Seok Hyun Eom

Anti-inflammatory activity of cinnamon water extract in vivo and in vitro LPS-induced models

BackgroundCinnamon bark is one of the most popular herbal ingredients in traditional oriental medicine and possesses diverse pharmacological activities including anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-cancer properties. The goal of this study is to investigate the in vivo and in vitro inhibitory effect of cinnamon water extract (CWE) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and its underlying intracellular mechanisms.MethodsCWE was orally administrated to mice for 6 days prior to intraperitoneal injection of LPS. Serum levels of TNF-α and interleukin (IL)-6 were determined 1 hour after LPS stimulation. Peritoneal macrophages from thioglycollate-injected mice were isolated and assayed for viability, cytokine expression and signaling molecules upon LPS stimulation. CWE was further fractioned according to molecular size, and the levels of total polyphenols and biological activities of each fraction were measured.ResultsThe oral administration of CWE to mice significantly decreased the serum levels of TNF-α and IL-6. CWE treatment in vitro decreased the mRNA expression of TNF-α. CWE blocked the LPS-induced degradation of IκBα as well as the activation of JNK, p38 and ERK1/2. Furthermore, size-based fractionation of CWE showed that the observed inhibitory effect of CWE in vitro occurred in the fraction containing the highest level of total polyphenols.ConclusionsTreatment with CWE decreased LPS-induced TNF-α in serum. In vitro inhibition of TNF-α gene by CWE may occur via the modulation of IκBα degradation and JNK, p38, and ERK1/2 activation. Our results also indicate that the observed anti-inflammatory action of CWE may originate from the presence of polyphenols.

Flavonoid analysis of buckwheat sprouts.

It is known that common buckwheat sprouts contain several flavonoids, including orientin, isoorientin, vitexin, isovitexin, rutin, and quercetrin, whereas tartary buckwheat sprouts contain only rutin. In this study, we evaluated flavonoids present in buckwheat sprouts and identified a previously unreported flavonoid. Simultaneous detection by HPLC was used to separate rutin and a compound that was not separated in previous studies. We used a novel HPLC elution gradient method to successfully separate rutin and the previously unidentified compound, for which we performed structural analysis. The identification of six flavonoids by HPLC was confirmed using HPLC-ESI-MS/MS analysis. The newly identified compound, [M+H](+) =611.17, was identified by NMR as the rutin epimer quercetin-3-O-robinobioside. Unlike common buckwheat sprout, tartary buckwheat sprout contained rutin as a main flavonoid, whereas other flavonoids appeared only in trace amounts or were not detected. Quercetin-3-O-robinobioside was not detected in tartary buckwheat sprout.

Differential growth response to salt stress among selected ornamentals

ABSTRACT Evaluation of salt tolerance in herbaceous perennials was performed with mature potted plants under greenhouse conditions. Six herbaceous perennial species were evaluated for their tolerance to aqueous solutions of various sodium chloride (NaCl) concentrations over a 21 day period by measuring growth, water transpiration, and leaf nutrient content. Potential exists for utilization of these species in somewhat challenging saline environments along roadsides and in urban landscapes. Species evaluated in a mature growth stage included Achemilla mollis, Nepeta x faassenii, Sedum acre, Thymus praecox, Phlox subulata and Solidago cutleri. On the basis of relative growth rate and water transpiration responses to NaCl (0–400 mM) treatments, groundcovers were grouped into three tolerance categories: highly sensitive to salt treatment (S. acre), those with intermediate sensitivity (A. mollis, N. x faassenii, T. praecox, and P. subulata), and those exhibiting tolerance (S. cutleri). Sodium content in leaf foliage of S. cutleri was about ten-fold lower than other groundcover species in the 200 mM NaCl treatment, consistent with greater tolerance to NaCl treatments in terms of transpiration, biomass accumulation, and retention of green foliage. Comparison of foliar nutrient levels among groundcover species and treatments suggested strong differential response to NaCl treatment, indicating that changes in nutrient levels over time may be a reasonable way to predict NaCl tolerance in groundcovers.

Physiological components of kiwifruits with in vitro antioxidant and acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activities

Five domestic kiwifruit varieties, Bidan (BD), Chiak (CA), Haegeum (HG), Haehyang (HH), and Mansoo (MS), in Korea and two imported varieties, Hayward (HW) and Hort16A (HT), from New Zealand were evaluated main active component groups in the fruit extracts involved in antioxidant and anti-dementia activities. HW, HT, and HH exhibited higher soluble solid content. BD, HG, and HH contained high total phenolics (TP), whereas two imported kiwifruits and green kiwifruits (MS and CA) had low TP content. BD showed the highest antioxidant and antidementia activities among kiwifruits studied. Vitamin C (Vc) in kiwifruit extracts had the highest correlation with antioxidant activities. TP in kiwifruits had the highest correlation with acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity. Butyrylcholinesterase activity was not significantly correlated with TP or Vc content, but the butyrylcholinesterase activity was significantly correlated with total flavonoids. The results above suggest that domestic varieties have a potential source of Vc and phenolic bioactivities.

Overexpression of PtrMYB119, a R2R3-MYB transcription factor from Populus trichocarpa, promotes anthocyanin production in hybrid poplar

Anthocyanins are a group of colorful and bioactive natural pigments with important physiological and ecological functions in plants. We found an MYB transcription factor (PtrMYB119) from Populus trichocarpa that positively regulates anthocyanin production when expressed under the control of the CaMV 35S promoter in transgenic Arabidopsis Amino acid sequence analysis revealed that PtrMYB119 is highly homologous to Arabidopsis PAP1 (PRODUCTION OF ANTHOCYANIN PIGMENT1), a well-known transcriptional activator of anthocyanin biosynthesis. Independently produced transgenic poplars overexpressing PtrMYB119 or PtrMYB120 (a paralogous gene to PtrMYB119) (i.e., 35S::PtrMYB119 and 35S::PtrMYB120, respectively) showed elevated accumulation of anthocyanins in the whole plants, including leaf, stem and even root tissues. Using a reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography, we confirmed that the majority of the accumulated anthocyanin in our transgenic poplar is cyanidin-3-O-glucoside. Gene expression analyses revealed that most of the genes involved in the anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway were highly upregulated in 35S::PtrMYB119 poplars compared with the nontransformed control poplar. Among these genes, expression of PtrCHS1 (Chalcone Synthase1) and PtrANS2 (Anthocyanin Synthase2), which catalyze the initial and last steps of anthocyanin biosynthesis, respectively, was upregulated by up to 350-fold. Subsequent transient activation assays confirmed that PtrMYB119 activated the transcription of both PtrCHS1 and PtrANS2 Interestingly, expression of MYB182, a repressor of both anthocyanin and proanthocyanidin (PA) biosynthesis, was largely suppressed in 35S::PtrMYB119 poplars, while expression of MYB134, an activator of PA biosynthesis, was not changed significantly. More interestingly, high-level accumulation of anthocyanins in 35S::PtrMYB119 poplars did not have an adverse effect on plant growth. Taken together, our results demonstrate that PtrMYB119 and PtrMYB120 function as transcriptional activators of anthocyanin accumulation in both Arabidopsis and poplar.

Protective effect of the methanol extract from Cryptotaenia japonica Hassk. against lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation in vitro and in vivo

BackgroundIn folk medicine, the aerial part of Crytotaenia japonica Hassk. (CJ), is applied for treatment of the common cold, cough, urinary problems, pneumonia, and skin rashes. In this paper, the in vitro and in vivo anti-inflammatory activity of CJ methanol extract was tested using lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory models.MethodsWe measured nitric oxide (NO), inducible NO synthase (iNOS), and inflammatory cytokine levels from LPS-stimulated mouse peritoneal macrophages. Also, several cellular signaling molecules which regulate the expressions of these inflammatory markers were examined. Finally, we tested whether oral administration of CJ methanol extract might affect the serum cytokine levels in LPS-injected mice.ResultsCJ methanol extract reduced NO release via iNOS protein inhibition. The extract was also shown to decrease the secretions of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-12. Analysis of signaling molecules showed that CJ inhibited the phosphorylation of STAT1, p38, JNK and ERK1/2 as well as IκBα degradation. Finally, CJ decreased the serum levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in LPS-injected mice.ConclusionsOur results demonstrated the anti-inflammatory activity of CJ methanol extract and its possible underlying mechanisms that involve modulation of IκBα, MAPK, and STAT1 activities.

Comparison of Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Flavonoid-Rich Common and Tartary Buckwheat Sprout Extracts in Lipopolysaccharide-Stimulated RAW 264.7 and Peritoneal Macrophages

Buckwheat sprouts have been widely consumed all around world due to their great abundance of bioactive compounds. In this study, the anti-inflammatory effects of flavonoid-rich common buckwheat sprout (CBS) and tartary buckwheat sprout (TBS) extracts were evaluated in lipopolysaccharide- (LPS-) stimulated RAW 264.7 murine macrophages and primary peritoneal macrophages from male BALB/c mice. Based on the reversed-phase HPLC analysis, the major flavonoids in CBS were determined to be C-glycosylflavones (orientin, isoorientin, vitexin, and isovitexin), quercetin-3-O-robinobioside, and rutin, whereas TBS contained only high amounts of rutin. The TBS extract exhibited higher inhibitory activity as assessed by the production of proinflammatory mediators such as nitric oxide and cytokines including tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin- (IL-) 6, and IL-12 in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages than CBS extract. In addition, TBS extract suppressed nuclear factor-kappa B activation by preventing inhibitor kappa B-alpha degradation and mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphorylation in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. Moreover, the TBS extract markedly reduced LPS-induced cytokine production in peritoneal macrophages. Taken together, these findings suggest that TBS extract can be a potential source of anti-inflammatory agents that may influence macrophage-mediated inflammatory disorders.

EFFECTS OF SOIL SALINITY IN THE GROWTH OF AMBROSIA ARTEMISIIFOLIA BIOTYPES COLLECTED FROM ROADSIDE AND AGRICULTURAL FIELD

Morphological differences were observed between roadside (R) and agricultural field (F) biotypes of Ambrosia artemisiifolia, in which R-type seedlings were shorter and produced larger and heavier seeds under greenhouse grown conditions. Previous findings indicated that A. artemisiifolia R-types exhibited greater salt tolerance with respect to germination. However, the impact of biotype and salt tolerance on morphological variation has not been investigated in A. artemisiifolia plants. After performing replicated greenhouse experiments with both biotypes, it was shown that salinity level was a critical factor influencing both seedling and mature plant size and this response was dependent upon biotype. The R-type exhibited slight but significant increases in growth at low/mild salinity levels (50–100 mM) compared with non-saline conditions, while the F-type exhibited significantly reduced growth at the low/mild salinity levels. The reductions in growth of F-type plants in low/mild salinity were similar to those reductions of R-types observed in non-saline conditions. As both biotypes produced seeds at low/mild salinity levels, we conclude that low/mild salinity affects A. artemisiifolia plant size and overall growth rate, and secondly, certain F-type plants may acclimate to the roadside environment over time by reducing their size while producing larger seed under saline conditions. It is possible that this species may exhibit changes in morphology after several generations of exposure to saline roadside conditions. Toxicity due to salt treatment at high salinity (400 mM) was observed in both biotypes, whereas the R-type was more tolerant to both low and high salinity levels with respect to seed germination. Differential A. artemisiifolia growth responses which occur from seed germination to plant maturity may be partially attributed to its ability to tolerate saline soil conditions both under greenhouse and field conditions. This ability to tolerate saline conditions may be especially important in early spring when roadside soils experience increased salinity, caused by de-icing salt treatments applied during the winter season.

Linarin down-regulates phagocytosis, pro-inflammatory cytokine production, and activation marker expression in RAW264.7 macrophages

Plant-extracted flavonoid glycosides have been reported to be bioactive compounds with pleiotropic functions, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer effects. This study investigated the anti-inflammatory role of linarin (acacetin-7-rutinoside, which is found in Chrysanthemum indicum (Gam-Guk) and Dendranthema zawadskii (Gu-Jul-Cho)), on lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages. Linarin treatments exhibited no cytotoxicity up to a concentration of 30 μM, as assessed by MTT assay. The production of nitric oxide, an inflammatory mediator, was decreased by addition of linarin. The secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines, interleukin-1β and interleukin-6, was significantly decreased in a dose-dependent manner. Linarin also decreased the phagocytic ability of macrophages following co-culture with fluorescent beads. In addition, expression levels of antigenpresenting surface markers, MHC II and CD80, were suppressed by linarin. Taken together, these results indicate that the flavonoid glycoside linarin has an anti-inflammatory effect, in part through the suppression of phagocytosis, cytokine production, and antigen presentation in macrophages.

Anti-diabetic and hypolipidemic effects of purple-fleshed potato in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of purple-fleshed potatoes on blood glucose level (BGL), insulin and lipid levels in streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats for 7 weeks. Test groups were divided into non-diabetic control and diabetic groups. The diabetic groups were further divided into three groups: diabetes mellitus (DM) control, 10% purple-fleshed potato DM (10PP-DM), and 20% purple-fleshed potato DM (20PPDM) groups. Three weeks after initiating the experimental diet, BGL was significantly lower in the 10PP-DM and 20PP-DM groups compared to the DM control group. As for serum insulin levels, the 20PP-DM group was significantly higher than in the DM control group. While serum cholesterol level was significantly lower in the 20PP-DM group, serum triglyceride level was significantly lower in the 10PP-DM group than in the DM control group. We concluded that a 20PP powder intake improves both diabetes and lipid control in diabetic rats by significantly improving serum insulin level and lowering BGL and serum cholesterol level.