• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.561-567
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• 2012

Ellagic acid (EA) is a phenolic compound in fruits and nuts including raspberries, strawberries, grapes and walnuts. Previous studies have indicated that EA possesses antioxidant activity, growth-inhibition and apoptosis-promoting activity in cancer cells. However, macrophage mediated cytotoxicity and immunomodulating effects on cancer cells have not been clarified. In the present study, we show that EA increased effects on macrophage mediated tumoricidal activity and NO production without direct tumor cell cytotoxicity. To further determine whether TLR4 (toll like receptor 4) is involved in anti-tumor activity, cells were treated TLR4 signaling inhibitor, CLI-095 in the presence of EA. CLI-095 treatment partially reduced macrophage-mediated tumoridial activity. EA also has inhibitory effects of NO production induced by LPS, whereas phagocytic activity was not changed. These results suggest that EA induces macrophage mediated tumoricidal activity which is partially related to TLR4 signaling and has a potential adjuvant in cancer therapy.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.549-555
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• 2023

Hijikia fusiforme (HF), a member of brown algae family, exerts various pharmacological effects, including preventing arteriosclerosis and menopausal disorders. This study aimed to elucidate the ameliorative effect of HF on skin inflammation. We investigated the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect of HF extract to evaluate its potential as a functional materials. The antioxidant activity of HF was determined using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazy (DPPH) scavenging and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS+) scavenging. To determine the pharmacological mechanism of HF in inflammatory reaction, we evaluated the effects of HF on interleukin (IL)-8, IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α production and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activation in activated- human mast cells (HMC)-1. Results showed that HF had the high DPPH and ABTS+ radical scavenging activity, and it suppressed IL-8, IL-6 and TNF-α production in a concentration-dependent manner. Moreover, HF significantly ameliorated NF-kB activation in activated-HMC-1. Hence, these results provide evidence that HF's potential for skin inflammation therapy.

• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.601-609
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was to investigate the applicability of rational emotive behavior therapy(REBT) technique to the horticultural activity program as a method of reducing irrational beliefs and job-seeking stress, and improving career maturity through the change of irrational beliefs. The subjects were 30 university students with irrational beliefs, 15 of them in the control group and 15 in the experimental group. The horticultural therapy program was carried out in total 10 sessions once a week for one and a half hours. For irrational beliefs, the experimental group showed a significant decrease (p=.002) in the total score after the program, but the control group showed an insignificant change (p=.529). Total job-seeking stress score was decreased significantly in the experimental group (p=.002) after the program, whereas it was increased in the control group (p=.023). For the career maturity, the experimental group showed a significant increase (p=.008) in the total score, whereas the control group showed a significant decrease (p=.028). Therefore, it can be found that REBT applied horticultural activity programs are helpful for reducing irrational beliefs and job-seeking stress and improving career maturity for young adults.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.2637-2641
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• 2016

Tumor necrosis factor ($TNF-{\alpha}$), an inflammatory cytokine that plays an important role in the control of cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis, has previously been used in anti-cancer therapy. However, the therapeutic applications of $TNF-{\alpha}$ are largely limited due to its general toxicity and anti-apoptotic influence. To overcome this problem, the present study focused on the effect of active constituents isolated from a medicinal plant on $TNF-{\alpha}$-induced apoptosis in human colon adenocarcinoma (HT-29) cells. Nimbolide from Azadirachta indica was evaluated for cytotoxicity by methyl tetrazolium 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and phase contrast microscopy. Effects on apoptotic signaling proteins were investigated using Western blot analysis. Nimbolide showed cytotoxicity against HT-29 cells that was significantly different from the control group (p<0.01), a concentration of $10{\mu}M$ significantly inducing cell death (p<0.01). In combination with $TNF-{\alpha}$, nimbolide significantly enhanced-induced cell death. In apoptotic pathway, nimbolide activated c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) phosphorylation, BH3 interacting-domain death agonist (Bid) and up-regulated the death receptor 5 (DR5) level. In the combination group, nimbolide markedly sensitized $TNF-{\alpha}$-induced JNK, Bid, caspase-3 activation and the up-regulation of DR5. Our findings overall indicate that nimbolide may enhance $TNF-{\alpha}$-mediated cellular proliferation inhibition through increasing cell apoptosis of HT-29 cells by up-reglation of DR5 expression via the JNK pathway.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.647-653
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• 2017

Hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury (HIRI) is linked with high mortality rate. Several agents have been developed so far to reduce the risk of HIRI. In this study, we investigated the effects of Acanthopanax senticosus extract (AS) on hepatic ischemia-reperfusion. To explore the protective effects of A. senticosus extract injection (ASI) on hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury rats animal model were used. After the development of HIRI by using clamping method rats were then randomly divided into five groups. Different doses of AS were administered in HIRI rat model. The level of ALT, AST, and MDA content in serum were detected in sham and HIRI groups. The activity of SOD, MPO and $Ca^{2+}-ATPase$, content of MDA, and cAMP in hepatic tissue were also measured. Expression of Bcl-2 and Bax protein were detected by immunohistochemical staining method. Compared with sham group, ASI has the protective effect on the HIRI model in rats. Blood levels of ALT, AST, SOD, MPO, and MDA were significantly lower in ASI group compared with HIRI. Indeed SOD and $Ca^{2+}-ATPase$ activities, MDA content, and cAMP level were improved in ASI group. Furthermore, Bcl-2 and Bax protein were improved in ASI group compared with only HIRI group. These results suggest that AS may provide potential ameliorative therapy by inhibiting the damage signaling mechanism in hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury model.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.682-692
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• 2012

Sea Buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) has been used in traditional medicine for the treatment of cough, indigestion, circulatory problems and pain. The associated anti-inflammatory effect of this agent is achieved via the inhibition of Nf-${\kappa}B$ signaling, a property that has been demonstrated to effectively control the symptoms of various skin disorders, including atopic dermatitis. Accordingly, the purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of Sea Buckthorn in reducing the production of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) activated nitric oxide (NO) by inhibiting the Nf-${\kappa}B$ pathway, as measured by the symptoms of atopic dermatitis (AD) occurring secondarily to inflammation and immune dysregulation. Our data demonstrate that Sea Buckthorn significantly decreased the LPS-induced production of NO (p<0.001). Atopic dermatitis was induced by repeated application of 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene to the dorsal skin of mice. Topical application of 5% Sea Buckthorn extract improved the symptoms of AD, specifically reducing disease severity scores, scratching behaviors and epidermal thickness. When compared to the control group, animals treated with Sea Buckthorn exhibited increased serum IL-12 levels and decreased serum TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-4 and IL-5 levels. Such a modulation of biphasic T-helper (Th)1/Th2 cytokines may result in a reduction in serum IgE levels. Our findings suggest that mechanism of action of Sea Buckthorn in the treatment of AD is associated with a marked anti-inflammatory effect as well as an inhibition of Th2-mediated IgE overproduction via the modulation of biphasic Th1/Th2 cytokines. Such results suggest that topical Sea Buckthorn extract may prove to be a novel therapy for AD symptoms with few side effects.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.31-35
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• 2007

Caesalpinia sappan L. (Leguminosae) is an oriental medicinal herb distributed in China and Taiwan, and its heartwood has been traditionally used as an analgesic, a therapy for thrombosis or tumor. This study was to investigate the proliferation and inhibition effects of Caesalpinia sappan extracts against human epithelial cell and cancer cell lines. The methanol extract of dried C. sappan heartwood was evaporated (KS-6), and then sequentially extracted by hexane (KS-01), chloroform (KS-02), ethyl acetate (KS-03), n-butanol (KS-04), and water (KS-05). After 48 hr of exposure, these fractions at a concentration of $50{\mu}g/ml$ significantly increased, and reduced cell proliferation in both human normal epithelial and cancer cell lines. The ethyl acetate fraction (KS-03) among organic solvent fractions was 120.2% of the most proliferation activity ($50{\mu}g/ml$) against HaCaT human epithelial cell. However, fractions from chloroform, butanolic and methanolic extract had 7.2, 28.7 and 20.8% of antiproliferative effect on HaCaT cell, respectively. In cell proliferation effects of C. sappan extract on HeLa, SiHa and C33A human cervical cancer cells, chloroform fraction (KS-2) was the most antiproliferative activity, its antiproliferative rate (dosage, $50{\mu}g/ml$) relative to control was 25.8, 12.2 and 17.4% for SiHa, HeLa and C33A, respectively. The results indicated that the six extract fractions could induce cell cycle stimulate or arrest in some way. Finally, further investigation is needed to assess the molecular mechanisms mediated anticancer activities of this plant.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.481-491
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• 2018

Allergic asthma is one of the most enduring diseases of the airway. The T-helper cells and regulatory T-cells are critically involved in inflammatory responses, mucus hypersecretion, airway remodelling and in airway hyper-responsiveness. Cigarette smoke (CS) has been found to aggravate inflammatory responses in asthma. Though currently employed drugs are effective, associated side effects demand identification and development of novel drugs with negligible or no adverse effects. Rutin, plant-derived flavonoid has been found to possess antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. We investigated the ability of rutin to modulate T-cells and inhibit inflammation in experimentally-induced asthma in cigarette smoke exposed mice. Separate groups of neonatal mice were exposed to CS for 10 days from post-natal days 2 to 11. After 2 weeks, the mice were sensitized and challenged with ovalbumin (OVA). Treatment group were given rutin (37.5 or 75 mg/kg body weight) during OVA sensitization and challenge. Rutin treatment was found to significantly inhibit cellular infiltration in the airways and Th2 and Th17 cytokine levels as well. Flow cytometry revealed effectively raised $CD4^+CD25^+Fox3^+$ Treg cells and supressed Th17 cell population on rutin treatment. Airway hyper-responsiveness observed following CS and OVA challenge were inhibited by rutin. $NF-{\kappa}B$ and iNOS, chief regulators of inflammatory responses robustly activated by CS and OVA were down-regulated by rutin. Rutin also inhibited the expression of matrix metalloproteinase 9, thereby aiding in prevention of airway remodelling in asthma thereby revealing to be a potent candidate in asthma therapy.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.31 no.8
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• pp.1115-1122
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• 2021

Rotavirus (RV), as the main cause of diarrhea in children under 5 years, contributes to various childhood diseases. Valeriana jatamansi Jones is a traditional Chinese herb and possesses antiviral effects. In this study we investigated the potential mechanisms of V. jatamansi Jones in RV-induced diarrhea. MTT assay was performed to evaluate cell proliferation and the diarrhea mice model was constructed using SA11 infection. Mice were administered V. jatamansi Jones and ribavirin. Diarrhea score was used to evaluate the treatment effect. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was performed to detect the level of cytokines. Western blot and quantitative reverse transcription-PCR were used to determine protein and mRNA levels, respectively. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was applied to detect the pathological change of the small intestine. TdT-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling was conducted to determine the apoptosis rate. The results showed V. jatamansi Jones promoted MA104 proliferation. V. jatamansi Jones downregulated phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and protein kinase B (AKT) in protein level, which was consistent with the immunohistochemistry results. Moreover, V. jatamansi Jones combined with ribavirin regulated interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interferon γ, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor α, and IL-10, and suppressed secretory immunoglobulin A secretion to remove viruses and inhibit dehydration. V. jatamansi Jones + ribavirin facilitated the apoptosis of small intestine cells. In conclusion, V. jatamansi Jones may inhibit RV-induced diarrhea through PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, and could therefore be a potential therapy for diarrhea.