Immunomodulatory Effects of the Stout Camphor Medicinal Mushroom, Taiwanofungus camphoratus (Agaricomycetes)-Based Health Food Product in Mice.

Taiwanofungus camphoratus is a unique medicinal mushroom endemic to Taiwan, and it is used as a folk medicine in East Asian countries. The aim of the present study was to investigate the immunomodulatory effects of "leader Antrodia cinnamomea capsule" (LAC), a health food product containing solid-state cultivated mycelial powder of T. camphoratus.

Effects of on non-specific and specific immune activities in mice.

is a precious medicinal fungus endemic to Taiwan and has been used as traditional medicine for a long time. Many pharmacological studies have revealed that possessed various biological activities, such as immunomodulatory effects, anticancer activity and liver protective function. The aim of this study is to investigate the non-specific and antigen (ovalbumin [OVA])-specific immunomodulation effects of solid-state cultivated powder of (Leader [LAC]) in BABL/c male mice.

Taiwanin A inhibits MCF-7 cancer cell activity through induction of oxidative stress, upregulation of DNA damage checkpoint kinases, and activation of p53 and FasL/Fas signaling pathways.

This study investigates the anti-MCF-7 breast cancer cell effects and the underlying pharmacological activity and mechanism of taiwanin A, a major lignan isolated from Taiwania cryptomerioides. Our results show that taiwanin A time-dependently induced reactive oxygen species level and DNA damage in MCF-7 cells, which were likely activated kinases ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) and checkpoint kinase (Chk). Taiwanin A could also up-regulate p53, phosphorylated p53, p21(Cip1), and p27(Kip1) and down-regulate the G(2)/M checkpoint cyclin-dependent kinase1 (Cdk1)-cyclin A/B, leading to induction of G(2)/M cell-cycle arrest in MCF-7 cells.

Deoxyelephantopin, a novel multifunctional agent, suppresses mammary tumour growth and lung metastasis and doubles survival time in mice.

Background And Purpose: Elephantopus scaber L. (Asteraceae) is a traditional herbal medicine with anti-cancer effects. We evaluated the in vitro and in vivo efficacy of a major sesquiterpene lactone constituent of E.

Comparative metabolomics approach coupled with cell- and gene-based assays for species classification and anti-inflammatory bioactivity validation of Echinacea plants.

Echinacea preparations were the top-selling herbal supplements or medicines in the past decade; however, there is still frequent misidentification or substitution of the Echinacea plant species in the commercial Echinacea products with not well chemically defined compositions in a specific preparation. In this report, a comparative metabolomics study, integrating supercritical fluid extraction, gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and data mining, demonstrates that the three most used medicinal Echinacea species, Echinacea purpurea, E. pallida, and E.

Hepatoprotective phytocompounds from Cryptomeria japonica are potent modulators of inflammatory mediators.

Cryptomeria japonica is an important plantation conifer tree in Asia. This study aimed to characterize the anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective activities of the phytocompounds from C. japonica wood on LPS- or TPA-induced activation of proinflammatory mediators and CCl(4)-induced acute liver injury in mice.

A novel polyacetylene significantly inhibits angiogenesis and promotes apoptosis in human endothelial cells through activation of the CDK inhibitors and caspase-7.

A novel bioactive polyacetylene compound, 1,2-dihydroxy-5(E)-tridecene-7,9,11-triyne (compound 1), was identified from the Bidens pilosa extract using an ex vivo primary human umbilical vein endothelium cell (HUVEC) bioassay-guided fractionation protocol. Our results demonstrate that compound 1 (at 2.5 microg/mL) possessed significant anti-angiogenic effects, as manifested by an inhibition of HUVEC proliferation, migration, and the formation of tube-like structures in collagen gel.

Ethyl caffeate suppresses NF-kappaB activation and its downstream inflammatory mediators, iNOS, COX-2, and PGE2 in vitro or in mouse skin.

Ethyl caffeate, a natural phenolic compound, was isolated from Bidens pilosa, a medicinal plant popularly used for treating certain inflammatory syndromes. The purpose of this study was to investigate the structural activity, and the anti-inflammatory functions and mechanism(s) of ethyl caffeate. Ethyl caffeate was found to markedly suppress the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO) production (IC(50) = 5.

Induction of apoptosis in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells by phytochemicals from Anoectochilus formosanus.

The antitumor activity of Anoectochilus formosanus Hayata (Orchidaceae), a popularly used folk medicine in the treatment of cancers in Asia, was investigated in MCF-7 human mammary carcinoma cells. Plant extracts of A. formosanus were observed to induce apoptosis of MCF-7 cells as evidenced by cell-morphological changes, an early redistribution of plasma membrane phosphatidylserine, and DNA content distribution studies.

Antioxidant properties and phytochemical characteristics of extracts from Lactuca indica.

Lactuca indica (Compositae) is an edible wild vegetable, used as a folk medicine in anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and other medications in Asia. This is the first scientific evaluation of the chemopreventive therapeutic properties of L. indica using five antioxidation assay systems.