• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.44 no.11
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• pp.1629-1636
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• 2015

The edible mushroom Agaricus blazei Murill is known to have many physiological functions, including antitumor, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory effects. Aqueous extracts were obtained by extracting A. blazei in water at $90^{\circ}C$ for 15 h, followed by spray-drying with dextran at a 70:30 ratio. In this study, we examined the immunomodulatory effect of A. blazei Murill water extract (ABM) in BALB/c mice. Mice were administered orally with 4, 20, and 100 mg/kg of ABM for 21 days. ABM-treated mice did not show significant differences in body and organ weights compare to saline-treated control mice. Splenocytes isolated from ABM-administered mice revealed similar levels of cellularity and proliferation compared to control mice, whereas they showed increased natural killer (NK) cell activity and decreased IL-4 and IL-12 production. Different from in vivo results, splenocytes isolated from normal mice showed increased proliferation and $INF-{\gamma}$ production following ABM treatment in vitro. In addition, ABM treatment enhanced macrophage proliferation and nitric oxide (NO) production in a dose-dependent manner. However, ABM had no effect on LPS-induced NO production. These results suggest that A. blazei modulates immune function by increasing NK cell activity and macrophage function.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.494-500
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• 2012

In order to determine the functional benefits of $Cordyceps$ $militaris$ in the immune system, we examined the immunomodulatory activities of $Cordyceps$ $militaris$ in an immunocompromised C57BL/6 mice model. Mice were injected intraperitoneally with an immunosuppressive drug, cyclophosphamide, and then administered orally with 3% hydroxypropylmethylcellulose or 30, 100, and 300 mg/kg of 50% ethanol extract of $Cordyceps$ $militaris$ (CM 30, CM 100, and CM 300, respectively) for 12 days. Mice treated with CM displayed significantly increased splenocyte proliferation and natural killer cell activity compared to immunosuppressed control mice (p<0.05). The spleen cells isolated from mice treated with CM also displayed increased production of Th1 cytokines, including IL-2, IL-12, IFN-${\gamma}$ and TNF-${\alpha}$, suggesting enhanced cellular immunity in response to CM. However, CM had no significant effect on the production of IL-4 and IL-10. These results indicate that $Cordyceps$ $militaris$ enhances immune function by promoting immune cell proliferation and Th1 cytokine production.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.115-122
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• 1999

In order to investigate the effects of Bupleuri Radix aqua-acupuncture solution (BRAS) on immuno suppression induced by glucocorticoid, ICR mice were administrated with glucocorticoid (80 mg/kg) for 7 days, and immunized with hapten, methamphetamine-horseradish peroxidase $(10\;{\mu}g/mouse)$. And then, BRAS (0.2ml/mouse) injected into $CV_4\;and\;BL_{23}$, which are the classical acupuncture points in traditional medicine, for 7 days. And then B and T cells proliferation and cytolytic activity of natural killer (NK) cells were measured. Intraperitoneal injection of glucocorticoid decreased lysozyme activity in macrophage and cytolytic activity of NK cell. B and T cell proliferation were significantly increased in aqua-acupuncture group compared to normal group. On the other hand, BRAS significantly increased the lysozyme activity in macrophage, and the cytolytic activity of purified NK cell on K562. These results suggest that BRAS at $CV_4\;and\;BL_{23}$ may proliferate B and T cells that are suppressed by glucocorticoid and activate NK cell activity.

• Korean journal of food and cookery science
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.599-606
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• 2005

The study was carried out to measure the antitumor effect of traditional doenjang (Korean soybean paste) added with Japanese apricot, garlic or ginger. Four kinds of traditional doenjang inhibited significantly the tumor growth in mice injected sarcoma-I80 cells. Especially, traditional doenjang added with ginger (Gi-TD) showed an inhibition of tumor cell activity of 97% by the administration of 1.0 mg/kg methanol extracts. Among Balb/c mouse administered doenjang extracts, the liver weight of mice fed Gi-TD was heavier than that of the group not administered doenjang. However, no difference was found between the control and doenjang administrated groups in weights of body, spleen, kidney and heart. The activity of natural killer (NK) cells was relatively high in mice administrated with the four kinds of doenjang. Particularly, mice administrated with the Gi-TD methanol extracts showed a strong activity of 82.9%. The activity of glutathione S-transferase (GST) in mice administrated with the 4 kinds of doenjang was higher than that of the group not administered with doenjang. In particular, the GST activity was the strongest in the group administrated with Gi-TD. The results suggest that Gi-TD has a strong growth inhibition activity against sarcoma-180 tumor cells.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.58 no.2
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• pp.81-90
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• 2014

In order to determine the functional benefits of Cordyceps militaris in the immune system, we examined the immunomodulatory activities of C. militaris using an immunocompromised C57BL/6 mice, mouse spleen cells, RAW 264.7 macrophage cells, and A549 lung carcinoma cells. Mice were injected intraperitioneally with an immunosuppressive drug, cyclophosphamide, and then administered orally with 30, 100 and 300 mg/kg of 50% ethanol extract of C. militaris (CME 30, CME 100 and CME 300) for 14 days. CME increased splenocyte proliferation and natural killer (NK) cell activity compared to 3% hydroxypropyl methylcellulose-treated control mice. CME also increased the production of Th1 cytokines, IL-2 and TNF-${\alpha}$ in spleen cells isolated from CME-injected mice and in vitro, which suggested the enhanced cellular immunity in response to CME. CME also increased splenocyte proliferation, NK cell activity, and IL-2 and TNF-${\alpha}$ production compared to 1 ${\mu}M$ methotrexate-treated spleen cells in vitro. We examined whether C. militaris regulates the production of inflammatory mediators in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. CME inhibited LPS-induced NO production and iNOS expression in a dose dependent manner, while COX-2 expression was remained unchanged. In addition, CME also has free radical scavenging activity, indicating its antioxidant activity. These results indicate that C. militaris enhances immune activity by promoting immune cell proliferation and cytokine production.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.96-104
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• 2003

Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) is traditionally used as appetite enhancer, improver of the digestive system, antithusive, anti-cold, antipyretic, analgesic, and antiinflammation. In vitro evaluation using human lymphocyte cultures showed almost similar indication with those in in vivo mouse study, NK cell lysing activity was improved significantly. Proliferation activity of B and T cells, and CD3$^{＋}$ and CD3$^{＋}$CD4$^{＋}$T cell subset were better observed using oleoresin or gingerol and shogaol fractions. Although there were higher activities in gingerol, the improvement was almost equal to that by oleoresin. Shogaol did not show better improvement except at higher concentration. It could be concluded that treatment with single bioactive compound, such as gingerol, did not show significant effects compared to oleoresin, the crude extract. In human study, involving healthy male adult, the improvement of NK cell lysing activity was again demonstrated and even more apparent. The mechanism involved in the protection seemed to be through the antioxidant activity of gingerol. However, other mechanism underlying the improvement of NK cell lysing activity must be involved since this improvement seemed to be specifically toward NK cell activity. Since NK cells ave specific for the elimination of virus-infected cell and mutated cells, this positive effect on the immune system are very interesting. This work has also scientifically proved that the traditional beliefs that ginger had preventive effects on common cold appeared to be reasonable.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.196-201
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• 2016

An effective strategy for obesity intervention should include demographic, health-related, and work-related factors that are most relevant to the target population. Factors most strongly associated with obesity may differ for groups of individuals across industries or age categories. The purpose of this study was to provide current knowledge about the possible association between psychosocial job stress and immune parameters in blood. We assessed obesity-related parameters as well as the natural killer cell activity (NKCA) in female workers. There was a significant difference in the obesity-related blood parameters, i.e. fasting blood sugar level, according to age (p<0.05). Moreover, it showed a significant difference in NK cell activity between the obese and non-obese factor groups (p<0.05). Pearson correlation analysis demonstrated that NKCA was closely correlated with obesity related factors. In the future, it would have to study the biological changes which increase the activity of the immune factors to the immunological response.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.995-1000
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• 2004

This study was purposed to investigate the effect of Gamgung-tang(GGT) on immune responses induced by glucocorticoid in mice. GGT solution was treated by intraperitoneal injection for 7 days after glucocorticoid treatment(80㎎/㎏). And then B and T cell proliferation and cytolytic activity of natural killer(NK) cells were measured. There was 25% inhibition in B cell proliferation with treatment of glucocorticoid. However, B cell proliferation was not influenced by GGT treatment. T cell proliferation was also inhibited by 18.4% with treatment of glucocorticoid. On the other hand, T cell proliferation was increased dose-dependent manner in GGT treated group. Furthermore in purified T cell, the proliferation was furtherly increased than non-purified T cell. At concentration of 18㎎/mouse GGT, purified T cell proliferation was increase to above level of normal group. The cytotoxic activity of NK cell was decreased by 35.3% with treatment of glucocorticoid. In GGT treated group, the cytotoxic activity of NK cell was increased to the normal level. In purified NK cell, the cytolytic activity of NK cell was further increased than non-purifed NK cell. These results suggest that GGT may proliferate T cell that is suppressed by glucocorticoid, and activate NK cell activity.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.26 no.10
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• pp.861-867
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• 2003

Inhibitory effect of the lectins (KML-C) isolated from Korean mistletoe (KM; Viscum album coloratum) on tumor metastases produced by murine tumor cells (B16-BL6 melanoma, colon 26M3.1 carcinoma and L5178Y-ML25 lymphoma cells) was investigated in syngeneic mice. An intravenous (i.v.) administration of KML-C (20-50 ng/mouse) 2 days before tumor inoculation significantly inhibited lung metastases of both B16-BL6 and colon 26-M3.1 cells. The prophylactic effect of 50 ng/mouse of KML-C on lung metastasis was almost the same with that of 100 $\mu$ g/mouse of KM. Treatment with KML-C 1 day after tumor inoculation induced a significant inhibition of not only the experimental lung metastasis induced by B16-BL6 and colon 26M3.1 cells but also the liver and spleen metastasis of L5178Y-ML25 cells. Furthermore, multiple administration of KML-C given at 3 day-intervals after tumor inoculation led to a significant reduction of lung metastasis and suppression of the growth of B16-BL6 melanoma cells in a spontaneous metastasis model. In an assay for natural killer (NK) cell activity. i.v. administration of KML-C (50 ng/mouse) significantly augmented NK cytotoxicity against Yac-1 tumor cells 2 days after KML-C treatment. In addition, treatment with KML-C (50 ng/mouse) induced tumoricidal activity of peritoneal macrophages against B16-BL6 and 3LL cells. These results suggest that KML-C has an immunomodulating activity to enhance the host defense system against tumors, and that its prophylactic and therapeutic effect on tumor metastasis is associated with the activation of NK cells and macrophages.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.317-322
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• 2012

In this study we investigated the effects of supplementation with fucoidan from brown alga on the function of natural-killer (NK) cells to evaluate the possibility as an immunomodulator in ovariectomized (OVX) rats. A total of 18 female Wistar rats (six weeks) were used this study and 12 rats were OVX, and the rest of rats were sham-operated. The sham and one OVX group were fed standard diet, and the remaining OVX group received fucoidan (0.05% supplemented diet). After 12 weeks of supplementation, rats were sacrificed to assess the tumoricidal activity of the NK cells and the NO-iNOS regulation from splenocytes. The mass of body and the immune organs such as spleen and thymus were also studied. In OVX rats, body and thymus weights increased, however fucoidan supplementation did not change the body mass and organs weight compared to OVX group. Fucoidan supplementation increased NK cell activity and reduced NO-iNOS production in OVX rats. Ex vivo treatment of fucoidan increased NK cell activity in splenocytes from shame and OVX rats. Ex vivo, we confirmed that fucoidan partially reduced the NK cell activity in the presence of iNOS inhibitors in OVX-splenocytes. These results indicate fucoidan supplementation has a NK cell tumoricidal activity, which are regulated by the iNOS production in OVX rats. This suggests that fucoidan is useful for potential therapeutic strategies as a nutrient in regulating the NK cells in postmenopausal osteoporosis patients.