An aqueous extract from Artemisia capillaris inhibits acute gastric injury through mucosal stabilization.

Background: Artemisia capillaris is among the most abundantly used traditional medicines, utilized in East Asia to treat diverse illnesses, including gastrointestinal tract diseases. We previously reported that an aqueous extract of A. capillaris (AEAC) inhibited gastric inflammation induced by HCl/ethanol via reactive oxygen species scavenging and NF-κB downregulation.

The aqueous extract from Artemisia capillaris inhibits acute gastric mucosal injury by inhibition of ROS and NF-kB.

Artemisia capillaris, also called "InJin" in Korean, has been used as traditional oriental medicine in Korea because of its various pharmacological activities. These include hepatoprotective, analgesic, and antipyretic activities. The present study was designed to validate the beneficial effects of the aqueous extract of A.

Long-Term Clinical Outcomes of Transient and Persistent No Reflow Phenomena following Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction.

Background And Objectives: There is limited information on the transient or persistent no reflow phenomenon in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Subjects And Methods: The study analyzed 4329 patients with AMI from a Korean multicenter registry who underwent PCI using coronary stents (2668 ST-elevation and 1661 non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction [MI] patients): 4071 patients without any no reflow, 213 with transient no reflow (no reflow with final thrombolysis in myocardial infarction [TIMI] flow grade 3), and 45 with persistent no reflow (no reflow with final TIMI flow grade≤2). The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality during 3-year follow-up.

A mixed formulation of lactic acid bacteria inhibits trinitrobenzene-sulfonic-acid-induced inflammatory changes of the colon tissue in mice.

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are probiotics that provide numerous beneficial effects on the host body, especially on the intestine. Combining several strains of LAB, we prepared a formulation containing four different LAB and studied its anti-inflammatory activity both in vitro and in vivo. The formulation significantly reduced NO production from RAW 264.

Four-Week Repeated Oral Toxicity Study of AIP1, a Water-soluble Carbohydrate Fraction from Artemisia iwayomogi in Mice.

Artemisia iwayomogi, a member of the Compositae, is a perennial herb easily found in Korea and used as a traditional medicine to treat liver disease. AIP1, a water-soluble carbohydrate fraction from Artemisia iwayomogi, showed anti-tumor and immuno-modulating activities in animal studies. A subacute toxicological evaluation of AIP1 was performed for 4 weeks in ICR mice.

Amelioration of oxidative stress by dandelion extract through CYP2E1 suppression against acute liver injury induced by carbon tetrachloride in Sprague-Dawley rats.

The protective effects of common dandelion leaf water extract (DLWE) were investigated by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) induced hepatitis in Sprague-Dawley rats. The animals were divided into five groups: normal control, DLWE control, CCl4 control, and two DLWE groups (0.5 and 2 g/kg bw).

A Carbohydrate Fraction, AIP1, from Artemisia Iwayomogi Reduces the Action Potential Duration by Activation of Rapidly Activating Delayed Rectifier K Channels in Rabbit Ventricular Myocytes.

We investigated the effects of a hot-water extract of Artemisia iwayomogi, a plant belonging to family Compositae, on cardiac ventricular delayed rectifier K(+) current (I(K)) using the patch clamp technique. The carbohydrate fraction AIP1 dose-dependently increased the heart rate with an apparent EC(50) value of 56.1+/-5.

Constituents of Limonia acidissima inhibit LPS-induced nitric oxide production in BV-2 microglia.

The ethyl acetate (EtOAc) soluble fraction of the 85% ethanol (EtOH) extract of the dried bark of Limonia acidissima potently inhibited nitric oxide (NO) production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) activated BV-2 cells, a microglial cell line. Bioassay-guided column chromatography separation afforded a new stereoisomer of neolignan, (7'E)-(7R,8S)-4-hydroxy-3,5'-dimethoxy-4',7-epoxy-8,3'-neolig-7'-en-9,9'-diyil diacetate (1), together with two known lignans, (+)-yangambin (2) and (+)-syringaresinol (3), three known triterpenoids, hederatriol (4), basic acid methyl ester (5), and 3β-hydroxyolean-12-en-11-one (6), and four known fatty acid derivatives, cascarillic acid (7), (+)-α-dimorphecolic acid (8), 8(R)-hydroxylinoleic acid (9), and (6Z,9Z,12Z)-pentadecatrienoic acid (10). The structure of the new compound 1 was elucidated by detailed analysis of spectroscopic data and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy.

AIP1, a carbohydrate fraction from Artemisia iwayomogi, modulates the functional differentiation of bone marrow-derived dendritic cells.

Dendritic cells (DCs) are the most potent antigen-presenting cells (APC) particularly important in the initiation of primary T cell-mediated immune responses. Thus, inhibition of the differentiation and function of DC could lead to the suppression of immunological hyperresponsiveness. Artemisia iwayomogi, a member of the Compositae, is a perennial herb easily found in Korea and has been used as a traditional anti-inflammatory medicine.

A carbohydrate fraction, AIP1 from Artemisia iwayomogi suppresses pulmonary eosinophilia and Th2-type cytokine production in an ovalbumin-induced allergic asthma. Down-regulation of TNF-alpha expression in the lung.

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways characterized by reversible airway obstruction, airway hyperreactivity, and remodeling of the airways. The incidence of asthma is on the rise despite ongoing intensive asthma research. Artemisia iwayomogi, a member of the Compositae, is a perennial herb easily found around Korea and has been used as a traditional anti-inflammatory medicine in liver diseases.

2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin modulates functional differentiation of mouse bone marrow-derived dendritic cells Downregulation of RelB by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin.

We have previously shown that benzo(a)pyrene inhibits the growth and functional differentiation of mouse bone marrow (BM)-derived dendritic cells (DCs) [Hwang, J.A., Lee, J.

Ethanol extract of fermented soybean, Chungkookjang, inhibits the apoptosis of mouse spleen, and thymus cells.

Apoptosis is a step of the cell cycle which is important in the regulation of immune cell populations. Chungkookjang is a Korean traditional fermented soybean containing microorganisms, enzymes, and bioactive compounds which was used in the treatment of mouse spleen as well as thymus cells (CH1-fermented soybean containing barley, wormwood, and sea tangle; CH2-fermented soybean) and was found to exhibit substantially reduced small DNA fragmentation. An MTT assay showed that the treatment of CH1 and CH2 into the mouse splenocytes and thymocytes sharply increased their survival.

Benzo(a)pyrene inhibits growth and functional differentiation of mouse bone marrow-derived dendritic cells. Downregulation of RelB and eIF3 p170 by benzo(a)pyrene.

In this study, we have investigated effects of benzo(a)pyrene (BP) on growth and functional differentiation of mouse bone marrow (BM)-derived dendritic cells (DC). 1 microM BP dramatically inhibited growth of BM cultured in the presence of granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and interleukin-4 (IL-4). Although little alterations in surface expression of CD11c, major histocompatibility complex (MHC II), and CD86 molecules characteristic of mature DC were induced by BP, production of cytokines including IL-12, IL-10, and TNF-alpha, and allogeneic T cell stimulating ability were severely impaired.

AIP1, a water-soluble fraction from Artemisia iwayomogi, suppresses thymocyte apoptosis in vitro and down-regulates the expression of Fas gene.

The AIP1 fraction, a small water-soluble fraction purified from Artemisia iwayomogi, was shown to increase antibody production and suppress transplanted tumor cell growth in mice. In order to understand its immuno-modulating activity, we have examined the effect of the AIP1 on mouse thymocytes in vitro. Treatment of mouse thymocytes in culture with the fraction resulted in the suppression of the cell death and the extension of the cell survival.

A carbohydrate fraction, AIP1, from Artemisia iwayomogi down-regulates Fas gene expression and suppresses apoptotic death of the thymocytes induced by 2,3,7,8-tectrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin.

Apoptotic death of mouse thymocytes in vitro, as induced by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), involves the up-regulation of Fas gene expression, while a carbohydrate fraction, AIP1, from Artemisia iwayomogi suppresses the death of thymocytes in culture along with the down-regulation of Fas gene expression. We have now investigated whether the AIP1 fraction modulates TCDD-induced thymocyte death. When treated with TCDD and AIP1 fraction together, the thymocytes do not show apoptosis induced by the TCDD treatment.

Over-expression of the gene (bglBC1) from Bacillus circulans encoding an endo-beta-(1-->3),(1-->4)-glucanase useful for the preparation of oligosaccharides from barley beta-glucan.

An endo-beta-(1-->3),(1-->4)-glucanase gene (bglBC1) from Bacillus circulans ATCC21367 was modified by substituting its native promoter with a strong promoter, BJ27X, to increase expression of the gene when cloned into B. subtilis RM125 and B. megaterium ATCC14945.

An oligosaccharide fraction from Korean mugwort herb suppresses death of the mouse thymocytes in culture by down-regulating the Fas death receptor gene.

Korean mugwort herb is a preparation of dried leaves from Artemisia species and has been used as a traditional medicine in Asia. An oligosaccharide fraction, AVF3, purified from the preparation promoted survival of the mouse thymocytes in culture. A mouse gene array study suggests that the AVF3 may modulate Fas/FasL dependent apoptotic cell death and thus has influence on the survival of the thymocytes in culture.

The fungicide benomyl inhibits differentiation of neural tissue in the Xenopus embryo and animal cap explants.

The toxic effect of benomyl on the embryogenesis of Xenopus laevis was investigated, and the tissues most affected by benomyl were identified. The toxicity of benomyl at various concentrations (5-20 microM) was tested with the Xenopus frog embryo teratogenesis assay (FETAX), used with slight modification. All test embryos subjected to 20 microM of benomyl died, and exposure to 10 and 15 microM benomyl produced growth inhibition and 11 types of severe external malformations.

TCDD-induced apoptosis in EL-4 cells deficient of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor and down-regulation of IGFBP-6 prevented the apoptotic cell death.

Although the potent environmental contaminant 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) has been well known for its immunosuppressive activity, the mechanisms of its action have been difficult to elucidate, partly because of its inability of exerting its effects in vitro. We previously reported that insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-6 (IGFBP-6) expression in the thymus was increased by TCDD treatment of mice and that the TCDD-up-regulation of the IGFBP-6 gene was also observed with EL-4 mouse thymoma cells. In the present study, we examined the effects of IGFBP-6 on the TCDD-mediated cytotoxicity in EL-4 cells.

A recombinant human G-CSF/GM-CSF fusion protein from E. coli showing colony stimulating activity on human bone marrow cells.

Granulocyte-Macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and Granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) are cytokines involved in the differentiation of bone marrow progenitor cells into myeloid cells. They also activate mature myeloid cells to mediate a variety of antimicrobial activities and inflammatory responses. Recombinant GM-CSF and G-CSF proteins have been used to treat various diseases including cancer and hematopoietic diseases and to isolate peripheral blood progenitor cells for bone marrow transplantation.

The polysaccharide fraction AIP1 from Artemisia iwayomogi suppresses apoptotic death of the mouse spleen cells in culture.

A polysaccharide fraction, AIP1, purified from Artemisia iwayomogi was shown to have immunomodulating and anti-tumor activities in mice. In order to determine how the AIP1 fraction exhibits the immunomodulating activity, the effect of the fraction on the apoptosis of mouse spleen cells was investigated. Treatment of the mouse spleen cells with the AIP1 fraction resulted in the suppression of apoptotic death and an extension of cell survival in culture, indicating that the fraction might modulate the death of spleen cells.

Enzymatic characterization of glycosidase antibodies raised against a chair transition state analog and the retained catalytic activity from the expressed single chain antibody fragments.

Catalytic antibodies with a glycosidase activity have been generated against a chair-like transition state analogue. Two monoclonal antibodies with the highest activity were selected for cloning and sequencing. Sequence analysis of the two antibodies showed four amino acids differences in the framework region.