Torilis japonica Extract Suppresses the Induction of Atopic Inflammation.

As one of the major intractable allergic disorders, atopic inflammation is commonly accompanied by itching, dry skin, and inflammation. Atopic inflammation deteriorates the quality of life and has no fundamental cure, so it is crucial to urgently explore and develop natural resources for long-term treatment without any side effects. This study aimed to verify Torilis japonica extract (TJE)'s relieving effect and mechanism against atopic inflammation using skin cells and skin equivalent models, as well as to investigate torilin's effect (obtained from TJE) and other unknown components as marker compounds. Torilin concentration was verified in TJE using high-performance liquid chromatography and analyzed the unknown components using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Furthermore, TJE's cytotoxicity, regenerative effect, and cell cycle regulation effects were confirmed using skin cells with atopic inflammation (human dermal fibroblasts and HaCaT keratinocytes) by using TNF-α and IFN-γ treatments. Consequently, TJE was demonstrated to regulate TARC and CTACK expressions as chemokines and those of interleukin-4, -5, and -13 as cytokines related to atopic inflammation. TJE was further confirmed to affect the matrix metalloproteinase-1, -2, and -9 expressions, which are essential in skin damage. Lastly, this study confirmed TJE's relieving effect against atopic inflammation through a 3D skin model and RhCE model using human dermal fibroblasts and HaCaT keratinocytes. These findings on atopic inflammation verified torilin's relieving effects and TJE's other components.

The p53-Driven Anticancer Effect of Ribes fasciculatum Extract on AGS Gastric Cancer Cells.

Cancer metastasis is directly related to the survival rate of cancer patients. Although cancer metastasis proceeds by the movement of cancer cells, it is fundamentally caused by its resistance to anoikis, a mechanism of apoptosis caused by the loss of adhesion of cancer cells. Therefore, it was found that inhibiting cancer migration and reducing anoikis resistance are important for cancer suppression, and natural compounds can effectively control it. Among them, Ribes fasciculatum, which has been used as a medicinal plant, was confirmed to have anticancer potential, and experiments were conducted to prove various anticancer effects by extracting Ribes fasciculatum (RFE). Through various experiments, it was observed that RFE induces apoptosis of AGS gastric cancer cells, arrests the cell cycle, induces oxidative stress, and reduces mobility. It was also demonstrated that anoikis resistance was attenuated through the downregulation of proteins, such as epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Moreover, the anticancer effect of RFE depends upon the increase in p53 expression, suggesting that RFE is suitable for the development of p53-targeted anticancer materials. Moreover, through xenotransplantation, it was found that the anticancer effect of RFE confirmed in vitro was continued in vivo.

Combined Therapy of Transcatheter Arterial Chemoembolization and Radiofrequency Ablation versus Surgical Resection for Single 2-3 cm Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Propensity-Score Matching Analysis.

PURPOSE: To compare therapeutic outcomes of radiofrequency (RF) ablation combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization vs surgical resection (SR) for single 2-3 cm hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy patients underwent combined chemoembolization/RF ablation therapy and 84 underwent SR. Local tumor progression (LTP), intrahepatic distant recurrence (IDR), disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS) rates, as well as major complications and duration of hospital stay, were compared between groups before and after propensity-score matching. RESULTS: LTP and IDR had developed in 9 (12.9%) and 24 (34.3%) patients in the combined treatment group and in 7 (8.3%) and 24 (28.6%) patients in the SR group (P = .262 and P = .252, respectively). The 1-, 3-, 4-, and 5-year DFS rates were similar between groups (82.6%, 53.2%, 53.2%, and 37.6%, respectively, vs 84.5%, 63.6%, 59.2%, and 52.1%, respectively; P = .278), and 1-, 3-, 4-, and 5-year OS rates were also comparable (94.2%, 81.2%, 74.1%, and 59.4%, respectively, vs 95.2%, 86.3%, 84.0%, and 80.3%, respectively; P = .081). After matching (n = 98), LTP, IDR, DFS, and OS rates were still similar (P = .725, P = .826, P = .484, and P = .578, respectively). Major complication rate was not significantly different (2.9% vs. 6.0%; P = .596); however, after matching, major complication rate was higher in SR group (2.0% vs. 6.1%; P < .001). Hospital stays were significantly longer in the SR group (16.6 ± 6.7 d vs 8.5 ± 4.1 d; P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Before and after matching, there were no significant differences in long-term therapeutic outcomes between combined chemoembolization/RF ablation and SR groups. Therefore, combined chemoembolization/RF ablation therapy may be an alternative treatment for single 2-3 cm HCCs.

Comparative Analysis of the Bufonis Venenum by Using TLC, HPLC, and LC-MS for Different Extraction Methods.

OBJECTIVES: Toad venom, called Chan-Su, is a traditional Oriental medicine secreted from the auricular and the skin glands of the Bufo bufo gargarizanz Cantor or B. melanosticus Schneider and has been widely used in China, Korea and other parts of Asia for the treatment of pain, heart conditions, and cancer. We examined the concentrations of the main chemical constituents within a commerciallyavailable toad venom product and compared the levels for different extraction methods. METHODS: Toad venom was extracted using either cold or hot water, ethanol (EtOH), methanol (MeOH), or ethyl acetate (EtOAc), was fractionated using precipitation or reflux, and was then analyzed using thin layer chromatography (TLC), high-performance liquid chromatography (HTLC), and liquid chroma-tography - mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Individual components were identified by comparisons of the retention times, the ultraviolet spectra, and mass spectras and differences in chemical constituents for different solvents and extraction methods are presented. RESULTS: Components with authentic standards, including serotonin and bufodienolides (cinobufagen, bufalin, cinobufalin, and resibufogenin), were detected. The water extract of toad venom contained the greatest amount of serotonin (75.7 ± 0.1 mg/g), but very small amounts of bufodienolides (3.8 ± 0.0 mg/g). In contrast, the use of MeOH or EtOH extraction solutions resulted in 5-26 times higher concentrations of bufodienolides, with only trace amounts of serotonin. The relative and the absolute concentrations of the component also varied based on the extraction method; i.e., EtOH extracts yielded the greatest total amounts of bufodienolides, and EtOAc precipitation had the lowest amounts of bufodienolides. CONCLUSIONS: Toad venom consists of serotonin and several bufodienolides, and the choice of solvent to extract chemical the constituents is important as a way to enrich the purported active components for treating different conditions.

A toxicological study of HangAmDan-B in mice.

The aim of the study was to define the toxicity of HangAmDan-B (HAD-B) in mice over the short and long term. HAD-B was studied in 1-week single and 5-week repeated oral dose toxicity tests on male Imprinting Control Region mice. Doses used in 1 week single oral dose toxicity tests were 0, 0.2, 1, 5, and 25 g/kg/day and those of repeated toxicity test were 0, 0.04, 0.2, 1, and 2 g/kg/day. Blood and urine samples were assayed and their morphology observed. Numerical data were compared using Mann-Whitney U test and analysis of variance. Significantly decreased red blood cell levels in mice from S2-HAD-B, S3-HAD-B, S4-HAD-B, and S5-HAD-B groups were observed in single oral dose toxicity tests. Hemoglobin, hematocrit, and mean cell hemoglobin values in mice from the S4-HAD-B and S5-HAD-B groups were also significantly decreased. No mortalities or significant differences in all factors were observed during the dosing period of the repeated dose toxicity test. Administering 2 g/kg/day of HAD-B in mice over a 5-week period showed no significant hematological changes. However, risk of anemia with more than 5 g/kg/ day administration of HAD-B was found. In general, HAD-B appears to be safe and nontoxic, and a no observed adverse effect level in mice was established at 2 g/kg/ day. This data serves as satisfactory preclinical evidence for the safety of HAD-B should a future clinical trial for HAD-B be launched. Further studies are required to confirm these safety results and to carry out a safety trial in humans.