Hyun Ju Jung

Steroids and triterpenes from the fruit bodies of Ganoderma lucidum and their anti-complement activity.

To determine the anti-complement activity of natural triterpenes, chromatographic separation of the EtOAc-soluble fraction from the fruiting body of Ganoderma lucidum led to the isolation of three steroids and five triterpenoids. They were identified as ergosterol peroxide (1), ergosterol (2), genoderic acid Sz (3), stella sterol (4), ganoderic aic C1 (5), ganoderic acid A (6), methyl ganoderate A (7), and lucidenic acid A (8) based on spectroscopic evidence and physicochemical properties. These compounds were examined for their anti-complement activity against the classical pathway of the complement system. Compounds 2 and 3 showed potent anti-complement activity with IC50 values of 52.0 and 44.6 µM, respectively. Compound 1 exhibited significant inhibitory activity with an IC50 value of 126.8 µM, whereas compounds 4–8 were inactive. Our findings suggested that in addition to the ketone group at C-3, the Δ7(8), Δ9(11)-lanostadiene type triterpene also plays an important role in inhibiting the hemolytic activity of human serum against erythrocytes.

Anti-Inflammatory Effect of Resveratrol by Inhibition of IL-8 Production in LPS-Induced THP-1 Cells

Resveratrol is a polyphenol compound and prominent anti-inflammatory agent found in plants, including the fruits of Morus alba. However, the therapeutic mechanisms of resveratrol remain largely unclear. To gain insight into the biological effects of resveratrol, we examined its influence on LPS-induced IL-8 production in the human monocytic cell line, THP-1. In inflammatory diseases, IL-8 plays a central role in the initiation and maintenance of inflammatory response. In the present study, IL-8 production was measured by ELISA and RT-PCR, while MAPK activation, IkappaBalpha degradation, nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB activation and cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 expression were determined by Western blot analysis. Resveratrol inhibited LPS-induced IL-8 production in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, resveratrol inhibited extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and p38 MAPK phosphorylation, IkappaBalpha degradation, NF-kappaB activation and cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 expression, which suggest that resveratrol inhibits IL-8 secretion by blocking MAPK phosphorylation and NF-kappaB activation. Taken together, these findings may help elucidate the mechanism by which resveratrol modulates THP-1 cell activation under inflammatory conditions.

Simultaneous determination of bioactive flavonoids in some selected Korean thistles by high-performance liquid chromatography.

In order to facilitate the quality control of some selected Korean thistles (Cirsii Herb), Cirsium japonicum var ussuriense, C. japonium var spinosissimum, C. setidens, C. pendulum, C. nipponicum, Carduus crispus, and Breea segetum, a simple, accurate and reliable high performance liguid chromatography method was developed for the simultaneous determination of the six flavonoids: luteolin 5-O-glucoside (1), luteolin 7-O-glucoside (2), hispidulin 7-O-neohesperidoside (3), luteolin (4), pectolinarin (5), and apigenin (6), which were selected as the chemical markers of the thistles. Separation was achieved on an Agilent Eclipse XDB-C18 column with a gradient solvent system of 0.1% trifluoroacetic acid aqueous-methanol at a flow-rate of 1.0 mL/min and detected at 254 nm. All six calibration curves showed good linearity (R2 > 0.991). The method was reproducible with intra- and inter-day variations of less than 6%. The recoveries were in the range of 90.01–100.05%. This analysis method was successfully utilized to quantify the six flavonoids in the 22 batches of the thistles. The results demonstrated that this method is simple, reliable and suitable for the quality control of this medicinal herb.

Anti-allergic activity of a platycodon root ethanol extract.

Platycodon grandiflorum (Campanulaceae) is used as traditional medicine in Asian countries. In Korean traditional medicine, Platycodon root has been widely used since ancient times as a traditional drug to treat cold, cough and asthma. However, its effects on bone marrow-derived mast cell (BMMC)-mediated allergy and inflammation mechanisms remain unknown. In this study, the biological effect of Platycodon root ethanol extract (PE) was evaluated in BMMC after induction of allergic mediators by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) plus calcium ionophore A23187 (A23187) stimulation. The effect of PE on the production of several allergic mediators, such as interleukin-6 (IL-6), prostaglandin D2 (PGD2), leukotriene C4 (LTC4), β-Hexosaminidase (β-Hex) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) protein, was investigated. The results demonstrate that PE inhibits PMA + A23187 induced production of IL-6, PGD2, LTC4, β-Hexosaminidase and COX-2 protein. Taken together, these results indicate that PE has the potential for use in the treatment of allergy.

Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), an organosulfur compound, is effective against obesity-induced metabolic disorders in mice

Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), an organosulfur compound, has been used as a dietary supplement that can improve various metabolic diseases. However, the effect of MSM on obesity-linked metabolic disorders remains unclear. The goal of the current study is to determine whether MSM has beneficial effects on glucose and lipid homeostasis in obesity-associated pathophysiologic states. High-fat diet-induced obese (DIO) and genetically obese diabetic db/db mice treated with MSM (1%-5% v/v, by drinking water) were studied. Metabolic parameters involved in glucose and lipid metabolism were determined. Treatment of DIO mice with MSM leads to a significant decrease in blood glucose levels. DIO mice treated with MSM are hypersensitive to insulin, as evidenced by decreased serum insulin and an increase in the area above the curve during an ITT. Concurrently, MSM reduces hepatic triglyceride and cholesterol contents in DIO mice. These effects are accompanied by reductions in gene expression of key molecules involved in lipogenesis and inflammation. FACS analysis reveals that MSM markedly increases the frequency of B cells and decreases the frequency of myeloid cells in peripheral blood and in bone marrow. Moreover, overnutrition-induced changes of femur microarchitecture are restored by MSM. In db/db mice, a marked impairment in glucose and lipid metabolic profiles is notably ameliorated when MSM is supplemented. These data suggest that MSM has beneficial effects on multiple metabolic dysfunctions, including hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, insulin resistance, and inflammation. Thus, MSM could be the therapeutic option for the treatment of obesity-related metabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes and fatty liver diseases.