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This study introduces one specimen each of the genera Gymnopilus, Marasmius, and Mycena as an unrecorded species found in the Hwasun Gotjawal and Jeju Gotjawal Provincial Park of the Hangyeong-Andeok terrain, South Korea. Morphological analyses of macroscopic and microscopic features, and molecular analysis of the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer region were conducted to identify the specimens. Our results indicated that the newly identified specimens were Gymnopilus dilepis, Marasmius tenuissimus, and Mycena seminau. Here, we describe these newly identified mushroom species and provide baseline data on their diversity in Gotjawal, South Korea.

Background/Aim: Regulatory T cells (Tregs) play a crucial role in inflammatory responses by regulating the activity of various immune cells. M2 macrophages induced by IL-10 and TGF-ß exhibit anti-inflammatory functions and induce Treg differentiation. Although the beneficial effects of 3-bromo-4,5-dihydroxybenzaldehyde (BDB) on various diseases have been widely reported, the mechanisms, through which it alleviates allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) via Tregs and macrophages, are not well understood. Therefore, this study aimed to explore whether BDB suppresses ACD and induces Treg generation. Materials and Methods: Mice were sensitized with 1% dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB), followed by the application of 0.3% DNCB to their ears every 3 days for 31 days. BDB (100 mg/kg) was administered orally once daily throughout the 31 days. Cytokine and transcription factor expression were analyzed via real-time PCR and western blotting, while CD4+Foxp3+ T cell differentiation and T cell proliferation were evaluated using flow cytometry. Results: BDB exhibited therapeutic efficacy in mice with ACD. In this study, the administration of BDB promoted the upregulation of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-ß)-dependent CD4+Foxp3+ T cells. BDB elicited T cell hypo-responsiveness and suppressed the expression of cytokines related to the Th1, Th2, and Th17 cell subsets. BDB-M2 macrophages directly mediated the differentiation of CD4+Foxp3+ T cells from CD4+ T cells and concurrently suppressed the proliferation of CD4+ T cells. Conclusion: BDB augments M2 macrophage function and induction of Tregs confers effective protection against ACD in mice. Consequently, BDB may represent a promising therapeutic approach for the treatment of inflammatory skin diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pinus thunbergii is a black pine that has been widely used in health-promoting foods. This study was conducted to investigate the hepatoprotective effects of the alcohol-aqueous extract of Pinus thunbergii PARL leaves (PTE) in ethanol-induced liver-damaged mice. PTE increased the weight and survival rate of mice while reducing the levels of serum hepatic marker enzymes. PTE also restored the levels of antioxidant enzymes in liver tissues while drastically increasing lipid peroxidation concentrations. Histopathological examination of PTE-treated mice presented relatively less lipid droplets and hepatic tissue damage compared to ethanol-treated mice. Finally, to identify PTE components, Natural Products Application Solution with UNIFI along with an in-house library was processed and results revealed 35 compounds in the extract. These compounds were reported to exhibit significant antioxidant and/or hepatoprotective properties. Our results suggest that PTE improves liver function and can be developed as a food product with hepatoprotective effects.

This study confirms the anti-obesity effect of the ethyl acetate fraction of Distylium racemosum (DRE), a member of Hamamelidaceae, that naturally grows on Jeju Island, on adipocyte differentiation in 3T3-L1 cells. This study further demonstrated that DRE exhibits anti-obesity effects in C57BL/6 obese mice. The degree of adipocyte differentiation was determined using Oil red O stain; results indicated a decrease in fat globules, which was dependent on DRE concentration, when pre-adipocytes were treated with differentiation-inducing agents. In addition, this significantly reduced the expression of the adipogenic transcription factor and related genes. C57BL/6 obese mice treated with DRE showed a lower rate of body weight gain than the high-fat diet (HFD) group mice. Further, the level of serum triglyceride in the DRE treatment group was lower than that in the HFD group. The findings show that DRE are capable of suppressing adipocyte accumulation; therefore, DRE may represent a promising source of functional materials for the anti-obesity. Keywords: Obesity, Distylium racemosum, Ethyl acetate fraction

Brown algae are known to contain rich anti-inflammatory compounds. The objective of this study was to identify anti-inflammatory compound in the Sargassum macrocarpum and anti-inflammatory effect of tuberatolide B (TTB) was investigated. TTB significantly suppressed the production of NO and pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-1β. In addition, the mechanism involved in the inhibition of the inflammatory effect of LPS by TTB was investigated. The results showed that TTB aforementioned this effect through NF-κB and MAPKs phosphorylation pathways. We also assessed the anti-inflammatory activity of TTB using in vivo zebrafish model. In LPS-stimulated zebrafish, TTB enhanced survival and significantly inhibited the NO production and mRNA expression of inducible NO synthase. Therefore, anti-inflammatory activity of TTB against LPS in RAW264.7 cells and the zebrafish model was determined. These finding suggest that TTB may be used as functional anti-inflammatory foods and nutraceuticals.

In this study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory effect of litsenolide A2 (LNA2) isolated from L. japonica fruit and its mechanism of action in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells. LPS-induced production of anti-inflammatory mediators and cytokines such as NO, PGE2, iNOS, COX-2, TNF-α, and IL-6 was significantly inhibited by LNA2. Next, western blot experiments were performed to investigate the mechanism of action of the anti-inflammatory effect of LNA2. The results indicated that LNA2 markedly reduced the LPS-induced activation of NF-κB and the nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65. Furthermore, LNA2 also inhibited the phosphorylation of MAPK by LPS. LNA2 was the major component in the ethanol extract of L. japonica at 59 mg/g according to high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). These results indicate that LNA2 can be used as a functional and marker compound for standardization of the manufacturing process when L. japonica fruit is used as a functional food.

In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, we evaluated the efficacy of Litsea japonica fruit extract (LJF) in subjects with knee osteoarthritis (OA). Eighty-seven 50- to 70-year-old subjects with knee OA were assigned to a placebo group, a low-dose LJF group (LJF-L, 100 mg/d) or a high-dose LJF group (LJF-H, 200 mg/d) for 12 weeks. The outcome measures were pain score assessed using a visual analog scale (VAS); Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) scores; and blood and urine biomarkers. In response to LJF consumption, VAS scores; WOMAC total scores; WOMAC scores on the pain, stiffness and function subscales; and blood MMP-9 levels significantly improved over the course of the examined 12-week period (P = 0.0001, 0.0102, 0.0293, 0.002, 0.0152 and 0.026, respectively). This study suggests that LJF may reduce joint pain and stiffness and improve joint function in subjects with painful knee OA.Study identifier: KCT0001029 (www.who.int/ictrp/en/).

The anti-inflammatory activities of the products of supercritical fluid extraction of Litsea japonica fruit (SFELJF) using supercritical carbon dioxide were investigated. The SFELJF extract dose-dependently inhibited the production of inflammatory markers [nitric oxide (NO), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2)] and proinflammatory cytokines [tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-6] induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treatment. To further elucidate the mechanisms underlying these inhibitory effects, LPS-induced nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activation and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) phosphorylation were studied. The SFELJF extract inhibited NF-κB (p65 and p50) activation and MAPK [extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and p38] phosphorylation in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that the anti-inflammatory activities of SFELJF extracts are due to proinflammatory cytokines and mediators via suppression of NF-κB activation and MAPK phosphorylation.

The anti-inflammatory effects of compounds isolated from the Litsea japonica fruit were investigated in LPS-stimulated murine macrophage (RAW 264.7) cells. The results indicated that litsenolide (LN)B2 significantly inhibited the LPS-induced release of pro-inflammatory mediators, such as NO and PGE2. LNC2, and, on the other hand, exhibited cytotoxicity at the same concentrations at which it exhibited an inhibitory property. Therefore, only LNB2 was used for further experimentation. LNB2 reduced the LPS-induced production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. We further investigated the mechanism by which LNB2 inhibits pro-inflammatory mediators and cytokines by examining the level of NF-κB and MAPKs phosphorylation, which all serve as key components in inflammation-induced signaling pathways in RAW 264.7 cells. LNB2 inhibited the LPS-induced phosphorylation of NF-κB and MAPKs. These results suggest that LNB2 has an anti-inflammatory effect, inhibiting the production of pro-inflammatory mediators and cytokines via inhibition of NF-κB and MAPK signaling in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells.

We determined the complete mitochondrial (mt) sequence of the Cocktail wrasse, Pteragogus flagellifer. The mt genome is 16,807 bp long and consists of 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNA genes, two rRNA genes, and two noncoding regions. All its mt protein-coding genes begin with an ATG start codon except for CO1, which begins with GTG. The order of the mt genes is largely identical to that of typical vertebrates, although the position of the TMF-regulated nuclear protein (trnP) is unique among known Labridae gene arrangements. The phylogenetic tree of Labridae showed that P. flagellifer is relatively close to Pseudolabrus.

The cytoprotective effect of quercitrin (QR) against oxidative stress induced cell damage by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in Chinese hamster lung fibroblast (V79-4) cells was investigated. QR evidenced a scavenging effect of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), superoxide, hydroxyl radicals and on intracellular ROS, and thus prevented lipid peroxidation. As a result, QR reduced H2O2-induced cell death and apoptosis in V79-4 cells. Moreover, H2O2 induced the cleavage of caspase-3, -9, and poly-ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) and a reduction in Bcl-xL levels, whereas pretreatment with QR significantly inhibited caspase-3, -9, and PARP cleavage and the reduction in Bcl-xL levels, and ultimately ameliorated H2O2-induced apoptosis. Taken together, these results indicate that the treatment of V79-4 cells with QR can block H2O2-induced apoptosis via the regulation of Bcl-xL. QR may be exploited as a biopreservative in food applications or as a health supplement to alleviate oxidative stress.

(1) Background: Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disease that causes progressive articular damage and functional loss. It is characterized by synovial inflammation that leads to progressive cartilage destruction. For this reason, research on functional foods that reduce the inflammatory response are under progress. (2) Methods: We focused on the anti-inflammatory effects of Sargassum muticum, and confirmed the effect of the extract on the collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) DBA/1J mice model. (3) Results: The extract was given at concentrations of 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg, and the arthritis score and edema volume of the experimental group were significantly different from the CIA group. The level of interleukin (IL)-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and interferon (IFN)-γ were determined in serum and lymphocytes. The expression of these cytokines in the serum remarkably decreased from S. muticum extract (SME)100 mg/kg, and decreased from SME 200 mg/kg in lymphocytes. Also, immunohistochemical analysis of IL-6 and TNF-α in the joints revealed that the inflammatory response was noticeably lower when treated with S. muticum extract. (4) Conclusions: This study provides results of the experiment of S. muticum extract treatment in a mouse model. The treatment was found to contribute to the alleviation of edema and symptoms by reducing the expression of inflammatory cytokines. It was concluded that it may be a useful substance to help in the mitigation of arthritis symptoms.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative chronic disease that affects various tissues surrounding the joints, such as the subchondral bone and articular cartilage. The onset of OA is associated with uncontrolled catabolic and anabolic remodeling processes of the joints, including the cartilage and subchondral bone, to adapt to local biological and biochemical signals. In this study, we determined whether 70% ethanolic (EtOH) extract of Litsea japonica fruit (LJFE) had beneficial effects on the articular cartilage, including structural changes in the tibial subchondral bone, matrix degradation, and inflammatory responses, in OA by using a rat model of monosodium iodoacetate-induced OA. Our results showed that administration of LJFE increased the bone volume and cross-section thickness, but the mean number of objects per slice in this group was lower than that in the OA control (OAC) group. In addition, the LJFE decreased the expression of inflammatory cytokines. Compared to the OAC group, the group treated with high doses of LJFE (100 and 200 mg/kg) showed a more than 80% inhibition of the expression of matrix metalloproteinases and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases. Our results suggest that LJFE can be used as a potential anti-osteoarthritic agent.

The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-inflammatory activity of 8-oxo-9-octadecenoic acid (OOA) isolated from Undaria peterseniana by examining its ability to inhibit the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced production of inflammatory mediators in RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. We found that OOA significantly suppressed the LPS-induced production of nitric oxide (NO) and inflammatory cytokines. OOA downregulated the LPS-induced expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 proteins. With respect to proinflammatory signaling pathways, OOA inhibited LPS-induced mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling by inhibiting the phosphorylation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK). Moreover, OOA inhibited LPS-induced nuclear factor (NF)-κB signaling by reducing the phosphorylation of IκB-a and p50 proteins. These results indicate that OOA significantly reduces proinflammatory signaling, which results in reduced expression of cytokines and proinflammatory mediators. Taken together, these results suggest that OOA has potent anti-inflammatory effects and could be considered an effective anti-inflammatory agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation stimulates the expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and inflammatory cytokines. These signaling pathways participate in the degradation of the extracellular matrix and induce inflammatory responses that lead to photoaging. This study evaluated the antioxidant activity and the effect on MMPs and procollagen of putgyul extract in vitro. The anti-photoaging activity of putgyul extracts was estimated in vivo using hairless mice (HR-1). The putgyul extracts reduced MMP-1 production and increased the content of procollagen type I carboxy-terminal peptide in human dermal fibroblasts. Ultravilot-B (UVB)-induced expression of inflammatory cytokines and MMPs was detected in mice, and putgyul extracts suppressed the expression. These results suggest that putgyul extract inhibits photoaging by inhibiting the expression of MMPs that degrade collagen and inhibiting cytokines that induce inflammatory responses. The mouse model also demonstrated that oral administration of putgyul extracts decreased wrinkle depth, epidermal thickness, collagen degradation, and trans-epidermal water loss, and increased β-glucosidase activity on UVB exposed skin. Putgyul extract protects against UVB-induced damage of skin and could be valuable in the prevention of photoaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigated the photoprotective properties of the ethyl acetate fraction of Sargassum muticum (SME) against ultraviolet B (UVB)-induced skin damage and photoaging in a mouse model. HR-1 strain hairless male mice were divided into three groups: An untreated control group, a UVB-irradiated vehicle group and a UVB-irradiated SME group. The UVB-irradiated mice in the SME group were orally administered with SME (100 mg/kg body weight in 0.1 ml water per day) and then exposed to radiation at a dose of 60-120 mJ/ cm2. Wrinkle formation and skin damage were evaluated by analysis of skin replicas, epidermal thickness and collagen fiber integrity in the dermal connective tissue. The mechanism underlying the action of SME was also investigated in the human HaCaT keratinocyte cell line following exposure of the cells to UVB at a dose of 30 mJ/ cm2. The protein expression levels and activity of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1), and the binding of activator protein-1 (AP-1) to the MMP-1 promoter were assessed in the HaCaT cells using western blot analysis, an MMP-1 fluorescent assay and a chromatin immune-precipitation assay, respectively. The results showed that the mean length and depth of the wrinkles in the UVB-exposed hairless mice were significantly improved by oral administration of SME, which also prevented the increase in epidermal thickness triggered by UVB irradiation. Furthermore, a marked increase in collagen bundle formation was observed in the UVB-treated mice with SME administration. SME pretreatment also significantly inhibited the UVB-induced upregulation in the expression and activity of MMP-1 in the cultured HaCaT keratinocytes, and the UVB-enhanced association of AP-1 with the MMP-1 promoter. These results suggested that SME may be useful as an anti-photoaging resource for the skin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During our on-going screening program designed to isolate natural compounds from marine environments, we isolated isoketochabrolic acid (IKCA) from Sargassum micracanthum, an important brown algae distributed in Jeju Island, Korea. Furthermore, we evaluated the inhibitory effects of IKCA on nitric oxide (NO) production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-triggered macrophages. IKCA strongly inhibited NO production, with an IC50 value of 58.31 µM. Subsequent studies demonstrated that IKCA potently and concentration-dependently reduced prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1ß, and IL-6 cytokine production. In conclusion, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to show that IKCA isolated from S. micracanthum has a potent anti-inflammatory activity. Therefore, IKCA might be useful as an anti-inflammatory health supplement or functional cosmetics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The anticancer effects of trans-1,3-diphenyl-2,3-epoxypropan-1-one (DPEP), a chalcone derivative, were investigated in human leukemia HL-60 cells. Treatment of HL-60 cells with various concentration of DPEP resulted in a sequence of events characteristic of apoptosis, including loss of cell viability, morphological changes, and increased sub-G1 DNA content. We demonstrated that DPEP elevates reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in HL-60 cells, and that the ROS scavenger N-acetylcysteine (NAC) could block DPEP-induced ROS generation and apoptosis. Western blot analysis revealed that DPEP inhibits Bcl-xL expression, leading to caspase-3 activation and poly-ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) cleavage, thereby inducing apoptosis. However, NAC pre-treatment significantly inhibited the activation of caspase-3 and PARP cleavage and reduced Bcl-xL levels. These findings provide the first evidence that DPEP may inhibit the growth of HL-60 cells and induce apoptosis through a ROS-mediated Bcl-xL pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the antioxidant properties of 80 % ethanol extracts of 16 species of plants from Jeju Island in Korea were evaluated using various antioxidant assays, including the DPPH (1,1-Diphenyl-2-pricrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging, superoxide scavenging, xanthine oxidase inhibition and hydrogen peroxide scavenging activities. Among the 16 plant extracts tested, CN-13 showed strong antioxidant properties in the DPPH radical scavenging and hydrogen peroxide scavenging tests. The CN-13 ethanol extract was thus selected to be used for further experiments, and was separated into various fractions using four different organic solvents (n-hexane, methylene chloride, ethyl acetate and butanol). The ethyl acetate fraction of CN-13 extract evidenced strong DPPH radical scavenging properties as compared to the other fractions. The ethyl acetate fraction also strongly inhibited DNA-damage induced by hydrogen peroxide-oxidative damage in a mouse lymphoma (L5178Y-R) cell line. Moreover, a correlation between the total phenolic content of the extract, and its antioxidant property was reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we investigated the ability of 6,7-dimethoxy-4-methylcoumarin (DMC) to inhibit lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced expression of pro-inflammatory mediators in mouse macrophage (RAW 264.7) cells, and the molecular mechanism through which this inhibition occurred. Our results indicated that DMC downregulated LPS-induced nitric oxide (NO) synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression, thereby reducing the production of NO and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) in LPS-activated RAW 264.7 cells. Furthermore, DMC suppressed LPS-induced production of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α. To elucidate the mechanism underlying the antiinflammatory activity of DMC, we assessed its effects on the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway and the activity and expression of nuclear transcription factor kappa-B (NF-κB). The experiments demonstrated that DMC inhibited LPS-induced phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and p38. In addition, it attenuated LPS-induced NF-κB activation via the inhibition of I?B-a phosphorylation. Taken together, these data suggest that DMC exerts its anti-inflammatory effects in RAW 264.7 cells through the inhibition of LPS-stimulated NF-κB and MAPK signaling, thereby downregulating the expression of pro-inflammatory mediators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to investigate the cytoprotective properties of the ethyl acetate fraction of Sargassum muticum (SME) against ultraviolet B (UVB)-induced cell damage in human keratinocytes (HaCaT cells). SME exhibited scavenging activity toward the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radicals and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and UVB-induced intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). SME also scavenged the hydroxyl radicals generated by the Fenton reaction (FeSO4 + H2O2), which was detected using electron spin resonance spectrometry. In addition, SME decreased the level of lipid peroxidation that was increased by UVB radiation, and restored the level of protein expression and the activities of antioxidant enzymes that were decreased by UVB radiation. Furthermore, SME reduced UVB-induced apoptosis as shown by decreased DNA fragmentation and numbers of apoptotic bodies. These results suggest that SME protects human keratinocytes against UVB-induced oxidative stress by enhancing antioxidant activity in cells, thereby inhibiting apoptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was designed to elucidate the pharmacological and biological effects of Sargassum muticum extracts on the production of inflammatory mediators in macrophages. S. muticum was extracted with 80% EtOH. The extract was then successively partitioned with n-hexane, CH2Cl2, EtOAc, BuOH, and water. The results indicate that the CH2Cl2 fraction of S. muticum extract was an effective inhibitor of LPS-induced NO and PGE2 production in RAW 264.7 cells. These inhibitory effects of the CH2CI2 fraction of S. muticum included dose-dependent decreases in the expression of iNOS and COX-2 proteins and iNOS and COX-2 mRNA. To test the inhibitory effects of S. muticum fractions on other cytokines, we also measured IL-1β and IL-6 mRNA expression by RT-PCR in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. In these assays, the CH2CI2 fraction of S. muticum decreased the expression of IL-1β and IL-6 mRNA in a dose-dependent manner. Based on these results, we suggest that S. muticum extracts may be considered possible anti-inflammatory candidates for human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite its beneficial role in host defense mechanisms, excessive nitric oxide (NO) production by activated macrophages has been implicated in several inflammatory diseases. To clarify the mechanisms of the anti-inflammatory activities of Sargassum micracanthum, we evaluated whether extracts of S. micracanthum could modulate the production of NO by activated macrophages. S. micracanthum were extracted with 80% EtOH. The extract was then successively partitioned with hexane, CH2Cl2, EtOAc, BuOH, and water. The results indicate that the hexane and CH2Cl2 fractions of S. micracanthum extract were effective inhibitors of LPS-induced NO and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production in RAW 264.7 cells. The inhibitory effects of the hexane and CH2Cl2 fractions of S. micracanthum were accompanied by dosedependent decreases in the production of iNOS and COX-2 proteins and iNOS and COX-2mRNA expression. To test the inhibitory effects of S. micracanthum fractions on other cytokines, we also performed ELISA and RT-PCR assays for TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 in LPSstimulated RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. In these assays, the hexane and CH2Cl2 fractions of S. micracanthum produced dose-dependent decreases in the production and mRNA expression of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6. To test the potential application of S. micracanthum extract as a cosmetic material, we also performed MTT assays on human dermal fibroblast cells, as well asprimary skin irritation tests. In these assays, S. micracanthum extracts did not induce any adverse reactions. Based on these results, we suggest that S. micracanthum extracts may be considered potential anti-inflammatory candidates for topical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article analyzes the chemical composition of the Korean Citrus natsudaidai and Citrus obovoides oils and tests their biological activities against bacteria that induce acne. It includes an evaluation of their vitro anti-acne activity, as well as a discussion of key findings from the analysis of the citrus essential oils using gas chromatograph-flame ionization detectors.

Eutigoside C, a compound isolated from the leaves of Eurya emarginata, is thought to be an active anti-inflammatory compound which operates through an unknown mechanism. In the present study we investigated the molecular mechanisms of eutigoside C activity in lipopolysacchardide (LPS)-stimulated murine macrophage RAW 264.7 cells. Treatment with eutigoside C inhibited LPS-stimulated production of nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and interleukin-6 (IL-6). To further elucidate the mechanism of this inhibitory effect of eutigoside C, we studied LPS-induced nuclear factor (NF)-κB activation and mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase phosphorylation. Eutigoside C suppressed NF-κB DNA binding activity, interfering with nuclear translocation of NF-κB. Eutigoside C suppressed the phosphorylation of three MAP kinases (ERK1/2, JNK and p38). These results suggest that eutigoside C inhibits the production of inflammatory mediators (NO, PGE2 and interleukin-6) by suppressing the activation and translocation of NF-κB and the phosphorylation of MAP kinases (ERK1/2, JNK and p38) in LPS-stimulated murine macrophage RAW 264.7 cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We determined the complete nucleotide sequence of the mitochondrial genome for the rabbitfish Siganus fuscescens (Perciformes, Siganidae). This mitochondrial genome, consisting of 16,491 base pairs (bp), included 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal RNAs, 22 transfer RNAs, and a noncoding control region similar those found in other vertebrates; the gene order was identical to that of typical vertebrates. Most of the genes of S. fuscescens were encoded on the H-strand, while the ND6 and eight tRNA (Gln, Ala, Asn, Cys, Tyr, Ser [UCN], Glu, and Pro) genes were encoded on the L-strand. The reading frames of ATPase 8 and 6 and those of ND4L and ND4 overlapped by ten and seven nucleotides, respectively. All mitochondrial protein-coding genes began with an ATG start codon, except for CO1, which started with GTG. Open reading frames of S. fuscescens ended with TAA (ND1, CO1, ATPase 8, ND4L, ND5 and ND6), and the remainder had incomplete stop codons, either TA (ATPase 6 and CO3) or T (ND2, CO2, ND3, ND4, and Cytb). The origin of L-strand replication in S. fuscescens was located in a cluster of five tRNA genes (WANCY) and was 34 nucleotides in length. A major noncoding region between the tRNA-Pro and tRNA-Phe genes (828 bp) was considered to be the control region (D-loop). Within this sequence, we identified a conserved sequence block characteristic of this region. The rabbitfish was grouped with Siganus canaliculatus in most parsimony analyses, which showed 100% bootstrap support for their divergence. These findings are useful for inferring phylogenetic relationships and identification within the suborder Acanthuroidei. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]