Alismol Purified from the Tuber of Relieves Acute Lung Injury in Mice via Nrf2 Activation.

Since the ethanol extract of Juzepzuk (EEAO) suppresses lung inflammation by suppressing Nuclear Factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and activating Nuclear Factor Erythroid 2-related Factor 2 (Nrf2), we set out to identify chemicals constituting EEAO that suppress lung inflammation. Here, we provide evidence that among the five most abundant chemical constituents identified by Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography (UPLC) and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), alismol is one of the candidate constituents that suppresses lung inflammation in a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury (ALI) mouse model and protects mice from ALI-like symptoms. Alismol did not induce cytotoxicity or reactive oxygen species (ROS).

The ethanol extract of Garcinia subelliptica Merr. induces autophagy.

Background: Garcinia subelliptica Merr. is a multipurpose coastal tree, the potential medicinal effects of which have been studied, including cancer suppression. Here, we present evidence that the ethanol extract of G.

Multifactorial Traits of SARS-CoV-2 Cell Entry Related to Diverse Host Proteases and Proteins.

The most effective way to control newly emerging infectious disease, such as the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic, is to strengthen preventative or therapeutic public health strategies before the infection spreads worldwide. However, global health systems remain at the early stages in anticipating effective therapeutics or vaccines to combat the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. While maintaining social distance is the most crucial metric to avoid spreading the virus, symptomatic therapy given to patients on the clinical manifestations helps save lives.

The role of Korean Medicine in the post-COVID-19 era: an online panel discussion part 2 - basic research and education.

Background: Experiencing difficulties and challenges though COVID-19 pandemic, there are voices that it needs to be discussed to seek direction of basic research and college education of Korean Medicine (KM) so that KM community can play a significant role in the future infectious disease outbreaks.

Methods: This paper summarizes the edited highlights of an online video meeting by Google meet on May 19, 2020, organized by the Korean Medicine Convergence Research Information Center. Five researchers specialized in immunology, microbiology, virology, preventive medicine, and herbology, respectively, presented what KM community should prepare for the future acute infectious disease outbreaks by learning from the previous research on antiviral effect of herbs for coronavirus and the experiences of the present COVID-19 pandemic.

The methanol extract of Guettarda speciosa Linn. Ameliorates acute lung injury in mice.

Background: Guettarda speciosa is mainly found in tropical areas in Asia. Although G. speciosa is traditionally used to treat some of the inflammatory disorders, the experimental evidence supporting the anti-inflammatory effect of G.

Heme oxygenase-1 induced by desoxo-narchinol-A attenuated the severity of acute pancreatitis via blockade of neutrophil infiltration.

Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) has an anti-inflammatory action in acute pancreatitis (AP). However, its mechanism of action and natural compounds/drugs to induce HO-1 in pancreas are not well understood. In this study, we investigated the regulatory mechanisms of HO-1 during AP using desoxo-narchinol-A (DN), the natural compound inducing HO-1 in the pancreas.

Anti-inflammatory activity of the decoction of Forsythia suspensa (Thunb.) Vahl is related to Nrf2 and A20.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: The water extract of Forsythiae Fructus (WFF) is an herbal remedy that is prescribed to treat various inflammatory diseases in traditional Chinese medicine. Although the anti-inflammatory activity of WFF has been reported, the underlying mechanisms for the activity remain unclear. Here, we examined whether the anti-inflammatory activity of WFF is associated with Nrf2, an anti-inflammatory factor, and A20, an ubiquitin-regulator protein that inhibits signaling cascades of endotoxin or cytokines.

Alternative and Natural Therapies for Acute Lung Injury and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome.

Introduction: Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a complex clinical syndrome characterized by acute inflammation, microvascular damage, and increased pulmonary vascular and epithelial permeability, frequently resulting in acute respiratory failure and death. Current best practice for ARDS involves "lung-protective ventilation," which entails low tidal volumes and limiting the plateau pressures in mechanically ventilated patients. Although considerable progress has been made in understanding the pathogenesis of ARDS, little progress has been made in the development of specific therapies to combat injury and inflammation.

Hominis placenta Suppresses Acute Lung Inflammation by Activating Nrf2.

Hominis placenta (HP), a dried human placenta, has been known to target liver, lung, or kidney meridians, improving the functions associated with these meridians in traditional Chinese or Asian medicine (TCM). Since recent studies implicate an HP extract in suppressing inflammation, we investigated whether an aqueous HP extract can ameliorate inflammation that occurred in the lungs. When administered with a single intratracheal lipopolysaccharide (LPS), C57BL/6 mice developed an acute neutrophilic lung inflammation along with an increased expression of pro-inflammatory cytokine genes.

Differential Regulation of NF-B and Nrf2 by Bojungikki-Tang Is Associated with Suppressing Lung Inflammation.

Bojungikki-tang (BT), an Asian herbal remedy, has been prescribed to increase the vitality of debilitated patients. Since a compromised, weakened vitality often leads to illness, BT has been widely used to treat various diseases. However, little is known about the mechanism by which BT exerts its effect.

Suppression of lung inflammation by the methanol extract of Spilanthes acmella Murray is related to differential regulation of NF-κB and Nrf2.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Although Spilanthes acmella has been used to relieve inflammation, fever, pain, or infection in traditional Asian medicine, experimental evidence supporting these functions is scarce. Here, we examined an anti-inflammatory function and a possible underlying mechanism of S. acmella Murray (SAM).

Suppressed ubiquitination of Nrf2 by p47 contributes to Nrf2 activation.

Although critical in phagocytosis in innate immunity, reactive oxygen species (ROS) collaterally inflict damage to host phagocytes because they indiscriminate targets. Since Nrf2 increases the expression of anti-oxidant enzymes that nullifies ROS, ROS activating Nrf2 is a critical negative regulatory step for countering the deleterious effects of ROS. Here, we postulate whether, along with ROS activating Nrf2, NADPH oxidase components also participate in direct activation of Nrf2, contributing to protection from ROS.

Glycosylation Enhances the Physicochemical Properties of Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester.

In this study, we synthesized a glycosylated derivative of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) using the amylosucrase from with sucrose as a substrate and examined its solubility, chemical stability, and anti-inflammatory activity. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy showed that the resulting glycosylated CAPE (G-CAPE) was the new compound caffeic acid phenethyl ester-4--α--glucopyranoside. G-CAPE was 770 times more soluble than CAPE and highly stable in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium and buffered solutions, as estimated by its half-life.

Kaurenoic acid activates TGF-β signaling.

Background: Kaurenoic acid (ent-kaur-16-en-19-oic acid: KA) is a key constituent found in the roots of Aralia continentalis Kitagawa (Araliaceae) that has been used for treating rheumatism in traditional Asian medicine.

Hypothesis: Although KA was reported to suppress inflammation by activating Nrf2, the anti-inflammatory function of KA is less characterized. Given the complex nature of the inflammatory response and the critical role of TGF-β in resolving inflammation, we hypothesized that KA suppresses inflammatory response by activating TGF-β signaling.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ agonists attenuate biofilm formation by .

is a significant contributor to recalcitrant multidrug-resistant infections, especially in immunocompromised and hospitalized patients. The pathogenic profile of is related to its ability to secrete a variety of virulence factors and to promote biofilm formation. Quorum sensing (QS) is a mechanism wherein secretes small diffusible molecules, specifically acyl homo serine lactones, such as N-(3-oxo-dodecanoyl)--homoserine lactone (3O-C12-HSL), that promote biofilm formation and virulence interbacterial communication.

Soluble common gamma chain exacerbates COPD progress through the regulation of inflammatory T cell response in mice.

Cigarette smoking (CS) is a major cause of considerable morbidity and mortality by inducing lung cancer and COPD. COPD, a smoking-related disorder, is closely related to the alteration of immune system and inflammatory processes that are specifically mediated by T cells. Soluble common gamma chain (sγc) has recently been identified as a critical regulator of the development and differentiation of T cells.

The function of cancer-shed gangliosides in macrophage phenotype: involvement with angiogenesis.

Tumor-derived gangliosides in the tumor microenvironment are involved in the malignant progression of cancer. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of gangliosides shed from tumors on macrophage phenotype remain unknown. Here, we showed that ganglioside GM1 highly induced the activity and expression of arginase-1 (Arg-1), a major M2 macrophage marker, compared to various gangliosides in bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDM), peritoneal macrophages and Raw264.

The Fruit Hull of Enhances the Anti-Tumor Effect of -Diammine Dichloridoplatinum II (Cisplatin).

Lung cancer has substantial mortality worldwide, and chemotherapy is a routine regimen for the treatment of patients with lung cancer, despite undesirable effects such as drug resistance and chemotoxicity. Here, given a possible antitumor effect of the fruit hull of (FGS), we tested whether FGS enhances the effectiveness of -diammine dichloridoplatinum (II) (CDDP), a chemotherapeutic drug. We found that CDDP, when administered with FGS, significantly decreased the viability and increased the apoptosis and cell cycle arrest of Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) cells, which were associated with the increase of p21 and decreases of cyclin D1 and CDK4.

Therapeutic effect of Mahaenggamseok-tang on neutrophilic lung inflammation is associated with NF-κB suppression and Nrf2 activation.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Mahaenggamseok-tang (MHGST), an herbal formula in traditional Asian medicine, has been used to treat patients with various pulmonary diseases including common cold and influenza. However, the potential therapeutic effect of MHGST on acute lung injury (ALI), a leading cause of death worldwide, and the anti-inflammatory mechanisms of MHGST remained less understood.

Materials And Methods: The methanol extract of MHGST was prepared and fingerprinted by HPLC.

n-Butyl-α-D-fructofuranoside Isolated from Ulmus davidiana Enhances Nrf2 Activity Through Activation of JNK.

Background: The root bark of Ulmus davidiana Nakai (Ulmaceae), a traditional Korean medicinal plant, is used for treating inflammatory diseases.

Objective: We investigated the Nrf2-activating effect of U. davidiana and identified a novel Nrf2 activator from its constituent compounds.

Glycosylation enables aesculin to activate Nrf2.

Since aesculin, 6,7-dihydroxycoumarin-6-O-β-glucopyranoside, suppresses inflammation, we asked whether its anti-inflammatory activity is associated with the activation of nuclear factor-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), a key anti-inflammatory factor. Our results, however, show that aesculin marginally activated Nrf2. Since glycosylation can enhance the function of a compound, we then asked whether adding a glucose makes aesculin activate Nrf2.