• KSBB Journal
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.243-250
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• 2012

The ash content, mineral composition, total phenolics, antioxidant capacity, and neuroprotective effect of the antlers of deer fed with herb-incorporated feedstuff (HFS) or normal feedstuff (NFS) were comparatively evaluated. The contents of ash and mineral of the antler of deer fed with HFS were significantly lower than its counterpart. The ash and mineral contents of deer antlers decreased generally from the upper section toward the tip section. The ratios of Ca/ash, Ca/P, and Ca/Fe of antler of deer fed with HFS were lower than those of antler of deer fed with NFS. Antlers of deer fed with HFS had higher total phenolics, nitrite scavenging capacity, and antioxidant capacity than those of deer fed with NFS. Antlers of deer fed with HFS or NFS showed in vitro neuronal protection of PC-12 cells against oxidative stress in a dose-dependent manner, where antler of deer fed with HFS generally had higher cellular viability than NFS. These results above suggest that the incorporation of the medicinal herbal complex into feedstuff may improve the biological effects of deer antlers.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.431-436
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• 2008

The impact of storage on the neuroprotective effects against $A\beta$-induced cell death and physicochemical characteristics of milk fortified with BF-7 were investigated. The BF-7 milk exerted protection of neuronal cells SK-N-SH from amyloid beta ($A\beta$)-induced neuronal stress. Our results showed that incubation of the cell with pretreated BF-7 milk, significantly attenuated apoptotic stress by $A\beta$, considered in cell morphology and nucleus shape. The general compositions were maintained consistently in BF-7 fortified milk (BF-7 milk). The BF-7 did not make any disturbance on pH and titratable acidity. The color change was not detected, either. Also, any microorganism had not been detected with more than 7 days storage at $4^{\circ}C$. In sensory evaluation study. the average scores of each sensory attribute were quite similar with plain milk. In conclusion, our results strongly indicate that BF-7 characteristics are quite adequate to be included in milk and BF-7 milk is still working well on neuro-protection, result in enforcing our brain and delaying neurodegeneration.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.289-295
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• 2004

Myristica fragrans seed from Myristica fragrans Houtt (Myristicaceae) has various pharmacological activities peripherally and centrally. The present study aims to investigate the effect of the methanol extract of Myristica fragrans seed (MF) on N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-induced neurotoxicity in primary cultured rat cerebellar granule neuron. MF, over a concentration range of 0.05 to $5\;{\mu}g/ml$, inhibited NMDA (1 mM)- induced neuronal cell death, which was measured by trypan blue exclusion test and 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. MF $(0.5\;{\mu}g/ml)$ inhibited glutamate release into medium induced by NMDA (1 mM), which was measured by HPLC. Pretreatrnent of MF $(0.5\;{\mu}g/ml)$ inhibited NMDA (1 mM)-induced elevation of cytosolic calcium concentration $([Ca^{2+}]_c)$, which was measured by a fluorescent dye, Fura 2-AM, and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). These results suggest that MF prevents NMDA-induced neuronal cell damage in vitro.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.756-764
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• 2009

Scutellariae baicalensis GEORGt Acorus gramineus SOLAND and Gastrodia elata BLUME are traditional medicines used in the treatment of incipient stoke. In this study we investigated their effects on various aspects of neuronal differentiation in single or composite forms. Water-extracts of these medicines showed neuroprotective effects on cultured rat cortical neurons in normoxia and hypoxia. To understand the mechanism for neuroprotection we carried out various cell biological assays. They stimulated initial differentiation of neuronal development (transition from stage 1 to 2), and increased the number of spines and the length and number of dendritic processes. These effects were best manifested in the experimental group, which were given a mixture of the three kinds of extracts (p<0.01). To assess improvement of brain functions we carried out Morris water-maze tests for the mice that were fed on these extracts instead of water for 4 weeks. The experimental groups, especially those which were given the mixture of the three kinds of extract, showed significant (p<0.01) enhancement in memory as early as one day after the learning trial. These results indicate that these three kinds of extracts have synergistic effects on neuronal protection and improvement of brain functions.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.103-112
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• 2009

Objectives : This study was to evaluate the pharmacological effect of Korea Red Ginseng aqueous extract (KRGE) on serum-deprived apoptosis of neuronal-like pheochromocytoma PC12 cells and to investigate its underlying action mechanism. Methods : KRGE was prepared by extracting Korea Red Ginseng with hot water and concentrating using a vacuum evaporator. Cell viability was determined after incubation of cells with KRGE or chemical inhibitor in serum-deprived medium for 60 h by counting intact nuclei following lysing of the cell membrane. Caspase activities were measured using chromogenic substrates and signal-associated protein phosphorylation and cytochrome c release were determined by Western blot analyses using their specific antibodies. Results : Serum deprivation induced PC12 cell death, which was accompanied by typical morphological features of apoptotic cell, such as nuclear fragmentation, caspase-3 activation, and cytochrome c release. This apoptotic cell death was significantly inhibited by KRGE and caspase-3 inhibitor, but not by the addition of NMA, ODQ, and PD98059. KRGE promoted phosphorylation of Akt and Bad, and this phosphorylation was inhibited by the PI3K inhibitor LY92004. In addition, this inhibitor also reversed KRGE-mediated protection of PC 12 cells from serum deprivation. These results suggested that KRGE protects PC12 cells from serum deprivation-induced apoptosis through the activation of PI3K/Akt-dependent Bad phosphorylation and cytochrome c release, resulting in caspase-3 activation. Conclusions : KRGE should be considered as a potential therapeutic drug for brain diseases including stroke induced by apoptosis of neuronal cells.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.95-102
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• 2005

Caulis Bambusae in Taenia is widely used in Korea and China due to its various pharmacological activity. The present study aims to investigate the effect of the methanol extract of Caulis Bambusae in Taenia (CB) from Phyllostachys nigra Munro var. henonis Stapf (Gramineae) on amyloid ${\beta}$ protein (25-35) $(A{\beta}\;(25-35))$, a synthetic 25-35 amyloid peptide, -induced neurotoxicity using cultured rat cortical neurons. CB, over a concentration range of $10-50{\mu}g/{\mu}l$, inhibited the $A{\beta}\;(25-35)\;(10\;{\mu}M)$-induced neuronal cell death, as assessed by a 3-[4,5-dimethyIthiazole-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and the number of apoptotic nuclei, evidenced by Hoechst 33342 staining. CB $(50\;{\mu}g/{\mu}l)$ inhibited glutamate release into medium induced by $10\;{\mu}M\;A{\beta}$, (25-35) which was measured by HPLC. Pretreatment of CB $(50\;{\mu}g/{\mu}l)$ inhibited $10{\mu}M\;A{\beta}$ (25-35)-induced elevation of cytosolic calcium concentration $([Ca^{2+}]_c)$, which was measured by a fluorescent dye, fluo-4 AM, and generation of reactive oxygen species. These results suggest that CB prevents $A{\beta}$ (25-35)-induced neuronal ell damage in vitro.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.63 no.4
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• pp.357-363
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• 2020

Oxidative stress caused by the overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is known as an etiology of neurodegenerative diseases. Populus tomentiglandulosa (PT), a member of the Salicaceae family, is widely grown in Korea and has been reported to exert protective effects on cerebral ischemia by attenuating of oxidative stress and neuronal damage. In the present study, we investigated the antioxidant activity and neuroprotective effects of an ethanol extract and four fractions [n-butanol, ethyl acetate (EtOAc), chloroform, and n-hexane] of PT under in vitro and cellular systems. The extract and four fractions of PT showed 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), •OH, and O2- radical scavenging activities in a dose-dependent manner. In particular, the EtOAc fraction of PT had the strongest DPPH, •OH, and O2- radical scavenging activities among the extract and other fractions. Therefore, we further investigated the neuroprotective effect of the EtOAc fraction of PT against oxidative stress in H2O2-induced SH-SY5Y cells. Treatment with H2O2 significantly decreased cell viability and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release, and it also increased the ROS levels compared to the normal group. However, treatment with the EtOAc fraction of PT significantly increased cell viability. Moreover, the EtOAc fraction of PT-treated group significantly suppressed ROS production and LDH release compared to the H2O2-induced control group. In conclusion, our findings indicated that PT had in vitro antioxidant activity and neuroprotective effects against oxidative stress. Therefore, PT could be used as a natural agent for protection against oxidative stress.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.4 no.6
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• pp.455-461
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• 2010

The tumor microenvironment, particularly sufficient nutrition and oxygen supply, is important for tumor cell survival. Nutrition deprivation causes cancer cell death. Since apoptosis is a major mechanism of neuronal loss, we explored neuronal apoptosis in various microenvironment conditions employing neuroblastoma (NB) cells. To investigate the effects of tumor malignancy and differentiation on apoptosis, the cells were exposed to poor microenvironments characterized as serum-free, low-glucose, and hypoxia. Incubation of the cells in serum-free and low-glucose environments significantly increased apoptosis in less malignant and more differentiated N-type IMR32 cells, whereas more malignant and less differentiated I-type BE(2)C cells were not affected by those treatments. In contrast, hypoxia (1 % $O_2$) did not affect apoptosis despite cell malignancy. It is suggested that DLK1 constitutes an important stem cell pathway for regulating self-renewal, clonogenicity, and tumorigenicity. This raises questions about the role of DLK1 in the cellular resistance of cancer cells under poor microenvironments, which cancer cells normally encounter. In the present study, DLK1 overexpression resulted in marked protection from apoptosis induced by nutrient deprivation. This in vitro model demonstrated that increasing severity of nutrition deprivation and knock-down of DLK1 caused greater apoptotic death, which could be a useful strategy for targeted therapies in fighting NB as well as for evaluating how nutrient deprived cells respond to therapeutic manipulation.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Toxicology Conference
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• 2001.10a
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• pp.112-112
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• 2001

Oxidative stress plays an important role in the pathological process of neurodegenerative diseases. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are ubiquitous environmental contaminants, some of which may be neurotoxic. Our previous studies showed that 2,2',5,5'-TetracWorobiphenyl (PCB 52) induced apoptotic death in human neuronal SK-N-MC cells, which was demonstrated on gel electrophoresis by visualization of the proteolytic cleavages of $\beta$-catenin and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and of the production of characteristic ladder patterns of DNA fragmentation.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.85-92
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• 2003

Seok-jeong (SJ) is a solution of various metal ions and numerous other organic substances produced through extraction and fermentation of herbs and soil using geo-microbes, and it has been shown to improve symptoms of senile dementia. In this study, we investigated the protective effects of SJ against neurotoxicity of cadmium in HT22 hippocampal neuron cell line. SJ significantly protected from the cadmium-induced decreased cell viability measured by MTT assay (p＜0.01). The protective effects of SJ against cadmium toxicity were confirmed through observing morphological changes using inverted microscope. Additionally, SJ significantly repressed the formation of lipid peroxidation induced by high concentration of cadmium, and likewise, significantly repressed the reduction of glutathione by cadmium in HT22 cells. Vitamin C at the concentration found in SJ did not show any protective effect against cadmium toxicity in HT22 cells, indicating that vitamin C may not have a major role in the protective mechanism of SJ. Taken together, these results suggest that SJ may be a valuable agent for the protection of cadmium toxicity on the neuronal cells, and that the mechanism of the action of SJ may be due to reduced lipid peroxidation and increased glutathione level.