Protective Effect of Hawthorn Fruit Extract against High Fructose-Induced Oxidative Stress and Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress in Pancreatic β-Cells.

Hyperglycemia has deleterious effects on pancreatic β-cells, causing dysfunction and insulin resistance that lead to diabetes mellitus (DM). The possible causes of injury can be caused by glucose- or fructose-induced oxidative and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Hawthorn () fruit has been widely used as a hypolipidemic agent in traditional herbal medicine.

Gastroprotective Effect of on Aspirin-Induced Gastric Ulcer in Mice.

Gastric ulcers are commonly seen in the upper gastrointestinal tract and may be related to the infection and the use of aspirin, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). Typically, proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) are used to treat gastric ulcers; however, adverse effects have emerged following long-term treatment. Natural medicines are used as alternative therapeutic agents in the treatment of gastric ulcers, with few side effects.

Innovative Purification Method of Ovatodiolide from to Induce Apoptosis in Human Gastric Cancer Cells.

Ovatodiolide (Ova), found in the plant (AI), has been reported to have an anti-proliferation effect in various cancer cells. However, little information is available regarding the anti-cancer effect of Ova in human gastric cancer cells. In this study, we investigated the inhibitory effects and the mechanisms of action responsible for these effects on human AGS cell lines from a newly developed purification technique for Ova from AI extract.

Antibacterial activity of ovatodiolide isolated from Anisomeles indica against Helicobacter pylori.

Helicobacter pylori infection is associated with high incidence of gastric diseases. The extensive therapy of H. pylori infection with antibiotics has increased its resistance rates worldwide.

Modulation of T cell response by Phellinus linteus.

Phellinus linteus, a species of mushroom, has been shown to contribute to health benefits, such as anti-inflammatory activity and immunomodulatory efficacy. The aim of this study was to analyze the most effective constituents of P. linteus fermented broths, polysaccharides, and to evaluate their immunoregulatory effects on T cells.

Antimicrobial activity of Antrodia camphorata extracts against oral bacteria.

Antrodia camphorata (A. camphorata) is a unique, endemic and extremely rare mushroom species native to Taiwan, and both crude extracts of and purified chemical compounds from A. camphorata have been reported to have a variety of significant beneficial effects, such as anti-tumor and anti-inflammatory activity.

Biological evaluation of Phellinus linteus-fermented broths as anti-inflammatory agents.

Phellinus linteus and its constituent hispolon induce potent anti-inflammatory activity in macrophages. Efficient production of the effective constituent and the biological function of P. linteus in the regulation of innate sensing have rarely been investigated.

Bioevaluation of Anisomeles indica extracts and their inhibitory effects on Helicobacter pylori-mediated inflammation.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Helicobacter pylori is associated with the majority of gastric disorders and the antibiotic resistant rates have increased annually worldwide. Anisomeles indica and its constituent, ovatodiolide (OVT), were shown to have bactericide activity against Helicobacter pylori. The aim of this study was to manufacture extracts containing the effective constituent, OVT, and evaluate their bactericidal function and the inhibition of inflammatory responses to Helicobacter pylori infection.

Differential responses in gills of euryhaline tilapia, Oreochromis mossambicus, to various hyperosmotic shocks.

Euryhaline tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) survived in brackish water (BW; 20 per thousand) but died in seawater (SW; 35 per thousand) within 6 h when transferred directly from fresh water (FW). The purpose of this study was to clarify responses in gills of FW tilapia to various hyperosmotic shocks induced by BW or SW. In FW-acclimated tilapia, scanning electron micrographs of gills revealed three subtypes of MR cell apical surfaces: wavy-convex (subtype I), shallow-basin (subtype II), and deep-hole (subtype III).

Time-course changes in the expression of Na, K-ATPase and the morphometry of mitochondrion-rich cells in gills of euryhaline tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) during freshwater acclimation.

Changes in expression of Na, K-ATPase (NKA) and morphometry of mitochondrion-rich (MR) cells in gills of tilapia were investigated on a 96-hr time course following transfer from seawater (SW) to fresh water (FW). A transient decline in plasma osmolality and Na+, Cl- concentrations occurred from 3 hrs onward. Gills responded to FW transfer by decreasing NKA activity as early as 3 hrs from transfer.

Ambient salinity modulates the expression of sodium pumps in branchial mitochondria-rich cells of Mozambique tilapia, Oreochromis mossambicus.

Na,K-ATPase (sodium pumps) provide the primitive driving force for ion transport in branchial epithelial cells. Immunoblots of epithelial homogenates of both seawater (SW)- and freshwater (FW)-adapted tilapia gills as well as rat brain homogenate, a positive control, revealed one major band with a molecular weight of about 100 kDa. SW-adapted tilapia gills possessed larger (about 2-fold) amounts of sodium pumps compared with FW-adapted tilapia gills.