, a Standardized Herbal Formula, Enhances Gastric Emptying via Modulation of the Ghrelin Pathway in a Loperamide-induced Functional Dyspepsia Mouse Model.

Yeokwisan, a standardized herbal formula, has exhibited clinical benefit for patients suffering from refractory functional dyspepsia (FD) in Korea since 2016. However, data about the mechanism of action of this formula are yet not available. To evaluate and explore the effects of Yeokwisan on gastric emptying, a major symptom of functional dyspepsia, and its underlying mechanisms of action using a mouse model.

Genotoxicity of Water Extract from Bark-Removed Stokes.

(RVS) has been traditionally used as an herbal remedy to support the digestive functions in traditional Korean medicine. Additionally, the pharmacological effects of RVS, including antioxidative, antimicrobial and anticancer activities, have been well-reported. The genotoxicity of RVS, however, is elusive; thus, we evaluated the genotoxicity of RVS without bark (RVX) for safe application as a resource of functional food or a medical drug.

A standardized herbal combination of Astragalus membranaceus and Paeonia japonica, protects against muscle atrophy in a C26 colon cancer cachexia mouse model.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) and Bunge and Paeonia japonica (Makino)Miyabe & H.Takeda have been traditionally used to improve the poor quality of life such as weakness, lack of appetite, fatigue, and malaise which is considered with cachexia condition.

Aquilariae Lignum Methylene Chloride Fraction Attenuates IL-1β-Driven Neuroinflammation in BV2 Microglial Cells.

Microglial hyperactivation and neuroinflammation are known to induce neuronal death, which is one of the main causes of neurodegenerative disorders. We previously found that Aquilariae Lignum extract attenuated both neuronal excitotoxicity and neuroinflammation in vivo and in vitro. For further analysis, we extracted the methylene chloride fraction of Aquilariae Lignum to determine the bioactive compounds.

Synergistic hepatoprotective effects of CG on CCl-induced acute injury.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Traditional Chinese/Korean medicine suggests "blood stasis ()", "stagnation of vital energy ()" and "dampness and Phlegm ()" as the main etiologies of liver disorders, and multiherbal formulas are generally believed to exert synergistic action.

Aim Of The Study: The present study aimed to investigate the synergistic hepatoprotective effects of CG (a mixture of Salviae miltiorrhiza, Artemisia iwayomogi and Ammomum xanthioides) compared to those of the individual herbs.

Methods And Materials: A total of fifty-six male Balb/C mice were randomly divided into eight groups and were administered water (normal and CCl groups), 100 mg/kg S.

Banha-sasim-tang improves gastrointestinal function in loperamide-induced functional dyspepsia mouse model.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Banha-sasim-tang (BST; Hange-shashin-to in Kampo medicine; Banxia xiexin tang in traditional Chinese medicine) is a traditional Chinese harbal medicine that has been commonly used for gastrointestinal disorders.

Aim Of The Study: To investigate the pharmacological effects of BST, a standardized herbal drug, on main symptoms of functional dyspepsia including delayed gastric emptying, and underlying mechanisms of action in mouse model.

Methods And Materials: Balb/C mice were pretreated with BST (25, 50, 100 mg/kg, po) or mosapride (3 mg/kg, po) for 3 days, and then treated with loperamide (10 mg/kg, ip) after 19 h fasting.

Standardization of the Manufacturing Process of Bee Venom Pharmacopuncture Containing Melittin as the Active Ingredient.

Background: Pharmacopuncture is a unique treatment in oriental medicine that combines chemical stimulation with conventional acupuncture. However, there are no standardized methods for preparing the herbal medicines used in pharmacopuncture, and it is not clear whether the active ingredients are safe and stable. Several studies have investigated nonstandardized preparation processes, but few investigations have addressed safety and preparation methods.

Safety of essential bee venom pharmacopuncture as assessed in a randomized controlled double-blind trial.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: While bee venom (BV) pharmacopuncture use is common in Asia, frequent occurrence of allergic reactions during the treatment process is burdensome for both practitioner and patient.

Aim Of The Study: This study compared efficacy and safety in isolated and purified essential BV (eBV) pharmacopuncture filtered for phospholipase A2 (PLA2) and histamine sections, and original BV to the aim of promoting safe BV pharmacopuncture use.

Materials And Methods: In in vitro, we examined the effect of BV and eBV on nitric oxide (NO) production induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in RAW 264.

Usage report of pharmacopuncture in musculoskeletal patients visiting Korean medicine hospitals and clinics in Korea.

Background: Pharmacopuncture is a relatively new acupuncture therapy combining acupuncture with herbal medicine. While pharmacopuncture is applied extensively in Korean medicine treatment, there are no clinical reports regarding what types of pharmacopuncture are used for which diseases.

Methods: Data was extracted retrospectively from the electronic medical records of all inpatients and outpatients at 12 Korean medicine hospitals and clinics during the period of December 17, 2010 to October 2, 2014.

Safety of Acupuncture and Pharmacopuncture in 80,523 Musculoskeletal Disorder Patients: A Retrospective Review of Internal Safety Inspection and Electronic Medical Records.

We investigated the range and frequency of significant adverse events (AEs) in use of pharmacopuncture and acupuncture using large-scale, single-center safety data as evidence supporting safety of acupuncture with pharmacopuncture, used extensively in Asia, is scarce. Status reports (nurse records in ambulatory and inpatient care units, and administrative event records) as a part of an internal audit at a Korean Medicine hospital specializing in the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders, patient complaints filed through the hospital website, and medical records of patients visiting from December, 2010 (inception of internal audit) to October, 2014 were retrospectively reviewed. A total 80,523 patients (5966 inpatients and 74,557 outpatients) visited during this period.

Discrimination between genetically identical peony roots from different regions of origin based on 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy-based metabolomics: determination of the geographical origins and estimation of the mixing proportions of blended samples.

Sixty peony root training samples of the same age were collected from various regions in Korea and China, and their genetic diversity was investigated for 23 chloroplast intergenic space regions. All samples were genetically indistinguishable, indicating that the DNA-based techniques employed were not appropriate for determining the samples' regions of origin. In contrast, (1)H-nuclear magnetic resonance ((1)H-NMR) spectroscopy-based metabolomics coupled with multivariate statistical analysis revealed a clear difference between the metabolic profiles of the Korean and Chinese samples.

Phenolic glycosides from Lindera obtusiloba and their anti-allergic inflammatory activities.

Eight phenolic glycosides, tachioside (1), isotachioside (2), koaburaside (3), 2,6-dimethoxy-4-hydroxyphenyl-1-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (4), 4,6-dihydroxy-2-methoxyphenyl-1-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (5), a mixture of erigeside C (6a) and salidroside (6b), and 6-hydroxyphenyl)-1-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (7) were isolated from the stems of Lindera obtusiloba Blume. The structures of the isolates were determined by 1H-, 13C-NMR, COSY, HMQC, and HMBC spectroscopy. To evaluate their anti-allergic inflammatory activities, the inhibitory effects of isolates (1-7) on histamine release and on the gene expressions of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-a and interleukin (IL)-6 were examined using human mast cells; previous studies have reported that TNF-alpha and IL-6 release from mast cells is positively related to the severity of allergic symptoms.

Manassantin A inhibits cAMP-induced melanin production by down-regulating the gene expressions of MITF and tyrosinase in melanocytes.

Microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) is inducible in response to cAMP through the cAMP-responsive element-binding protein (CREB) and plays a pivotal role in the melanocyte-specific expression of tyrosinase or tyrosinase-related proteins (TRPs) for melanin biosynthesis. Manassantin A from Saururus chinensis inhibits cAMP-induced melanin production in B16 melanoma cells. Here, we focused on molecular basis of the antimelanogenic activity.