• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• 제47권4호
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• pp.498-508
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• 2019

This study was carried out to investigate the potential of Korean red pine (Pinus densiflora) inner bark extracts as an antidiabetic agent. The ethyl acetate soluble fraction of the bark extracts was chromatographed on a Sephadex LH-20 column to yield five compounds, which structures were elucidated by NMR spectroscopy. The isolated compounds were (+)-catehin, (-)-epicatechin, taxifolin, taxifolin-3'-O-${\beta}$-D-(+)-glucose and $\tilde{n}$-courmaric acid. The antidiabetic activity of the different fractions, including the crude extracts and isolated compounds, was evaluated by ${\beta}$-cells insulin secretion and glucose uptake in skeletal muscle cells. The insulin secretion was 128% for taxifolin at $25{\mu}g/mL$. However, the other samples had no effect on this test. For the glucose uptake activity assay, $1{\mu}M$ insulin and 2 mM metformin were used as controls. Both the crude extract and taxifolin showed relatively low activity values, but the other samples yielded glucose uptake values over 260%. ${\rho}$-courmaric acid showed the highest uptake (270%). The results confirmed that Korean red pine extracts may be used as a hypoglycemic agent.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• 제21권1호
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• pp.6.1-6.8
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• 2023

Glaucoma is the second leading cause of irreversible blindness, and primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) is the most common type. Due to inadequate diagnosis, treatment is often not administered until symptoms occur. Hence, approaches enabling earlier prediction or diagnosis of POAG are necessary. We aimed to identify novel drugs for glaucoma through bioinformatics and network analysis. Data from 36 samples, obtained from the trabecular meshwork of healthy individuals and patients with POAG, were acquired from a dataset. Next, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified to construct a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. In both stages, the genes were enriched by studying the critical biological processes and pathways related to POAG. Finally, a drug-gene network was constructed, and novel drugs for POAG treatment were proposed. Genes with p < 0.01 and |log fold change| > 0.3 (1,350 genes) were considered DEGs and utilized to construct a PPI network. Enrichment analysis yielded several key pathways that were upregulated or downregulated. For example, extracellular matrix organization, the immune system, neutrophil degranulation, and cytokine signaling were upregulated among immune pathways, while signal transduction, the immune system, extracellular matrix organization, and receptor tyrosine kinase signaling were downregulated. Finally, novel drugs including metformin hydrochloride, ixazomib citrate, and cisplatin warrant further analysis of their potential roles in POAG treatment. The candidate drugs identified in this computational analysis require in vitro and in vivo validation to confirm their effectiveness in POAG treatment. This may pave the way for understanding life-threatening disorders such as cancer.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• 제17권4호
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• pp.698-716
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• 2023

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the sensory properties of antioxidant-rich bread made by adding pomegranate peels and their effects on anthropometric measurements and metabolic and oxidative parameters of individuals with type 2 diabetes after consumption. SUBJECTS/METHODS: This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted with 22 individuals aged between 19 and 64 years who had been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes for at least 5 years, used only metformin, did not lose more than 10% of their body weight in the last 6 months, and had a body mass index of ≥ 25.0 kg/m². While the study group (n = 11) consumed bread containing 500 mg pomegranate peel daily for 8 wk, the control group (n = 11) consumed standard bread. Anthropometric measurements and metabolic and oxidative parameters of individuals were evaluated at the beginning and end of the study. RESULTS: Decreases were detected in the waist circumference, waist/hip and waist/height ratios, body fat percentages, blood pressure, and serum insulin, triglyceride, and total cholesterol levels in the individuals in the treatment group, compared with those in the control group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Pomegranate peel consumption by individuals with type 2 diabetes may have positive effects on anthropometric measurements and glycemic and lipid parameters.

• 대한한의학회지
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• 제34권1호
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• pp.1-14
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• 2013

Objectives: This study was designed to investigate the anti-obesity, anti-diabetic and anti-inflammatory effects of Platycodi radix on obese type 2 diabetes mouse model. Methods: Obese type 2 diabetes mouse model was induced by Surwit's high fat, high sucrose diet for 8 weeks. Models were divided into 4 groups of normal diet (ND, n=10), high fat and high sucrose diet (HFD, n=10), high fat and high sucrose diet with Platycodi radix (PR, n=10), and high fat and high sucrose diet with Metformin (Met, n=10). Body weights were measured every week. After 7 weeks fasting, blood sugar and oral glucose tolerance tests were conducted. After 8 weeks blood samples were taken from mouse hearts and analyzed biochemically. Lipid profile, fructosamine, leptin and weight of epididymal fat pad and liver were measured. Adipose tissue macrophage percentage was analyzed by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). Results: Compared with the HFD group, body weight, glucose level, fructosamine, weight of epididymal fat pad and adipose tissue macrophage percentage decreased in the PR group. Conclusions: These results suggest that Platycodi Radix has anti-obesity, anti-diabetic, and anti-inflammatory effects on obese type 2 diabetes mouse model.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제54권2호
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• pp.225-231
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• 2016

Human and animal alveolar echinococcosis (AE) are important helminth infections endemic in wide areas of the Northern hemisphere. Monitoring Echinococcus multilocularis viability and spread using real-time fluorescent imaging in vivo provides a fast method to evaluate the load of parasite. Here, we generated a kind of fluorescent protoscolices in vivo imaging model and utilized this model to assess the activity against E. multilocularis protoscolices of metformin (Met). Results indicated that JC-1 tagged E. multilocularis can be reliably and confidently used to monitor protoscolices in vitro and in vivo. The availability of this transient in vivo fluorescent imaging of E. multilocularis protoscolices constitutes an important step toward the long term bio-imaging research of the AE-infected mouse models. In addition, this will be of great interest for further research on infection strategies and development of drugs and vaccines against E. multilocularis and other cestodes.

• 약학회지
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• 제50권5호
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• pp.332-337
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• 2006

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a chronic and hard to control disease. In order to develop the therapeutic agent for type 2 DM, many researchers investigated natural products using an in vitro and in vivo assay. In this study, we tried to explore the anti-diabetic activity and mechanisms of ginsam, which is a vinegar-processed ginseng radix. The db/db mice were randomly divided into four groups. The diabetes control (DC) group was orally administrated with distilled water, ginseng radix (GR) or ginsam (GS) was administrated orally at a dose of 150 mg/kg, and the positive control group was orally injected with metformin (MET) at a dose of 300 mg/kg for 5 weeks in db/db mice and measured body weight and blood glucose level every week. All treatment groups decreased the plasma glucose levels compared with diabetic control and GS group significantly lowered the insulin resistance index. GS group also reduced the plasma lipid levels mainly due to reduce the lipogenesis and increase the lipolysis in the fat tissue. In addition, GS group increased the GLUT4 mRNA expression levels in the fat and muscle tissues by 10 fold probably due to increase a $PPAR_{-\gamma}$ mRNA expression in fat tissue. Taken together, GS showed the anti-hyperglycemic and anti-hyperlipidemic activities and those activities may ascribe to over-expression of GLUT4 mRNA level and decrease the lipogenesis in fat tissue.

• Toxicological Research
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• 제34권2호
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• pp.151-162
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• 2018

Anti-diabetes activity of Catharsius molossus (Ca, a type of dung beetle) glycosaminoglycan (G) was evaluated to reduce glucose, creatinine kinase, triglyceride and free fatty acid levels in db mice. Diabetic mice in six groups were administrated intraperitoneally: Db heterozygous (Normal), Db homozygous (CON), Heuchys sanguinea glycosaminoglycan (HEG, 5 mg/kg), dung beetle glycosaminoglycan (CaG, 5 mg/kg), bumblebee (Bombus ignitus) queen glycosaminoglycan (IQG, 5 mg/kg) and metformin (10 mg/kg), for 1 month. Biochemical analyses in the serum were evaluated to determine their anti-diabetic and anti-inflammatory actions in db mice after 1 month treatment with HEG, CaG or IQG treatments. Blood glucose level was decreased by treatment with CaG. CaG produced significant anti-diabetic actions by inhiting creatinine kinase and alkaline phosphatase levels. As diabetic parameters, serum glucose level, total cholesterol and triglyceride were significantly decreased in CaG5-treated group compared to the controls. Dung beetle glycosaminoglycan, compared to the control, could be a potential therapeutic agent with anti-diabetic activity in diabetic mice. CaG5-treated group, compared to the control, showed the up-regulation of 48 genes including mitochondrial yen coded tRNA lysine (mt-TK), cytochrome P450, family 8/2, subfamily b, polypeptide 1 (Cyp8b1), and down-regulation of 79 genes including S100 calcium binding protein A9 (S100a9) and immunoglobulin kappa chain complex (Igk), and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoenzymeAsynthase1 (Hmgcs1). Moreover, mitochondrial thymidine kinase (mt-TK), was up-regulated, and calgranulin A (S100a9) were down-regulated by CaG5 treatment, indicating a potential therapeutic use for anti-diabetic agent.

• 약학회지
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• 제49권4호
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• pp.306-311
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• 2005

Semisulospira libertine (SL) has been used as a folk medicine for quenching a thirst, hepatic fever and inflammation in oriental countries. Although SL has been anecdotally ascertained to ameliorate the hepatic diseases, there are no sufficient experimental evidences. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of Bitam-S, in which SL is a main component, on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease manifested in C57BL/6J ob/ob mice. At 6 week old, the ob/ob mice were randomly divided into four groups; control and three treatment groups. The control mice was to receive a regular diet, and the treatment groups were fed a regular diet with either 250mg/kg, 500mg/kg of Bitam-S (BS250 and BS500) or 300mg/kg of metformin (MT300) for a 8-week period. Bitam-S exerted beneficial effects on lipid homeostasis in ob/ob mice that are not necessarily due to its ability to decrease food intake but its specific effects on hepatic lipogenesis related genes (SREBP1a, FAS and SCD-1). The combined effects of Bitam-S to reduce body weight and lipogenic gene expressions, and reduce the deposition of triglyceride in the liver are indicative of a marked improvement in obesity-related non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Taken together, Bitam-S has potential as a treatment agent for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and deserves clinical trial in the near future.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• 제25권1호
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• pp.57-72
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• 2008

Objectives : The Herb-combined Remedy(HCR) for diabetes mellitus is known as an anti-hyperglycaemic agent. But its exact mechanisms are unclear. The present study was carried out to investigate its anti-hyperglycaemic and anti-oxidative effects in STZ-induced diabetic rats. Methods : Experimental diabetes was induced by injection of STZ(80mg/kg) to ratsvia the peritoneum. The experimental animals were divided into 4 groups : normal group, control group(STZ-induced diabetic rats with no treatment), HCR group(STZ-induced diabetic rats with HCR treatment), MF group(STZ-induced diabetic rats with Metformin treatment). The effects of HCR on STZ-induced diabetes was observed by measuring fasting blood glucose, changes of body weight, food uptake, and water uptake glucose levels in the normal state decline rates in blood glucose levels DPPH free-radical scavenging activity superoxide dismutase in RBC lysate catalase activity in RBC lysate and glutathione reductase activity in RBC lysate. Results : Treatment with HCR regulated blood glucose levels. Treatment with HCR also prevented weight loss in STZ-induced diabetic rats. In addition, oral glucose tolerance decreased following treatment with HCR. Direct anti-oxidative effects on DPPH free-radical scavenging were not observed, but treatment with HCR elevated SOD levels in blood cell lysates from STZ-induced diabetic rats. In addition, the HCR-treatment group showed an elevated tendency to glutathione reductase activity. Conclusions : These results demonstrate that HCR has anti-hyperglycaemic and anti-oxidative effects in STZ-induced diabetic rats.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• 제12권3호
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• pp.96-103
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• 2012

Obesity-induced disorders contribute to the development of metabolic diseases such as insulin resistance, fatty liver diseases, and type 2 diabetes (T2D). In this study, we evaluated whether the Aloe QDM complex could improve metabolic disorders related to blood glucose levels and insulin resistance. Male C57BL/6 obese mice fed a high-fat diet for 54 days received a supplement of Aloe QDM complex or pioglitazone (PGZ) or metformin (Met) and were compared with unsupplemented controls (high-fat diet; HFD) or mice fed a regular diet (RD). RT-PCR and western blot analysis were used to quantify the expression of obesity-induced inflammation. Dietary Aloe QDM complex lowered body weight, fasting blood glucose, plasma insulin, and leptin levels, and markedly reduced the impairment of glucose tolerance in obese mice. Also, Aloe QDM complex significantly enhanced plasma adiponectin levels and insulin sensitivity via AMPK activity in muscles. At the same time, Aloe QDM decreased the mRNA and protein of $PPAR{\gamma}/LXR{\alpha}$ and scavenger receptors in white adipose tissue (WAT). Dietary Aloe QDM complex reduces obesity-induced glucose tolerance not only by suppressing $PPAR{\gamma}/LXR{\alpha}$ but also by enhancing AMPK activity in the WAT and muscles, both of which are important peripheral tissues affecting insulin resistance. The Aloe QDM complex could be used as a nutritional intervention against T2D.