(+)-Episesamin inhibits adipogenesis and exerts anti-inflammatory effects in 3T3-L1 (pre)adipocytes by sustained Wnt signaling, down-regulation of PPARγ and induction of iNOS.

Obesity and its associated health risks still demand for effective therapeutic strategies. Drugs and compositions derived from Oriental medicine such as green tea polyphenols attract growing attention. Previously, an extract from the Japanese spice bush Lindera obtusiloba (L.

Absolute configuration of antifibrotic (+)-episesamin isolated from Lindera obtusiloba BLUME.

Fractionation of a 70% ethanolic extract from twigs of Lindera obtusiloba BLUME (Japanese spicebush, Tohaku) yielded five fractions of different polarity. The antifibrotic activity within the chloroform phase was best assessed by an in vitro bioassay using rat hepatic stellate cell (HSC) proliferation and their autocrine transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) expression as sensitive fibrosis-associated read out. Chromatography of the chloroform extract on Sephadex LH-20 or liquid-liquid extractions yielded a crystalline compound as an active principle, which was identified from NMR and ESI-MS analyses, its melting point, and its optical rotation as (7S,7'R,8R,8'R)-3,4:3',4'-bis(methylenedioxy)-7,9':7',9-diepoxy-lignane [(+)-episesamin].

(+)-Episesamin exerts anti-neoplastic effects in human hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines via suppression of nuclear factor-kappa B and inhibition of MMP-9.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignancies worldwide. Treatment options, especially in advanced tumor stages, are still limited. Inhibition of signaling cascades involved in the pathogenesis of HCC - such as NF-ĸB - offer a promising therapeutic approach.

A hepatoprotective Lindera obtusiloba extract suppresses growth and attenuates insulin like growth factor-1 receptor signaling and NF-kappaB activity in human liver cancer cell lines.

Background: In traditional Chinese and Korean medicine, an aqueous extract derived from wood and bark of the Japanese spice bush Lindera obtusiloba (L.obtusiloba) is applied to treat inflammations and chronic liver diseases including hepatocellular carcinoma. We previously demonstrated anti-fibrotic effects of L.

Extracts of Lindera obtusiloba induce antifibrotic effects in hepatic stellate cells via suppression of a TGF-beta-mediated profibrotic gene expression pattern.

Liver fibrosis is characterized by high expression of the key profibrogenic cytokine transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta and the natural tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMP)-1, leading to substantial accumulation of extracellular matrix. Liver fibrosis originates from various chronic liver diseases, such as chronic viral hepatitis that, to date, cannot be treated sufficiently. Thus, novel therapeutics, for example, those derived from Oriental medicine, have gained growing attention.

Spectroscopic characterization of the artificial Siderophore pyridinochelin.

Siderophores play a very important role in the uptake process of iron by bacteria. Due to the so-called active transport the uptake of siderophores by bacteria is very specific, which makes the use of siderophores as effective shuttles for antibiotics in the treatment of infections and other diseases caused by bacteria highly attractive. In order to further investigate the transport and incorporation of siderophores into the bacteria cells, distinct molecular probes are needed.