A mixture of Panax ginseng and Scrophularia buergeriana improves immune function in an immunosuppressed murine model.

BACKGROUND: Immunomodulatory drugs are currently used for immunosuppressed individuals, but adverse side effects have been reported. Although Panax ginseng and Scrophularia buergeriana are known to have respective pharmacological properties, the potential of a mixture of Panax ginseng and Scrophularia buergeriana (Isam-Tang, IST) as an immunomodulatory drug has not yet been studied. PURPOSE: The present study was designed to assess the immunomodulatory activity of IST and p-coumaric acid (pCA), an active compound of IST, in the immune system. METHODS: The levels of immunostimulatory cytokines, nitrite, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), NF-kB activation, and proliferation were examined in RAW264.7 cells, primary splenocytes and splenic NK cells isolated from normal mouse spleen, and in cyclophosphamide-induced immunosuppressed mice using ELISA, quantitative real-time PCR, Western blotting, and immunofluorescence staining. RESULTS: IST or pCA treatment increased the production of immunostimulatory cytokines and nitrite and the expression of iNOS in RAW264.7 cells and splenocytes. IST or pCA also induced NF-κB signaling activation and promoted the phagocytic activity of RAW264.7 cells. In addition, the splenocyte proliferation and splenic NK activity were enhanced by IST or pCA. IST or pCA increased the levels of immunostimulatory cytokines in immunosuppressed mice and ameliorated splenic tissue damage. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that IST supplementation may be used to enhance immune function.

An account of Colletotrichum species associated with anthracnose of Atractylodes ovata in South Korea based on morphology and molecular data.

Ovate-leaf atractylodes (OLA) (Atractylodes ovata) is a well-known medicinal plant in Korea; its dried rhizome and root extracts are used in herbal medicine. However, anthracnose is a great challenge to the OLA cultivation in South Korea. Colletotrichum spp. is a major group of plant pathogens responsible for anthracnose on a range of economically important hosts. Its occurrence on OLA remains unresolved. To investigate the diversity, morphology, phylogeny, and biology of Colletotrichum spp., 32 fungal isolates were obtained from 30 OLA-affected leaves collected from five different farms, in two regions in South Korea, Mungyeong and Sangju. The phylogenetic analysis with four or five gene loci (ITS, TUB2, ACT, GAPDH, and CHS-1) along with morphology of 26 representative isolates delineated six previously known Colletotrichum species including C. fructicola, C. gloeosporioides sensu stricto (s.s), C. cigarro, C. plurivorum, C. siamense and C. sojae, and one new species, described here as C. ovataense. Amongst these species, C. gloeosporioides s.s. and C. plurivorum were the most prevalent species. A pathogenicity test on the detached leaves revealed that different Colletotrichum species presented a distinct degree of virulence, confirming Koch's postulates. In this study, C. fructicola, C. cigarro, C. plurivorum, C. siamense, and C. sojae were reported from A. ovata for the first time, as the causal agent of ovate-leaf atractylodes anthracnose. Understanding the diversity and biology of the Colletotrichum species population will help in managing this disease.

The immune-enhancing effects of a mixture of Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) Bunge, Angelica gigas Nakai, and Trichosanthes Kirilowii (Maxim.) or its active constituent nodakenin.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: A mixture (SH003) of Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) Bunge, Angelica gigas Nakai, and Trichosanthes Kirilowii (Maxim.) has beneficial effects against several carcinomas. There have been few reports on an immune-enhancing activity of SH003 and its active constituent nodakenin. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study aimed at identifying the immune-enhancing effect of SH003 and nodakenin. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The immune-enhancing effect was evaluated using RAW264.7 macrophages, mouse primary splenocytes, and a cyclophosphamide (CP)-induced immunosuppression murine model. RESULTS: The results show that SH003 or nodakenin stimulated the production levels of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, IL-12, IL-2, IL-6, TNF-α, and nitric oxide (NO) and the expression levels of iNOS in RAW264.7 macrophages. SH003 or nodakenin also enhanced NF-κB p65 activation in RAW264.7 macrophages. SH003 or nodakenin stimulated the production levels of IFN-γ, IL-12, IL-2, TNF-α, and NO and the expression levels of iNOS in splenocytes. SH003 or nodakenin increased the splenic lymphocyte proliferation and splenic NK cell activity. In addition, SH003 or nodakenin increased the levels of IFN-γ, IL-12, IL-2, IL-6, and TNF-α in the serum and spleen of CP-treated mice, alleviating CP-induced immunosuppression. CONCLUSION: Taken together, the results of this study show that SH003 improved immunosuppression through the activation of macrophages, splenocytes, and NK cells. These findings suggest that SH003 could be applied as a potential immunostimulatory agent for a variety of diseases caused or exacerbated by immunodeficiency.

In Vitro Antioxidant, Antiinflammation, and Anticancer Activities and Anthraquinone Content from Rumex crispus Root Extract and Fractions.

Rumex crispus is a perennial plant that grows in humid environments across Korea. Its roots are used in traditional Korean medicine to treat several diseases, including diseases of the spleen and skin and several inflammatory pathologies. In this study, different solvent fractions (n-hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, and aqueous fractions) from an ethanol extract of R. crispus roots were evaluated for the presence and composition of anthraquinone compounds and antioxidants by checking for such things as free radical scavenging activity, and electron and proton atom donating ability. In addition, anti-inflammatory activity was measured by NO scavenging activity and inflammatory cytokine production; furthermore, anti-cancer activity was measured by apoptosis-inducing ability. Polyphenolic and flavonoid compounds were shown to be abundant in the dichloromethane and ethyl acetate fractions, which also exhibited strong antioxidant activity, including free radical scavenging and positive results in FRAP, TEAC, and ORAC assays. HPLC analysis revealed that the dichloromethane fractions had higher anthraquinone contents than the other fractions; the major anthraquinone compounds included chrysophanol, emodin, and physcione. In addition, results of the anti-inflammatory assays showed that the ethyl acetate fraction showed appreciable reductions in the levels of nitric oxide and inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1ß, and IL-6) in Raw 264.7 cells. Furthermore, the anthraquinone-rich dichloromethane fraction displayed the highest anticancer activity when evaluated in a human hepatoma cancer cell line (HepG2), in which it induced increased apoptosis mediated by p53 and caspase activation.

Anti-Melanoma Activities and Phytochemical Compositions of Sorbus commixta Fruit Extracts.

Sorbus commixta Hedl. (Rosaceae family) has a long history as a medicinal plant in East Asian countries. In this study, we evaluated the effect of S. commixta fruit extracts prepared with different ethanol concentrations on anti-melanoma activity, and the extraction yield of phenolic compounds and flavonoids. Using the partitioned fractions from the EtOH extract, we found that the butanol fraction (BF) possessed strong cytotoxic activity against SK-MEL-2 cells (human melanoma cells) but not against HDFa cells (human dermal fibroblast adult cells). Additionally, BF-induced cell death was mediated by the inhibition of the mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular regulated kinase (MEK/ERK) signaling pathway, coupled with the upregulation of caspase-3 activity in SK-MEL-2 cells. Furthermore, HPLC analysis of polyphenolic compounds suggested that S. commixta fruits contained several active compounds including chlorogenic acid, rutin, protocatechuic acid, and hydroxybenzoic acid, all of which are known to possess anti-cancer activities. Although this study has been carried out by cell-based approach, these results suggest that S. commixta fruits contain promising anti-melanoma compounds.

New Chemical Constituents from the Bark of Dendropanax morbifera Leveille and their Evaluation of Antioxidant Activities.

Four new constituents, as cis-6-oxogeran-4-enyl-10-oxy-O-ß-arabinopyranosyl-4'-O-ß-arabinopyranosyl-2''-octadec-9''',12''',15'''-trienoate (1), geran-3(10)-enyl-1-oxy-O-ß-arabinopyranosyl-4'-O-ß-arabinopyranosyl-2''-octadec-9''',12''',15'''-trienoate (2), geranilan-8-oxy-O-α-d-xylopyranosyl-2'-n-octadec-9'',12'',15''-trienoate (3), 1-cyclohex-2', 5'-dienyl 1-cyclohexylethanol-O-ß-d-xylopyranoside (4), along with six known constituents, guaiacol-O-ß-d-arabinopyaranoside (5), n-tetradecanyl oleate (6), oleyl-O-ß-d-xyloside (7), n-octadec-9,12-dienoyl-O-ß-d-arabinopyranoside (8), linolenyl-O-ß-d-arabinofuranoside (9) andglyceryl-1,3-dipalmito-2-olein (10), were isolated and identified from the Dendropanax morbifera bark. The new structures were established by one-and two-dimensional NMR (and in combination with IR, FAB-MSand HR-ESI-FTMS. The comparative evaluation of antioxidant potential by phosphomolybdenum, DPPH, FRAP and the NO assay of four different compounds (1-4), we have found that the compounds 1 and 2 have power as a natural antioxidant, whereas the compound 3 and 4 exhibited mild activity in comparison to compounds 1 and 2.

Comparison of the main components and bioactivity of Rhus verniciflua Stokes extracts by different detoxification processing methods.

BACKGROUND: Rhus verniciflua Stokes is an Asian tree species that is used as a food supplement and traditional medicine in Korea. However, its use is restricted by its potential to cause allergy. Thus, allergen-free R. verniciflua extracts are currently being marketed as a functional health food in Korea. In the present study, three different allergen-free R. verniciflua extracts (DRVE, FRVE, and FFRVE) were produced by detoxification of R. verniciflua, and their properties and constituents were compared. METHODS: The main components and properties (antibacterial, antioxidant, anticancer, and hepatic lipogenesis inhibitory effects) of the three allergen-free extracts were compared. Moreover, the major phenolic constituents of R. verniciflua, including gallic acid, fustin, fisetin, and quercetin, were analyzed in the three extracts. RESULTS: DRVE was superior to the two other extracts with regard to antioxidant activity, while FRVE was superior with regard to antimicrobial activity and suppression of hepatic lipogenesis. FRVE exhibited lipid-lowering effects by lowering sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1 and triglyceride levels, and promoting the activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor and AMP-activated protein kinase in an in vitro model of non-alcoholic fatty liver. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, our findings demonstrate various differences among the three extracts. This suggests that functional and bioactive compounds present in R. verniciflua could be altered by the detoxification process, and this property could be considered in the development of functional health foods in the future.

Sasa quelpaertensis leaves ameliorate alcohol-induced liver injury by attenuating oxidative stress in HepG2 cells and mice.

Oxidative stress plays a crucial role in the progression of alcoholic liver diseases and substances of antioxidant property are of special interest for therapeutic purposes. We investigated the hepatoprotective effect of leaf extracts of Sasa quelpaertensis, an edible bamboo mainly cultivated in Jeju Island, South Korea. We examined the cytotoxicity of different extracts (distilled water, 20-80% EtOH) of S. quelpaertensis on HepG2 cells and their hepatoprotective effect on HepG2 cells stimulated by ethanol (800 mM, 24 h). Furthermore, we measured reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, ethanol toxicity induced cell death, and the activity of antioxidant enzymes. In in vivo experiments, liver damage was induced by oral administration of 5 g/kg ethanol with or without potent ethanol extract of S. quelpaertensis (10 or 100 mg/kg) 12 h interval for a total of 3 doses. Only 80% ethanol extract of S. quelpaertensis (SQEE80) exhibited cytoprotective effect on HepG2 cells against alcohol-induced toxicity. SQEE80 treatment (250, 500 µg/mL) in ethanol exposed HepG2 cells showed significant attenuation of ROS production and ethanol toxicity induced cell death. Furthermore, SQEE80 markedly increased the activity of antioxidant enzyme glutathione peroxidase 1 in ethanol exposed HepG2 cells compared to ethanol stimulated cells. In in vivo experiments, SQEE80 treatment evidently suppressed the alcohol-induced histopathological changes in liver, serum ethanol content, and expression of cytochrome P450 2E1. Furthermore, SQEE80 significantly reversed the reduction of glutathione level in the ethanol challenged liver. Taken together, we suggest the possibility of developing SQEE80 as a natural hepatoprotective substance in attenuating alcohol-induced oxidative stress.

Phenolic acid and flavonoid-rich fraction of Sasa quelpaertensis Nakai leaves prevent alcohol induced fatty liver through AMPK activation.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Sasa quelpaertensis Nakai is an edible dwarf bamboo cultivated mainly in Jeju Island, South Korea and its leaf displays various health-promoting properties including antioxidant scavenging. AIM OF THE STUDY: In this study, we aimed at elucidating its hepatoprotective effect against alcohol-induced fatty liver. METHODS: In in vitro study, we evaluated the cytotoxicity and hepatoprotective effect of different solvent fractions (aqua, butanol, chloroform, ethyl acetate and hexane) of 80% EtOH extract of S. quelpaertensis Nakai leaf. In vivo experiment performed using binge alcohol consumption model. RESULTS: Although all five fractions (0-1000 µg/mL) were non-cytotoxic to HepG2 cells, only ethyl acetate fraction (SQEA), rich in phenolic acids such as p-coumaric acid and flavonoids particularly myristin, showed hepatoprotective effect against EtOH (400 mM) in HepG2 cells. Furthermore, SQEA significantly decreased the ethanol induced cell death and enhanced the cell proliferation. In in vivo experiment using binge consumption model (5 g of EtOH/kg body weight in every 12 h for 3 times), SQEA treatment (10, 50 and 100 mg/kg) markedly reduced the alcohol induced histopathological changes and serum EtOH content, and reversed the reduction of glutathione level in ethanol challenged livers. Further, it suppressed the expression of cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1). In particular, SQEA activated AMP activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway, and decreased the expression of tumor necrosis factor receptor-1 (TNFR1), which attenuated lipogenesis via decreased expression of fatty acid synthase (FAS). Inhibited lipogenesis due to SQEA treatment directed towards decreased perilipin-2 expression. These results indicate that SQEA has hypolipidemic effect which is mediated by decreased oxidative stress, increased fatty acid oxidation response and decreased lipogenesis. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest the possibility of developing SQEA as a natural hepatoprotective agent potent in attenuating alcohol-induced fatty liver.

Impact of different partitioned solvents on chemical composition and bioavailability of Sasa quelpaertensis Nakai leaf extract.

The leaves of Sasa quelpaertensis Nakai were extracted with 80% ethanol and further partitioned with n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, and aqueous fractions to evaluate the biological activity through assessment via various in vitro assays, including total phenol content; 1,1-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzothiazothiazoline-6-sulfornic acid (ABTS) radical scavenging; reducing power; α-glucosidase and tyrosinase inhibitory; and alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity assays. The highest activity was found in the ethyl acetate fraction for all assays and showed stronger DPPH radical scavenging, reducing power, and tyrosinase inhibitory activity than the positive controls (butylated hydroxytoluene, α-tocopherol, and arbutin, respectively). When compared to the ethyl acetate fraction, the n-butanol fraction had lower rates, but it still demonstrated relatively high activity. The activity of the n-hexane fraction was high for DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activity and contained significant amounts of phenol content, whereas the chloroform fraction possessed the highest reducing power, tyrosinase inhibitory, and ADH and ALDH activity, despite having the lowest phenol content when compared to the other fractions. These findings clearly indicate that S. quelpaertensis Nakai leaves can be a good natural source of antioxidants and tyrosinase inhibitors, as well as ADH and ALDH activity inducers, suggesting that may have potential for treating various diseases and improving human health.

The Comparative Analysis of Antioxidant and Biological Activity for the Dendropanax morbifera LEV. Leaves Extracted by Different Ethanol Concentrations.

The different concentrations of ethanol (20-100%) and distilled water extract for Dendropanax morbifera LEV. leaves were evaluated to induce antioxidant and biological activity employed by variety of assays. The 20%, 80%, and 100% ethanol extract demonstrated the relatively higher activity, whereas distilled water, 40%, and 60% ethanol extracts exhibited the lower antioxidant and biological activity. Especially, 80% ethanol extract showed the remarkably higher radical scavenging activity, reducing power, total phenol and flavonoid content, α-glucosidase, and tyrosinase inhibitory activity, and alcohol dehydrogenases (ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity. Also, 100% ethanol extract exhibited relatively greater activity, but there did not show significant radical scavenging activity. Furthermore, there were 50% and 30% promotion effect for ADH activity assay and 80% and 40% promotion effect for ALDH activity assay in 80% and 100% ethanol extract, respectively. In addition, in the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), all extracts except for distilled water extract inhibited Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus subsp. aureus, Escherichia coli. For Pichia jadinii, whole extracts effectively inhibited yeast multiplication at concentration of 125 µg/mL for 100% ethanol extract and 250 µg/mL for the rest of extract. These result indicated that D. morbifera LEV. leaves extracted by 80% ethanol would be the ideal extracting solution to maximize inherent antioxidant and biological activity agent.

Khz (fusion product of Ganoderma lucidum and Polyporus umbellatus mycelia) induces apoptosis in human colon carcinoma HCT116 cells, accompanied by an increase in reactive oxygen species, activation of caspase 3, and increased intracellular Ca²âº.

Khz (a fusion mycelium of Ganoderma lucidum and Polyporus umbellatus mycelia) is isolated from ganoderic acid and P. umbellatus and it exerts antiproliferative effects against malignant cells. However, no previous study has reported the inhibitory effects of Khz on the growth of human colon cancer cells. In the present study, we found that Khz suppressed cell division and induced apoptosis in HCT116 cells. Khz cytotoxicity was measured using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Khz reduced cell viability and mitochondrial membrane potential levels and it also induced disruption of the mitochondrial membrane potential and increased calcium concentration and reactive oxygen species generation. Khz increased caspase 3, PARP, caspase 7, and caspase 9 levels, but reduced Bcl-2 protein levels. Flow cytometry showed that the percentage of HCT116 cells in the sub-G1 phase of the cell cycle increased in response to Khz treatment.

Khz-cp (crude polysaccharide extract obtained from the fusion of Ganoderma lucidum and Polyporus umbellatus mycelia) induces apoptosis by increasing intracellular calcium levels and activating P38 and NADPH oxidase-dependent generation of reactive oxygen species in SNU-1 cells.

BACKGROUND: Khz-cp is a crude polysaccharide extract that is obtained after nuclear fusion in Ganoderma lucidum and Polyporus umbellatus mycelia (Khz). It inhibits the growth of cancer cells. METHODS: Khz-cp was extracted by solvent extraction. The anti-proliferative activity of Khz-cp was confirmed by using Annexin-V/PI-flow cytometry analysis. Intracellular calcium increase and measurement of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) were performed by using flow cytometry and inverted microscope. SNU-1 cells were treated with p38, Bcl-2 and Nox family siRNA. siRNA transfected cells was employed to investigate the expression of apoptotic, growth and survival genes in SNU-1 cells. Western blot analysis was performed to confirm the expression of the genes. RESULTS: In the present study, Khz-cp induced apoptosis preferentially in transformed cells and had only minimal effects on non-transformed cells. Furthermore, Khz-cp was found to induce apoptosis by increasing the intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) and activating P38 to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) via NADPH oxidase and the mitochondria. Khz-cp-induced apoptosis was caspase dependent and occurred via a mitochondrial pathway. ROS generation by NADPH oxidase was critical for Khz-cp-induced apoptosis, and although mitochondrial ROS production was also required, it appeared to occur secondary to ROS generation by NADPH oxidase. Activation of NADPH oxidase was shown by the translocation of the regulatory subunits p47phox and p67phox to the cell membrane and was necessary for ROS generation by Khz-cp. Khz-cp triggered a rapid and sustained increase in [Ca2+]i that activated P38. P38 was considered to play a key role in the activation of NADPH oxidase because inhibition of its expression or activity abrogated membrane translocation of the p47phox and p67phox subunits and ROS generation. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, these data indicate that Khz-cp preferentially induces apoptosis in cancer cells and that the signaling mechanisms involve an increase in [Ca2+]i, P38 activation, and ROS generation via NADPH oxidase and mitochondria.

Inhibitory effects of BiRyuChe-bang on mast cell-mediated allergic reactions and inflammatory cytokines production.

BiRyuChe-bang (BRC) is a Korean prescription medicine, which has been used to treat allergic rhinitis at Kyung Hee Medical Center. In this work, we investigated the effects of BRC on mast cell-mediated allergic reactions and inflammatory cytokines production, and identified the active component of BRC. Histamine release was measured from rat peritoneal mast cells (RPMCs). Ear swelling and passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) were examined in mouse models. Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) plus A23187-induced inflammatory cytokines production was measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction was used for the expressions of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-8. Activation of nuclear factor (NF)-κB was analyzed by Western blotting. BRC significantly inhibited the compound 48/80-induced ear swelling response, histamine release from RPMCs, PCA activated by anti-dinitrophenyl IgE, and PMA plus A23187-induced inflammatory cytokines production (p < 0.05). In addition, BRC dose-dependently inhibited the mRNA expressions of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-8 as well as the activation of NF-κB in a human mast cell line, HMC-1 cells. BRC inhibited the levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in mice induced with PCA. Several components of BRC, such as 1,8-Cineole, Linalool, Linalyl acetate, α-Pinene, and α-Terpineol, significantly inhibited the release of histamine from RPMCs (p < 0.05). Among these components, Linalyl acetate was the most effective for inhibiting histamine release. These results indicate that BRC has a potential regulatory effect on allergic and inflammatory reactions mediated by mast cells.

Evaluation of anti-oxidant and anti-cancer properties of Dendropanax morbifera Léveille.

Dendropanax morbifera Léveille, an endemic species in Korea, is best known as a tree that produces a resinous sap. Although D. morbifera is used in folk medicine, its biological activities are poorly understood. In this study, the methanolic extracts of D. morbifera branches, debarked stems, bark, and two different stages of leaves were evaluated for anti-oxidant activity and anti-cancer potential. The debarked stem extract exhibited strong 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activity and reducing power compared with other samples. In addition, the cytotoxic activities of these extracts were investigated in human tumour cell lines. The results suggested that the extracts of debarked stems, green leaves, and yellow leaves were the potent source of anti-cancer compounds, particularly in Huh-7 cells. Furthermore, treatment with the extracts of debarked stems, green leaves, and yellow leaves caused an increase of apoptotic or senescent cells in Huh-7 cells. Twenty-four hour treatment with debarked stems extract resulted in the strong induction of p53 and p16, whereas both leaf extracts inhibited the activation of ERK. The debarked stems and green leaf extracts reduced Akt levels in Huh-7 cells, indicating that D. morbifera extracts caused the activation of p16 and p53 pathways. This, together with the inhibition of Akt or ERK signalling, resulted in suppression of Huh-7 cell proliferation. These results suggest that methanolic leaf and debarked stems extracts are a source of anti-oxidant and anti-cancer compounds, and could be developed as a botanical drug.

Isolation and identification of sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) phenolics with antioxidant activity and α-glucosidase inhibitory effect.

This study was performed to evaluate the antioxidant and α-glucosidase inhibitory effects from the extract, fractions, and isolated compounds of sea buckthorn leaves. Six compounds, kaempferol-3-O-ß-D-(6''-O-coumaryl) glycoside, 1-feruloyl-ß-D-glucopyranoside, isorhamnetin-3-O-glucoside, quercetin 3-O-ß-D-glucopyranoside, quercetin 3-O-ß-D-glucopyranosyl-7-O-α-L-rhamnopyranoside, and isorhamnetin-3-O-rutinoside, were isolated from sea buckthorn leaf extracts. The butanol fraction (EC(50) = 1.81 µg/mL) along with quercetin 3-O-ß-D-glucopyranoside (EC(50) = 1.86 µg/mL) had a higher DPPH radical-scavenging activity and showed stronger reducing power (OD(700) = 1.83 and 1.78, respectively). The butanol fraction (477 mg GAE/g) contained the highest amount of phenolic compounds and also the most powerful α-glucosidase inhibitory effect (86%) at 5 µg/mL. The results indicate that sea buckthorn leaf extracts could potentially be used for food additives and the development of useful natural compounds.

Dokhwaljihwang-tang inhibits LPS-induced inflammatory cytokine production in peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

OBJECTIVES: Dokhwaljihwang-tang, one of the prescriptions in Four Constitution medicine, has been used to treat neurological disorders. This work was aimed to examine the effect of Dokhwaljihwang-tang on lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory cytokine production in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from the lesser yang subjects. METHODS: The inflammatory cytokines, interleukin 1 beta, interleukin 4 and tumor necrosis factor were measured using the ELISA. The interleukin 1 beta mRNA expression was evaluated with reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. The expression level of nuclear factor kappa B was examined by western blotting. RESULTS: Dokhwaljihwang-tang significantly inhibited interleukin 1 beta and interleukin 4 production (p<0.05). When Dokhwaljihwang-tang was pre-treated at the dose of 1 mg/ml, it not only decreased the interleukin 1 beta mRNA expression, but also inhibited the activation of nuclear factor kappa B. DISCUSSION: These results suggest the potential of Dokhwaljihwang-tang as a source of pharmaceutical acupuncture for neuronal inflammatory diseases.

Limited cytoprotective effects of amifostine in high-dose radioactive iodine 131-treated well-differentiated thyroid cancer patients: analysis of quantitative salivary scan.

PURPOSE: The aim of present study was to investigate the cytoprotective effect of amifostine on salivary glands in 131I-treated differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) patients using serial quantitative analysis of salivary gland scans. METHODS: Serial quantitative salivary scintigraphies were performed in 80 newly diagnosed DTC patients (9 men, 71 women; mean age, 43.2 years old; range, 21-58 years old). Forty-two patients were assigned randomly to the amifostine treatment group, which received 300 mg/m2 amifostine intravenously before 131I administration. RESULTS: In both amifostine-treated and nontreated groups statistically significant declines of functional parameters after 131I treatment were revealed by quantitative salivary scintigraphy in DTC patients. Amifostine pretreatment did not prevent the parenchymal damage to major salivary gland function after 131I treatment (F = 1.37, p = 0.2461). However, the dose of 131I had significant effects on salivary gland function after 131I treatment (F = 9.72, p = 0.0002). CONCLUSION: The present study did not show cytoprotective effects of amifostine for DTC patients treated with 131I.