Effects of bee venom on cholecystokinin octapeptide-induced acute pancreatitis in rats.

Objectives: Bee venom (BV) has frequently been used as a remedy for inflammatory diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of BV on cholecystokinin octapeptide (CCK-8)-induced acute pancreatitis (AP) in rats.

Methods: The BV pretreatment group: 0.

Selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor ameliorates cholecystokinin-octapeptide-induced acute pancreatitis in rats.

Aim: To investigate the effect of selective Cycloo-xygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor 4-[5-(4-Chloro-phenyl)-3-(trifluoromethyl)-1H-pyrazol-1-yl] benzenesulfonamide (SC-236), on the cholecystokinin (CCK)-octapeptide-induced acute pancreatitis (AP) in rats.

Methods: Wistar rat weighing 240 g to 260 g were divided into three groups. (1) Normal DMSO treated group, (2) SC-236 at 4 mg/kg treated group; SC-236 systemically administered via the intravenous (i.

Comparative effects of curcuminoids on endothelial heme oxygenase-1 expression: ortho-methoxy groups are essential to enhance heme oxygenase activity and protection.

Recently, it has been reported that curcumin, which is known as a potent antioxidant, acts as a non- stressful and non-cytotoxic inducer of the cytoprotective heme oxygenase (HO)-1. In this study, naturally occurring curcuminoids, such as pure curcumin, demethoxycurcumin (DMC) and bis-demethoxycurcumin (BDMC), were compared for their potential ability to modulate HO-1 expression and cytoprotective activity in human endothelial cells. All three curcuminoids could induce HO-1 expression and HO activity with differential levels.

Effects of oral administration of Phellinus linteus on the production of Th1- and Th2-type cytokines in mice.

The mushroom Phellinus linteus (PL) has been shown to have antitumor and immunostimulatory effects. We hypothesized that the hot water extract of PL (WEPL) exerts its significant immunostimulatory effect by inducing production of the Th1-derived cytokine interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) by T lymphocytes. T lymphocytes were isolated from the mice fed with 200 mg/kg of WEPL once a day for 4 weeks and then stimulated with the mitogen concanavaline A (Con A).

Fructus Benincasae Recens extract prevents cytokine-induced nitric oxide formation and cytotoxicity of RINm5F cells.

Cytokines produced by immune cells infiltrating pancreatic islets are important mediators of beta-cell destruction in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. In this study, the effects of Fructus Benincasae Recens (FBR) extract on cytokine-induced beta-cell dysfunction were examined. Fructus Benincasae Recens extract completely protected interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma)-mediated cytotoxicity in rat insulinoma cell line (RINm5F).

Catalposide protects Neuro 2A cells from hydrogen peroxide-induced cytotoxicity via the expression of heme oxygenase-1.

Catalposide, the major iridoid glycoside isolated from the stem bark of Catalpa ovata G. Don (Bignoniaceae) has been shown to possess anti-microbial, anti-tumoral, and anti-inflammatory properties. Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) is a stress response protein and is known to play a protective role against the oxidative injury.

Effects of high molecular weight water-soluble chitosan on in vitro fertilization and ovulation in mice fed a high-fat diet.

A high molecular weight water-soluble chitosan (WSC) with an average molecular weight of 300 kD and a deacethylation level of over 90% was produced using a simple multi-step membrane separation process. It is known that WSC prevents obesity induced by a high-fat diet. Consequently, this study investigated whether or not WSC improved the ovarian dysfunction caused by obesity in mice.