Cordyceps militaris alleviates non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in ob/ob mice.

Background/objectives: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is becoming an important public health problem as metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes have become epidemic. In this study we investigated the protective effect of Cordyceps militaris (C. militaris) against NAFLD in an obese mouse model.

Anti-inflammatory effects of 5-hydroxy-3,6,7,8,3',4'-hexamethoxyflavone via NF-κB inactivation in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophage.

The anti-inflammatory mechanism of 5-hydroxy-3,6,7,8,3',4'-hexamethoxyflavone (5HHMF), a polyhydroxyflavone isolated from the marine algae Hizikia fusiforme, was investigated in RAW 264.7 murine macrophage cells. Western blot and reverse transcriptase PCR analyses indicated that adding 5HHMF to cultured cells significantly reduced the production of nitric oxide and prostaglandin E2 and downregulated inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.

Cordycepin-enriched Cordyceps militaris induces immunomodulation and tumor growth delay in mouse-derived breast cancer.

Cordyceps militaris (C. militaris) and its main functional component, cordycepin, has been shown to possess a number of pharmacological activities including immunological stimulation and antitumor effects. However, the pharmacological mechanisms of C.

Effect of cordycepin on the expression of the inflammatory cytokines TNF-alpha, IL-6, and IL-17A in C57BL/6 mice.

Culture supernatants of splenocytes from C57BL/6 mice were exposed to 0.3, 1.0, and 3.

Apoptosis induction of human prostate carcinoma cells by cordycepin through reactive oxygen species‑mediated mitochondrial death pathway.

Cordycepin is the main functional component of Cordyceps militaris, which has been widely used in oriental traditional medicine. This compound has been shown to possess many pharmacological properties, such as enhancing the body's immune function, and anti-inflammatory, anti-aging and anticancer effects. In the present study, we investigated the apoptotic effects of cordycepin in human prostate carcinoma cells.

Identification of 5-hydroxy-3,6,7,8,3´,4´-hexamethoxyflavone from Hizikia fusiforme involved in the induction of the apoptosis mediators in human AGS carcinoma cells.

An 80% ethanol extract of Hizikia fusiforme was obtained and followed by successive fractionation using the organic solvents n-hexane, ethyl acetate, and n-butanol to identify the antioxidative substance. The aqueous part of the nbutanol fractionation step, showing high antioxidative activity, was subjected to reverse-phase liquid chromatography. As a result, a substance purified from a BB-2 fraction showed high antioxidative activity.

Effect of cordycepin purified from Cordyceps militaris on Th1 and Th2 cytokines in mouse splenocytes.

Cordycepin was purified from a mushroom, Cordyceps militaris, and its effect on Th1 and Th2 cytokines was examined. The level of cytokine induction in mouse splenocytes was estimated after co-inoculation of purified cordycepin and LPS. When 5 microg/ml of purified cordycepin was exposed to mouse splenocytes for 72 h, the level of a Th1 cytokine IL-12 increased by 2.

Biochemical characterization of the exopolysaccharide purified from Laetiporus sulphureus mycelia.

The extracellular polysaccharide (EPS) was isolated from mycelial cultures of Laetiporus sulphureus var. miniatus and purified by DEAE cellulose and Sephadex G-50 column chromatography. The purified EPS (EPS-2-1) was composed of only glucose units and its molecular mass was 6.

Detection of a unique fibrinolytic enzyme in Aeromonas sp. JH1.

A fibrinolytic enzyme was found in a Gram-negative bacterium, Aeromonas sp. JH1. SDS-PAGE and fibrinzymography showed that it was a 36 kDa, monomeric protein.

Biochemical analysis of a fibrinolytic enzyme purified from Bacillus subtilis strain A1.

A fibrinolytic enzyme from Bacillus subtilis strain Al was purified by chromatographic methods, including DEAE Sephadex A-50 column chromatography and Sephadex G-50 column gel filtration. The purified enzyme consisted of a monomeric subunit and was estimated to be approximately 28 kDa in size by SDS-PAGE. The specific activity of the fibrinolytic enzyme was 1632-fold higher than that of the crude enzyme extract.

Initial acidic pH is critical for mycelial cultures and functional exopolysaccharide production of an edible mushroom, Laetiporus sulphureus var. miniatus JM 27.

We conducted a time course experiment on mycelial cultures of Laetiporus sulphureus var. miniatus. The strain showed significant survival in an initial pH range of 2.

Purification and biochemical characterization of a 17 kDa fibrinolytic enzyme from Schizophyllum commune.

A fibrinolytic enzyme of the mushroom, Schizophyllum commune was purified with chromatographic methods, including a DEAE-Sephadex A-50 ion-exchange column and gel filtrations with Sephadex G-75 and Sephadex G-50 columns. The analysis of fibrin-zymography and SDS-PAGE showed that the enzyme was a monomeric subunit that was estimated to be approximately 17 kDa in size. The fibrinolytic activity of the enzyme in plasminogen-rich and plasminogen-free fibrin plates was 1.

Purification and structure determination of gelatinase and collagenase inhibitors from Viola patrinii fermentation extracts.

Investigation of collagenase and gelatinase inhibitory natural components afforded two isoflavonoids. Two isoflavonoids, tectorigenin-7-O-β-D-glucoside (1) and luteolin-7-O-β-D-glucuronopyranoside (2), were isolated from ethyl acetate fraction of Viola patrinii fermentation extracts (VPFE). Of these, compounds 1 and 2 exhibited collagenase inhibitory activity (IC(50)) at a concentration of less than 1.

Dichloromethane fraction of Cimicifuga heracleifolia decreases the level of melanin synthesis by activating the ERK or AKT signaling pathway in B16F10 cells.

Cimicifuga rhizoma has long been used in traditional Korean medicine. In particular, a Cimicifuga heracleifolia extract (CHE) was reported to inhibit the formation of glutamate and the glutamate dehydrogenase activity in cultured rat islet. Glutamate activates melanogenesis by activating tyrosinase.

Novel lbeta-methylcarbapenems having cyclic sulfonamide moieties: synthesis and evaluation of in vitro antibacterial activity.

The synthesis of a new series of 1beta-methylcarbapenems having cyclic sulfonamide moieties is described. Their in vitro antibacterial activities against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria were tested and the effect of substituent on the pyrrolidine ring was investigated. A particular compound (IIIi) having 2-methyl-[1,2,6]thiadiazinan-1,1-dioxide moiety showed the most potent antibacterial activity.

Cudratricusxanthone A isolated from the root bark of Cudrania tricuspidata inhibits the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells through the suppression of PDGF-receptor beta tyrosine kinase.

Platelet derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB is one of the most potent vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferative factors, and abnormal VSMC proliferation by PDGF-BB plays an important role in the development and progression of cardiovascular problems, including restenosis after coronary angioplasty and atherosclerosis. Previous phytochemical studies on the stems or root barks of Cudrania tricuspidata (Moraceae) resulted in the isolation of various isoprenylated xanthones and flavonoids, some of which have anti-cancer, hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant activities. In the present study, we investigated the antiproliferative effect of cudratricusxanthone A isolated from the root bark of C.

Endogenously produced ganglioside GM3 endows etoposide and doxorubicin resistance by up-regulating Bcl-2 expression in 3LL Lewis lung carcinoma cells.

The ganglioside patterns have been shown to dramatically change during cell proliferation and differentiation and in certain cell-cycle phases, brain development, and cancer malignancy. To investigate the significance of the ganglioside GM3 in cancer malignancy, we established GM3-reconstituted cells by transfecting the cDNA of GM3 synthase into a GM3-deficient subclone of the 3LL Lewis lung carcinoma cell line (Uemura, S. (2003) Glycobiology, 13, 207-216).

TNFalpha-induced insulin resistance in adipocytes as a membrane microdomain disorder: involvement of ganglioside GM3.

Membrane microdomains (lipid rafts) are now recognized as critical for proper compartmentalization of insulin signaling, but their role in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance has not been investigated. Detergent-resistant membrane microdomains (DRMs), isolated in the low-density fractions, are highly enriched in cholesterol, glycosphingolipids and various signaling molecules. Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) induces insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes, but its mechanism of action is not fully understood.

Synthesis of 2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)benzofurans and their application to beta-amyloid aggregation inhibitor.

The facile synthesis of a series of 2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)benzofurans (4a-e) is described. The one-pot reaction of 4-substituted phenols with the chloride 1 in the presence of zinc chloride afforded 3-methylthio-2-(4-acetoxyphenyl)benzofurans (2a-e). The compounds 4a-e were obtained from the hydrolysis of 2a-e followed by the desulfurization of the resulting 3-methylthio-2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)benzofurans (3a-e).

Synthesis of 5-chloro-3-[4-(3-diethylaminopropoxy)benzoyl]-2-(4-methoxyphenyl)benzofuran as a beta-amyloid aggregation inhibitor.

An efficient synthesis of 5-chloro-3-[4-(3-diethylaminopropoxy)benzoyl]-2-(4-methoxyphenyl)benzofuran (8), a potent beta-amyloid aggregation inhibitor, is described. 5-Chloro-2-(4-methoxyphenyl)benzofuran (3) was obtained by the one-pot synthesis of 4-chlorophenol with omega-(methylsulfinyl)-p-methoxyacetophenone (1) under Pummerer reaction conditions, and it was followed by the desulfurization of the resultant 5-chloro-3-methylthio-2-(4-methoxyphenyl)benzofuran (2e). Acylation of benzofuran 3 with 4-(3-bromopropoxy)benzoyl chloride (6) gave the ketone 7, which was converted into compound 8 by the treatment of diethylamine.

Synthesis and anti-HIV activity of sulfonated amino ribofuranans.

New sulfonated amino ribofuranans were synthesized to elucidate the relationship between structure and specific biological activities such as anti-HIV and blood anticoagulant activities. The synthesis was performed by sulfonation of copolymers having various proportion of (1 --> 5)-alpha-D-ribofuranosidic unit. The sulfonation with piperidine N-sulfonic acid produced the sulfonated amino ribofuranans in high yield.