• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제16권14호
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• pp.5703-5707
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• 2015

Background: Medicinal plants, especially examples rich in polyphenolic compounds, have been suggested to be chemopreventive on account of their antioxidative properties. Melissa officinalis L. (MO), an aromatic and medicinal plant, is well known in thios context. However, toxicity against cancer cells has not been fully studied. Here, we investigated the selective anticancer effects of an MO extract (MOE) in different human cancer cells. Materials and Methods: a hydro-alcoholic extract of MO was prepared and total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) were determined by colorimetric assays. Antioxidant activity was determined by DPPH radical scavenging activity. MTT assays were used to evaluate cytotoxicity of different doses of MOE (0, 5, 20, 100, 250, 500, $1000{\mu}g/ml$) towards A549 (lung non small cell cancer cells), MCF-7 (breast adenocarcinoma), SKOV3 (ovarian cancer cells), and PC-3 (prostate adenocarcinoma) cells. Results: Significant (P<0.01) or very significant (P<0.0001) differences were observed in comparison to negative controls at all tested doses ($5-1000{\mu}g/ml$). In all cancer cells, MOE reduced the cell viability to values below 33%, even at the lowest doses. In all cases, $IC_{50}$ values were below $5{\mu}g/ml$. The mean growth inhibition was 73.1%, 86.7%, 79.9% and 77.8% in SKOV3, MCF-7 and PC-3 and A549 cells, respectively. Conclusions: Our results indicate that a hydro-alcoholic extract of MO possess a high potency to inhibit proliferation of different tumor cells in a dose independent manner, suggesting that an optimal biological dose is more important than a maximally tolerated one. Moreover, the antiprolifreative effect of MO seems to be tumor type specific, as hormone dependant cancers were more sensitive to antitumoral effects of MOE.

• 대한약침학회지
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• 제22권2호
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• pp.95-101
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• 2019

Objectives: Angiotensin II (AngII), a major product of renin-angiotensin system (RAS) has important role in induction of hypertension and antihypertensive effect of several medicinal plant was mediated by effect on this agent. Therefore, this study examined the possible effect of hydroalcoholic extract of Crocus sativus (C. sativus) on hypertension induced by AngII. Methods: Six groups (n = 6) of rats were used as follow: 1) Control, 2) AngII (300 ng/kg), 3) Losartan (Los, 10 mg/kg) + AngII and 4-6) C. sativus extract (10, 20 & 40 mg/kg,) + AngII. The femoral artery and vein were cannulated for recording cardiovascular parameters and drugs administration, respectively. All drugs were injected intravenously (i.v). Los and all doses of C. sativus injected 10 min before AngII. Systolic blood pressure (SBP), mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) were recorded throughout the experiment and those peak changes (${\Delta}$) were calculated and compared to control and AngII. Results: AngII significantly increased ${\Delta}MAP$, ${\Delta}SBP$ and ${\Delta}HR$ than control (P < 0. 01 to P < 0.001) and these increments were significantly attenuated by Los. All doses of C. sativus significantly reduced peak ${\Delta}MAP$, ${\Delta}SBP$, and ${\Delta}HR$ than AngII group (P < 0. 05 to P < 0.001). In addition, peak ${\Delta}MAP$, ${\Delta}SBP$ in doses 10 and 20 were significant than Los + AngII group (P<0.05 to P< 0.01) but in dose 40 only MAP was significant (P<0.05). Peak ${\Delta}HR$ in all doses of C sativus was not significant than Los+ AngII. Conclusion: Regarding the improving effect of the C. sativus extract on AngII induced hypertension, it seems that this ameliorating effect partly mediated through inhibition of RAS.

• 대한약학회:학술대회논문집
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• 대한약학회 2002년도 Proceedings of the Convention of the Pharmaceutical Society of Korea Vol.2
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• pp.379.2-379.2
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• 2002

Angelicae tenuissimae ia a plant often used in traditional Korean medicine. It has been used as analgesic. antipyretic and anti-inflammatory agent. However its component and precise modes of neuropharmacological action have not been reported. In the present study, we investigated the protective effects of A. tenuissimae and it's component on ischemic damage induced by oxygen and glucose deprivation in rat hippocampal slice. (omitted)

• 셀메드
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• 제10권1호
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• pp.2.1-2.8
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• 2020

Uterotonics have the ability to contract uterus. Such plants might be useful in augmenting or inducing labour, expelling retained afterbirth and for abortifacient purposes. Limitations associated with conventional treatments have made herbal medicines a feasible alternative for the management of these conditions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the contractile effects of Uvariodendron kirkii extracts on isolated uterine strips of female Wistar rats. Isolated strips of Wistar rats' uteri were treated with 20, 40, 80 and 160 mg/ml concentrations of Uvariodendron kirkii aqueous extract. The plant extract was also tested against prostaglandin and oxytocin induced uterine contractions. Uvariodendron kirkii extract concentrations (20, 40, 80 and 160 mg/ml) increased the frequency of uterine contraction (16.53, 25.12, 33.48 and 56.39 percentages respectively) compared to the control. The graded extract concentrations caused a significant increase in amplitude (force) of uterine contractions by 2.87, 9.22, 16.37 and 24.32 percentages respectively. The concentrations significantly increased the frequency of oxytocin induced uterine contractions by 6.92; 28.31; 47.06, 58.78 percentages respectively. The graded extract concentrations also significantly increased the amplitude of oxytocin induced uterine contractions by 6.07; 9.40; 15.19 and 23.56 percentages respectively. Uvariodendron kirkii extract concentrations significantly increased the frequency and amplitude of prostaglandin induced contractions. The percentage increase in frequency was 11.44, 8.92, 20.65 and 35.71 at 20, 40, 80 and 160 mg/ml respectively. The mean amplitude of prostaglandin induced uterine contractions also increased (4.75, 3.89, 8.29 and 15.91% at 20. 40, 80 and 160 mg/ml respectively). The extract caused a dose dependent increase in uterine frequency and amplitude of contraction. The findings of thisstudy are useful in generating a novel uterotonic agent that will be useful in augmenting labour or in expelling retained after birth in cattle. More studies at molecular level will further elucidate the plant mechanism of action.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제7권1호
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• pp.6-11
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• 2016

Background: A permit to work (PTW) is a formal written system to control certain types of work which are identified as potentially hazardous. However, human error in PTW processes can lead to an accident. Methods: This cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted to estimate the probability of human errors in PTWprocesses in a chemical plant in Iran. In the first stage, through interviewing the personnel and studying the procedure in the plant, the PTW process was analyzed using the hierarchical task analysis technique. In doing so, PTWwas considered as a goal and detailed tasks to achieve the goal were analyzed. In the next step, the standardized plant analysis risk-human (SPAR-H) reliability analysis method was applied for estimation of human error probability. Results: The mean probability of human error in the PTW system was estimated to be 0.11. The highest probability of human error in the PTW process was related to flammable gas testing (50.7%). Conclusion: The SPAR-H method applied in this study could analyze and quantify the potential human errors and extract the required measures for reducing the error probabilities in PTW system. Some suggestions to reduce the likelihood of errors, especially in the field of modifying the performance shaping factors and dependencies among tasks are provided.

• 한국자원식물학회지
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• 제33권3호
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• pp.163-169
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• 2020

Alcoholic fatty liver disorder has become a frequent health concern worldwide. To investigate the effects of Brassica oleracea (B. oleracea) sprout extract (BOE), the present study was designed with alcoholic fatty liver in the rat. Initially, the effects of BOE on liver parameters were examined. Male rats were divided into five groups. The normal control group was fed the normal diet, and the BOE group was fed the high fat diet and ethanol with/without BOE for 4 weeks. After 4 weeks feeding period, rats were sacrificed and their livers and blood were used for fatty liver-related biomarkers analyses. As a result, BOE ameliorated fatty liver-related enzymes profiles in liver tissues and also reduced blood alcohol concentration in rat model. We demonstrated that BOE protected the high fat diet and alcohol-induced fatty liver in rat model. Furthermore, BOE increased detoxificative abilities against alcohol.

• 생약학회지
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• 제37권4호
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• pp.258-265
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• 2006

Brassica rapa L. (Turnip) which is one of the specialized crops in Ganghwa island, has been used for diuretic, digestive, and curative for jaundice, etc. In this study, the anti oxidative effects and hepatoprotective effects of turnip in vitro and in vivo were investigated in order to evaluate the possibility as hepatoprotective agents. Ethanol extract of turnip potently showed the scavenging effect on DPPH and inhibitory effect on lipid peroxidation. Oral administration of turnip extract to dgalactosamine-induced experimental liver injured rats was significantly reduced the serum AST, ALT and LDH enzyme activities. And the decrease of catalase and SOD activities in liver microsolmal cytosol was significantly improved by the treatment of turnip. Based on these findings, it is presumed that ethanol extract of turnip may have the hepatoprotective effect on d-galactosamine-induced hepatotoxicity rat.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• 제8권1호
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• pp.11-19
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• 2014

Synurus deltoides (Aiton) Nakai, belonging to the Compositae family, is an edible plant widely distributed in Northeast Asia. In this study, we examined the mechanisms underlying the immunomodulative effects of the ethanol extract of S. deltoides (SDE). The SDE extract strongly down-regulated the mRNA expression of the inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$, thereby inhibiting the production of nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), and TNF-${\alpha}$ in the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. Furthermore, SDE also suppressed the nuclear translocation of the activation protein (AP)-1 and the nuclear factor-${\kappa}B$ (NF-${\kappa}B$), and simultaneously decreased the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases (ERK), p38, and Akt. In agreement with the in vitro observations, the orally administered SDE ameliorated the acute inflammatory symptoms in the arachidonic acid-induced ear edema and the EtOH/HCl-induced gastritis in mice. Therefore, S. deltoides have a potential anti-inflammatory capacity in vitro and in vivo, suggesting the potential therapeutic use in the inflammation-associated disorders.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• 제3권1호
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• pp.38-41
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• 1997

The hypoglycemic effect of the extract of Ficus racemosa leaves was studied on streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Petroleum ether $(60-80^{\circ}C)$ extract of the plant obtained by soxhlet extraction from coarsely pulverised leaves was used. In the $LD_{50}$ determination of the extract no abnormalities were observed at the dose range of 3 g/kg (p.o.) of the extract. The extract (200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg orally) caused a reduction of blood glucose levels in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats by 28.9% (P<0.00l) and 34.6% (P<0.001) respectively at the end of 9 days. The results. of this study indicate that the petroleum ether $(60-80^{\circ}C)$ extract of the leaves possesses significant hypoglycemic activity in hyperglycemic animals compared with glybenclamide as standard drug.

• 대한약리학회지
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• 제9권2호
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• pp.29-37
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• 1973

Lampranthus spectabilis is an ornamental plant which belongs to one of the Aizoaceae family as an one-year herb. There are no illustrations on the references that Lampranthus spectabilis has been made use for the purpose of the medicinal plant among the traditional herb doctors and the laymen. However, it has the specific characteristics to be analogous to the Cactaceae family in the botanical classification. Besides, mescaline, the main ingredient of Peyote cactus, demonstrates the sympathomimetic effect as well as the psychotomimetic effect. The authors called our attention to the resemblance to the botanical family between Aisoaceae and Cactaceae, and made a survey whether the alcohol extract of Lampranthus spectabilis might possess any pharmacological effect on the isolated heart of clam or not. The results of the experiment were as follows. 1. Administration of LX to the isolated heart of clam produced an inhibitory effect on the cardiac motility in proportion to its concentration $10^{-4}$, $5{\times}10^{-4}$ and $10^{-3}\;g/ml$ respectively. 2. Administration of LX $5{\times}10^{-4$ and $10^{-3}\;g/ml$ produced the blockade effect on the cardiac motility pretreated with serotonin $10^{-7}$ and $10^{-4}\;g/ml$, as well as with methysergide $10^{-6}$ and $10^{-5}\;g/ml$. 3. Administration of LX $5{\times}10^{-4}\;g/ml$ produced no effect on the cardiac motility pretreated with acetylcholine $10^{-7}\;g/ml$. 4. Administration of LX $5{\times}10^{-4}\;g/ml$ produced the blockade effect on the cardiac motility pretreated with barium chloride $10^{-4}\;g/ml$, as well as with prostaglandin $20\;{\mu}g$. Consequently, it is concluded that the alcohol extract of Lampranthus spectabilis has an effect of depression on the motility of the isolated heart of clam. Its mechanism of action might be due to a direct action on the heart.