• Proceedings of the SCSK Conference
• /
• 2003.09b
• /
• pp.108-109
• /
• 2003

Ursolic acid (UA) and Oleanolic acid (ONA), known as urson, micromerol, prunol and malol, are pentacyclic triterpenoid compounds which naturally occur in a large number of vegetarian foods, medicinal herbs, and plants. They may occur in their free acid form or as aglycones for triterpenoid saponins, which are comprised of a triterpenoid aglycone, linked to one or more sugar moieties. Therefore UA and ON A are similar in pharmacological activity. Lately scientific research, which led to the identification of UA and ONA, revealed that several pharmacological effects, such as antitumor, hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and anti-hyperlipidemic could be attributed to UA and ONA. Here, we introduced the effects of UA and ONA on acute barrier disruption and normal epidermal permeability barrier function. To clarify the effects of UA and ONA on skin barrier recovery, both flank skin of 8-12 weeks hairless mice were topically treated with samples (2mg/ml) after tape stripping, then measured recovery rate using TEWL on hairless mice. The recovery rate increased in UA and ONA treated groups at 6h more than 20% compared to vehicle treated group (p <0.05). For verifying the effects of UA and ONA on normal epidermal barrier, hydration and TEWL were measured for 1 and 3 weeks after UA and ONA applications (2mg/ml per day). We also investigated the features of epidermis and dermis using electron microscopy (EM) and light microscopy (LM). Both samples increased hydration compared to Vehicle group from 1 week without TEWL alteration (p<0.005). EM examination using Ru04 and OsO4 fixation revealed that secretion and numbers of lamellar bodies and complete formation of lipid bilayers were most prominent (ONA$\geq$UA>Vehicle). LM finding showed that stratum corneum was slightly increased and especially epidermal thickening and flattening was observed (UA>ONA>Vehicle). Using Masson-trichrome and elastic fiber staining, we observed collagen thickening and elastic fiber increasing by UA and ONA treatments. In vitro results of collagen and elastin synthesis and elastase inhibitory experiments were also confirmed in vivo findings. This result suggested that the effects of UA and ONA related to not only skin barrier but also collagen and elastic fibers. Taken together, UA and ONA can be relevant candidates to improve barrier function and pertinent agents for cosmetic applications.

• Natural Product Sciences
• /
• v.26 no.4
• /
• pp.311-316
• /
• 2020

The chemical investigation of the methanolic crude extract of leaves of Diospyros iturensis gave us 15 known secondary metabolites identified as mixture of α-amyrenone (1) and β-amyrenone (2), β-amyrin (3), mixture of β-sitosterol (4) and stigmasterol (5), betulin (6), uvaol (7), betulinic acid (8), ursolic acid (9), corosolic acid (10), actinidic acid (11),11-O-p-hydroxybenzoylbergenin (12), bergenin (13) and mixture of stigmasterol glucoside (14) and β-sitosterol glucoside (15) respectively. The structures of secondary metabolites were elucidated with the help of NMR and mass spectral data and by comparison of their spectral data with literature. Among the fifteen isolated compounds, four compounds were identified for the first time in Diospyros genus. These included uvaol (7), corosolic acid (10), actinidic acid (11) and 11-O-p-hydroxybenzoylbergenin (12). Crude methanolic extract of leaves and four isolated compounds including betulin (6), betulinic acid (8), 11-O-p-hydroxybenzoylbergenin (12) and bergenin (13) were evaluated for their antiproliferative activity against two cancer cell lines CAL-27 and NCI-H460 by the MTT assay, antioxidant potential and inhibitory activity against the lipoxygenase and urease enzymes, respectively. The results indicated that the methanolic crude extract of leaves exhibited moderate antioxidant activity and was inactive against the two cancer cell lines. Betulin (6), 11-O-p-hydroxybenzoylbergenin (12) and bergenin (13) exhibited moderate antioxidant and lipoxygenase inhibition with IC50 = 65.8, 85.6, 82.5 μM and IC50 = 58.5, 95.2, 76.2 μM, respectively. Furthermore, 11-O-p-hydroxybenzoylbergenin (12) and bergenin (13) exhibited moderate urease inhibition activity with IC50 values of 45.6 μM and 49.8 μM, respectively.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
• /
• v.66
• /
• pp.114-121
• /
• 2023

Selective cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 inhibition is a novel strategy to reduce the risk of gastrointestinal side effects caused by conventional nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. However, some selective COX-2 inhibitors have become apparent to increase the risk of severe cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to examine the anti-inflammatory effect of rosemary extract (RE) and confirm the safety of cardiovascular side effects. Inhibition of COX enzyme activity was assessed, and the levels of COX-2 and prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) and COX-1 and thromboxane B₂ (TXB₂) were evaluated in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW 264.7 cells. The 40% RE group showed increased COX-2 inhibition activity in a dose-dependent manner, whereas the 50% RE group only exhibited at 100 ㎍/mL. In a cell-based study, COX-2 mRNA expression was similar in both RE groups and PGE₂ levels tended to decrease in the 40% RE group compared to the LPS group in the LPS pretreatment condition. In the LPS posttreatment condition, the COX-2 mRNA expression decreased in the 40% RE group, and PGE₂ levels were increased in the 40 and 50% RE groups. In both conditions, there was no significant difference in COX-1 and TXB₂ levels. In conclusion, 40 and 50% RE showed significant COX-2 inhibition, similar to the positive control group. It was confirmed that the inhibition of the COX-2 expression, but the effect did not affect the balance between prostacyclin and TXB₂. These results indicate that rosemary showed COX-2 inhibition activity with a low risk of cardiovascular diseases.

• Food Science and Preservation
• /
• v.30 no.2
• /
• pp.347-357
• /
• 2023

The succulent plant Aeonium sedifolium leaves contain several compounds that are of interest for their cosmetic uses on the skin. This study measured the inhibitory effects of enzyme production and antioxidant, astringent effects and skin wrinkles using Aeonium sedifolium leaves (ASL). The total phenolics compounds (TPC) content of ASL under optimal extraction conditions was 34.49 mg/g for hot water extract (ASLW) and 61.64 mg/g for 50% ethanol extract (ASLE). The ASLW and ASLE extracts were freeze-dried, powdered, and used as solids. TPC content, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazy (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, and 2,2'-azinobis (3-ethylben-zothiazoline 6-sulfonate) (ABTS) radical inhibition of the ASL phenolics were tested. The DPPH radical scavenging activities of ASLW and ASLE were tested at a TPC of 100 ㎍/mL. ABTS radical inhibition showed antioxidant activity of 100.00% in ASLW and ASLE, and the antioxidant protection factor of ASLW and ASLE was 1.07 and 1.22, respectively. The thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance (TBARS) inhibitory activity of ASLW and ASLE was 77.00%. The elastase inhibitory activity of ASLE was 69.03%, and collagenase inhibition activity for ASLW and ASLE was 29.82% and 54.76%, respectively. The astringent effect of ASLE was 89.82% at a TPC of 200 ㎍/mL. Thus, we concluded that ASL has the potential as a functional cosmetic ingredient with anti-aging effects on the skin.