Il-Woung Kim

β-Asarone (cis-2,4,5-trimethoxy-1-allyl phenyl), attenuates pro-inflammatory mediators by inhibiting NF-κB signaling and the JNK pathway in LPS activated BV-2 microglia cells

Acorus species contains diverse pharmacologically active phytochemicals including α-asarone, β-asarone, and eugenol. We determined if β-asarone isolated from Acorus gramineus (AG) Solander would be efficacious in protecting BV-2 microglia cells from lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced stress signaling. BV-2 microglial cells were pretreated with an AG ethanol extract (1, 10, and 100 μg/mL) or β-asarone (10, 50, and 100 μM) prior to exposure to LPS (100 ng/mL). AG and β-asarone inhibited LPS-induced production of nitric oxide in a dose-dependent manner. The mRNA and protein levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 also decreased dose dependently following AG and β-asarone treatments. Immunostaining and immunoblot studies revealed that β-asarone also suppressed nuclear factor (NF)-κB activation by blocking IkB degradation. Further mechanistic studies revealed that β-asarone acted through the JNK/MAPK pathway. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that β-asarone exhibits anti-inflammatory effects by suppressing the production of pro-inflammatory mediators through NF-κB signaling and the JNK pathways in activated microglial cells and might be developed as a promising candidate to treat various neuroinflammatory diseases.

Effect of long-term administration of cordycepin from Cordyceps militaris on testicular function in middle-aged rats.

This study was carried out to examine the potential beneficial effect of cordycepin on the decline of testicular function induced with age. A total of 30 male Sprague-Dawley rats (twenty-four 12-month-olds and six 2-month-olds) were divided into five groups. The young control (YC) and middle-aged control (MC) groups received vehicle only. Cordycepin-treated groups were administered daily doses of oral cordycepin at 5, 10, and 20 mg/kg body weight for 4 months. As a result, the MC group exhibited epididymal weight loss, decreased sperm motility, and reduced spermatogenesis compared to the young control group. Interestingly, the epididymal weights of middle-aged rats were dose-dependently increased by treatment with cordycepin. Cordycepin also improved calcium levels and decreased urea and nitrogen, uric acid, and creatinine in the blood of middle-aged rats. In addition, cordycepin significantly increased sperm motility and the progressiveness of sperm movement. All cordycepin-treated groups showed well-arranged spermatogonia, densely packed cellular material, and increased numbers of mature spermatozoa in the seminiferous lumen compared to the middle-aged control group. These results indicate that long-term administration of cordycepin can counteract the decline of testicular function in middle-aged rats.

Corrigendum to “α-Asarone attenuates microglia-mediated neuroinflammation by inhibiting NF kappa B activation and mitigates MPTP-induced behavioral deficits in a mouse model of Parkinson's disease” [Neuropharm 97 (2015) 46–57]

Corrigendum to “a-Asarone attenuates microglia-mediated neuroinflammation by inhibiting NF kappa B activation and mitigates MPTP-induced behavioral deficits in a mouse model of Parkinsons disease” [Neuropharm 97 (2015) 46e57] Byung-Wook Kim a, , Sushruta Koppula , Hemant Kumar , Ju-Young Park , Il-Woung Kim , Sandeep V. More , In-Su Kim , Sang-Don Han , Si-Kwan Kim , Sung-Hwa Yoon , Dong-Kug Choi a, * a Department of Biotechnology, Konkuk University, 380-701, South Korea b Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Ajou University, Suwon, 443-749, South Korea c Department of Biomedical Chemistry, Konkuk University, 380-701, South Korea d Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Konkuk University, 380-704, South Korea