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Aim. Higenamine [1-[(4-hydroxyphenyl) methyl]-1, 2, 3, 4-tetrahydroisoquinoline-6, 7-diol], a potent cardiotonic compound from Aconitum, contributes to vascular relaxation and bronchodilation. However, the effects and mechanisms of action of higenamine on skin aging remain poorly understood. In this study, the effects of higenamine on UVB-induced photoaging were examined in the hairless mouse model. Methods. The dorsal skin of hairless mice (CrlOri : SKH1) was exposed to chronic UVB irradiation (100–300 mJ/cm2 for 6 weeks), with subsequent administration of higenamine (1–20 mg/kg, p.o.) for 2 weeks. TGF-β, Smad3 DNA-binding phosphorylation, and COL1A1 levels were analyzed by immunohistochemistry, and histological analysis of the skin was performed via H&E and MT staining. Results. Higenamine increased TGF-β, Smad3 DNA-binding phosphorylation, and COL1A1 expression in primary human fibroblast cells and mouse skin. Higenamine suppressed UVB-induced photoaging via skin recovery, improved epidermal thickness, and prevented Smad3, DNA-binding phosphorylation, and COL1A1 depletion via TGF-β signaling. Conclusion. Higenamine enhances collagen production in the skin through TGF-β/Smad3 signaling and potentially suppresses UVB-induced skin aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Mantidis Ootheca (MO), described as the ootheca of Hierodula patellifera Serville, 1839, Tenodera angustipennis (Saussure, 1869), or Statilia maculate (Thunberg, 1784) in Korean Herbal Pharmacopoeia, is an important herbal material that has been traditionally used for treating several medical conditions including renal failure, spermatorrhea, and pediatric enuresis in Korea. Objective. The present study investigated the potential subacute toxicity of MO water extract during a 2-week repeated oral administration of doses of 0, 50, 150, or 450 mg/kg/day to C57BL/6 male mice by gavage. Methods. The following parameters were examined during the study period: mortality, clinical signs, body weight, hematology, serum biochemistry, gross findings, organ weight, and histopathology. All the mice were euthanized at the end of the treatment period. Results. No treatment-related changes in mortalities, clinical signs, body weight, gross finding, and organ weight change were detected after 14 days of oral MO extract administration. In addition, no meaningful MO extract treatment-related changes were observed in the hematological, serum biochemical, and histopathological parameters compared with the normal control group following treatment with doses of up to 450 mg/kg/day. Conclusion. Based on these findings, we concluded that treatment of mice with the water extract of MO did not result in significant toxicity and, therefore, it could be considered safe for further pharmacological studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jodeungsan (JDS) is a traditional herbal formula that comprises seven medicinal herbs and is broadly utilized to treat hypertension, dementia, and headache. However, the effects of JDS and its herbal components on neurodegenerative diseases have not been reported. We examined the inhibitory effects of JDS and its seven components on neuronal cell death and inflammation using HT22 hippocampal cells and BV-2 microglia, respectively. Among its seven herbal components, Uncaria sinensis (US), Chrysanthemum morifolium (CM), Zingiber officinale (ZO), Pinellia ternata (PT), Citrus unshiu (CU), and Poria cocos (PC) exhibited significant neuroprotective effects in HT22 cells. In BV-2 cells, JDS significantly suppressed the production of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), indicating the antineuroinflammatory activity of JDS. In addition, the herbal extracts from ZO, Panax ginseng (PG), PT, CU, and PC exhibited inhibitory effects on the inflammatory response in microglia. These data imply that the JDS effect on neurodegeneration occurs via coordination among its seven components. To establish a quality control for JDS, a simultaneous analysis using five standard compounds identified hesperidin (37.892±1.228 mg/g) as the most abundant phytochemical of JDS. Further investigation of the combinatorial activities of two or more standard compounds will be necessary to verify their antineurodegenerative regulatory mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ma huang tang (MHT) is a traditional herbal medicine comprising six medicinal herbs and is used to treat influenza-like illness. However, the effects of MHT on inflammatory skin diseases have not been verified scientifically. We investigated determining the inhibitory effects of MHT against inflammation responses in skin using HaCaT human keratinocyte cells. We found that MHT suppressed production of thymus and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC/CCL17), macrophage-derived chemokine (MDC/CCL22), regulated on activation of normal T-cell expressed and secreted (RANTES/CCL5), and interleukin-8 (IL-8) in tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interferon-γ- (IFN-γ-) stimulated HaCaT cells. Consistently, MHT suppressed the mRNA expression of TARC, MDC, RANTES, and IL-8 in TNF-α and IFN-γ-stimulated cells. Additionally, MHT inhibited TNF-α and IFN-γ-stimulated signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1) phosphorylation in a dose-dependent manner and nuclear translocation in HaCaT cells. Our finding indicates that MHT inhibits production and expression of inflammatory chemokines in the stimulated keratinocytes by downregulating STAT1 phosphorylation, suggesting that MHT may be a possible therapeutic agent for inflammatory skin diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Banhasasim-tang (BHSST) is a Korean traditional herbal formula comprising eight medicinal herbs. The aim of the present study was to investigate the anti-inflammatory effect of BHSST using macrophage and keratinocyte cell lines. First, we evaluated the effects of BHSST on inflammatory mediator and cytokine production in lipopolysaccharide- (LPS-) stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. BHSST markedly inhibited the production of nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), and interleukin- (IL-) 6. BHSST significantly suppressed the protein expression of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and phosphorylated nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) p65 in RAW 264.7 cells. Second, we examined whether BHSST influences the production of chemokines and STAT1 phosphorylation in tumor necrosis factor-α/interferon-γ TI-stimulated HaCaT keratinocytes. BHSST significantly suppressed the production of RANTES/CCL5, TARC/CCL17, MDC/CCL22, and IL-8 in TI-stimulated HaCaT cells. BHSST also suppressed TI-induced phosphorylation of STAT1 in HaCaT cells. These results suggest that BHSST may be useful as an anti-inflammatory agent, especially for inflammatory skin diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]