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Euphorbia supina has been traditionally used for the treatment of furuncle and bloody diarrhea relevant to the inflammatory process. It has been proven to have a variety of pharmacological efficacies including antiarthritic, detoxification, hemostatic, and diuretic activities. RAW 264.7 macrophages and bone marrow-derived mast cells (BMMCs) were used to determine the anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic effects of E. supina (ES). NO production was assayed by measuring the nitrite content of the supernatants of cultured RAW 264.7 cells. β-hexosaminidase, a marker of mast cell degranulation, was quantitated by spectrophotometric analysis. ELISA was used for the analysis of interleukin-6 expression, and Western blotting was used to analyze 5-LOX, iNOS, and MAPK activation. The relevant gene expression upon ES treatment was measured by RT-PCR. ES inhibited inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in RAW 264.7 cells, and IL-6 and LTC 4 production in PMA- and A23187-induced BMMCs along with the downregulation of 5-LOX gene expression. Furthermore, in the present study, a decrease in p-ERK, p-JNK, and p-P38 expression, as well as the suppression of degranulation, were observed by treatment with ES. Further in vivo study revealed that ES treatment also remarkably inhibited xylene-induced mouse ear edema and MPO levels in mice ears. This study demonstrates that ES has a potential regulatory effect on the expression of inflammatory mediators through the inhibition of both the phosphorylation of MAPK signaling and the activation of degranulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Females homozygous for the Purkinje cell degeneration mutation (pcd) are fertile, although the success rate is much lower than in the wild type. We performed detailed analysis of reproductive abnormalities of pcd females. The number of oocytes produced following exogenous gonadotropin treatment was much lower in pcd3J-/- females than in pcd3J+/+ females. Furthermore, the estrous cyclicity of pcd3J-/- females according to the appearance of the vagina was almost undetectable comparing to that of the wild type. Histological analyses and follicle counting of 4- and 8-week-old pcd3J-/- ovaries showed an increase in the number of secondary follicles and a decrease in the number of antral follicles, indicating that AGTPBP1/ CCP1 plays an important role in the development of secondary follicles into antral follicles. Consistent with a previous analysis of the pcd cerebellum, pcd3J-/- ovaries also showed a clear increase in the level of polyglutamylation. Gene expression analysis showed that both oocytes and cumulus cells express CCP1. However, Ccp4 and CCP6, which can compensate the function of CCP1, were not expressed in mouse ovaries. Failure of microtubule deglutamylation did not affect the structure and function of the meiotic spindle in properly aligning chromosomes in the center of the nucleus during meiosis in pcd3J-/- females. We also showed that the pituitary-derived growth and reproduction-related endocrine system functions normally in pcd3J-/- mice. The results of this study provide insight into additional functions of CCP1, which cannot be fully explained by the side chain deglutamylation of microtubules alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resveratrol oligomers from the extract of Peaonia lactiflora seeds were investigated for the first time and their potential role as nutraceuticals to treat airway inflammation based on their anti-inflammatory activity examined. After the isolation of five major peaks (suffruticosol B, suffruticosol A, trans -ε-viniferin, trans -gnetin H, and cis -suffruticosol D) of a P. lactiflora extract using a one-step high-speed counter current chromatograhy (HSCCC) process, the anti-inflammation activity of each compound was evaluated in the LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages. Suffruticosol A showed potent levels of inhibition in the expression/production of NO, iNOS, and pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β) in the assay. Additionally, suffruticosol A exhibited a significant suppression of the increased inflammatory cell count, protein content, pro-inflammatory cytokines and the production of reactive oxygen species in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of acute airway inflammation murine model, in which cigarette smoke and LPS exposure were both used as pro-inflammatory stimuli. These experimental results indicate that suffruticosol A has significant effects both in vitro and in vivo to be a potential candidate for airway inflammation therapeutics based on its anti-inflammatory activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three new triterpene glycosides (Lonicerosides K, L and M) and 11 known compounds were isolated from the aerial parts of Weigela subsessilis. Among the known isolated compounds, loniceroside A, sweroside, kaempferol-3- O-glucopyranoside 6″-(3-hydroxy-3-methylglutarate), kaempferol-3- O-acetylglucoside and grandifloroside were reported for the first time in a Weigela genus plant. Their chemical structures were identified using extensive spectroscopic analysis including two-dimensional (2D)-NMR experiments, HR-ESI-QTOF-MS and comparison with reported data. Among these compounds, lonicerosides A and L had potent melanogenesis stimulatory activity in murine B16F0 melanoma cells. The structural relationship of active compounds was discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article talks about study of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi (Lamiaceae) which contains c-Met which is receptor tyrosine kinase and Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK). It adds that c-Met works in cell proliferation, angiogenesis and cell adhesion and has uses in cancer progression and metastasis such as non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), liver cancer and renal cancer. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy is used for this method.

Soybean ( Glycine max L.) leaves have unique nutraceutical and pharmacological benefits, and have been widely used as a source of healthy and functional food stuffs in Korea. In this study, we investigated the phytochemical metabolomic changes of soybean leaves depending on growth stages (maturation period) assessed based on UPLC-QTOF-MS analysis. Principal component analysis was carried out to trace the metabolite profiles of the phytochemicals from the vegetable stage (1D) through the seven reproductive stages (R1-R7). On the loading plot, significant changes in the contents of metabolites were found during the growth, and eight flavonoid kaempferol glycosides ( 2, 3, 6, 8, and 10), daidzein ( 14), genistein ( 17), and coumestrol ( 19) were evaluated as growth markers among the 19 isolated metabolites. The kaempferol glycosides were increasingly synthesized from the 1D to the R6 stage but decreased rapidly at stages R7-R8. The extensively synthesized daidzein and genistein were shown during seed growth in the pod (R5-R6), while coumestrol was increased significantly at stages R7-R8 (maturity period). The synthetic pathway of the flavonoids could be elucidated based on the concentration of the individual metabolites. These results demonstrate that the metabolite production changed depending on the growth stage; a possible pathway could be deduced using metabolomic analysis to provide information regarding physiological characterization and optimal harvesting time for crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability of water and ethanolic extracts isolated of Uncaria rhynchophylla (UR) to function as an anticancer agents was studied using HepG2 cells. The ethanolic UR extract was further fractionatedwith hexane, chloroform (CHCl), ethyl acetate (EtOAc), n-butanol ( n-BuOH), and water, and these fractions were subsequently investigated for anticancer activity. Among the fractions, the n-BuOH fraction induced apoptosis in a dose- and time-dependent manner, when determined by cell cycle analysis, Annexin V-FITC/PI double staining, and Hoechst 33342 staining. Moreover, the n-BuOH fraction induced apoptotic cell death by modulating the expression of caspase-7, caspase-8, and poly ADP ribose polymerase (PARP). These results indicated that the n-BuOH fraction from UR has strong anticancer activity in HepG2 cells and causes an upregulation of apoptotic proteins through the activation of PARP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Carthami Flos (CF) is used in traditional Asian medicine to treat blood stagnation and its associated diseases in patients. While the underlying mechanism for this effect remains unknown, CF has been reported to activate Nrf2, a transcription factor that is critical in protecting from various inflammatory lung diseases including acute lung injury (ALI). Here, we examined whether CF has a therapeutic effect on lung inflammation and assessed the impact of Nrf2 on the effect of CF using an ALI mouse model. Treatment of bone marrow derived macrophages with standardized aqueous extract of CF (AECF) activated Nrf2, resulting in the expression of Nrf2 dependent genes including GCLC, NQO-1 and HO-1. While intranasal LPS treatment of wild type mice resulted in neutrophilic infiltration and a concomitant expression of pro-inflammatory cytokine genes in the lung, the hallmarks of ALI, an intratracheal spraying of AECF to the lung 2h after LPS treatment suppressed the inflammatory response. By contrast, similar treatment in nrf2 −/− mice with AECF failed to attenuate the inflammatory response. Thus, our results show that AECF attenuated neutrophilic lung inflammation in mice, which required Nrf2. Since AECF administration abrogates lung inflammation after LPS treatment, we propose CF as a potential therapeutics in the management of ALI. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Wogonin is a flavonoid compound extracted from Scutellaria baicalensis and is well known as a benzodiazepine receptor ligand with anxiolytic effects. Many recent studies have demonstrated that wogonin modulates angiogenesis, proliferation, invasion, and tumor progress in various cancer tissues. We further explored the mechanism of action of wogonin on cervical cancer cells that contain or lack human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA. Wogonin was cytotoxic to HPV 16 (+) cervical cancer cells, SiHa and CaSki, but not to HPV-negative cells. We demonstrated that wogonin induced apoptosis by suppressing the expressions of the E6 and E7 viral oncogenes in HPV-infected cervical cancer CaSki and SiHa cells. The modulation of p53 and protein retinoblastoma (pRb) were also triggered by the suppression of E6 and E7 expressions. However, p53 was not altered in HPV-negative cervical cancer C33A cells. Moreover, wogonin modulated the mitochondrial membrane potential and the expression of pro- and anti-apoptotic factors such as Bax and Bcl-2. Wogonin also provoked the cleavage of caspase-3, caspase-9, and poly ADP ribose polymerase. After transfection of siRNAs to target E6 and E7, additional restoration of p53 and pRb was not induced, but processing of caspases and PARP was increased compared with wogonin treatment alone. Together, our findings demonstrated that wogonin effectively promotes apoptosis by downregulating E6 and E7 expressions and promoting intrinsic apoptosis in human cervical cancer cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new ingenane-type diterpene, (3 S,5 R)5- O-(2,3-dimethylbutanoyl)-13- O-dodecanoyl-20- O-deoxyingenol ( 1), and six known compounds,3- O-(2,3-dimethylbutanoyl)-13- O-dodecanoyl-20- O-deoxyingenol ( 2), 20- O-decanoylingenol ( 3), 20- O-acetylingenol-3- O-(2′ E,4′ Z) decadienoate ( 4), kansuiphorin A ( 5), 3- O-(2,3-dimethylbutanoyl)-13- O-dodecanoylingenol ( 6), and kansuinin F ( 7) were isolated and evaluated for their effect on IFN-γ production in NK92 cells. Interestingly, subjection to compounds 4 and 6 (10 nM) displayed the most significant response in IFN-γ production, comparable to that produced by the same dose of phorbol 12-myistate 13-acetate (PMA). High doses of compounds 3 (100 nM), 1 (1. 25 μM) and 5 (5.0 μM) have also been shown to activate the IFN-γ production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fruit of trifoliate orange ( Poncirus trifoliate) is widely used for treating allergies including allergenic dermatitis and inflammation in oriental medicine. Increased blood IgE concentration and histamine level following dermatitis, coughing and asthma are the most important clinical symptoms of allergic diseases. Decreases in the elevated serum IgE concentrations are essential in the treatment of allergy because increased IgE blood levels are initiated in allergenic immune disorders. This study was conducted to investigate the activities of an extract of trifoliate orange fruit using 100% methanol followed by extraction with boiling water on the regulation of blood IgE concentration in the U266B1 human myeloma cell line and a 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (DNCB) sensitized mouse model. The results revealed that the extracts of trifoliate orange suppressed IgE production in U266B1 cells in a dose dependent manner with or without lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation of the cells. In addition, chemically elevated blood IgE concentrations were dramatically decreased by oral administration, ventral injection, and topical application of the trifoliate orange extracts (TOE). The results indicated that the fraction of TOE should contain an important compound of the fruit of trifoliate orange, and TOE had the ability to reduce IgE concentrations in cultured cells and a chemically sensitized in vivo mouse model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]