Publications by authors named "Yu-Zhao Lee"

Ketamine, a substance used for anesthesia and known for inducing dissociation, can lead to addiction and the development of severe withdrawal symptoms. Ketamine alters brain networks before affecting somesthetic sensation. Ketamine abuse was especially prevalent in East and Southeast Asia, and its popularity has continued to expand globally in recent decades.

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Today, in the modern world, allergic diseases, also described as atopic allergies, are classified as a type of multifactorial disorder due to the complex interplay between genetics, environment, and socioeconomic factors that influence the disease's manifestation, severity, and one's predisposition to allergic diseases. It is undeniable that many reported studies have pointed out that the mast cell is one of the leading key players involved in triggering an allergic reaction. To improve our understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying allergy, various mast cell lines have been employed in vitro to study the pathogenesis of allergic diseases for the past decades.

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  • * A study evaluated the effects of vitamin E compounds—α-tocopherol and tocotrienol-rich palm oil extract—on anxiety and depressive behaviors in mice with estrogen deficiency, finding that these compounds had positive effects on mood-related behaviors.
  • * The results indicated that both supplements reduced stress hormone levels and improved symptoms, suggesting they could be a promising new treatment option for menopause-related mood disorders, potentially influencing the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis.
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  • Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic skin condition with no cure, and this study investigated the effectiveness of a compound called tHGA as a treatment for AD-like symptoms in mice.
  • Male BALB/c mice were exposed to DNCB to induce AD-like skin lesions and were treated with various doses of tHGA either orally or topically over a set period.
  • The results showed that both methods of administration significantly improved symptoms such as itching, skin thickness, and inflammation, indicating that tHGA has potential as a therapeutic option for managing AD.
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  • Gynostemma pentaphyllum is a creeping herb known for its medicinal use in traditional oriental medicine, primarily due to gypenosides, its main bioactive compounds.
  • Research suggests that gypenosides may have therapeutic effects on various neuropsychiatric disorders, including depression and Alzheimer's, by influencing key signaling pathways in the nervous system.
  • Despite promising preclinical results, there's a significant lack of clinical studies on gypenosides, indicating a need for further research to understand their effects and mechanisms in humans for potential health benefits.
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The prevalence of house dust mite (HDM) allergy, especially in Asian countries with rapid urbanization, has been increasing. House dust mites thrive in places with relatively high humidity. With the combination of climate change, naturally high humidity, and urbanization, tropical countries like Malaysia are becoming a hotspot for HDM allergy fast.

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Increased airway smooth muscle (ASM) mass is a prominent hallmark of airway remodeling in asthma. Inhaled corticosteroids and long-acting beta-agonists remain the mainstay of asthma therapy, however are not curative and ineffective in attenuating airway remodeling. The geranyl acetophenone 2,4,6-trihydroxy-3-geranyl acetophenone (tHGA), an in-house synthetic non-steroidal compound, attenuates airway hyperresponsiveness and remodeling in murine models of asthma.

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2,4,6-Trihydroxy-3-geranyl acetophenone (tHGA) is a synthetic compound that is naturally found in Melicope ptelefolia. We had previously demonstrated that parenteral administration of tHGA reduces pulmonary inflammation in OVA-sensitized mice. In this study, we evaluated the effect of orally administered tHGA upon airway remodeling in a murine model of chronic asthma.

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A sensitive and accurate high performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet/visible light detection (HPLC-UV/VIS) method for the quantification of 2,6-bis-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzylidene)-cyclohexanone (BHMC) in rat plasma was developed and validated. BHMC and the internal standard, harmaline, were extracted from plasma samples by a simple liquid-liquid extraction using 95% ethyl acetate and 5% methanol. Plasma concentration of BHMC and internal standard were analyzed by reversed phase chromatography using a C₁₈ column (150 × 4.

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