Guijie Li

Anti-inflammatory effects of kudingcha methanol extract (Ilex kudingcha C.J. Tseng) in dextran sulfate sodium-induced ulcerative colitis.

The present study aimed to investigate the anti‑inflammatory effects of Ilex kudingcha C.J. Tseng methanol extracts (KME) on 3% dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)‑induced ulcerative colitis (UC) in mice (C57BL/6J strain). Body weight, disease activity index (DAI), colon length, colon weight to length ratio, colonic myeloperoxidase (MPO), glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were measured. Histological changes were observed by hematoxylin and eosin staining. Colonic levels of tumor necrosis factor‑α (TNF‑α), interleukin(IL)‑1β and IL‑6 were measured with an enzyme‑linked immunosorbent assay. The mRNA expression of TNF‑α, IL‑1β, ‑6, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase‑2 (COX-2) in the colon tissue, was quantified by RT‑PCR. KME significantly suppressed DSS‑induced body weight loss, colon length shortening and decreased the colon weight to length ratio. It also resulted in increased GSH and reduced MPO and MDA levels in the colon tissue. Histological observation suggested that KME prevented edema, mucosal damage and loss of crypts, which are induced by DSS. In addition, KME decreased the levels of TNF‑α, IL‑1β and ‑6 in the colon tissues, while inhibiting the mRNA expression of these cytokines, as well as iNOS and COX‑2. The results of this study suggested that KME has anti‑inflammatory effects on DSS‑induced UC in mice (C57BL/6J strain) by reducing the colonic levels and inhibiting the mRNA expression of pro‑inflammatory cytokines.

Inhibitory effects of Dendrobium candidum Wall ex Lindl. on azoxymethane‑ and dextran sulfate sodium‑induced colon carcinogenesis in C57BL/6 mice

Dendrobium candidum Wall ex Lindl. was purchased for the evaluation of azoxymethane (AOM)- and dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colon carcinogenesis in C57BL/6 mice. The body weights of the AOM- and DSS-induced colon cancer control groups were lighter than those of the untreated mice. D. candidum increased the body weights of the mice compared with the control group, and reduced the levels of the serum proinflammatory cytokines, IL-6, IL-12, TNF-α and IFN-γ, compared with the colon cancer control group. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and western blot analyses of the apoptotic-related genes, bax, bcl-2, caspase-3 and caspase-9, were performed in the colon tissues. The high-concentration D. candidum group showed a significant increase in the mRNA and protein expression levels of bax, caspase-3 and caspase-9 and decreased expression levels of bcl-2 compared with the control group. These results indicate that D. candidum Wall ex Lindl. exhibits preventive effects against colon carcinogenesis in mice.

In vitro and in vivo anti-cancer activities of Kuding tea (Ilex kudingcha C.J. Tseng) against oral cancer.

Kuding tea (Ilex kudingcha C.J. Tseng) is drunk widely in China. The in vitro anticancer effects of Kuding tea were evaluated in TCA8113 human tongue carcinoma cells using a 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. At a concentration of 200 μg/ml, Kuding tea exhibited an inhibitory effect of 75% in TCA8113 cells, which was higher than that observed at concentrations of 100 and 50 μg/ml (41 and 10% inhibition, respectively). Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and western blot analyses of the apoptosis, inflammation and metastasis genes and proteins in Kuding tea-treated cancer cells were performed. Kuding tea significantly induced apoptosis in TCA8113 cancer cells (P<0.05) by upregulating Bax, caspase-3 and caspase-9 expression, and downregulating Bcl-2 expression. Expression of the NF-κB, iNOS and COX-2 genes that are associated with inflammation was significantly downregulated by Kuding tea, which demonstrated its anti-inflammatory properties. Kuding tea also exerted an anti-metastatic effect on cancer cells. This was demonstrated by the decreased expression of matrix metalloproteases (MMPs) and the increased expression of tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs), and confirmed by the inhibition of the metastasis of U14 squamous cell carcinoma cells in imprinting control region (ICR) mice. The ICR mouse buccal mucosa cancer model was established by injecting the mice with U14 cells. Following injection, the wound at the injection site was topically treated with Kuding tea. It was observed that the tumor volumes for the group treated with Kuding tea were smaller than those from the control mice. Analysis of the sections of buccal mucosa cancer tissue demonstrated that the buccal mucosa cancer degrees of the Kuding tea-treated mice were weaker than that in the control mice. Similar results were observed in the lesion sections of the cervical lymph nodes. Based on these results, Kuding tea exhibited successful in vitro anticancer effects in TCA8113 cells and in vivo buccal mucosa cancer preventive activity.

Therapeutic Effect of Activated Carbon-Induced Constipation Mice with Lactobacillus fermentum Suo on Treatment

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Lactobacillus fermentum Suo (LF-Suo) on activated carbon-induced constipation in ICR (Institute of Cancer Research) mice. ICR mice were orally administered with lactic acid bacteria for 9 days. Body weight, diet intake, drinking amount, defecation status, gastrointestinal transit and defecation time, and the serum levels of MTL (motilin), Gas (gastrin), ET (endothelin), SS (somatostatin), AChE (acetylcholinesterase), SP (substance P), VIP (vasoactive intestinal peptide) were used to evaluate the preventive effects of LF-Suo on constipation. Bisacodyl, a laxative drug, was used as a positive control. The normal, control, 100 mg/kg bisacodyl treatment, LB (Lactobacillus bulgaricus)-, LF-Suo (L)- and LF-Suo (H)-treated mice showed the time to the first black stool defecation at 90, 218, 117, 180, 155 and 137 min, respectively. By the oral administration of LB-, LF-Suo (L), LF-Suo (H) or bisacodyl (100 mg/kg), the gastrointestinal transit was reduced to 55.2%, 72.3%, 85.5% and 94.6%, respectively, of the transit in normal mice, respectively. In contrast to the control mice, the serum levels of MTL, Gas, ET, AChE, SP and VIP were significantly increased and the serum levels of SS were reduced in the mice treated with LF-Suo (p < 0.05). By the RT-PCR (reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction) and western blot assays, LF-Suo increased the c-Kit, SCF (stem cell factor), GDNF (glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor) and decreased TRPV1 (transient receptor potential vanilloid 1), NOS (nitric oxide synthase) expressions of small intestine tissue in mice. These results demonstrate that lactic acid bacteria has preventive effects on mouse constipation and LF-Suo demonstrated the best functional activity.

Component analysis of Pu-erh and its anti-constipation effects.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Pu-erh tea on activated carbon-induced constipation in ICR mice. The changes in body weight, dietary intake, gastrointestinal transit, first black stool defecation time, number and weight of feces, water content of feces and various levels of substances in serum were used to evaluate the anti-constipation effects of Pu-erh tea. Body weight, dietary intake and the amount of water consumed by mice decreased with activated carbon-induced constipation and those of the sample treated group mice were higher than the control group mice. The first black stool time of normal, control, bisacodyl (100 mg/kg) and 200, 400 and 800 mg/kg Pu-erh tea treated mice were 90, 221, 118, 178, 155 and 139 min, respectively. Following oral administration of 200, 400 and 800 mg/kg of Pu-erh tea and 100 mg/kg of bisacodyl, the gastrointestinal transit rates were shortened by 48.6, 59.6, 78.0 and 91.9%, respectively. Serum levels of motilin (MTL), gastrin (Gas), endothelin (ET), acetylcholine enzyme (AchE), substance P (SP) and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) were significantly increased and somatostatin (SS) was decreased when the mice were treated with different concentrations of Pu-erh tea compared with the untreated control mice. These results demonstrate that Pu-erh tea has a similar preventive effect to bisacodyl and it may be used as a functional food to prevent constipation.

Preventive Effect of Polysaccharide of Larimichthys crocea Swim Bladder on Reserpine Induced Gastric Ulcer in ICR Mice

This projects aim was to determine the reserpine-induced gastric ulcer preventive effect of polysaccharide of Larimichthys crocea swim bladder (PLCSB) in ICR mice. The anti-gastric ulcer effects of polysaccharide of Larimichthys crocea swim bladder was evaluated in mice model using morphological test, serum levels assay, cytokine levels assay, tissue contents analysis, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis and western bolt assay. High concentration (50 mg/kg dose) of PLCSB reduced IFN-γ as compared to low concentration (25 mg/kg dose) and control mice. SS and VIP serum levels of PLCSB treated mice were higher than those of control mice, and MOT and SP serum levels were lower than control mice. Gastric ulcer inhibitory index of PLCSB treatment groups mice were much lower than control mice, and the high concentration treated mice were similar to the ranitidine treated mice. The SOD and GSH-Px activities of PLCSB treated mice were higher than control mice, close to normal mice and ranitidine treated mice. PLCSB treated mice also showed the similar contents of NO and MDA to normal group. By RT-PCR and western blot assay, PLCSB significantly induced inflammation in tissues of mice by downregulating NF-κB, iNOS, and COX-2, and upregulating IκB-α. These results suggest that PLCSB showed a good gastric ulcer preventive effect as the gastric ulcer drug of ranitidine. Polysaccharide of Larimichthys crocea swim bladder may be used as a drug material from marine products.

Preventive effects of Dendrobium candidum Wall ex Lindl. on the formation of lung metastases in BALB/c mice injected with 26-M3.1 colon carcinoma cells

Dendrobium candidum Wall ex Lindl. (D. candidum) is a traditional Chinese medicine widely used in Asia. The present study has showed that D. candidum exerted an anti-metastatic effect in mice injected with 26-M3.1 colon carcinoma cells. D. candidum showed the most marked tumor inhibitory rate of 64.5% at a dose of 400 mg/kg body weight (b.w). The mRNA and protein expression of Bax in lung tissue of D. candidum-treated mice was shown to be higher as compared with control mice, whereas the mRNA and protein expression of Bcl-2 showed the opposite trend. Decreased mRNA and protein expression of MMP and increased expression of TIMPs was demonstrated in lung tissues by quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot assays. D. candidum reduced the serum cytokine levels of IL-6, IL-12, TNF-α and IFN-γ to a greater extent as compared with the control mice, and administration of 400 mg/kg b.w. resulted in a lower serum cytokine levels as compared with mice treated with 200 mg/kg b.w. Eleven compounds were in the D. candidum leaf, of which the functional contents may help to generate novel treatments for the prevention of lung metastases. The results of the present study have demonstrated that D. candidum had a potent in vivo antitumor and anti-metastatic effect in BALB/c mice injected with 26-M3.1 cells.

Pu-erh tea has in vitro anticancer activity in TCA8113 cells and preventive effects on buccal mucosa cancer in U14 cells injected mice in vivo.

Pu-erh tea is a functional tea production in China. The functional effects should be proved. The oral cancer preventive and antimetastatic effects of Pu-erh tea in vitro and in vivo have been studied respectively. Pu-erh tea showed an inhibitory effect on human tongue carcinoma TCA8113 cells proliferation tested by 3-(4,5-Dimethyl-2-Thiazolyl)-2,5-Diphenyltetrazolium Bromide assay and induced TCA8113 apoptosis shown anticancer effect. The antimetastatic effect of Pu-erh tea in TCA8113 cells was proved by the decreasing of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and increasing of tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) mRNA transcription. In the animal experiments, the tumor volumes and lymph node metastasis rates of Pu-erh tea-treated mice were smaller than control mice. Pu-erh tea reduced the levels of the serum proinflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-6, IL-12, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interferon-γ to a greater extent compared with the control mice, and the levels of 200 μg/mL treatment was more close to the normal mice than 100 μg/mL treated mice. Pu-erh tea also significantly induced apoptosis in tissues of mice (P < 0.05) by upregulating Bax and downregulating Bcl-2. These results demonstrate Pu-erh tea has cancer preventive and anti-metastatic effects on buccal mucosa cancer, the higher concentration get better efficiency.

Comparisons of Shuidouchi, Natto , and Cheonggukjang in their physicochemical properties, and antimutagenic and anticancer effects

The comparing of shuidouchi, natto, and cheonggukjang were evaluated using physicochemical experiment, Ames test, and in vitro anticancer experiment. Cheonggukjang contained the highest amount of aroma components of amino and ammonia type nitrogens and the lowest amount of γ-glutamyltranspeptidase. Cheonggukjang showed the better sensory qualities than shuidouchi and natto. Three short-term fermented soybean foods were associated with high degree of antimutagenic activities. At a concentration of 2 mg/mL, the growth inhibitory rate of TCA8113 cells treated with cheonggukjang determined by a MTT assay was reduced by 78%; this rate of inhibition was higher than that achieved with shuidouchi (67%) and natto (55%). Cheonggukjang significantly induced apoptosis in cancer cells by upregulating Bax, caspase-3, and caspase-9, and downregulating Bcl-2 by RT-PCR and Western blotting. Our results demonstrated that cheonggukjang had the most potent in vitro anticancer effect, induced apoptosis as well as in terms of physico-chemical properties.

Inhibitory effects of resistant starch (RS3) as a carrier for stachyose on dextran sulfate sodium‑induced ulcerative colitis in C57BL/6 mice

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of resistant starch 3 (RS3) as a carrier for stachyose on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in C57BL/6 mice. RS3 microspheres carrying stachyose (RS3 + stachyose) were produced and evaluated as a potentially improved colitis therapy for this study. The body weights of the mice treated with RS3 + stachyose were higher compared with those of DSS-treated control mice. RS3 + stachyose reduced the levels of the serum pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF-α to a greater extent compared with the same concentration of stachyose combined with ordinary starch (stachyose + starch). Histopathological examination of sections of colon tissues showed that the RS3 + stachyose group recovered well from colitis; however, the tissue sections of the stachyose + starch group presented necrosis to a more serious degree. These results suggest that stachyose with an RS3 carrier has better preventative effects on colitis than stachyose alone in mice.