Jang-Woo Shin

Antioxidant effects of Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer in healthy subjects: a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial.

We investigated the antioxidant effects of Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer on healthy volunteers. In a double-blind randomized controlled design, 82 participants (21 men and 61 women) who were considered healthy by both objective and subjective health standard were divided into three groups, the control group and the groups received P. ginseng extract (1 or 2g/day) for 4 weeks. Serum level of reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), the activities of catalase, superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione reductase (GSH-Rd), and peroxidase (GSH-Px), and total glutathione content were determined before and after the trial. Administration of P. ginseng led to significant decreases in the levels of serum ROS and MDA. Notably, the total glutathione content and GSH-Rd activity considerably improved in the groups that received 2g of P. ginseng. No significant alterations were observed in TAC, catalase, SOD, and GSH-Px activities. In conclusion, our findings indicate that P. ginseng was shown to have antioxidant property. It enhanced the antioxidant defense mechanism in healthy populations and the results may reinforce the use of P. ginseng as a potential antioxidant supplement.

Experimental evidence for the protective effects of coffee against liver fibrosis in SD rats

BACKGROUND Coffee is one of the most commonly consumed beverages worldwide. Accumulating clinical evidence has shown an inverse relationship between coffee and liver cirrhosis. We investigated the protective effect of coffee against liver fibrosis and underlying molecular mechanisms using a dimethylnitrosamine (DMN)-induced liver fibrosis model. RESULTS Coffee administration significantly prevented the deterioration of body weight, organ weight, and serum biochemistry by DMN treatment. Histopathological examination revealed that necrosis/inflammation and fibrotic septa decreased significantly in coffee-treated rats compared to those treated with DMN and water. Coffee administration also significantly inhibited the accumulation of hydroxyproline (P < 0.001) and the production of malondialdehyde (P < 0.05), as well as stellate cell activation caused by DMN injection. Coffee protected the depletion of glutathione, superoxide dismutase, and catalase in liver tissue. In addition, coffee treatment inhibited the gene expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase, transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-1, and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-beta in liver tissues, and lowered the concentration of TGF-beta and PDGF-beta in liver. Coffee inhibited NO production by macrophages. CONCLUSION Coffee exerts protective effects against liver fibrosis via antioxidant action and the suppression of fibrogenic cytokines, TGF-beta and PDGF-beta.

Soluble components of hericium erinaceum induce NK cell activation via production of interleukin-12 in mice splenocytes

AbstractAim:To investigate the immunoregulatory functions of water extracts of Hericium erinaceum (WEHE) focusing on natural killer (NK) cell-based anticancer activities.Methods:Mouse splenocytes or purely isolated NK cells were stimulated with 1-100 mg/L WEHE for 24 h followed by co-culture with 51Cr-labled Yac-1 cells for 4 h, then NK cell-derived cytolytic activity was measured using a radio-release assay. Neutralizing antibodies against mouse interleukin-12 (IL-12) were added into the WEHE-stimulated splenocytes, thereafter, cytotoxicity was measured to examine the involvement of IL-12. RT-PCR and ELISA analyses were performed to confirm the induction of transcription and the translation of IL-12 and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) in the WEHE-treated splenocytes.Results:WEHE enhanced the cytolytic activity of total splenocytes towards Yac-1 cells in a dose-dependent manner. However, this activation was not observed when the NK cells isolated from the splenocytes were treated with WEHE. Furthermore, the treatment with antibodies against IL-12 abolished the effect of WEHE on splenocyte-derived cytolytic activity. RT-PCR and ELISA analyses showed the induction of IL-12 and IFN-gamma in the WEHE-treated splenocytes.Conclusion:WEHE indirectly activates the cytolytic ability of NK cells via the induction of IL-12 in total splenocytes, and possibly via other immuno-mediators or cellular components.

Antifibrotic effects of Artemisia capillaris and Artemisia iwayomogi in a carbon tetrachloride-induced chronic hepatic fibrosis animal model.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Artemisia capillaris and Artemisia iwayomogi, both members of the Compositae family, have been indiscriminately used for various liver disorders as traditional hepatotherapeutic medicines in Korea for many years. AIM OF THE STUDY In this study, the anti-hepatofibrotic effects of Artemisia capillaris and Artemisia iwayomogi were comparatively analyzed using a carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4))-induced liver fibrosis rat model. MATERIALS AND METHODS Hepatic fibrosis was induced via a 10-week course of intraperitoneal CCl(4) injections (50% dissolved in olive oil, 2mL/kg, twice per week). Water extract of Artemisia capillaris (AC) or Artemisia iwayomogi (AI) was orally administered six times per week from the 5th to the 10th week. RESULTS AI (50mg/kg) significantly attenuated the CCl(4)-induced excessive release of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in serum (p<0.05), and hydroxyproline and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents in liver tissue (p<0.05). Further, AI markedly ameliorated the depletion of total antioxidant capacity (TAC), glutathione (GSH), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in liver tissue (p<0.01). Unexpectedly, AC did not exert any effects on the above parameters. Histopathological and immunohistochemical analyses revealed that AI drastically reduced inflammation, necrosis, fatty infiltration, collagen accumulation, and activation of hepatic satellite cells in liver tissue. These changes were not observed with AC treatment. Several critical genes of fibrosis-related cytokines including transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β), platelet-derived growth factor beta (PDGF-β), and alpha smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) were more prominently downregulated by AI compared to AC treatment. CONCLUSION Our results show that AI exerts greater hepatoprotective and anti-fibrotic effects as compared with AC via enhancing antioxidant capacity and downregulating fibrogentic cytokines.

Myelophil, an extract mix of Astragali Radix and Salviae Radix, ameliorates chronic fatigue: A randomised, double-blind, controlled pilot study

OBJECTIVES To investigate the anti-fatigue effects of Myelophil, an extract of a mix of Astragali Radix and Salviae Radix, which has been used to treat patients with chronic fatigue. SUBJECTS AND DESIGN A randomised, double-blind, controlled clinical trial was performed with 36 adults who complained of chronic fatigue. The subjects were divided among a control group and low- and high-dose groups (3 or 6g of oral Myelophil per day, respectively) and were monitored for 4 weeks. Fatigue severity was subjectively characterised, and the expression of 42 cytokines was evaluated using an antibody array. RESULTS Myelophil administration (3g per day) significantly decreased the fatigue severity score compared with the control (p<0.05). No changes were noted in cytokine expression. CONCLUSIONS Myelophil appears to have a pharmacological effect against fatigue, suggesting the clinical relevance of the traditional medicinal plants, Astragalus membranaceus and Salvia miltiorrhiza.

An herbal fruit, Amomum xanthoides, ameliorates thioacetamide-induced hepatic fibrosis in rat via antioxidative system

AIM OF THE STUDY Amomum xanthoides is a well-known traditional herbal medicine mainly for diverse digestive system disorders in Asia for a long time. In the present study, we investigate the effects and action mechanism of methanol fraction of Amomum xanthoides (MFAX) on thioacetamide (TAA)-induced liver fibrosis in rat model. MATERIALS AND METHODS TAA (200mg/kg, ip on twice a week for 14 weeks) treated rats were orally administered with MFAX (25, 50 or 100mg/kg) once a day from the 7th week until 14th week. RESULT Significantly elevated serum bilirubin, liver tissue hydroxyproline and malondialdehyde (MDA) in liver fibrosis were ameliorated by MFAX treatment. Further, MFAX treatment attenuated the reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and restored glutathione (GSH) content and glutathione-peroxidase (GPx) activity. Histopathological data showed that MFAX treatment inhibited collagen accumulation and activation of hepatocyte stellate cells (HSCs) in the liver tissue. Compared to the TAA group, activation of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β), platelet-derived growth factor beta (PDGF-β) mRNAs and the level of pro-fibrotic cytokines PDGF-β and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) in the liver tissue were attenuated in MFAX treated groups. CONCLUSION The above evidences collectively indicate that MFAX is a potential herb which can be used as an anti-hepatofibrotic remedy.

Induction of murine interleukin-1 beta expression by water-soluble components from Hericium erinaceum

AbstractAim:To investigate the inductive effect of water extract from Hericium erinaceum (WEHE) on interleukin-1 β (IL-1β) expression.Methods:A murine macrophage cell-line, RAW 264.7 was stimulated with 1 to 10 mg/L WEHE and inductions of IL-1β protein and its steady state mRNA were examined using a bioassay, Western blotting, and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis. The inductive effect of WEHE on IL-1β gene expression was further investigated by a chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) reporter gene assay using a transient transfection with pIL-1(870 bp)-CAT where the expression of the CAT gene was regulated by a IL-1β promoter. An electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) was also performed to examine transcription factors, nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), activator protein 1 (AP-1), nuclear factor interleukin-6 (NF-IL6), and cAMP response element (CRE)/activating transcription factor (ATF).Results:WEHE induced IL-1β production in both its mRNA and protein expression in a dose-dependent manner. The inductive effect of WEHE on IL-1β gene expression was due to the augmentation of the IL-1β transcription. Furthermore, EMSA showed that WEHE markedly increased the binding activities of NF-κB, and to a lesser extent, those of AP-1 and NF-IL6 to their cognate DNA recognition sites, whereas CRE/ATF binding remained constant, all of which are known to be involved in the regulation of IL-1β gene expression.Conclusion:WEHE induces IL-1β expression in macrophages at a transcriptional level by enhancing the activation of transcription factors, NF-κB, NF-IL6, and AP-1.

Panax ginseng modulates cytokines in bone marrow toxicity and myelopoiesis: ginsenoside Rg1 partially supports myelopoiesis.

In this study, we have demonstrated that Korean Panax ginseng (KG) significantly enhances myelopoiesis in vitro and reconstitutes bone marrow after 5-flurouracil-induced (5FU) myelosuppression in mice. KG promoted total white blood cell, lymphocyte, neutrophil and platelet counts and improved body weight, spleen weight, and thymus weight. The number of CFU-GM in bone marrow cells of mice and serum levels of IL-3 and GM-CSF were significantly improved after KG treatment. KG induced significant c-Kit, SCF and IL-1 mRNA expression in spleen. Moreover, treatment with KG led to marked improvements in 5FU-induced histopathological changes in bone marrow and spleen, and partial suppression of thymus damage. The levels of IL-3 and GM-CSF in cultured bone marrow cells after 24 h stimulation with KG were considerably increased. The mechanism underlying promotion of myelopoiesis by KG was assessed by monitoring gene expression at two time-points of 4 and 8 h. Treatment with Rg1 (0.5, 1 and 1.5 µmol) specifically enhanced c-Kit, IL-6 and TNF-α mRNA expression in cultured bone marrow cells. Our results collectively suggest that the anti-myelotoxicity activity and promotion of myelopoiesis by KG are mediated through cytokines. Moreover, the ginsenoside, Rg1, supports the role of KG in myelopoiesis to some extent.

Effects of Korean ginseng root extract on cisplatin-induced emesis in a rat-pica model.

In the present study, we investigate the effect of Korean ginseng root extract (KG) on cisplatin-induced pica in a rat model. Rats were treated with KG before (25, 50, and 100 mg/kg) or after (12.5, 25, and 50 mg/kg) a single intraperitoneal injection of cisplatin (7 and 6 mg/kg, respectively). We examined intake of kaolin and normal food as an indicator of the emetic stimulus every 24 h for 120 h. Changes in body weight, haematology and histopathology were additionally assessed. Pre-treatment with KG (25 and 50 mg/kg) significantly attenuated cisplatin-induced kaolin intake (24, 48, and 72 h) and markedly improved intake of normal food by rats at 48, 72, 96, and 120 h. Cisplatin-induced kaolin intake was markedly decreased upon post-treatment of rats with KG (12.5, 25, and 50 mg/kg) at 24 h. Notably, post-treatment with the lowest KG dose resulted in a significant anti-pica effect and improved food intake until 72 h. The magnitude of body weight reduction was significantly diminished in rats pre-treated/post-treated with 25, 50, and 12.5 mg/kg KG. The anti-pica effects of KG were further confirmed with haematological and histopathological findings. Our findings collectively indicate that KG improves the resistance of rats against emesis.

A traditional formula, Chunggan extract, attenuates thioacetamide-induced hepatofibrosis via GSH system in rats

Chunggan extract (CGX) is a hepatotherapeutic herbal formula which has been traditionally used for patients suffering from various hepatic disorders. This study aimed to elucidate antifibrotic effect and mechanisms of CGX in thioacetamide (TAA) model. Hepatic fibrosis was induced in 45 Sprague-Dawley rats by TAA (200 mg kg–1, intraperitoneally [ip]) on twice per week for 12 weeks. CGX (100 or 200 mg kg–1, per oral [po]) was administrated once a day throughout the experiment. CGX treatment ameliorated serum biomarkers. CGX administration significantly attenuated distortion of histopathologic finding, and accumulation of hydroxyproline and malondialdehyde (MDA). CGX treatment significantly decreased transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) concentrations and inactivated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). CGX treatment drastically restored glutathione (GSH) system, while inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) significantly down-regulated in liver tissue. CGX showed antifibrotic effect in thioacetamide-induced chronic liver injury model. Its corresponding mechanisms may be mediated via anti-oxidative stress property sustaining GSH system and inhibition of ROS production.