Hizikia fusiformis fractions successfully improve atopic dermatitis indices in anti-CD3-stimulated splenocytes and 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene-treated BALB/c mice.

OBJECTIVES: In the present study, we aimed to examine whether fractions from an edible sea weed, Hizikia fusiformis, had immunomodulatory effects, particularly an anti-atopic effect, by attenuating the expression of T cell-dependent cytokines using in-vitro and in-vivo animal atopic dermatitis-like models. METHODS: The anti-atopic activities were examined in in vitro, and a 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB)-induced atopic dermatitis-like mouse model using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, electrophoretic-mobility shift and histopathological analysis. KEY FINDINGS: Our results showed that the final fraction (F2') of H. fusiformis contained a higher amount of butanoic acid which was not found in the other fractions, and effectively inhibited T cell activation by inhibiting dephosphorylation of nuclear factor of activated T cells in electrophoretic-mobility shift assay. As a consequence, helper T cell-dependent cytokines, such as interleukin-2, -4 and interferon-γ, were significantly inhibited while activated with an anti-CD3 antibody. We also showed that skin challenged with DNCB successfully recovered when treated with 2.5 mg/kg, comparable to that by 0.25% prednicarbate. These results indicate that F2' may contribute to inhibit T cell activation by eliminating Th cell-dependent cytokines. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, we concluded that F2' containing butanoic acid may be a new functional anti-atopic candidate, which probably acts through nuclear factor of activated T cell inactivation mechanisms.

Steam-dried ginseng berry fermented with Lactobacillus plantarum controls the increase of blood glucose and body weight in type 2 obese diabetic db/db mice.

This study examined whether steam-dried ginseng berries fermented with Lactobacillus plantarum (FSGB) could improve the indices of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in obese db/db mice. FSGB was shown to have an effect on body weight and blood glucose/serum parameters when administered at a dose of 0.5 g/kg. In the intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test (IPGTT) and insulin tolerance test (ITT), FSGB was clearly shown to improve insulin tolerance and glucose tolerance. Moreover, FSGB was shown to enhance immune activities by increasing the immune cell population, and glucose transpoter 1 (GLUT1) mRNA expression in L6 cells was up-regulated, suggesting that FSGB can increase glucose transport activity in target cells. These results indicate that steam- and dry-processed ginseng berries fermented with L. plantarum can be used to effectively control blood sugar metabolism via improving insulin and glucose tolerance and body weight gain in db/db mice.