• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.11-24
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• 2021

Objective: Chronic reflux esophagitis (CRE), characterized by esophageal mucosa ulcer, is caused by continuous backflow of gastric acid and consequent inflammation due to unstable gastroesophageal sphincter. The aim of the present study was to clarify the effect of an Arecae Semen and Coptidis Rhizoma mixture (AC-mix) on CRE. Methods: CRE was surgically induced in SD rats with three experimental groups used: normal; CRE control; and CRE treatment (200 mg/kg AC-mix). Blood and esophageal tissue were collected after two weeks of drug administration. The anti-oxidant activity of the AC-mix was measured by total polyphenol and total flavonoid contents as well as by radical scavenging activity with protein levels evaluated using western blotting. Results: CRE damage to the esophageal mucosa was significantly reduced in the AC-mix group as compared with the controls, and administration of the AC-mix was seen to inhibit NF-κBp65 activity. Consequently, the inactivation of NF-κBp65 significantly inhibited inflammatory mediators such as COX-2 and iNOS. Moreover, the anti-oxidant enzyme HO-1 significantly increased through activation of the Nrf2-Keap1 pathway. Matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), which can break down collagen from the basement membrane and extracellular matrix, was decreased following AC-mix treatment, and elevated levels of MMP-2 were regulated by its tissue inhibitor. Conclusions: These results show that AC-mix can alleviate esophageal mucosa ulcer though inhibition of the NF-κBp65 inflammatory pathway and enhancement of the anti-oxidant Nrf2-Keap1 pathway.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.21-28
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• 2020

Objectives : The objective of this study was to investigate the improvement effect of Sprout of Coix lacryma-jobi var. mayuen Stapf water extract (SC) on the dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis mice. Methods : The antioxidant activity of SC was measured through total polyphenol and total flavonoid content in vitro. The experiment was conducted with seven-week-old male Balb/c mice. After 1 week adaptation, acute colitis was induced by oral administration of 5% DSS dissolved in drinking water, for 7 days. And normal mice received drinking water without DSS throughout the entire experimental period. For each experiment, the mice were divided into 4 groups and 24 colitis mice were arbitrarily allocated into 3 groups (n = 8/group); Normal group, Control group, SC 100 mg/kg treated group (SCL), SC 200 mg/kg treated group (SCH). Serum and colon tissues were collected after one weeks of drug administration. Results : ROS levels, ONOO^- levels, AST, and ALT in serum were decreased in SC treated groups compared to the control group. Western blotting measurements of Nrf2, HO-1, SOD, catalase, GPx-1/2, IL-4, IL-10, and Bcl2 showed that the SC treated groups was increased compared to the Control group. Also, western blot measurements of NF-κBp65, p-IκBα, COX-2, iNOS, TNF-α, IL-1β, Bax, and Caspase-3 showed that the SC treated groups was reduced compared to the Control group. Conclusion : Taken together, these results suggest that SC treatment can attenuate the DSS-induced colitis though inhibiting NF-κB pathway and enhancing Nrf2 pathway. Therefore, SC was the potential to be used as a natural therapeutic drug.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.50 no.6
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• pp.642-652
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• 2018

Rhus verniciflua (RV) Stokes is a herbal medicine that helps improve blood circulation by stimulating digestion, removing extravasated blood, and raising body temperature. The purpose of this research was to study the anti-inflammatory effect of fermented soy products (FSP) containing a fermented RV (FRV) extract on lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-treatedd RAW 264.7 cells. Treatment with FRV extracts (1, 10, $100{\mu}g/mL$) downregulated nitric oxide (NO) and pro-inflammatory cytokines as compared to the LPS-treated group. Besides, the RV extract treatment suppressed the expression of genes related to pro-inflammatory cytokines, matrixins, inflammation, and apoptosis, while increasing the expression of genes involved in the antioxidant system. Furthermore, RVS extract upregulated antioxidant enzymes, such as glutathione, Cu,Zn-SOD, and catalase without changes in the Nrf2-Keap1 pathway. FSP (doenjang, ganjang) containing FRV extracts (0.1, 1, or $10{\mu}g/mL$) significantly decreased the NO and IL-6 levels in an FSP after 8 weeks of fermentation, but not the expression of genes involved in the inflammation and antioxidant system. These result indicate that an FRV extract and FSPs have a potential application in inflammatory conditions.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.22 no.7
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• pp.936-942
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• 2012

Prunus mume has been traditionally used as a medicinal food in Korea, Japan, and China. In particular, this fruit has been reported to have beneficial biological effects on gastritis and gastric ulcers. However, its action in relation to skin whitening has remained unclear. Accordingly, the effects of fruit extract of P. mume related to antioxidation and skin whitening were examined in this study. First, using the MTT assay, it was observed that fruit extract of P. mume below 0.1% has no cytotoxicity in B16-F1 cells as a result of cell viability. Second, the direct scavenging effects and the reducing power of the fruit extract of P. mume were evaluated in vitro on DPPH radicals, hydrogen peroxide, and superoxide. It exhibited high reducing power and scavenging activity on the aforementioned reactive oxygen species. Furthermore, we found that its protective effect against genomic DNA damage related to oxidative stress was increased in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, the fruit extract of P. mume had an inhibitory effect on melanin production induced by L-dopa. In addition, it reduced the expression level of NRF-2, SOD-1, and SOD-2 related to antioxidation in western blot analysis. These results suggest that fruit extract of P. mume could exert a whitening effect through inhibition of melanin production by its antioxidant effect.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.44-54
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• 2013

To determine the potential function of Rhus javanica in Korean medicine, it was fermented with each strain of Lactobacillus spp. Each strain of Lactobacillus spp. was inoculated in lactobacilli MRS broth, and 5 mg/ml of methanol extract of Rhus javanica was added. In mouse hippocampal HT22 cells, ethyl acetate extract of R. javanica fermented with L. brevis KCTC 3498 induced heme oxygenase-1 expression and showed a significant cytoprotective effect on glutamate-induced oxidative damage. The cytoprotective effect was related to the transcription of the nuclear factor E2-related factor2 (Nrf2), which is responsible for the induction of heme oxygenase-1 within the nucleus. The antimicrobial, antioxidant, and heme oxygenase-1 expression activities of fermented R. javanica were measured after extraction with ethyl acetate. R. javanica fermented with L. plantarum subsp. plantarum KCTC 3108, L. fermentum KCTC 3112, and L. brevis KCTC 3498 had higher antioxidant activity than nonfermented R. javanica. The fermented R. javanica with L. plantarum subsp. plantarum KCTC 3108, L. casei KCTC 3109 after ethyl acetate extraction showed antibacterial activity against Bacillus subtilis PCI 219, Escherichia coli KCTC 1682, Shigella flexneri KCTC 2517, Vibrio parahaemolyticus KCTC 7471, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa KCTC 2004. An ethyl acetate extract of the fermented R. javanica with Lactobacillus brevis KCTC 3498 exhibited stronger antibacterial activity than a nonfermented one against strains of B. subtilis PCI 219, E. coli KCTC 1682, S. flexneri KCTC 2517, and V. parahaemolyticus KCTC 7471.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.236-245
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• 2017

Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess the effects of guava leaf extract (GLE) supplementation on antioxidant enzyme activity and expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) mRNA in ovariectomized rats. Methods: All animals were randomly assigned to four groups (n = 7 for each group): non-ovariectomized control (Sham), the ovariectomized control (OVX), ovariectomy + 150 mg/kg b.w. of GLE ($OVX{\cdot}GL$), and ovariectomy + 300 mg/kg b.w. of GLE ($OVX{\cdot}GH$). Treatment groups were administered GLE for 8 weeks every day. Results: Body weight gain was significantly reduced in the $OVX{\cdot}GL$ group compared with the OVX group (p < 0.05). The level of serum $17{\beta}$-estradiol (E2) was significantly lower in the OVX groups than the Sham group (p < 0.05). Serum triglyceride (TG) and HDL-cholesterol levels were not significantly different between all groups. However, serum total cholesterol (TC) level was significantly reduced in the $OVX{\cdot}GH$ group compared with the OVX group (p < 0.05). Serum free fatty acid (FFA) level and liver TG level were significantly reduced in both $OVX{\cdot}GL$ and $OVX{\cdot}GH$ groups compared with the OVX group (p < 0.05). Furthermore, serum glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity was significantly elevated in the GLE groups (p < 0.05). The mRNA expression level of GPx was not affected by ovariectomy. However, administration of GLE resulted in significantly increased nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor (Nrf2) and catalase (CAT) mRNA expression levels in the liver (p < 0.05). In addition, liver nitric oxide (NO) level was significantly reduced in the $OVX{\cdot}GH$ group compared with the OVX group (p < 0.05). Expression level of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) was significantly elevated in the $OVX{\cdot}GH$ group compared with the OVX group (p < 0.05). Conclusion: These results suggest that GLE could have protective effects in OVX rats by stimulating eNOS expression and improving the antioxidant defense system.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.617-630
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• 2021

Chemotherapy-induced side effects affect the quality of life and efficacy of treatment of cancer patients. Current approaches for treating the side effects of chemotherapy are poorly effective and may cause numerous harmful side effects. Therefore, developing new and effective drugs derived from natural nontoxic compounds for the treatment of chemotherapy-induced side effects is necessary. Experiments in vivo and in vitro indicate that Panax ginseng (PG) and its ginsenosides are undoubtedly non-toxic and effective options for the treatment of chemotherapy-induced side effects, such as nephrotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, cardiotoxicity, immunotoxicity, and hematopoietic inhibition. The mechanism focus on anti-oxidation, anti-inflammation, and anti-apoptosis, as well as the modulation of signaling pathways, such as nuclear factor erythroid-2 related factor 2 (Nrf2)/heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), P62/keap1/Nrf2, c-jun Nterminal kinase (JNK)/P53/caspase 3, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MEK)/extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK), AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 4 (MKK4)/JNK, and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT. Since a systemic review of the effect and mechanism of PG and its ginsenosides on chemotherapy-induced side effects has not yet been published, we provide a comprehensive summarization with this aim and shed light on the future research of PG.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2018.10a
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• pp.108-108
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• 2018

In this study, we evaluated the anti-cancer effect of extracts of leaves (ST-L) and branches (ST-B) from Sageretia theezans in human colorectal cancer cells. ST-L and ST-B significantly inhibited the proliferation of human colorectal cancer cells, SW480. ST-L and ST-B decreased cyclin D1 protein level through the induction of cyclin D1 proteasomal degradation via $GSK3{\beta}$-dependent threonine-286 phosphorylation of cyclin D1. In addition, ST-L and ST-B increased HO-1 protein through p38, ROS and $GSK3{\beta}$-dependent Nrf2 activation. These findings suggest that ST-L and ST-B may have great potential for the development of anti-cancer drug to treat human colorectal cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.14
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• pp.5501-5508
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• 2014

Luteolin, 3', 4', 5,7-tetrahydroxyflavone, belongs to a group of naturally occurring compounds called flavonoids that are found widely in the plant kingdom. It possesses many beneficial properties including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-diabetic and anti-proliferative actions. Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of cancer related deaths worldwide. Many signaling pathways are deregulated during the progression of colon cancer. In this review we aimed to analyze the protection offered by luteolin on colon cancer. During colon cancer genesis, luteolin known to reduce oxidative stress thereby protects the cell to undergo damage in vivo. Wnt/${\beta}$-catenin signaling, deregulated during neoplastic development, is modified by luteolin. Hence, luteolin can be considered as a potential drug to treat CRC.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.797-810
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• 2023

Elaeagnus umbellata leaves have been reported to suppress inflammation, allergic responses, lung cancer proliferation and oral bacterial growth. Cadmium (Cd) is a heavy metal that has been found to cause many toxicities, including liver toxicity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the capacity of 70% ethanol extract of E. umbellata leaves (EUL) to protect human hepatocytes from Cd toxicity. After exposure of HepG2 cells to Cd at 10 𝜇M for 24 h, cell viability, expression levels of apoptosis- and antioxidant-related proteins, reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and Cd uptake were assessed. EUL protected HepG2 cells from Cd-induced apoptosis as determined by MTT assay. A decrease in caspase-3 and p-p53 protein levels was observed in cells pretreated with EUL prior to Cd exposure. Furthermore, the Cd-induced increase in intracellular DCF fluorescence was attenuated by EUL, indicating that the Cd-induced apoptosis preventing effect was associated with the suppression of ROS accumulation. Moreover, EUL's effects on the inhibition of p38, JNK, and AKT phosphorylation also appear to be associated with protection against Cd toxicity. Moreover, EUL upregulated Cd-depressed expression of Nrf2, HO-1, catalase, and MT-1,2 proteins, suggesting that Cd uptake-induced apoptosis in HepG2 cells may be inhibited by EUL's antioxidative potential.