• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.9
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• pp.5111-5116
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• 2013

Background: Early in the 21st century, cancers are the second cause of death worldwide. Colon cancer is third most common cancer and one of the few amenable to early diagnosis and treatment. Evaluation of factors affecting this cancer is important to increase survival time. Some of these factors affecting all diseases including cancer are social determinants of health. According to the importance of this disease and relation with these factors, this study was conducted to assess the relationship between social determinants of health and colon cancer survival. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional, descriptive study for patients with colon cancer registered in the Cancer Research Center of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Science, from April 2005 to November 2006, performed using questionnaires filled by telephone interview with patients (if patients had died, with family members). Data was analyzed with SPSS software (version 19) for descriptive analysis and STATA software for survival analysis including log rank test and three step Cox Proportional Hazard regression. Results: Five hundred fifty nine patients with ages ranging from 23 to 88 years with mean${\pm}$standard deviation of $63{\pm}11.8$ years were included in the study. The five year survival was 68.3%( 387 patients were alive and 172 patients were dead by the end of the study). The Cox proportional hazard regression showed 5-year survival was related to age (HR=0.53, p=0.042 for>50 years versus<50 years old) in first step, gender (HR=0.60, p=0.006 for female versus male) in second step, job (HR=1.7, p=0.001 for manual versus non manual jobs), region of residency (HR=3.49, p=0.018 for west versus south regions), parents in childhood (HR=2.87, p=0.012 for having both parents versus not having), anatomical cancer location (HR=2.16, p<0.033 for colon versus rectal cancer) and complete treatment (HR=5.96, p<0.001 for incomplete versus complete treatment). Conclusions: Social determinants of health such as job, city region residency and having parents during childhood have significant effects in 5-year survival of colon cancer and it may be better to consider these factors in addition to developing cancer treatment and to focus on these determinants of health in long-time planning.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.44-51
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• 2015

The objective of this study is to characterize a toxicity of Polygalae Radix (PR) in F344 rats and to find a dose levels for the 13 weeks toxicity study. PR is well known as medicinal herb in many Asian countries for treatment of expectorant, tonic, tranquillizer, antipsychotic agent and functional diet for improving memory. However, there is insufficient background information on toxicological evaluation of PR extract to support its safe use. Therefore, we conducted toxicological evaluation of this drug in compliance with OECD and KFDA guideline in this study. The extract of PR was administered orally to F344 rats at dose levels of 0, 500, 1000, 2000, 3500 and 5000 mg/kg/day for 2 weeks. Each group was composed to five male and five female rats. In the result, there were no treatment PR-related adverse changes in food consumption, hematology, clinical chemistry, urinalysis, gross finding at necropsy, organ weight examination. Four males at 5000 mg/kg/day were found dead during the treatment period. These animals showed salivation. The cause of death is still under investigation. The animals treated at 500, 1000, 2000, 3500 and 5000 mg/kg/day showed salivation and all animals at 5000 mg/kg/day exhibited lower body weight and cumulative weight gain in compared to those of control animals. Therefore, we recommend that a dose group of 3500 mg/kg/day is a highest treatment group in 13-week exposure study.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.18-26
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• 2015

Akebiae Caulis is a galenical originated from Akebia quinata Decaisne species. It is commonly used in the treatment of oposiuria, inflammation, nociceptive and fever. Here, we investigated the effect of Akebiae Caulis extract (ACE) to protect hepatocyte against the malfunction of mitochondria and apoptosis. Arachidonic acid (AA)+iron promoted excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and exerted a deleterious effect on mitochondria. Treatment with ACE protected hepatocytes from AA+iron-induced cytotoxicity, as shown by alterations in the protein levels related with apoptosis such as poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase, pro-caspase 3, Bcl-XL and Bcl-2. Moreover, AA+iron-induced $H_2O_2$ production, GSH depletion and mitochondrial dysfunction were alleviated by ACE pretreatment. As a potential molecular mechanism for the ACE-mediated cytoprotection, phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a key regulator in determining cell survival or death, was increased by ACE. Moreover, ACE treatment enhanced inactive phosphorylation of glycogen synthase kinase-$3{\beta}$ ($GSK3{\beta}$), downstream substrate kinase of AMPK. More importantly, ACE prevented a decrease in the $GSK3{\beta}$ phosphorylation derived by AA+iron, which might contribute to mitohondiral protection and cell survival. To further identify essential compounds in Akebiae Caulis for the protection of AA+iron-mediated cytotoxicity, we found that betulin in combination with hederagenin protected from AA+iron-induced mitochondrial dysfunction. Betulin+hederagenin treatment also increased inactive phosphorylation of $GSK3{\beta}$ in common with ACE. These results suggest that ACE protected hepatocytes against oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction, which is mediated with inactive $GSK3{\beta}$ phosphorylation downstream of AMPK.

• Journal of agriculture & life science
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.59-63
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• 2011

The symptoms such as weaken shape, partial and full death in nurse- and old- trees have been mostly caused by the occurrence of cavity. In general, the adaption of poly-urethane has been practised routinely in the way of treatment in cavity. However, the use of poly-urethane was not an effective, but it was related to pollution materials. Here, the experiment was conducted to identify the effects of the treatments of loess or micro-organisms for the alternatives of poly-urethane. The cavities which occurred in Zelkova serrata, Prunus yedoensis and Quercus myrsinaefolia were treated by poly-urethane, loess, mixtured loess and micro-organism (Rhadobacter), and mixtured loess and micro-organism (Rhodobacter + bacillus). As the results of this experiment, it was shown that the treatment of mixtured loess and micro-organism (Rhodobacter + bacillus) induced to develop greater callus formation in the cavity up to 97% in Zelkova serrata, up to 87% in Prunus yedoensis, and by 73% in Quercus myrsinaefolia than the treatment of poly-urethane. But the only loess and mixtured loess and micro-organism (Rhadobacter) was a similar or lower callus formation ratio than poly-urethane.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.368-378
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• 2024

Cordycepin, a valuable bioactive component isolated from Cordyceps militaris, has been reported to possess anti-cancer potential and the property to enhance the effects of chemotherapeutic agents in various types of cancers. However, the ability of cordycepin to chemosensitize cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) cells to gemcitabine has not yet been evaluated. The current study was performed to evaluate the above, and the mechanisms associated with it. The study analyzed the effects of cordycepin in combination with gemcitabine on the cancer stem-like properties of the CCA SNU478 cell line, including its anti-apoptotic, migratory, and antioxidant effects. In addition, the combination of cordycepin and gemcitabine was evaluated in the CCA xenograft model. The cordycepin treatment significantly decreased SNU478 cell viability and, in combination with gemcitabine, additively reduced cell viability. The cordycepin and gemcitabine co-treatment significantly increased the Annexin V+ population and downregulated B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) expression, suggesting that the decreased cell viability in the cordycepin+gemcitabine group may result from an increase in apoptotic death. In addition, the cordycepin and gemcitabine co-treatment significantly reduced the migratory ability of SNU478 cells in the wound healing and trans-well migration assays. It was observed that the cordycepin and gemcitabine cotreatment reduced the CD44^highCD133^high population in SNU478 cells and the expression level of sex determining region Y-box 2 (Sox-2), indicating the downregulation of the cancer stem-like population. Cordycepin also enhanced oxidative damage mediated by gemcitabine in MitoSOX staining associated with the upregulated Kelch like ECH Associated Protein 1 (Keap1)/nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) expression ratio. In the SNU478 xenograft model, co-administration of cordycepin and gemcitabine additively delayed tumor growth. These results indicate that cordycepin potentiates the chemotherapeutic property of gemcitabine against CCA, which results from the downregulation of its cancer-stem-like properties. Hence, the combination therapy of cordycepin and gemcitabine may be a promising therapeutic strategy in the treatment of CCA.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.83-88
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• 2004

The present study was carried out to investigate the potential adverse effects of CKD-602 by a 5-day repeated intravenous dose in Sprague-Dawley rats. The test article, CKD-602, was administered intravenously to male and female rats at dose levels of 0.07, 0.22, 0.67, 2.0 and 6.0 mg/kg/day for 5 days consecutively. Mortalities, clinical findings, and body weight changes were monitored for the 14-day period after cessation of the administration. At the end of 14-day observation period, all animals were sacrificed and complete gross postmortem examinations were performed. There were 2 and 5 treatment related deaths in the 0.67 and 2.0 mg/kg/day dose groups of both genders, respectively. Treatment related clinical signs, including hair loss, skin paleness, decreased locomotor activity, emaciation, and changes in stool were observed in a dose-dependent manner from the third day after initiation of the injection. Decrease or suppression of body weight was also observed dose-dependently in males and females of the treated groups. Gross postmortem examinations revealed a dose-dependent increase in the incidence and severity of atrophy or hypertrophy and white membrane formation in the spleen, atrophy of the thymus, diffuse white spots and paleness of the liver, paleness of the lung, kidney and adrenal gland, and dark red discoloration and dark red contents in the alimentary tract. Based on these results, it was concluded that the 5-repeated intravenous injection of CKD-602 to male and female rats resulted in increased incidence of abnormal clinical signs and death, decreased or suppressed body weight, and increased incidence of abnormal gross findings. In the present experimental conditions, the $LD_{50}$ value was 2.07 (95% confidence limit not specified) mg/kg/day in both genders and the $LD_{10}$ value was 1.72 (95% confidence limit not specified) mg/kg/day in both genders.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.61-72
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• 2009

Chios gum mastic (CGM) is a resin produced from the stem and leaves of Pistiacia lentiscus L var chia, a plant which grows only on Chios Island in Greece. CGM has been used for many centuries as a dietary supplement and folk medicine for stomach and duodenal ulcers in many Mediterranean countries and is known also to induce cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in some cancer cells. In this study, we further investigated the induction and mechanisms underlying the apoptotic response to CGM treatment in the SCC25 human tongue squamous cell carcinoma cell line. The viability of SCC25 cells, human normal keratinocytes (HaCaT cells) and human gingival fibroblasts (HGF-1 cells), and the growth inhibition of SCC25 cells were assessed by MTT assay and clonogenic assay, respectively. Staining with Hoechst and hemacolor dyes and TUNEL assays were employed to detect SCC25 cells undergoing apoptosis. SCC25 cells were treated with CGM, and this was followed by western blotting, immunocytochemistry, confocal microscopy, FACScan flow cytometry, MMP activity and proteasome activity analyses. CGM treatment of SCC25 cells was found to result in a time- and dosedependent decrease in cell viability, a dose-dependent inhibition of cell growth, and apoptotic cell death. Interestingly, CGM showed a remarkable level of cytotoxicity in SCC25 cells but not in normal cells. Tested SCC25 cells also showed several lines of apoptotic manifestation. Taken together, our present findings demonstrate that CGM strongly inhibits cell proliferation by modulating the expression of G1 cell cycle-related proteins and induces apoptosis via the proteasome, mitochondria and caspase cascades in SCC25 cells.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.23 no.8
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• pp.1057-1063
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• 2013

Citri Pericarpium is one of the most commonly used traditional herbal medicines in Korea, China, and Japan. Its extracts have many properties including the treatment of indigestion and inflammatory respiratory syndromes such as bronchitis and asthma. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of anti-cancer activity and molecular targets are not fully understood. In this work, we investigated the anti-proliferative activity of Citri Pericapium (EMCP) methanol extract on reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and the association of these effects with apoptotic cell death using U937 human leukemia cells in vitro. EMCP treatment decreased cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner following an increase of the sub-G1 phase, the down-regulation of Bax proteins, the activation of caspases, the degradation of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase proteins (PARP), and the induction of ROS generation. However, the quenching of ROS generation by N-acetyl-L-cysteine administration, a scavenger of ROS, reversed the EMCP-induced apoptosis effects. In addition, heme oxygenase-1 expression also recovered by inhibiting the nuclear translocation of phosphorylated NF-E2-related factor 2. Taken together, our data indicate that ROS are involved as key mediators in the early molecular events in the EMCP-induced apoptotic pathway.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.15-19
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• 1978

In order to identify hormone activities which related to the changing of cutaneous tissue and pupal bodies and also to identify the interaction of corpora allata hormone and prothoracic glandular band hormone which act upon the metamorphosis of the insect. The item of treatment is carried out in 5 different times at the interval of about 12 hours after 4 weeks from the first feeding of 4th instar stage, and as far as 5th instar stage in concerned 6 times of item treatments have been carried out, at about 12 hours interval after 72 hours from the molting, Item treatments were, made in the stage of spring, autumn rearing, However, during the period of post mounting stage and pre pupation by picking out of corpora allata in 5 times at the interval of hours the following change of pupal colour is observed; 1) By an early pick out of 4th instar stage, the three molters are found in greater number, However, by a later pick out the four molters are found instead of others. 2) An abnormal colour is found in the three and four molters when comparing with the control molters. 3) The most of control molters have shown the normal colour except a few samples. 4) As shown in the table 1 and 2, the death number of item treatment is greater in the autumn rearing season. 5) The picking out of corpora allata of 5th instar stage, the post mounting stage and pre pupation period is affecting the change of colour. 6) As a final conclusion, the corpora allata hormone is closely related to the changing of pupal colour.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.239-252
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• 2021

Objectives : This study is to effect of improving muscle atrophy through water extract on the solid-phase fermentation extraction with Phellinus linteus of discarded Schisandra chinensis in an atorvastatin-induced atrophy C2C12 cell. Methods : C2C12 myoblast were differentiated into myotube by 2% horse serum medium for 6 days, and then treated solid-phase fermentation(S-P) extract at different concentrations for 24h. To investigate the effect of S-P extract on the induction of muscle atrophy and expression of atrophy-related genes and apoptosis in differentiated C2C12 myotubes using a GSH, ROS, real-time PCR, western blots analysis. Results : As a result of treatment with atorvastatin at concentrations of 5, 10, and 20 uM on the 6th day of differentiation in C2C12 myotube cells, it was confirmed that the cell morphology was damaged in a concentration-dependent manner, and the length and thickness of the myotube also decreased in a concentration-dependent manner. Treatment with S-P extract (50, 100 and 200 ㎍/㎖) increased of GSH and inhibited ROS in the atorvastatin-induced muscle atrophy cell model at a concentration that did not induce toxicity. In addition, it was confirmed that it has an effect on muscle reduction by inhibiting apoptosis of muscle cells as well as being involved in protein production and degradation of muscle cells. Conclusions : Atorvastatin-induced atrophy C2C12 cell, S-P extract activates related to differentiation/generation and proteolysis, and inhibits cell death of atrophy in C2C12 cell. Based on this, it is necessary to prove its effectiveness through animal models and human application test, but it is considered to be discarded Schisandra chinensis can present the potential for development as a recycling industrial material.