• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.162-168
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• 2007

It is well known that oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) is the most characterized humoral factor that plays an important role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. The water extract of the Korean herbal remedy, ZoaGumHwan (ZGH), which is composed of roots of Coptis chinensis Franch and fruits of Evodia officinalis Dode with the ratio of 6 to 1, reduced the in vitro oxidation of low density lipoproteins (LDL). Also, the ZGH extract and berberine, one of the major components of ZGH, significantly prevented oxLDL-induced adhesion of monocytes to human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). Furthermore, the ZGH water extract and berberine decreased oxLDL-induced expression of CC chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2), a dominant monocyte chemotaxis receptor, in U937 human monocytic cells. The protective effects of the ZGH water extract and berberine were similar to those of simvastatin, an effective lipid-lowering drug. The results suggest that Korean herbal remedy, ZGH, seems to have protective effect against oxLDL-induced monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1/CCR2-dependent monocyte recruitment onto endothelial cells.