• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.191-199
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• 2020

Noni has been used for medicinal purposes for more than 2,000 years in South Pacific Polynesia, China and India, and has been heavily ingested as an extract for its excellent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. However, a recent study found that the noni extract causes digestive disorders, kidney problems, and liver diseases, which made it necessary to use it for other purposes than as an extract. In this study, we want to evaluate the potential of noni as an anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-wrinkling agent. Methods: Noni was freeze-dried, extracted in water, and concentrated. Skin cells were treated with the noni extract for 24 hrs and then were exposed to UVB (55 mJ/cm²). After 48 hrs of incubation, pro-inflammatory cytokine, elastase, MMP-1 and type-1 procollagen levels were measured by ELISA. Results: To find out the antioxidant effect of the noni extract, the DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activity experiments were conducted and the noni extract showed 97.0 % and 92.0 % antioxidant efficacy at 200 ㎍/mL respectively. The noni extract (50 and 100 ㎍/mL) decreased IL-6 and TNF-α in RAW 264.7 cells induced by LPS in a concentration-dependent manner. In the RT-PCR experiment involving NO production, the noni extract (50 and 100 ㎍/mL) inhibited NO production by strongly inhibiting iNOS mRNA expression, and also inhibited the elevation of MMP-1 and elastases caused by UVB irradiation by 25.0 % and 7.0 % respectively. In addition, type-1 procollagen was elevated by 20.0 % by the noni extract treatment in HaCaT cells. Conclusion: The noni extract has photoprotective ability by reducing proinflammatory mediators, elastase and MMP-1 production, and elevation of collagen synthesis. Our findings suggest that the noni extract might be a good natural substance to protect against UVB-induced premature skin aging.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.329-335
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• 2014

Sophora flavescens, Glycyrrhiza uralensis and Dictamnus dasycarpus have been widely used in folk medicine for several inflammatory disorders in Korea and China. In this study, we compared the anti-inflammatory effects of the ethanol extracts of S. flavescens (EESF), G. uralensis (EEGU) and D. dasycarpus (EEDS), and their mixtures (medicinal herber mixtures, MHMIXs) on production of inflammatory mediators and cytokines in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 murine macrophages. Our data indicated that treatment with EESF, EEGU and EEDD significantly inhibited the excessive production of pro-inflammatory mediators such as nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin $E_2$ ($PGE_2$) in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. The ethanol extracts and MHMIXs also attenuated the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin-$1{\beta}$ ($IL-1{\beta}$) and tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$ ($TNF-{\alpha}$) by suppressing their protein expression, respectively. Interestingly, MHMIX-1, which basic ingredients are EESF, EEGU and EEDS in the proportion 3:1:1, more safely and effectively inhibits the LPS-induced inflammatory status in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages compared to ethanol extracts of each medicinal herb and other MHMIXs without causing any cytotoxic effects. Our study provides scientific evidence to support that a berbal mixture, MHMIX-1 may be useful in the treatment of inflammatory diseases by inhibiting inflammatory regulator responses in activated macrophages.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.175-184
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• 2019

The epidermal growth factor (EGF) has a intrinsic function of inducing growth and proliferation of cells through interacting with cell membrane receptors in human epidermis and dermis layer. These functions of EGF are used as a main ingredient for wound healing medicines and anti-aging cosmetics. As a cosmetic ingredient, the EGF has a problem in exhibiting its natural efficacy due to the lack of the ability to penetrate through the stratum corneum, which is known as the skin barrier. In this study, a recombinant human epidermal growth factor ($MTD_{151}-EGF$) fused with the macromolecule transduction domain $(MTD)_{151}$ with the skin penetration ability was developed to improve the skin penetration efficiency of the EGF. Expression of $MTD_{151}-EGF$ was performed in E. coli transformed with a vector encoding the $MTD_{151}-EGF$ gene and then purified. The purified $MTD_{151}-EGF$ was evaluated using cell proliferation assay, cytotoxicity test and skin penetration test by franz diffusion cell assay and artificial skin. Cell proliferation activity of $MTD_{151}-EGF$ purified to high purity of 99% or above was equivalent to the EGF or better, and cytotoxicity was not observed. In addition, the $MTD_{151}-EGF$ showed an excellent penetration efficiency compared to the EGF in the skin penetration test with EGF and $MTD_{151}-EGF$ labeled by FITC in an artificial skin penetration model. Based on the quantitative analysis of the penetrating substance using franz diffusion cell assay, the amount of penetration was about 16 times more than that of EGF. These results can be regarded as an effective alternative to improve the existing physical transdermal penetration method related to the use of various active ingredients for cosmetics.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.83-90
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• 2015

Purpose - This research aims to understand the different behaviors of consumers according to cognitive age. Specifically, this research is focused on pro-social behavior. Pro-social behavior is defined as behavior benefiting others, rather than behavior benefiting one's self. It often entails individual risk or cost, such as when giving resources to others, waiting in line, asking for or paying a fair price, or risking one's life in battle. Therefore, we sought to understand consumer psychology and cognitive age as a reflection of inner psychology. People frequently perceive themselves as younger or older than their chronological ages. This self-perceived or cognitive age is a subjective age perception independent of actual chronological age. The discrepancy degree between chronological and cognitive age represents how much individuals perceive themselves as younger than they are. This study examines the gap in donation intention based on cognitive age. In order to investigate cognitive age, composed of four sub-categories (feel-age, look-age, do-age, and interest-age), this study explores the differential donation intention based on cognitive age, which determines the relationship between the young age and old age. Research design, data, and methodology - Data research was conducted by gathering 216 survey samples, excluding those with unreliable answers. Data coding and cleaning were used and SPSS 19.0 software for the data analysis. The respondents were categorized into two types, younger cognitive ages and older cognitive ages. Additionally, we analyzed the moderating variables. In particular, we used cognitive age degree and congruency level (cognitive age low vs. cognitive age high) × (congruency close vs. congruency distant) between - subjects design. First, regression was done to verify the difference between chronological age and cognitive age. Second, a t-test was done to verify the difference of cognitive age level in donations. Third, ANOVA (analysis of variance) was done to verify the difference between cognitive age and congruency in donations. Last, ANOVA was done to verify the difference between cognitive age and moral judgments in donations. Result - The results show most respondents perceive themselves as younger than their chronological ages. In particular, older respondents feel they are younger than their actual age. Moreover, the result of the comparison between low degree and high degree groups of cognitive age, show high donations at the higher degree of cognitive age groups. In addition, the closer the distance to the beneficiaries, the higher the donation in high degree cognitive age groups. The higher moral judgment groups also show relatively high contributions in lower degree cognitive age groups. Conclusions - Donations belong to the category of pro-social behavior reflecting an individual's psychological state. Therefore, it is important in understanding cognitive age. This study implies that it is necessary to take into account both cognitive age and chronological age when segmenting donors. Moreover, this study confirmed that there are different factors affecting the motives behind donations. Thus, it may be utilized to create differential donation strategies.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.65-73
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• 2021

It is very important to control the inflammation of the skin because it can develop into diseases such as atopy as well as scarring and aging. In this work, we recently identified the in vitro synthesis of specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs) known to control inflammation in the human body and the applicability of cosmetics. Using recombinant protein of lipoxygenase from Glycine max, we succeeded to prepare mixtures of mono- or di-hydroxy DHA named as S-SPMs and used them for in vitro efficacy test. To investigate anti-inflammatory effect of S-SPMs, mRNA level of TNF-α and IL-6 were analyzed. Under UVB exposed condition, expression of both were decreased by S-SPMs treatment. And we observed reduced production of nitric oxide (NO) by S-SPMs application under the condition with diesel particulate matter (DPM). At the same experimental condition, malondialdehyde (MDA) production was decreased by S-SPMs, indicating the inhibitory effect of S-SPMs in lipid peroxidation. In addition, S-SPMs treatment resulted in reduction of matrix metalloproteinases-1 (MMP-1) expression and elevation of procollagen type I synthesis. Together with this, mRNA level of filaggrin and loricrin were increased by S-SPMs, indicating enhancement of skin barrier function. These results demonstrate that S-SPMs is a good candidate to develop as a cosmetic ingredient for anti-inflammation, anti-wrinkle, and improvement of skin barrier function.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.1-14
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• 2014

During long standing hyperglycaemic state in diabetes mellitus, glucose forms covalent adducts with the plasma proteins through a non-enzymatic process known as glycation. Protein glycation and formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) play an important role in the pathogenesis of diabetic complications like retinopathy, nephropathy, neuropathy, cardiomyopathy along with some other diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis and aging. Glycation of proteins interferes with their normal functions by disrupting molecular conformation, altering enzymatic activity, and interfering with receptor functioning. AGEs form intra- and extracellular cross linking not only with proteins, but with some other endogenous key molecules including lipids and nucleic acids to contribute in the development of diabetic complications. Recent studies suggest that AGEs interact with plasma membrane localized receptors for AGEs (RAGE) to alter intracellular signaling, gene expression, release of pro-inflammatory molecules and free radicals. The present review discusses the glycation of plasma proteins such as albumin, fibrinogen, globulins and collagen to form different types of AGEs. Furthermore, the role of AGEs in the pathogenesis of diabetic complications including retinopathy, cataract, neuropathy, nephropathy and cardiomyopathy is also discussed.

• Journal of Integrative Natural Science
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.125-137
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• 2013

Promising evidence suggests that amyloid beta peptide ($A{\beta}$), a key mediator in age-dependent neuronal and cerebrovascular degeneration, activates death signalling processes leading to neuronal as well as non-neuronal cell death in the central nervous system. A major cellular event in $A{\beta}$-induced apoptosis of non-neuronal cells, including cerebral endothelial cells, astrocytes and oligodendrocytes, is mitochondrial dysfunction. The apoptosis signalling cascade upstream of mitochondria entails $A{\beta}$ activation of neutral sphingomyelinase, resulting in the release of ceramide from membrane sphingomyelin. Ceramide then activates protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A), a member in the ceramide-activated protein phosphatase (CAPP) family. PP2A dephosphorylation of Akt and FKHRL1 plays a pivotal role in $A{\beta}$-induced Bad translocation to mitochondria and transactivation of Bim. Bad and Bim are pro-apoptotic proteins that cause mitochondrial dysfunction characterized by excessive ROS formation, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) damage, and release of mitochondrial apoptotic proteins including cytochrome c, apoptosis inducing factor (AIF), endonuclease G and Smac. The cellular events activated by $A{\beta}$ to induce death of non-neuronal cells are complex. Understanding these apoptosis signalling processes will aid in the development of more effective strategies to slow down age-dependent cerebrovascular degeneration caused by progressive cerebrovascular $A{\beta}$ deposition.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.30-36
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• 1997

It is well estabilished that IL-4, IL-6, $IFN{\gamma}$ and immunoglobulin production are increased as a consequence of advancing age, and endothelial cells increase their expression of pro-inflammatory surface protein, such as ICAM-1, as a consequence of contact with inflammatory cytokines, including IL-1, $TNF{\alpha} or INF{\gamma}.$ This study was designed to define the relationship between age-associated changes of cytokines and immunoglobulin production and ICAM-1 expression in aged mice. Serum from aged mice had elevated IL-6 and immunoglobulin levels compared to mature adult controls and activation-induced production of $IFN{\gamma}$ of splenocytes from aged mice were increased above normal adult level. By immunoperoxidase staining, ICAM-1 in hearts of normal adult mice was expressed occasionally at low levels, but in aged mice, the number of positive blood vessels for ICAM-1 were increased and also the immunoreactivity were stronger. Therefore, these finding indicate that the altered expression of ICAM-1 eith normal aging may actually be correlative to these age-related changes in cytokiness and immunoglobulin production.

• Journal of Marine Bioscience and Biotechnology
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.99-107
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• 2020

Osteoarthritis (OA) is an inflammatory degenerative joint disease that is accompanied by irreversible joint cartilage destruction. Recently, the antioxidant effects of Carpomitra costata, which is a type of brown algae, have been reported, but their effects on OA have not been investigated. In this study, the anti-osteoarthritic effect of the ethanol extract of C. costata (EECC) on SW1353 human chondrocytes was studied. Results showed that EECC significantly attenuated the interleukin-1β (IL-1β)-induced release of pro-inflammatory mediators, including prostaglandin E2 and nitric oxide (NO), as well as expressions of cyclo-oxygenase-2 and inducible NO synthase. EECC also inhibited the IL-1β-induced expressions of matrix metalloproteinase-1, -3, and -13 in SW1353 chondrocytes, which reduced their extracellular secretion. In addition, the oxidative stress induced by IL-1β was confirmed to be blocked by EECC due to the inhibition of reactive oxygen species generation. Moreover, EECC suppressed IL-1β-mediated translocation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) from cytosol into the nucleus and the degradation of IκB-α, which indicates that EECC exhibits anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting the NF-κB signaling pathway. These results are the first to demonstrate the anti-inflammatory activities of C. costata extracts in chondrocytes, thus suggesting that this algae extract may be used in the treatment of OA.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.641-659
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• 2023

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The skin is the outermost organ of the human body and plays a protective role against external environmental damages, such as sunlight and pollution, which affect anti-oxidant defenses and skin inflammation, resulting in erythema or skin reddening, immunosuppression, and epidermal DNA damage. MATERIALS/METHODS: The present study aimed to investigate the potential protective effects of red orange complex H extract (ROC) against ultraviolet (UV)-induced skin photoaging in Skh:HR-2 mice. ROC was orally administered at doses of 20, 40, and 80 mg/kg/day for 13 weeks, along with UV irradiation of the mice for 10 weeks. RESULTS: ROC improved UV-induced skin barrier parameters, including erythema, melanin production, transepidermal water loss, elasticity, and wrinkle formation. Notably, ROC inhibited the mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (interleukin 6 and tumor necrosis factor α) and melanogenesis. In addition, ROC recovered the UV-induced decrease in the hyaluronic acid and collagen levels by enhancing genes expression. Furthermore, ROC significantly downregulated the protein and mRNA expression of matrix metalloproteinases responsible for collagen degradation. These protective effects of ROC against photoaging are associated with the suppression of UV-induced phosphorylation of c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase and activator protein 1 activation. CONCLUSIONS: Altogether, our findings suggest that the oral administration of ROC exerts potential protective activities against photoaging in UV-irradiated hairless mice.