus B. which were cultivated in various areas (Jecheon, Jeongseon, Yeongju, and Taebaek in Korea, and China) and ages (1-year-old, 3-years-old) were determined. Calycosin and formononetin as major constituents were determinated by HPLC method in Astragalus membranaceus B. The results show that there were no statistically significant differences for the average contents of isoflavonoids among 1-year-old and 3-years-old. However, isoflavonoid contents were significant differences according to the cultivation areas. HPLC analysis showed that the calycosin content of 1-year-old at Jeongseon was the highest level of $0.090{\pm}0.002%$ and that of 1-year-old at Yeongju was the lowest level of $0.010{\pm}0.001%$. The highest level of formononetin content was $0.050{\pm}0.001%$ of 1-year-old at China, while the lowest level was $0.020{\pm}0.001%$ of 1-year-old at Yeongju. These results strongly suggest that contents of isoflavonoid in Astragalus membranaceus B. might be quite different with respect to the cultivation areas.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.351-355
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• 1999

In order to find anti-dementia drugs from natural products, prolyl endopeptidase inhibitors were purified from Puerariae Flos by consecutive solvent partition, followed by silica gel, Sephadex LH-20, and HPLC. Four isoflavonoid inhibitors were isolated and identified as tectorigenin, genistein, 5,7-dihydroxy-4',6-dimethoxyisoflavone, and 5-hydroxy-6,7,4'-trimethoxyisoflavone by means of instrumental analyses including $^{1}H-$, $^{13}C-$, $^{2}D-NMR$ and MS and $IC_{50}$ values against PEP were 5.30 ppm$(17.7\;{\mu}M)$, 10.39 ppm$(38.5\;{\mu}M)$, 13.92 ppm$(44.3\;{\mu}M)$, and 20.61 ppm$(62.8\;{\mu}M)$, respectively. Some previous mistakes in $^{13}C-NMR$ assignment were revised by careful investigation of HMBC and HMQC data.