• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
• /
• v.19 no.1
• /
• pp.49-54
• /
• 2002

Korean safflower (Carthami Flos) seed has been known to have healing effects on both bone fracture and osteoporosis. On the base of such a notice, this experiment was carried out to explore the effects of safflower seed on bone formation and bone repair. In addition, the healing mechanism was evaluated by analysing serum after feeding the seed to experimental. animals. The effect of Korean safflower seed were evaluated with 40 rats,3-month old. Forty Sprague-Dawley rats composed of 20 male and 20 female were underwent unilateral tibial defect and then fastened with unilateral fixators. The operated rats were divided into two groups depending on the composition of diet, such as positive control group fed normal diet (C-OP group) and safflower seed group fed 30% of safflower seed diet and 70% of normal diet (S-OP group). Postoperative radiographys were taken once in 2 weeks to evaluate callus formation for operated groups. In addition, a possible protein spots involved in bone recovery were examined using 2-Dimensional Gel Electrophoresis (2-DE). The comparison of the radiography between C-OP and S-OP group were showed that the safflower seed diet appeared to stimulate the formation of callus in the rat. On the images of 2-BE, it was able to identify possible five protein spots, having pl from 4 to 5 and molecular weight range from 24 to 26 kDa, involved in bone formation and repair, since no differing protein spots were found the two between groups except the five spots. No differences were observed between two groups before operation, but clear and bigger protein spots were observed from the S-OP group compared with C-OP group on 6 and 9 weeks post operation. These protein spots were, however, showed similar sizes and densities between two groups in 12 weeks later. The transformation of protein spots was suggested that these protein spots were involved in bone formation and recovery, in addition safflower seed might induce the formation of factors and activate these factors. In conclusion, this study suggest that safflower seed influence a variety of factors in the course of bone formation or the periods of remedy.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
• /
• 2023.04a
• /
• pp.69-69
• /
• 2023

Safflower seeds, classified as a member of the Asteraceae family, a dicotyledonous plant, contain linoleic acid as a major component, known for its pharmacological effect of strengthening bones. Additionally, safflower seeds have been reported to have pharmacological effects on vascular diseases such as atherosclerosis. In this study, we investigated the anti-obesity effect of safflower seed extract by examining its impact on adipocyte differentiation using Oil Red O staining, triglyceride quantification, and GPDH activity measurement. The results showed that safflower seed extract significantly inhibited adipocyte differentiation. Furthermore, we confirmed that safflower seed extract improved body weight, liver weight, adipose tissue size, glucose, and triglyceride levels in a high-fat diet-induced mouse model. These findings suggest that safflower seed extract exhibits potent anti-obesity activity both in vitro and in vivo and has the potential to be developed as a material for future anti-obesity therapies.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
• /
• v.8 no.1
• /
• pp.46-53
• /
• 2003

The current study investigated the effect of Korean safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) seed powder and its water and ethanol extracts on bone metabolism during recovery from rib-fracture induced by surgical operation in rats. 10-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing about 320 g were divided into 9 groups after arrival: 10d control (AIN 76 semi-purified diet), 10d safflower seed powder (10d SS-powder), 10d safflower seed ethanol extract (10d SS-EtOH), 10d safflower seed water extract (10d SS-$H_2O$), 20d control (AIN-76 semi-purified diet), 20d safflower heed powder (20d SS-powder), 20d safflower seed ethanol extract (20d SS-EtOH), 20d safflower seed water extract (20d SS-$H_2O$), and 20d sham-operation (20d sham), The dietary level for all the supplements was 5% based on the raw material weight. The rats were fed the experimental diets for 10 days before the rib fracture operation and for a further 10 or 20 days after the operation. A number 9 rib was fractured surgically and a sham-operation also performed. The rats were then sacrificed on the l0th or 20th day after the operation. The body weight initially decreased after the operation in all the rib-fractured groups, then gradually recovered. The concentrations of plasma osteocalcin were higher in the control group than in all the safflower-supplemented groups 10 and 20 days after the rib-fracture (p < 0.05). The bone-specific ALP (alkaline phosphatase) activity was significantly higher in the SS-EtOH group than in the other groups 20 days after the rib-fracture (p < 0.05). The level of urinary DPD (deoxypridinoline) was significantly higher in the SS-EtOH and SS-$H_2O$ groups than in the other groups 10 days after the rib-fracture. When comparing the PTH (parathyroid hormone) and calcitonin levels, the SS-$H_2O$ group exhibited the highest PTH level among the groups 10 and 20 days after the rib-fracture. Thus, it was concluded that the bone turnover during the fracture-healing period was more rapid in the rats supplemented with safflower seed powder or its fractions than in the control rats. Furthermore, the SS-$H_2O$ fraction was identified as the most effective in stimulating bone remodeling, as bone resorption and bone formation were both significantly increased during fracture healing when compared to the control group.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
• /
• v.28 no.4
• /
• pp.769-786
• /
• 1998

The purpose of the present study is to examine the effect of cell proliferation and alkaline phosphatase activity in osteoblastic cells and to compare the bone healing ability of rat calvarial defects between the control group and the safflower seed extract treated group. Osteoblastic cells were obtained from calvariae of a fetal rat. Cells were cultured containing DMEM and safflower seed extract ($10^{-6}g/ml$, $10^{-3}g/ml$) at $37^{\circ}$ with 5% $CO_2$ in 100% humidity for 3 days. MTT was performed to examine the viability of the cells, and alkaline phosphatase activity was analyzed to examine the mineralization in vitro. Rat calvarial defects($5{\times}5mm$) in 250g Sprague-Dawly were made using round bur. Rats were administrated with safflower seed extract(0.35g/kg/day) for experimental periods. Calvarial defects were studied histopathologically and immunohistochemically at 1,4, and 8 weeks. High concentration group($10^{-3}g/ml$) of safflower seed extract significantly increased in the cell proliferation and alkaline phos phatase synthesis in osteoblastic cells. The infiltration of inflammatory cells and osteoclastic activities were decreased in the safflower seed extract treated group as compared with control group. Bone maturation was accelerated in the safflower seed extract treated group as compared to control group. No difference in osteoinductive process was observed between the control and the safflower seed extract treated group. Immunohistochemical observation revealed that protein expression of TGF-$\beta$and osteonectin during early healing phase in the safflower seed extract treated group was slightly increased as compared to control group. These results indicate that safflower seed extract promotes the healing process in bony defect of rat calvariae, and retains a potential applicability as an adjuvant therapeutic modality for regeneration of periodontal bony defect.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
• /
• v.30 no.1
• /
• pp.91-104
• /
• 2000

Many synthetic bone materials have been studied for their potential of regenerative effects in periodontal tissue. Safflower seeds have been traditionally used as a drug for the treatment of fracture and blood stasis in oriental medicines. The purpose of this study was to assess and compare the osseous responses in rat calvarial defects between bone substitutes such as calcium carbonate and bovine-derived hydroxyapatite and feeding of safflower seeds. The calvarial defects were made with 8 mm trephine bur in 24 Sprague-Dawley rats. Two graft materials were implanted in each experimental groups, whereas the control and safflower seed feeding groups were sutured without any other treatment. And then the rats of safflower seed feeding group were supplied with 3 g/day of safflower seeds. Each group was sacrificed at 4 weeks and 8 weeks. To study a histopathology related to bone healing and regeneration, Goldner's Masson Trichrome stain was done at each weeks. The tissue response was evaluated under light microscope. There were more osteoblastic activity, new bone formation, dense bony connective tissues in bovine-derived hydroxyapatite group compared to other groups at 8 weeks. The osseous defect area of safflower seed feeding group was filled with prominent fibrous tissues, where less inflammatory infiltration and new capillary proliferation. In the early phase of bone healing, safflower seed feeding reduces the inflammatory response and promotes the proliferation of connective tissue. These results suggest that natural bovine-derived HA and safflower seed feeding could enhance the regenerative potential in periodontal defects.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
• /
• v.18 no.2
• /
• pp.116-123
• /
• 2001

This study was undertaken to find out the effect of Korean safflower seed powder on histopathological changes of cadmium toxicity in mice. Fifty BALB/c mice were divided into a control group(A) and four experimental groups(B, C, D, E) : group A received tap water and basal diet, group B received tap water and diet supplemented with 3% Korean safflower seed powder alone, group C received basal diet and 300 $\mu\textrm{g}$/g of cadmium, group D and E received basal diet supplemented with 3% and 10% Korean safflower seed powder and 300$\mu\textrm{g}$/g of cadmium respectively. Cadmium dissolved in tap water was used, and the Korean safflower seed powder were mixed with feed. All mice were dissected on the 56th day. Histopathological changes in liver, kidney, lung, cortical osseous tissue of femoral shaft, bone trabecular of femur, and epiphyseal cartilage plate of femur were observed. Group B showed no significant changes compared with the control group. But group C showed the unclearness of specific cells in liver, the loss of architecture and focal necrosis of hepatocyte, the glomerular swelling, degeneration and necrosis of convoluted tubules, desquamation and vacuolization of the greater part of the renal tubular epithelium, the marked congestion and thickness of the wall of alveolus in lung, slightly thinning of the cortical osseous tissue in femoral shaft, reduction of cancellous bone volume and marked narrowness of bone trabecular, marked thinning of epiphyseal cartilage plate and irregular arrangement of columnar structure of cartilage cells. On the other hand, Korean safflower seed powder-treated group showed a little convalescent changes and maintained their normal architectures in liner, kidney, lung, cortical osseous tissue of femoral shaft, bone trabecular of femur and epiphyseal cartilage plate of femur.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Pathology
• /
• v.5 no.1
• /
• pp.9-16
• /
• 2001

To investigate the effects of safflower seed supplementation diet on the hepatic injury of rats administered with carbon tetrachloride (CCI$_4$), histopathological changes were assessed following acute and chronic administration in rats. In acute cases, all rats in group fed with 10% safflower seed supplementation diet survived despite the administration of lethal doses of $CCl_4$. However, most rats in group fed with control diet died. The hepatic injuries of survived rats, in the histopathological findings, were mild compared to those of dead rats. In the chronic cases, livers of group 2 fed with control diet were more progressive in fatty changes and centrilobular necrosis than those of group 3 fed with 20%safflower seed diet. However, after six weeks, livers of group 2 and 3 showed severe necrosis and mild fibrosis at the same time. Group 5 fed with 10% safflower seed supplementation diet and water containing 0.05% phenobarbital sodium showed mild fatty changes and necrosis compared with group 4 fed with control diet and water containing 0.05% phenobarbital sodium at sixth week. At 8 to 10 wee71s after the administration of $CCl_4$, severe fibrosis. fatty changes and marked necrosis were observed in group 4, but hepatic injuries were less severe in group 5. The present results suggested that safflower seed has some protective effect in hepatic lesions and consequently delay the progression of hepatic fibrosis.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.10 no.5
• /
• pp.431-435
• /
• 2000

In order to develop new materials for the functional feed, the components of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) was studied. Chemical composition, minerals, amino acids, and fatty acids of the seed and the flower of safflower were analyzed. The chemical composition of safflower seed was 3.48% (w/w) moisture, 17.10% crude protein, 30.10% crude fat, 6.11% crude ash and these of safflower flower was 7.47% moisture, 26.30% crude protein, 11.50% crude fat, 5.73% crude ash. Mineral contents of the seed were K 170.70ppm, P 14.82ppm, Ca 13.17ppm, Mg 7.83 ppm whereas these of the flower were K 64.99 ppm, P 49.90 ppm, Ca 10.43ppm. Other mineral contents were less than 7.00ppm in all parts. The composition of the amino acid were approximately as follow, the major amino acid in all parts were aspartic acid, leucine, glycine, and arginine, the contents of these were 12.17mg/g, 11.52mg/g, 8.27mg/g, 6.99mg/g, 4.86mg/g in the seed, 19.35mg/g, 31.67mg/g, 10.30mg/g, 9.06mg/g, 12.51mg/g in the flower, respectively. The mahor fatty acids in the all parts were linoleic acid (C아래첨자). The linoleic acid and the palmitic acid (C아래첨자) in the seed and the flower parts were 77.75% (w/w), 19.32% and 8.37%, 25.62% respectively. On the basis of chemical analysis, the safflower showed to have relatively high contents of crude protein and crude fat, minerals, polyunsaturated fatty acid as linoleic acid. These results suggested that safflower was found to be a useful material of natural health food for the functional food development.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
• /
• v.27 no.4
• /
• pp.867-882
• /
• 1997

Safflower(Carthamus tinctorius $Linn\acute{e}$ has been traditionally used for the treatment of blood stasis, and Dipsasi Radix has been used as a drug for fracture in Chinese medicine. The purpose of present study was to examine the biologic effects of safflower extract and Disasi radix extracts on the periodontal. ligament cells and osteoblastic cells and on the wound healing of rat calvarial defect. The ethanolic extract of safflower blossom, safflower seed and Dipsasi Radix(125, 250, and 500 ${\mu}g/ml$) were prepared as test group, and PDGF-BB(lOng/ml) and unsafonifiable fraction of Zea Mays L.(125, 250, and 500 ${\mu}g/ml$) were employed as positive control. The effects of each agents on the growth and survival, ALPase activity, expression of PDGF-BB receptor, chemotactic response of PDL cell and ATCC human osteosarcoma MG63 cells in vitro were examined. The tissue regenerative effect of each extracts was evaluated by histomorphometric measuring of newly formed bone on the 8mm defect in rat calvaria after oral administration of 3 different dosages groups : 0.02, 0.1 and 0.35g/kg, per day. It was also employed the same dosages of unsaponifiable fraction of Zea Mays L. as positive controls. Safflower blossom extract, safflower seed extract, and Dipsasi Radix extract stimulate the cellular activity of MG63 cells in concentration range of $125-500{\mu}g/ml$, and safflower bolssom extract and safflower seed extract stimulate also the cellular activity of periodontal ligament cells in concentration range of $250-500{\mu}g/ml$. In activity of ALPase, $250-500{\mu}g/ml$ of safflower blossom extracts showed significant stimulating effects on MG63 cells, and the same concentration range of safflower seed extracts showed significant effect on periodontal ligament cells. In the recovery on PDGF-BB receptor expression which was depressed by $IL-1{\beta}$, $125-250{\mu}g/ml$ of safflower blossom extracts and $250-500{\mu}g/ml$ of safflower seed extracts showed significant increasing effect on MG63 cells, and $500{\mu}g/ml$ of safflower blossom extract and $250-500{\mu}g/ml$ of safflower seed extracts showed significant effect on periodontal ligament cells. In chemotactic response, among all tested group, safflower seed extracts only were chemotactic to MG63 cells and periodontal ligament cells in concentration range of $125-500{\mu}g/ml$. Also in the view of bone regeneration in rat calvarial defect model, the only group that was orally administrated 0.35g/kg, day of safflower seed extract showed significant new bone formation. These results suggested that safflower extracts might have a potential possibilities as an useful drug for adjunct to treatment for regeneration of periodontal defect.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
• /
• v.20 no.6
• /
• pp.415-420
• /
• 2012

In order to evaluate the effect of seed weight on different aspect of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) seed germination and growth characteristics. Quantity of sinapine leaked from seed was greater as the viability of seeds was dropped by the time elapsed of seed aging model and long storage condition in safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.). The cultivar of safflower was Jin-Sun and the seeds that are separated to three different weights of small, middle, and large were used in this experiment. Large seeds revealed the highest germination percent, coleoptiles fresh weight, coleoptiles dry weight, radicle fresh weight and 1000 seed weights than other seed weight. Seed weight had little effect on yield while seed number exerted a positive influence. Interestingly, yield per plant and its major components, number of capsules and capsule weights, revealed a negligible relationship with oil content.