Ethanol Extract of A. Berger (Crassulaceae) Protects Against Type 2 Diabetes by Reducing Insulin Resistance and Hepatic Inflammation in Mice.

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a threaten human health problem, and accompanied by hyperglycemia and disorder of insulin secretion, is a major cause of abnormalities in maintaining blood glucose homeostasis. Also, low-grade inflammation, as well as insulin resistance (IR), is a common feature in patients with T2D. Numerous causes of the outbreak of T2D have been suggested by researchers, who indicate that genetic background and epigenetic predisposition, such as overnutrition and deficient physical activity, hasten the promotion of T2D milieu.

Orostachys japonicus ameliorates acetaminophen-induced acute liver injury in mice.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Orostachys japonicus A. Berger (O. japonicus), referred to as Wa-song in Korea is a traditional and herbal medicine.

Antibacterial and synergistic effects of the n-BuOH fraction of Sophora flavescens root against oral bacteria.

The antibacterial activity of an extract and several fractions of Sophora flavescens (S. flavescens) root alone and in combination with antibiotics against oral bacteria was investigated by checkerboard assay and time-kill assay. The minimum inhibitory concentration/minimum bactericidal concentration (MIC/MBC) values for all examined bacteria were 0.

Antimicrobial activity of the chloroform fraction of Drynaria fortunei against oral pathogens.

Drynaria fortunei (D. fortunei), widely used in traditional Korean medicine, is reportedly effective in treating inflammation, hyperlipidemia, bone fractures, oxidative damage, arteriosclerosis, rheumatism, and gynecological diseases. The objective of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial effects of the chloroform fraction of D.

Fucoidan inhibits LPS-induced inflammation in vitro and during the acute response in vivo.

Studies have been focused on natural products with antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activities, such as fucoidan. Many in vivo studies have evaluated the effect of fucoidan on tumor growth, diabetes, obesity, ischemia reperfusion, and oxidative stress. However, the effects of fucoidan on bacteria-induced gingival inflammation and periodontitis have not been reported.

Red ginseng powder fermented with probiotics exerts antidiabetic effects in the streptozotocin-induced mouse diabetes model.

Context: Red ginseng (heat-processed Panax ginseng) is a well-known alternative medicine with pharmacological antidiabetic activity. It exerts pharmacological effects through the transformation of saponin into metabolites by the intestinal microbiota. Given that intestinal conditions and intestinal microflora vary among individuals, the pharmacological effects of orally administered red ginseng likely may vary among individuals.

Sophoraflavanone G prevents Streptococcus mutans surface antigen I/II-induced production of NO and PGE2 by inhibiting MAPK-mediated pathways in RAW 264.7 macrophages.

Background: Sophora flavescens AITON (Leguminosae) is a typical traditional Korean medical herb considered to exhibit antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antipyretic effects, and is also used for the treatment of skin and mucosal ulcers, sores, diarrhea, gastrointestinal hemorrhage, arrhythmia, and eczema.

Objective And Design: This study examined the inhibitory effects of sophoraflavanone G (SF) of S. flavescens on the bacterial fibrillar protein, Antigen I/II (AgI/II)-N recombinant protein isolated from Streptococcus mutans(rAg I/II)-induced production of nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2).

The mechanism of acacetin-induced apoptosis on oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: Acacetin (5,7-dihydroxy-40-methoxyflavone), present in safflower seeds, plants, flowers, Cirisium rhinoceros Nakai, has been reported to be able to exert anti-peroxidative, anti-inflammatory, anti-plasmodial, and anti-proliferative activities by inducing apoptosis and blocking the progression of cell cycles.

Objective And Design: The objective of this study is to investigate the mechanism of acacetin-induced apoptosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma cell line (HSC-3).

Results: Acacetin caused 50% growth inhibition (IC50) of HSC-3 cells at 25μg/mL over 24h in the MTT assay.

Fermented red ginseng extract inhibits cancer cell proliferation and viability.

Red ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer) is the most widely recognized medicinal herb due to its remedial effects in various disorders, such as cancers, diabetes, and heart problems.

Combination effects of baicalein with antibiotics against oral pathogens.

Background: Baicalein is one of the major flavonoids in Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, which has long been used in Asia as herbal medicine. Several biological effects of baicalein, such as antiviral, anti-inflammatiom, anti-hepatotoxicity, and anti-tumour properties, have been reported.

Objective And Design: In this study, the antibacterial activities of baicalein were investigated in combination with ampicillin and/or gentamicin against oral bacteria.

Synergistic Effect between Cryptotanshinone and Antibiotics against Clinic Methicillin and Vancomycin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Cryptotanshinone (CT), a major tanshinone of medicinal plant Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge, demonstrated strong antibacterial activity against clinic isolated methicillin and vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA and VRSA) in this experiment. The CT was determined against clinic isolated MRSA 1-16 with MIC and MBC values ranging from 4 to 32 and 8 to 128  μ g/mL; for MSSA 1-2 from 16 to 32  μ g/mL and 64 to 128  μ g/mL; for VRSA 1-2 from 2 to 4  μ g/mL and 4 to 16  μ g/mL, respectively. The range of MIC50 and MIC90 of CT was 0.

Cytoplasmic HuR expression: correlation with cellular inhibitors of apoptosis protein-2 expression and clinicopathologic factors in oral squamous cell carcinoma cells.

Background: HuR expression has been noted in several cancer types, in which it may contribute to increased expression of cellular inhibitors of apoptosis protein-2 (cIAP2) observed during tumorigenesis.

Methods: To assess the correlation between cIAP2 and HuR in cases of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), the expression patterns of HuR and cIAP2 were assessed by immunohistochemical analyses of 95 treated OSCC samples.

Results: In the tumor tissues, positive cytoplasmic HuR expression was evident in 71.

Synergistic effect of fucoidan with antibiotics against oral pathogenic bacteria.

Background: Fucoidan is a sulphated polysaccharide that is primarily extracted from brown seaweeds; it has been broadly studied in recent years due to its numerous biological properties, including anticoagulant, antithrombotic, antitumour and antiviral activities.

Objective And Design: In this study, fucoidan was evaluated against oral bacteria, either alone or with antibiotics, via the broth dilution method and chequerboard and time-kill assay.

Results: Minimum inhibitory concentration/minimum bactericidal concentration (MIC/MBC) values for the fucoidan against all the tested bacteria ranged between 0.

Essential oil from Cryptomeria japonica induces apoptosis in human oral epidermoid carcinoma cells via mitochondrial stress and activation of caspases.

Cryptomeria japonica D. Don (C. japonica) has been used in traditional medicines from Asia for a variety of indications, including liver ailments, and an antitussive, and for its antiulcer activities.

Significance of molecular markers in survival prediction of oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: An accurate system for predicting the survival of patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) will be useful for deciding appropriate therapies. The prediction accuracy of prediction models can be improved by using molecular biomarkers. We constructed a nomogram for predicting the survival of patients with OSCC using clinical variables and molecular markers.

Synergistic antibacterial effect between silibinin and antibiotics in oral bacteria.

Silibinin is a composition of the silymarin group as a hepatoprotective agent, and it exhibits various biological activities, including antibacterial activity. In this study, the antibacterial activities of silibinin were investigated in combination with two antimicrobial agents against oral bacteria. Silibinin was determined with MIC and MBC values ranging from 0.

Synergistic effects between silibinin and antibiotics on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolated from clinical specimens.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a dangerous microorganism, and creates serious medical problems. It causes many types of infections in humans and often acquires multi-drug resistance. In this study, silibinin was evaluated against 20 clinical isolates of MRSA, either alone or in combination with ampicillin or oxacillin, using a checkerboard assay.

Synergistic effect between clove oil and its major compounds and antibiotics against oral bacteria.

Background: Essential oils have been found to be antibacterial, antifungal, spasmolytic, and antiplasmodial activity and therapeutic effect in cancer treatment.

Objective And Design: In this study, clove oil and its major compounds, eugenol and β-caryophyllene were evaluated against oral bacteria, either alone or in combination with ampicillin or gentamicin, via checkerboard and time kill assay.

Results: The antibacterial activity of the clove oil was higher than β-caryophyllene but was similar to eugenol against all tested oral bacteria.

Genetic alterations in oral squamous cell carcinoma progression detected by combining array-based comparative genomic hybridization and multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification.

Background: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), the most common malignancy of the oral cavity, has been shown to occur via a multistep process driven by the accumulation of carcinogen-induced genetic changes.

Study Design: Array-based comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) and multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) were conducted to screen human genomewide alterations on fresh tissues of the cancer area, the dysplastic transitional area, and the resection margin (normal) free of tumor; these samples were obtained from 7 OSCC patients.

Results: The highest amplification frequencies (100%, 7/7) were detected in FAM5B, TIPARP, PIK3CA, NLGN1, FGF10, HDAC9, GRM3, DDEF1, EDNRB, CHRDL1, and HTR2C, and the highest deletion frequencies in THRAP3, CTTNBP2NL, GATAD2B, REL, CKAP2L, RHOA, EIF4E3, PDLIM5, FBXO3, NEUROD4, and ABCA5 in the OSCC.

Association between expression of embryonic lethal abnormal vision-like protein HuR and cyclooxygenase-2 in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: Increased cytoplasmic HuR expression has been noted in several cancer types, where it may contribute to the increased cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression observed during tumorigenesis and metastasis.

Methods: To assess the correlation between COX-2 and HuR in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), the expression patterns of HuR and COX-2 were assessed via immunohistochemistry analyses of 103 OSCC samples.

Results: Cytoplasmic HuR expression was significantly associated with COX-2 expression (p < .

Insulin-like growth factor II mRNA-binding protein 3: a novel prognostic biomarker for oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is caused by multiple factors, including carcinogen exposure. Insulin-like growth factor II mRNA-binding protein 3 (IMP3) is highly expressed in various cancer cells but is rarely expressed in normal cells. We investigated whether IMP3 can be used as a prognostic biomarker for OSCC.