• Journal of Life Science
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• v.23 no.11
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• pp.1404-1408
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• 2013

(-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a green tea polyphenol, has been shown to have strong antibacterial, antiviral, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and chemopreventive effects. However it is unknown whether EGCG can recover alcohol-associated pancreatitis. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of EGCG on pancreatic enzyme activities and the expressions of pancreatic regenerating related markers, such as adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), raf-1 kinase inhibitor protein (RKIP), and Regenerating gene 1 (Reg1), in mice pancreatic primary acinar cells. Our results revealed that activities of ${\alpha}$-amylase and chymotrypsin were significantly increased in the cells treated with ethanol compared to the untreated control cells; however, the increased activities of both enzymes were markedly reduced by pretreatment with EGCG. Phosphorylation of AMPK and total expression of RKIP were decreased in the ethanol-treated primary acinar cells; however, these were both significantly increased in the EGCG-pretreated cells. In addition, when EGCG was treated, expression of Reg1 was markedly increased compared with that of the control or the ethanol-treated primary acinar cells, demonstrating that EGCG can modulate pancreatic regenerating related genes. Therefore, our findings suggest that EGCG may have therapeutic utility in the prevention or treatment of alcohol-associated pancreatitis.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.486-493
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• 2018

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: The honeysuckle berry (HB) contains ascorbic acid and phenolic components, especially anthocyanins, flavonoids, and low-molecular-weight phenolic acids. In order to examine the potential of HB as a hepatoprotective medicinal food, we evaluated the in vitro anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of Korean HB (HBK) and Chinese HB (HBC). MATERIALS/METHODS: Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of the extracts were examined in HepG2 and RAW 264.7 cells, respectively. The anti-oxidant capacity was determined by DPPH, SOD, CAT, and ARE luciferase activities. The production of nitric oxide (NO) as an inflammatory marker was also evaluated. The Nrf2-mediated mRNA levels of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), NAD(P)H dehydrogenase [quinone] 1 (Nqo1), and glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit (Gclc) were measured. The concentrations of HB extracts used were 3, 10, 30, 100, and $300{\mu}g/mL$. RESULTS: The radical scavenging activity of all HB extracts increased in a concentration-dependent manner (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05). SOD (P < 0.05) and CAT (P < 0.01) activities were increased by treatment with $300{\mu}g/mL$ of each HB extract, when compared to those in the control. NO production was observed in cells pretreated with 100 or $300{\mu}g/mL$ of HBC and HBK (P < 0.01). Treatment with $300{\mu}g/mL$ of HBC significantly increased Nqo1 (P < 0.01) and Gclc (P < 0.05) mRNA levels compared to those in the control. Treatment with $300{\mu}g/mL$ of HBK (P < 0.05) and HBC (P < 0.01) also significantly increased the HO-1 mRNA level compared to that in the control. CONCLUSIONS: Thus, the Korean and Chinese HBs were found to possess favorable in vitro anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Nrf2 and its related anti-oxidant genes were associated with both anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory activities in HB-treated cells. Further studies are needed to confirm these in vivo effects.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.63-74
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• 2022

Objectives : Skin aging is generally characterized by wrinkles, sagging, loss of elasticity roughness, pigmentation and dryness. This changes is caused by reducing the elements constituting the extracellular matrix contributing to the physiological properties of the skin, such as collagen fiber, elastic fiber, and hyaluronic acid. Adequate skin hydration is important to maintain normal skin function and reduce skin aging. The present study is objective to observe skin moisturizing effects of Unripe apple(UA, Immature fruit of Malus pumila Mill) in vivo and its underlying molecular mechanisms. Methods : ICR mice were orally administerd UA(100, 200 and 400mg/kg/day) for 8 weeks, and skin water contents and the expression of transforming growth factor (TGF)-𝛽1, ceramide, hyaluronan and collagen type I(COL1) were measured in dorsal back skin of the mice. Gene expression of hyaluronan synthase(HAS1, HAS2, HAS3), collagen synthase(COL1A1, COL1A2) and TGF-𝛽1 were also determined by realtime RT-PCR. Results : Skin water contents and the expression of TGF-𝛽1, ceramide, COL1 and hyaluronan were significantly increased in UA group(100, 200 and 400mg/kg/day) compared to vehicle control. The mRNA expression of HAS isoform(HAS1, HAS2, HAS3), COL1A1, COL1A2, and TGF-𝛽1 were also significantly increased by UA. Conclusions : UA has skin moisturizing effects and enhancement activities in skin function related components(COL1, hyaluronan, ceramide and TGF-𝛽1). These results suggested that UA can be a developing candidate for developing alternative skin protective agent or functional food ingredient.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.32 no.2 s.57
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• pp.105-110
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• 2006

This study was to describe the differences in efficacy and effect of herbal extracts by the part and solvent extraction from the medical plants used as materials of oriental herbs cosmetics. And, this study was to apply to the test method of efficacy and effect related to the antioxidation as herbal extracts, complex of actual ingredient, not existing analytical methods of single ingredient. After screening the medical plants with the antioxidative activity primarily and selecting 11 sorts of medical plants to be used by the part in the literature, this study was to confirm the differences through the well-known test methods like DPPH radical scavenging activity test and hydroxyl radical scavenging activity test. For examples, in case of Trachelospermum asiaticum, compared with the aerial part and fruit, the value of DPPH radical scavenging activity test had $25.2 {\pm} 0.2$ and $62.4 {\pm}1.6$ each. It has shown that the value of fruit had 2.4 times higher effect than the one of aerial part. In case of hydroxyl scavenging activity test, it was effective in the fruit, but it has shown that there was no effect on the aerial part. It showed the same phenomena in some other plants. From the result above, this researcher could understand that it needed to consider extracting the medical plants or plants with the active principle by the part. Also, this study was to confirm the differences in effect according to the solvent as it changed the solvent extraction after selecting a plant (Lithospermum erythrorhizon) widely used for medicine and dye. As a result of measuring the actual value of superoxide scavenging activity test, this study was to consider that there were differences by the part or solvent extraction in extracting and using the medical plants as it has shown that the effect differences produced $10{\sim}80%$ according to the solvent. When it was applied to the products, this study has shown that it needed to decrease the possible errors.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.107-122
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• 2003

Objectives: The objective of this study is to investigate the use rate and some aspect of complementary therapies used by patients with chronic illness(hypertension, diabetic mellitus and chronic arthritis). Methods: 600 patients visiting the health center for one month(Jan. 2001) were interviewed on their complementary therapies used by the subjects for the previous year. Results: About fourteen-eight percent of the respondents used therapies; 35% of patients with hypertension, 44.6% of patients with diabetic mellitus and 62.9% of patients with chronic arthritis, which shows the highest rate among patients with three chronic disease. The use rate of complementary therapies indicates few meaningful differences according to the general characteristics of the interviewees. Hypertension patients used herb medication(31.0%) acupuncture(29.6%) and most of all the other therapies. Diabetic patients used dietary therapy(57.5%) and herb medication(35.1%). Chronic arthritis patients used acupuncture(85%) and herb medication(34.7%). 36.8% of all the patients who used complementary therapies tried more than two therapies. 18.3% of hypertension patients, 24.1% of diabetic patients and 55.9% of chronic arthritis patients used more than two therapies. Acupuncture(47%) was used most frequently, followed by herb medications(26.3%), health assistance utensils(21.8%). oriental therapy(21.8%), physical therapy(9.5%), health assistance food(8.4%), herb(7.7%), Korea hand acupuncture(3.2%), abdomen respiration(1.1%), and pore therapy(0.7%) Oriental clinic was visited most frequently(42.8%), which was used to cure diseases(61.8%), and to relieve symptoms(26.0%). (p<0.001) The cost spent on complementary therapies last year was 90,000 won(40.3%) and there are some cases of more than 500,000 won(31.2%). Most of the patients(56.1%) were satisfied with the complementary therapies, with 6% of them having side effects. 74% of the patients used complementary therapies answered that they would continue them and 56.1% of them also answered that they would continue them and 56.1% of them also answered that they would advise other patients to do them. Advantages(compared with those of orthodox medical treatment) are psychological comfort(28.1%), body protection(26.0%), effectiveness(20.0%). 34% of the patients using complementary therapies wanted to have informational orientation on complementary therapies. These findings reveal that a considerable number of patients with chronic illness(47.5%) tried a variety of complementary therapies. Though 6% of the patients using therapies had side effects, most of the subjects seemed satisfied with them and they are supposed to continue them. Conclusions: In conclusion, health center personnels and medical doctors should pay more attention to the complementary therapies used by patients with chronic illness. They also have to try their best to advise more scientific and informative complementary programs with less side effects and more help to improve their conditions.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.133-145
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• 2014

Objective : In this study, the addition of dried pomegranate concentrate powder (PCP) was affected the anti-climacterium activity of red clover dry extracts (RC) in ovariectomized (OVX) rats. Materials and methods : After bilateral OVX surgery, RC 40 mg/kg, PCP 20 mg/kg and RC:PCP 2:1 mixture (g/g) 120, 60 and 30 mg/kg (of body weight) were orally administered, once a day for 84 days, and then the changes on the serum estradiol levels, abdominal fat pad and uterus weights were observed for estrogenic effects. In addition, liver weights, serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels were also evaluated for hepatoprotective effects, and serum total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein (LDL), high density lipoprotein (HDL) and triglyceride (TG) levels were monitored for hypolipidemic effects. Results : As a result of OVX, the estrogen-deficient climacterium symptoms, increments of abdominal fat pad weights, serum AST, ALT, TC, LDL and TG levels with decrease of uterus and liver weights, serum estradiol levels, were demonstrated. However, these estrogen-deficient climacterium symptoms induced by bilateral OVX in rats were significantly inhibited by continuous oral treatment of RC 40 mg/kg, PCP 20 mg/kg and RC:PCP 2:1 mixture (g/g) 120, 60 and 30 mg/kg, respectively. Conclusion : The results suggested that RC:PCP 2:1 mixtures synergistically increased the anti-climacterium effects of RC in OVX rats. It, therefore, is expected that RC:PCP 2:1 mixture will be promising as a new potent protective agents for relieving the climacterium symptoms.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.81-102
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• 2018

Objectives : I analysed daehwangmokdan-tang's compatibility principle by the system of chief, deputy, assistant, and envoy and investigated pharmacological activities by categorizing with chemical components, molecular level, cellular level, animal level and human level based on Korean and Chinese studies for this formula. Methods : Daehwangmokdan-tang's compatibiltity principle was examined by the system of chief, deputy, assistant, and envoy. I looked into studies that presented in Korea from 1956 to 2016 about daehwangmokdan-tang through KOREA INSTITUTE OF ORIENTAL MEDICINE, Korean medicine information system (OASIS) and in Chinese for 20 years about daehwangmokdan-tang through China National Knowledge Infrastructure, CNKI. Then classify into chemical components, molecular level, cellular level, animal level and human level to analyse. Results : According to the system of chief, deputy, assistant, and envoy, chief herb is Rhei Radix et Rhizoma and Moutan Cortex, deputy herb is Natrii Sulfas and Persicae Semen, assistant and envoy herbs are Trichosanthis Semen. The amount of extraction of paeonol, total anthraquinone, and conjugated anthraquinone from daehwangmokdan-tang with the formulation of the system of chief, deputy, assistant, and envoy was the highest, and in the formulation of chief herb and deputy herb, the extraction amount of paeonol and conjugated anthraquinone was the lowest. With other formulations, the amount of extraction of total anthraquinone and conjugated anthraquinone was improved, although the degree was different. In particular, when it is blended with Persicae Semen as a deputy herb, the extraction amount of total anthraquinone and conjugated anthraquinone of Rhei Radix et Rhizoma as a chief herb is greatly increased, and the extraction amount of paeonol is rather different, but it is lowered. It was found that the amount of Mg Ca K Na in daehwangmokdan-tang was the highest. Pharmacological activities can be detected in inflammatory mediators and enzymes for molecular level. For cellular level, it can be determined in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 cell line. In mouse and rats for animal level and human level, in inflammatory diseases (acute appendicitis, acute pancreatitis, acute cholecystitis, acute abdominal disease, ect.), pharmacological activities was caught. Conclusions : From the above results, daehwangmokdan-tang is composed in line with the system of chief, deputy, assistant, and envoy, suggesting that there is certain rationality and scientific. Pharmacological activities of daehwangmokdan-tang are effective to anti-inflammation, improvement of sepsis, analgesic, muscle relaxation, and improvement of intestinal flora and its metabolites. Daehwangmokdan-tang is consistent with the action of diuresis and anti-inflammation in terms of the content of elements, suggesting that there is action of purging fire and removing blood stasis, defecation detoxification, cooling blood and clearing heat and activating blood and dispersing stasis.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.637-642
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• 2005

The antibacterial effect of methanol and water extracts from edible mushrooms on the growth of pathogenic bacteria (Bacillus cereus, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Echerichia coli O-157, Listeria monocytogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhi) were investigated. The Lyophyllum cinerascens and Pleurotus ostreatus2 methanol extracts treated with 5.0 mg/disc showed the highest antimicrobial activity against 7 kinds of pathogenic bacteria. And methanol extracts of edible mushrooms showed higher antimicrobial activity against gram positive and gram negative microorganisms than water extracts. The methanol extracts of mushrooms revealed high inhibitive activites in cytotoxicity on human cancer HepG2 and HT-29 cells. The growth of cancer HepG2 and HT 29 cells which treated with 1 mg/mL of Cordyceps militaris and Sarcodon aspratus methanol extracts were strongly inhibited to $67\%$ and $81\%$ respectively. And most of the methanol extracts exhibited the stronger effects against these cells, at the same concentration, comparing with water extracts. Particularly, the methanol and water extracts of Cordyceps militaris, Agaricus blazei, Lyophyllum ulmarium, Ganoderma lucidum and Sarcodon aspratus have the strongest antitumoral effects on HepG2 and HT-29 cells. From these results, it is considered that wild mushrooms have stronger antimicrobial and in vitro cytotoxic effects.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.650-659
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• 2013

To investigate the effects of facial blood flow rates(FBFR) and facial skin temperature(FST) generated by Gagam-Jawoonaek(GJ) application(appl.) after Miso Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture(MFRA). Ten people in their twenties to fifties with no skin diseases were recruited. We randomly divided subjects two groups(A, B) and set the GJ appl. site(group A - right side, group B - left side). MFRA was performed on both sides of their face. Immediately after acupuncture treatment(AT treat.), GJ was applied only half of the face. We measured their FBFR using Laser Doppler Perfusion Imaging(LDPI) and FST using Digital Infrared Thermal Imaging(DITI) at pre-AT treat., immediately after AT treat., twenty and sixty minutes after GJ appl.. We analyzed data using Mann-Whitney test and Wilcoxon test(p < 0.05). After MFRA treat., FBFR on both sides increased. Twenty minutes after JW appl., the changes of FBFR on GJ appl. side($122.9{\pm}43.1PU$) were bigger than GJ non-appl. side($80.9{\pm}38.4PU$), a statistically significant decrease. Sixty minutes after application, FBFR on both sides were recovered almost at the same level as that of pre-AT treat. After MFRA treat., FST on both sides increased. Twenty minutes after GJ appl., the changes of FST on GJ appl. side($1.1{\pm}0.6^{\circ}C$) were comparable to that of GJ non-appl. side($1.2{\pm}0.5^{\circ}C$). Sixty minutes after application, FST on both sides were recovered almost at the same level as that of pre-AT treat.. Gagam-Jawoonaek could decrease facial blood flow rates.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.320-324
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• 2012

Osteoporosis is an important public health issue in postmenopausal women. It is a major public health concern and is widely believed that osteoporosis results from imbalance between bone resorption and bone formation. Recently natural products from plants have been extensively studied as therapeutic drugs to treat and prevent various diseases. Hoelen (scientific name, Poria cocos) is a mushroom that is used in traditional Chinese medicine. Hoelen exhibits anti-inflammatory activity and has a protective effect on tumor progression. However, the effect of hoelen in osteoclast differentiation remains unknown. Thus, we examined the effect of hoelen in receptor activator of nuclear factor-${\kappa}B$ ligand (RANKL)-induced osteoclast differentiation. Hoelen significantly inhibited RANKL-induced osteoclast differentiation in bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMMs) in dose dependent manner without toxicity. Also, we showed that hoelen significantly inhibited the mRNA expression of tartrate-resistant acid phophatase (TRAP) and nuclear factor of activated T cells 1 (NFATc1) in BMMs treated with RANKL. In Particular, hoelen greatly inhibited the protein expression of NFATc1. Ectopic expression of NFATc1 partially reverses hoelen-mediated inhibition of osteoclast differentiation. Taken together, our results demonstrated that hoelen may be useful treatment option of bone-related disease such as osteoporosis, reumatoid arthritis, and periodontitis.