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Background: The derivative of caffeamide exhibits antioxidant and antityrosinase activity. The activity and mechanism of N-(4-methoxyphenyl) caffeamide (K36E) on melanogenesis was investigated. Methods: B16F0 cells were treated with various concentrations of K36E; the melanin contents and related signal transduction were studied. Western blotting assay was applied to determine the protein expression, and spectrophotometry was performed to identify the tyrosinase activity and melanin content. Results: Our results indicated that K36E reduced α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH)-induced melanin content and tyrosinase activity in B16F0 cells. In addition, K36E inhibited the expression of phospho-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-response element-binding protein, microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), tyrosinase, and tyrosinase-related protein-1 (TRP-1). K36E activated the phosphorylation of protein kinase B (AKT) and glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSK3β), leading to the inhibition of MITF transcription activity. K36E attenuated α-MSH induced cAMP pathways, contributing to hypopigmentation. Conclusions: K36E regulated melanin synthesis through reducing the expression of downstream proteins including p-CREB, p-AKT, p-GSK3β, tyrosinase, and TRP-1, and activated the transcription factor, MITF. K36E may have the potential to be developed as a skin whitening agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rhodiola is a genus of medicinal plants that originated in Asia and Europe and are used traditionally as adaptogens, antidepressants, and anti-inflammatory remedies. Rhodiola plants are rich in polyphenols, and salidroside and tyrosol are the primary bioactive marker compounds in the standardized extracts of Rhodiola rosea . This review article summarizes the bioactivities, including adaptogenic, antifatigue, antidepressant, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antinoception, and anticancer activities, and the modulation of immune function of Rhodiola plants and its two constituents, as well as their potential to prevent cardiovascular, neuronal, liver, and skin disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ixora parviflora, a species of the Rubiaceae, is rich in polyphenols and flavonoids, and has been traditionally used as a folk medicine. An I. parviflora extract (IPE) has great antioxidant activity in vitro, including a scavenging effect on superoxide radicals, reducing power, and ferrous ion-chelating ability. However, whether IPE is efficacious against oxidative damage in vivo is not known. The purpose of this study was to determine the protective effects of IPE treatment on hepatic oxidative stress and antioxidant defenses after exhaustive exercise in mice. Fifty male C57BL/6 mice (6 week old) were randomly divided into five groups and designated a sedentary control with vehicle (C), and exhaustive exercise with vehicle (IPE0), low dosage (IPE10), medium dosage (IPE50) and high dosage (IPE100) of IPE at 0, 10, 50, and 100 mg/kg, respectively. After a single bout of exhaustive swimming exercise challenge, levels of blood ammonia and creatine kinase (CK), and hepatic superoxide dismutase (SOD) protein expression, thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance (TBARS), and gp91phox, p22phox, and p47phox subunits of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase expressions in the IPE0 group were significantly affected compared to those of the C group, but they were all significantly inhibited by the IPE treatments. Results of the present in vivo study in mice indicate that I. parviflora extract possesses antioxidative and hepatoprotective potential following exhaustive exercise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we investigated whether the protective effects of Neonauclea reticulata water extract against ultraviolet B (UVB) irradiation in human skin fibroblast cell cultures (Hs68) are governed by its ability to protect against oxidative stress and expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). We found that Neonauclea reticulata extract exhibited DPPH scavenging activity and inhibited AAPH-induced haemolysis of erythrocytes in a dose- and time-dependent manner. We also found that pretreatment of fibroblasts with Neonauclea reticulata water extract resulted in markedly lower levels of MMP-1, -3, and -9 expressions. Furthermore, our results indicate that Neonauclea reticulata extract inhibits the expression of MMPs by inhibiting ERK, JNK, and p38 phosphorylation. Our results also demonstrate that treatment with Neonauclea reticulata extract protects against UVB-induced depletion of collagen. In addition, Neonauclea reticulata extract did not have a cytotoxic effect. These findings indicate that the antioxidant activity of Neonauclea reticulata extract resulted in inhibition of MMP-1, -3, and -9 expressions and in increased levels of collagen activity. Our results suggest that Neonauclea reticulata extract can protect against photoaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we investigated the antioxidant activity and anti-photo aging properties of an extract of Flemingia macrophylla, a plant rich in isoflavonoid content. Pretreatment of fibroblasts with Flemingia macrophylla extract (FME) inhibited elastase activity, promoted the protein expression of type I procollagen, and attenuated the phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase and the protein expression of matrix-metalloproteinase- (MMP-) 1, 3, and 9. The IC50 values were 2.1 Μg/mL for DPPH radical scavenging ability, 366.8 Μg/mL for superoxide anion scavenging ability, 178.9 Μg/mL for hydrogen peroxide scavenging ability, and 230.9 Μg/mL for hydroxyl radical scavenging ability. Also, exposure of erythrocytes to various concentrations of FME (50-500 Μg/mL) resulted in a dose- and time-dependent inhibition of AAPH-induced hemolysis. In human fibroblasts, FME at 10 Μg/mL was shown to be a potent scavenger of UV-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS). The antioxidant and anti-photoaging properties of FME make it an ideal anti-intrinsic aging and anti-photoaging agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article proposed an optimal hydrolysis condition and a chromatographic method for the analysis of polyphenol glycosides in aloe extract and its hydrolysates. The aglycones assayed were aloin and aloe-emodin. The linearity (r > 0.9997) and validation (< 10%) of the calibration curves were excellent. The amounts of aloin were 76.1 ± 5.9 and 77.7 ± 2.8 µmol/g in decoction and hydrolysate, respectively, while those of aloe-emodin were 8.3 ± 0.5 and 8.1 ± 0.3 µmol/g. The contents of aloin and aloe-emodin in aloe showed no significant difference before and after hydrolysis. This may be due to that aloe sold in Chinese medicine retailer was processed and the glycosides have already been transferred to aglycones. In addition, the components may be decomposed during processing. The method developed here can be applied to determine aglycones and their glycosides in aloe for the quality control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyphenols and flavonoids possess a variety of biological activities including antioxidant and anti-tumor activities. Ixora parviflora is a member of the flavonoid-rich Rubiaceae family of flowering plants and used as folk medicine in India. The aim of this study was to investigate the antioxidant activity of Ixora parviflora extract (IPE) in a cell-free system and erythrocytes, and the ability of IPE to inhibit reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in human fibroblasts (Hs68) after ultraviolet (UV) exposure. Various in vitro antioxidant assays were employed in this study. The extraction yield of IPE was 17.4 ± 3.9%, the total phenolic content of IPE was 26.2 μg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/mg leaves dry weight and the total flavonoids content was 54.2 ± 4.4 μg quercetin equvalent (QE)/mg extract. The content of chlorogenic acid was 9.7 ± 1.2 mg/g extract. IPE at 1000 μg/mL exhibited a reducing capacity of 90.5 ± 0.6%, a 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazy (DPPH) radical scavenging activity of 96.0 ± 0.4%, a ferrous chelating activity of 72.2 ± 3.5%, a hydroxyl radical scavenging activity of 96.8 ± 1.4%, and a hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity of 99.5 ± 3.3%. IPE at 500 μg/mL also possessed inhibitory activity against 2,2'-azobis (2-methylpropionamidine) dihydrochloride (AAPH)-induced hemolysis of erythrocytes (89.4 ± 1.8%) and resulted in a 52.9% reduction in ROS generation in UV-exposed fibroblasts. According to our findings, IPE is a potent antioxidant and a potential anti-photoaging agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, 15 wine cakes from various sources were collected for the investigation of whitening and moisturizing effects. The fatty acid and free amino acid contents of the wine cakes were analyzed. The results showed that flattened yellow wine cake had the highest free amino acid contents (630 mg/100 g) among all the wine cakes tested. In addition, the fatty acid content of the wine cakes was higher than that of Japanese sake wine. Since the fatty acids and amino acids of wine cake are similar to the natural moisturizing factors and the intercellular lipids in the human epidermis, the wine cakes could be applied as cosmetic humectants. The ethanolic extracts of wine cakes were subjected to tests for the inhibition zones of tyrosinase, the inhibition rates on tyrosinase activity, and inhibition of DOPA quinone synthesis via BI6 melanoma cell. The inhibition zones of tyrosinase caused by grain sorghum wine cakes and yellow wine cakes were larger than that of arbutin. Reduction of the inhibition rate on tyrosinase activity was in the following order: dry grain sorghum wine cake, flattened yellow wine cake, wet grain sorghum wine cake, dry yellow wine cake and wet yellow wine cake. Moreover, in the tests for inhibition of DOPA quinone synthesis, higher inhibitions were shown for dry grain sorghum wine cake by 1.03-fold, wet grain sorghum wine cake by 0.74-fold, dry yellow wine cake by 0.62-fold, wet yellow wine cake by 0.94-fold, and sake wine cake by 0.78-fold, when compared with arbutin. Our results of the three in vitro inhibition tests for tyrosinase activity indicated that grain sorghum wine cakes and yellow wine cakes can be developed for use as skin-whitening agents and humectants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the U.S. Congress passed the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) in 1994, use of herbal products has been growing rapidly worldwide. To ensure consumer health protection, the quality and safety of herbal plants, particularly those used for dietary supplement preparations, must be determined. To date, toxicological data on the identification of genotoxic and tumorigenic ingredients in many raw herbs and their mechanisms of action are lacking. Thus, identification of carcinogenic components in herbal plants is timely and important. In this review, the issues of quality control and safety evaluation of raw herbs and herbal dietary supplements are discussed. Two examples of tumorigenicity and mechanism of tumor induction are discussed: aristolochic acid and riddelliine, both of which have been detected in Chinese herbal plants. It is proposed that an organized effort with international participation on cancer risk assessment should be actively pursued so that the safety of commercial herbal plants and herbal dietary supplements can be ensured. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ginger (roots of Zingiber officinale ROSCOE) is a popular spice and herbal medicine worldwide. Cyclosporine is clinically used as an important immunosupressant with narrow therapeutic index. This study attempted to investigate the effect of ginger juice on the pharmacokinetics of cyclosporine in rats. Rats were orally administered cyclosporine alone and in combination with ginger juice (5 ml/kg) concomitantly, as well as 2 hours after the ginger juice, respectively, in crossover designs. In addition, rats were intravenously administered cyclosporine with and without an oral dose of ginger juice (5 ml/kg). The blood samples were withdrawn via cardiopuncture at determined time points and cyclosporine concentrations were determined by a specific monoclonal fluorescence polarization immunoassay. The pharmacokinetic parameters of cyclosporine were calculated using a non-compartment model of WINNONLIN. The results indicated that concomitant intake of ginger significantly decreased Cmax and AUC0–t of oral cyclosporine by 70.9% and 63.1%, respectively. The intake of ginger 2 hours before cyclosporine significantly decreased Cmax and AUC0–t by 51.4% and 40.3%, respectively. In contrast, the pharmacokinetics of intravenous cyclosporine not altered by orally in combination with ginger juice. In conclusion, ginger significantly decreased the oral bioavailability of cyclosporine, and the interaction should occur at the absorption phase. Patients treated with cyclosporine should be discouraged from using ginger products to ensure the efficacy of cyclosporine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In situ synthesis of mesoporous TiO2 nanopowders using titanium tetrachloride (TiCl4) and NH4OH as initial materials has been successfully fabricated by a coprecipitation process without the addition of surfactant. Characteristics and properties of the mesoporous TiO2 nanopowders were investigated using differential scanning calorimetry/thermogravimetry (DSC/TG), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) and Barrent-Joyner-Halenda (BJH) analyses, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED) and high resolution TEM (HRTEM). The results of TG and XRD showed that the NH4Cl decomposed between 513 and 673 K. XRD results showed that the anatase TiO2 only contained a single phase when the calcination temperature of the precursor powder was less than 673 K. Whereas phases of anatase and rutile TiO2 coexist after calcining at 773 K for 2 h. The crystalline size of the anatase and rutile TiO2 was 14.3 and 26.6 nm, respectively, when the precursor powder was calcined at 773 K for 2 h. The BET and BJH results showed a significant increase in surface area and pore volumes when the NH4Cl was completely decomposed. The maximum values of BET specific surface area and volume were 172.8 m²/g and 0.392 cm³/g, respectively. The average pore sizes when calcination was at 473 and 773 K for 2 h were 3.8 and 14.0 nm, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study established a quantification method for cosmetics containing licorice. During pretreatment, methanol was used as a solvent for extraction of lotion products and a salting-out method with a photodiode array detector for emulsions and creams. A gradient high performance liquid Chromatographie method was established to determine liquiritin, glycyrrhizin and glycyrrhetinic acid in licorice-containing cosmetics. Samples were analyzed by gradient elution with a mobile phase containing acetonitrile and 1% phosphoric acid at a now rate of 1.0 mL/min. Calibration curves of the three compounds were constructed in the range of 5.0 - 50.0 ng/mL in glycerin solution and 2.5 - 100.0 µg/mL in emulsion and cream. The correlation coefficients were all above 0.994. The average recoveries of these three compounds were 88.8 - 107.4%, 91.7 - 104.1% and 95.6 - 105.5% in glycerin solution, emulsion, and cream, respectively. The analytical method was further validated and employed in the assay of the commercial products. The results showed that glycyrrhizin could be detected in licorice extracts. With regard to the quantification of marker components in commercial products, glycyrrhizin (16.8 to 113.4 µg/mL) was detected in 3 out of 7 licorice-containing commercial products. Glycyrrhizin was the most abundant component in licorice, while other marker compounds were not detectable, probably due to low contents or extensive dilution. The method developed in this study can be applied to commercial cosmetics containing licorice for the assurance of product quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Department of Health in Taiwan has announced mandatory labeling of the whole composition of cosmetics since May 5, 2002. Chinese herbal extracts are commonly added to cosmetics to attract consumers. To follow the earlier-mentioned regulation, it is important to develop a quantitative method to examine the contents of products to which Chinese herbal extracts have been added. This study attempted to establish a quantitative method for aloe and Scutellariae Radix (SR) in cosmetics. An HPLC/UV method using gradient elution was established to analyze marker compounds in herbal extracts and spiked blank cosmetic bases. The calibration curves of the marker compounds were linear (r>0.99) in the range of 1.6 to 50.0 μg/mL. The analytical method was validated and commercial products were assayed. The results indicated that aloin, aloe-emodin and chrysophanol were not detected in all four aloe extracts. Baicalin and wogonin were detected in the two SR extracts. However, marker compounds of these two herbs were not detectable in the 26 commercial product samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]