Hyun-Jung Kang

Anti-angiogenic, antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities of Lonicera japonica extract

This study aimed to elucidate some novel pharmacological activities of Lonicera japonica (Caprifoliaceae), which is widely used in Oriental folk medicine. The ethanolic extract of L. japonica (LJ) dose dependently inhibited chick chorioallantoic membrane angiogenesis. The antinociceptive activity of LJ was assessed using the acetic acid‐induced constriction model in mice. LJ showed anti‐inflammatory activity in two in‐vivo models: the vascular permeability and air pouch models. LJ suppressed the production of nitric oxide via down‐regulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase in lipopolysaccharide‐stimulated RAW264.7 macrophage cells. However, LJ was unable to suppress induction of cyclooxygenase‐2 in the stimulated macrophage cells. LJ decreased the reactive oxygen species level in the stimulated macrophage cells. In brief, the flowers of L. japonica possess potent anti‐angiogenic and antinociceptive activities, in addition to anti‐inflammatory activity, which partly supports its therapeutic efficacy.

Anti-angiogenic, anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive activity of 4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol

4‐Hydroxybenzyl alcohol (HBA), one of the well‐known phenolic compounds in diverse plants, displayed a significant inhibition in the chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) angiogenesis assay. HBA was shown to contain an anti‐inflammatory activity in carrageenan‐induced air pouch model in rats and acetic acid‐induced permeability model in mice. Anti‐nociceptive activity of HBA was also assessed using the acetic acid‐induced writhing test in mice. HBA was able to suppress production of nitric oxide (NO) and expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐activated RAW264.7 macrophages. In the macrophages, the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was diminished by HBA. Taken together, HBA possesses anti‐angiogenic, anti‐inflammatory and anti‐nociceptive activity possibly via its down‐regulating activity on NO production, which may be partly responsible for the pharmacological efficacy of several folkloric medicines.

Anti-inflammatory, anti-angiogenic and anti-nociceptive activities of Saururus chinensis extract

UNLABELLED ETHNOPHARMACOLGICAL RELEVANCE: The aerial parts of Saururus chinensis Baill. are used for the treatment of edema and inflammatory diseases in the Oriental folk medicine. AIM OF THE STUDY This study aimed to elucidate anti-inflammatory and related activities of the ethanol extract (SC) of the dried aerial parts of Saururus chinensis Baill. MATERIALS AND METHODS Anti-angiogenic and anti-nociceptive activities of SC were analyzed using the chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay and acetic acid-induced writhing response, respectively. Anti-inflammatory activity of SC was evaluated using acetic acid-induced vascular permeability, carrageenan-induced air pouch formation and analyses of nitrite content and induced nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) level in the macrophage cells. RESULTS SC dose-dependently displayed a strong inhibition in the CAM angiogenesis. SC showed significant anti-nociceptive activity in the writhing model. The anti-inflammatory activity of SC was also assessed in the two in vivo models, such as vascular permeability and air pouch models in mice. SC suppressed production of nitric oxide and induction of iNOS and cyclooxygenase-2 in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages. CONCLUSION The aerial parts of Saururus chinensis possess potent anti-angiogenic and anti-nociceptive activities in addition to anti-inflammatory activity, which partly supports its therapeutic efficacy.

Up-regulation of defense enzymes is responsible for low reactive oxygen species in malignant prostate cancer cells

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are involved in a diversity of important phenomena in the process of tumor development. To investigate the alterations of oxidative stress and their related systems in tumor progression, a variety of components in the antioxidative stress defense system were examined in prostate cancer cell lines, PC3 and LNCaP. Cell surface molecules involved in metastasis were expressed highly in PC3 cells compared with LNCaP cells, and strong invasion ability was shown in PC3 cells only. ROS level in LNCaP cells was twice higher than that in PC3 cells, although nitric oxide (NO) level was similar between the two cell lines. The content of GSH increased up to about 2-fold in PC3 compared with LNCaP. Activities of glutathione reductase, thioredoxin reductase, and glutathione S-transferase except catalase are significantly higher in PC3 cells than in LNCaP cells. Furthermore, oxidative stress-inducing agents caused down-regulation of GSH and glutathione S-transferase much more significantly in LNCaP cells than in PC3 cells. These results imply that malignant tumor cells may maintain low ROS content by preserving relatively high anti-oxidative capacity, even in the presence of stressful agents.

Anti-inflammatory, anti-angiogenic and anti-nociceptive activities of sedum sarmentosum extract

This study aimed to assess some novel pharmacological activities of Sedum sarmentosum Bunge, a perennial herb widely distributed on the mountain slopes in Oriental countries and traditionally used for the treatment of certain inflammatory diseases. Sedum sarmentosum was extracted with absolute methanol to generate the methanol extract (SS). SS exhibited a significant inhibitory activity in the chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) angiogenesis in a dose-dependent manner (IC(50)=2.29 microg/egg). The anti-nociceptive activity of SS was demonstrated using acetic acid-induced writhing model in mice. SS reduced the levels of anti-inflammatory markers, such as volume of exudates, number of polymorphonuclear leukocytes and nitrite content, in the air pouch model. It dose-dependently exhibited an inhibitory activity in the acetic acid-induced vascular permeability in mice. It suppressed production of nitric oxide in the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated RAW264.7 macrophages. Additionally, it suppressed induction of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in the activated macrophages. In brief, the results provide some pharmacological basis for the therapeutic use of Sedum sarmentosum.