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Plant tissue culture holds immense potential for the production of secondary metabolites with various physiological functions. We recently established a plant tissue culture system capable of producing secondary metabolites from Aster yomena. This study aimed to uncover the mechanisms underlying the potential therapeutic effects of Aster yomena callus pellet extract (AYC-P-E) on photoaging-induced skin pigmentation. Excessive melanogenesis was induced in B16F10 melanoma cells using α-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH). The effects of AYC-P-E treatment on melanin biosynthesis inducers and melanin synthesis inhibition were assessed. Based on the results, a clinical study was conducted in subjects with skin pigmentation. AYC-P-E inhibited melanogenesis in α-MSH-treated B16F10 cells, accompanied by decreased mRNA and protein expression of melanin biosynthesis inducers, including cyclic AMP response element-binding protein (CREB), tyrosinase, microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), tyrosinase related protein-1 (TRP-1), and TRP-2. This anti-melanogenic effect was mediated by mitogen-activated protein kinase (MEK)/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and protein kinase B (AKT) phosphorylation. Treatment of subjects with skin pigmentation with AYC-P-E-containing cream formulations resulted in 3.33%, 7.06%, and 8.68% improvement in the melanin levels at 2, 4, and 8 weeks, respectively. Our findings suggest that AYC-P-E inhibits excessive melanogenesis by activating MEK/ERK and AKT signaling, potentiating its cosmetic applications in hyperpigmentation treatment.

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a threaten human health problem, and accompanied by hyperglycemia and disorder of insulin secretion, is a major cause of abnormalities in maintaining blood glucose homeosta...

Orostachys japonicus A. Berger and Momordica charantia Linn have been widely used as an alternative medicine. Recently, patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) have paid increasing attention to medical nutrition therapy due to its safety and cost-effectiveness. Therefore, we have developed a new health functional food that consists of a mixed extract of O. japonicus and M. charantia. The aim of this study is designed to assess the antidiabetic efficacy of O. japonicus and M. charantia extracts (OME, in an 8:2 ratio), especially focusing on the effects of O. japonicus via in vivo and in vitro experiments. Seven-week-old C57BL/Ksj-db/db (db/db; a genetic animal model of T2D) mice were used for inducing diabetes. Mice were administered with various concentrations of OME (OME 0, 100, 200, or 400 mg/kg/day) for 6 weeks. Metabolic parameters, fasting blood glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin levels were measured. Histopathologic analysis and the levels of serum or hepatic biochemicals were assessed to evaluate diabetic liver injury and steatosis. The expression levels of lipogenic and gluconeogenic genes were determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Activation of Akt was assessed by western blot analysis. Administration of OME significantly improved metabolic parameters in db/db mice, and also reduced diabetic liver injury and steatosis were observed by OME administration in db/db mice as confirmed by histopathologic and serum or hepatic biochemical analysis. Consistently, treatment of OME significantly increased Akt activation resulting in decreased expression levels of lipid-accumulation or gluconeogenesis-related genes. Similar results were observed in in vitro experiments using single extract of O. japonicus and using OME. OME has antidiabetic effects with increased insulin sensitivity, and may be a safe alternative therapy for the management of T2D.

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a threaten human health problem, and accompanied by hyperglycemia and disorder of insulin secretion, is a major cause of abnormalities in maintaining blood glucose homeostasis. Also, low-grade inflammation, as well as insulin resistance (IR), is a common feature in patients with T2D. Numerous causes of the outbreak of T2D have been suggested by researchers, who indicate that genetic background and epigenetic predisposition, such as overnutrition and deficient physical activity, hasten the promotion of T2D milieu.

Drynaria fortunei (D. fortunei), widely used in traditional Korean medicine, is reportedly effective in treating inflammation, hyperlipidemia, bone fractures, oxidative damage, arteriosclerosis, rheumatism, and gynecological diseases. The objective of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial effects of the chloroform fraction of D. fortunei (DFCF) and assess the synergistic effects of DFCF with antibiotics against bacterial pathogens. This was carried out by calculating the minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) and performing checkerboard dilution test and time-kill assays. The MICs/MBCs for DFCF, ampicillin, and gentamicin against all oral strains were >39-2,500/5,000 μg/mL, 0.25-64/0.25-64 µg/mL, and 0.5-256/1-512 µg/mL, respectively. DFCF exhibited the highest activity against the periodontic pathogens Prevotella intermedia and Porphylomonas gingivalis. DFCF in combination with ampicillin showed a strong synergistic effect against oral bacteria (fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) index ≤0.5), whereas on combining with gentamicin, it reduced the on half-eighth times than used alone (FICI ≤ 0.5). DFCF combined with ampicillin or gentamicin killed 100% of most tested bacteria within 3-4 h. The results of this study demonstrate the antimicrobial and synergistic activity of DFCF and antibiotics against oral pathogens.

The antibacterial activity of an extract and several fractions of Sophora flavescens (S. flavescens) root alone and in combination with antibiotics against oral bacteria was investigated by checkerboard assay and time-kill assay. The minimum inhibitory concentration/minimum bactericidal concentration (MIC/MBC) values for all examined bacteria were 0.313-2.5/0.625-2.5 μg/mL for the n-BuOH fraction, 0.625-5/1.25-10 μg/mL for the EtOAc fraction, 0.25-8/0.25-16 μg/mL for ampicillin, 0.5-256/1-512 μg/mL for gentamicin, 0.008-32/0.016-64 μg/mL for erythromycin, and 0.25-64/0.5-128 μg/mL for vancomycin. The n-butanol (n-BuOH) and ethyl acetate (EtOAc) fractions exhibited stronger antibacterial activity against oral bacteria than other fractions and extracts. The MICs and MBCs were reduced to between one half and one quarter when the n-BuOH and EtOAc fractions were combined with antibiotics. After 24 h of incubation, combination of 1/2 MIC of the n-BuOH fraction with antibiotics increased the degree of bactericidal activity. The present results suggest that n-BuOH and EtOAc extracts of S. flavescens root might be applicable as new natural antimicrobial agents against oral pathogens.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has been emerging worldwide as one of the most important hospital and community pathogens. At the same time, because of the difficulty in developing chemical synthetic drugs and because of their side-effects, scientists are making more efforts to search for new drugs from plant resources to combat clinical multidrug-resistant microbial infections. Cinnamomum camphora (C. camphora) is a plant of family Lauraceae, and grown Jeju island in South Korea that are used as a drug to treat neurasthenia, epilepsy, cystitis, pyelonephritis, digitalis, cancer, and diabetes mellitus in folk remedies. In this study, antibacterial activites of 80% ethanol extract of C. camphora leaves (CCE) were investigated in combination with antibiotics against clinical isolates of MRSA. The results showed that CCE was determined with MIC and MBC values ranging from 156 to 313 and 313 to 625 ㎍/㎖, oxacillin from 128 to 256 and 128 to 512 ㎍/㎖, ampicillin from 4 to 64 and 8 to 128 ㎍/㎖. The combination of CCE with oxacillin or/and ampicillin were synergistic effect against MRSA 1, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 15/ MRSA 1, 2, 6, and 7.

Fucoidan is a sulfated polysaccharide that is primarily extracted from brown seaweeds which has been broadly studied in recent years due to its numerous biological properties, including anticoagulant, antithrombotic, antitumor, and antiviral activities. In this study, fucoidan was evaluated against clinic isolated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) 1 - 20, either alone or with antibiotics, via broth dilution method and checkerboard and time kill assay. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs)/Minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) values for the fucoidan against all the tested bacteria ranged between 64 - 512/256 - 2048 microg/mL, for ampicillin 32 - 1024/64 - 1024 microg/mL and for oxacillin 8 - 64/16 - 256 microg/mL respectively. Furthermore, the MIC and MBC were reduced to one half-eighth as a result of the combination of the fucoidan with antibiotics. 2 - 6 hours of treatment with 1/2 MIC of fucoidan with 1/2 MIC of antibiotics resulted from an increase of the rate of killing in units of CFU/mL to a greater degree than was observed with alone. These results suggest that fucoidan could be employed as a natural antibacterial agent against multi-drug bacteria.

The antibacterial activity of an extract and several fractions of Sophora flavescens (S. flavescens) root alone and in combination with antibiotics against oral bacteria was investigated by checkerboard assay and time-kill assay. The minimum inhibitory concentration/minimum bactericidal concentration (MIC/MBC) values for all examined bacteria were 0.313-2.5/0.625-2.5 μg/mL for the n-BuOH fraction, 0.625-5/1.25-10 μg/mL for the EtOAc fraction, 0.25-8/0.25-16 μg/mL for ampicillin, 0.5-256/1-512 μg/mL for gentamicin, 0.008-32/0.016-64 μg/mL for erythromycin, and 0.25-64/0.5-128 μg/mL for vancomycin. The n-butanol (n-BuOH) and ethyl acetate (EtOAc) fractions exhibited stronger antibacterial activity against oral bacteria than other fractions and extracts. The MICs and MBCs were reduced to between one half and one quarter when the n-BuOH and EtOAc fractions were combined with antibiotics. After 24 h of incubation, combination of 1/2 MIC of the n-BuOH fraction with antibiotics increased the degree of bactericidal activity. The present results suggest that n-BuOH and EtOAc extracts of S. flavescens root might be applicable as new natural antimicrobial agents against oral pathogens.

We examined the effects of unripe black raspberry (UBR) and red ginseng (RG) extracts on cholesterol improvement in C57BL/6J mice fed a HCD (high cholesterol diet) for 12 weeks. Hepatic total lipid and total cholesterol contents were significantly induced in hyperlipidemic mice. However, supplementation with UBR, RG and simvastatin effectively reduced these lipid profiles. Further, UBR and co-treatment with UBR and RG increased expression of LDL receptor, SREBP2, and SR-B1 mRNA compared with HCD. The ApoB/ApoA1 ratio was reduced by co-treatment with UBR and RG compared to treatment with UBR. In addition, histopathologic evaluation showed that co-treatment with UBR and RG suppressed lipid accumulation as well as FAS and leptin expression in plasma. These results indicate that co-treatment with UBR and RG may be useful for the prevention of hypercholesterolemia.

Methicillin-restitant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is very dangerous bacteria and one of the most feared nosocomial germs. In this study, acacetin was evaluated against 20 clinical isolates of MRSA, either alone or in combination with antibiotics. The acacetin exhibited a good activity against isolates MRSA with MICs/MBCs ranged between 10-80/20-160 μg/mL, for ampicillin 64-1024/128-2048 μg/mL, and for oxacillin 8-32/16-64 μg/mL. The combination of acacetin plus oxacillin or ampicillin was reduced by ≥4-fold against isolates MRSA tested, evidencing a synergistic effect as defined by a FICI of ≤0.5. Furthermore, a time-kill study evaluating the growth of the tested bacteria was completely attenuated after 2-5 h of treatment with the 1/2 MIC of acacetin, regardless of whether it was administered alone or with oxacillin (1/2 MIC) or ampicillin (1/2 MIC). In conclusion, acacetin exerted synergistic effects when administered with oxacillin or ampicillin and the antibacterial activity and resistant regulation of acacetin against clinical isolates of MRSA might be useful in controlling MRSA infections.

We investigated the effects of water extracts of unripe black raspberry (UBR) and red ginseng (RG) on cholesterol synthesis, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl (HMG)-CoA reductase activity, and expression of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-related genes in HepG2 and Caco-2 (human hepatoma and intestinal cell lines, respectively). Our results showed that cholesterol synthesis and HMG-CoA reductase activity in HepG2 cells were inhibited by UBR and RG. Further, co-treatment with UBR and RG had a greater effect than did treatment with either UBR or RG. In Caco-2 cells, treatment with UBR and RG increased the expression of LDL-regulated genes, such as LDL receptor and SREBP-2, and also upregulated the level of HDL-associated ABCA1. Moreover, co-treatment with UBR and RG appeared to be more effective than treatment with either UBR or RG. Taken together, our results indicate that UBR and RG regulate the level of HDL-associated ABCA1 via signaling pathway, thereby preventing cholesterol synthesis.

This study was conducted to investigate the antibacterial activity of lactic acid bacteria isolated from traditional fermented foods and to develop a new starter for fermented milk. The isolates were identified using 16S rDNA sequencing and named Lactobacillus plantarum A, Leuconostoc lactis B and L. acidophilus C. The activity of these strains to inhibit the growth of food-borne human pathogens (Escherichia coli NCTC 12923, Salmonella Typhimurium NCTC 12023, Listeria monocytogenes NCTC 11994) was measured using the paper disc method. All these strains showed strong antibacterial activity against Li. monocytogenes NCTC 11994. The experiment groups were the fermented milks with these strains, and the control group was the fermented milk with the commercial starter (ABT 5). The change of pH, acidity and viable cell counts were measured during their aging time. All the experiment groups showed a significant difference in their aging times compared to the control group. However, the sensory test showed that the experiment groups can be used as useful starters for fermented milk. This result suggests that L. plantarum A, Leu. lactis B and L. acidophilus C have the potential to be developed as new starters for fermented milk.

Background Fucoidan is a sulphated polysaccharide that is primarily extracted from brown seaweeds; it has been broadly studied in recent years due to its numerous biological properties, including anticoagulant, antithrombotic, antitumour and antiviral activities. Objective and design In this study, fucoidan was evaluated against oral bacteria, either alone or with antibiotics, via the broth dilution method and chequerboard and time-kill assay. Results Minimum inhibitory concentration/minimum bactericidal concentration (MIC/MBC) values for the fucoidan against all the tested bacteria ranged between 0.125 and 0.50/0.25 and 1.00 mg ml−1, for ampicillin 0.125 and 64/0.5 and 64 μg ml−1 and for gentamicin 2 and 256/4 and 512 μg ml−1, respectively. Furthermore, the MIC and MBC were reduced to one half-eighth as a result of the combination of the fucoidan with antibiotics. One to 3 h of treatment with MIC50 of fucoidan with MIC50 of antibiotics resulted from an increase of the rate of killing in colony forming units (CFUs) ml−1 to a greater degree than was observed with alone. Conclusion These results suggest that fucoidan is important in the antibacterial actions of the agents.

The abnormal proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) in arterial walls is an important pathogenic factor of vascular disorders such as diabetic atherosclerosis. We have reported the anti-inflammatory effect of an aqueous extract fromPrunella vulgaris(APV) in vascular endothelial cell. In the present study, APV exhibited inhibitory effects on high glucose-stimulated VSMC proliferation, migration, and invasion activities, inducing G1cell cycle arrest with downregulation of cyclins and CDKs and upregulation of the CKIs,p21waf1/cip1andp27kip1. Furthermore, APV dose dependently suppressed the high glucose-induced matrix metalloproteinase activity. High glucose-induced phosphorylation of ERK, p38 MAPK, was decreased by the pretreatment of APV. NF-κB activation by high glucose was attenuated by APV, as an antioxidant. APV attenuated the high glucose-induced decrease of nuclear factor E2-related factor-2 (Nrf2) translocation and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression. Intracellular cGMP level was also increased by APV treatment. These results demonstrate that APV may inhibit VSMC proliferation via downregulating ROS/NF-κB /ERK/p38 MAPK pathways. In addition, APV has a beneficial effect by the interaction of Nrf2-mediated NO/cGMP with HO-1, suggesting thatPrunella vulgarismay be useful in preventing diabetic atherosclerosis.

Context: Red ginseng (heat-processed Panax ginseng) is a well-known alternative medicine with pharmacological antidiabetic activity. It exerts pharmacological effects through the transformation of saponin into metabolites by the intestinal microbiota. Given that intestinal conditions and intestinal microflora vary among individuals, the pharmacological effects of orally administered red ginseng likely may vary among individuals. Objective: To overcome this variation and produce homogeneously effective red ginseng, we evaluated the antidiabetic effects of probiotic-fermented red ginseng in a mouse model. Materials and methods: The antidiabetic efficacy of orally administered probiotic-fermented red ginseng was assessed in ICR mice after induction of diabetes using streptozotocin (170 mg/kg body weight). Samples were given orally for 8 weeks, and indicators involved in diabetic disorders such as body weight change, water intake, blood glucose, glucose tolerance and various biochemical parameters were determined. Results: Oral administration of probiotic-fermented red ginseng significantly decreased the level of blood glucose of about 62.5% in the fasting state and induced a significant increase in glucose tolerance of about 10.2% compared to the control diabetic mice. Additionally, various indicators of diabetes and biochemical data (e.g., blood glycosylated haemoglobin level, serum concentrations of insulin, and alpha-amylase activity) showed a significant improvement in the diabetic conditions of the mice treated with probiotic-fermented red ginseng in comparison with those of control diabetic mice. Discussion and conclusion: Our results demonstrate the antidiabetic effects of probiotic-fermented red ginseng in the streptozotocin-induced mouse diabetes model and suggest that probiotic-fermented red ginseng may be a uniformly effective red ginseng product.

Studies have been focused on natural products with antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activities, such as fucoidan. Many in vivo studies have evaluated the effect of fucoidan on tumor growth, diabetes, obesity, ischemia reperfusion, and oxidative stress. However, the effects of fucoidan on bacteria-induced gingival inflammation and periodontitis have not been reported. We previously characterized the anti-inflammatory effect of fucoidan in vitro. Here, we confirmed the anti-inflammatory activity of fucoidan in a macrophage cell line in terms of its inhibition of the expression of inflammatory mediators and pro-inflammatory cytokines. Additionally, we confirmed the ability of fucoidan to inhibit gingival inflammation, expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and neutrophil recruitment in the gingival tissue of mice injected with LPS prepared from P. gingivalis. Interestingly, however, fucoidan did not inhibit the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in a P. gingivalis-infected mouse model of periodontitis. Additionally, fucoidan treatment did not lead to clearance of P. gingivalis or improvement of P. gingivalis infection-mediated bone loss in the periodontitis model. We conclude that fucoidan exerts anti-inflammatory effects in vitro and in vivo, together with a limited antibacterial effect in vivo.

Red ginseng is a well-known alternative medicine with anti-inflammatory activity. It exerts pharmacological effects through the transformation of saponin into metabolites by intestinal microbiota. Given that intestinal microflora vary among individuals, the pharmacological effects of red ginseng likely vary among individuals. In order to produce homogeneously effective red ginseng, we prepared probiotic-fermented red ginseng and evaluated its activity using a dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis model in mice. Initial analysis of intestinal damage indicated that the administration of probiotic-fermented red ginseng significantly decreased the severity of colitis, compared with the control and the activity was higher than that induced by oral administration of ginseng powder or probiotics only. Subsequent analysis of the levels of serum IL-6 and TNF-α, inflammatory biomarkers that are increased at the initiation stage of colitis, were significantly decreased in probiotic-fermented red ginseng-treated groups in comparison to the control group. The levels of inflammatory cytokines and mRNAs for inflammatory factors in colorectal tissues were also significantly decreased in probiotic-fermented red ginseng-treated groups. Collectively, oral administration of probiotic-fermented red ginseng reduced the severity of colitis in a mouse model, suggesting that it can be used as a uniformly effective red ginseng product.

The purpose of the research is to investigate the factors affecting the life quality of oral health according to the knowledge and behavior related with oral health. Total 272 people who work in Gyeong-Nam province participated in this survey. The research shows that major 4 factors are subjective whole body health, ages, dietary pattern and dry mouse. The subjective whole body health and dietary pattern have an positive effect on the life quality of oral health, whereas ages and dry mouse an negative effect on this.As a result, the health and the life quality of oral health should be improved by investigating the factors affecting oral health and thus developing the program enhancing the oral health to prevent oral disease Key Words : Industrial workers, Oral health, OHIP-14, Quality of life * Corresponding Author : Kyeung-Ae JangTel: +82-51-999-5427 email: jka@silla.ac.kr접수일 12년 07월 13일 수정일 (1차 12년 08월 02일, 2차 12년 08월 27일) 게재확정일 12년 10월 11일 1. 서론 국민들의 소득수준이 높아지고 경제적으로 풍요로워지면서 건강과 삶의 질에 대한 관심이 높아지고 있다 . 건강은 사람이 살아가는데 중요한 요소이며 건강의 일부분을 담당하고 영향섭취를 하기 위한 건강의 필수적인 요소인 구강건강을 배제하고는 건강을 설명 할 수 없다[1]. 특히 근로자는 경제발전의 중요한 원천으로 근로자의 건강은 물론 산업체의 생산성에도 중요한 요소이다[2]. 근로자의 구강건강을 증진·유지하기 위해서는 근로자에서 발생하는 구강병을 체계적으로 관리하여야 하고, 근로자가 구강건강이 전신건강에 영향을 미치는지를 정확하게 인지하고 있음에 따라 구강건강의 인식도와 동기부여가 향상될 것이다. 건강은 전반적인 삶의 질에 결정적인 영향을 미치는 중요한 요인으로, 다양한 삶의 질 척도를 제시하였으며[3], 이 도구는 삶의 질뿐만 아니라 공중의

The Purpose of this study was to examine the factors affecting oral health status of some workers. Answer sheets for questionnarie for 178 workers at Changwon city, Korea, were collected and analyzed using SPSS 19.0. The number of respondents who have visited dental clinic is lower among group with dental caries than group without dental caries. The respondents who have scaling corresponds to 31.3% in the group with dental caries and a little bit lower percentage is shown in the group without dental cares(p

Background Essential oils have been found to be antibacterial, antifungal, spasmolytic, and antiplasmodial activity and therapeutic effect in cancer treatment. Objective and design In this study, clove oil and its major compounds, eugenol and β-caryophyllene were evaluated against oral bacteria, either alone or in combination with ampicillin or gentamicin, via checkerboard and time kill assay. Results The antibacterial activity of the clove oil was higher than β-caryophyllene but was similar to eugenol against all tested oral bacteria. Furthermore, the MIC and MBC were reduced to one half-one sixteenth as a result of the combination of clove oil or eugenol with antibiotics. The synergistic interaction was verified by time kill studies using the clove oil or eugenol with antibiotics. 60 min of treatment with MIC of the clove oil or eugenol with ampicillin or gentamicin resulted in an increase in the rate of killing in units of CFU/mL to a greater degree than was observed with alone. Conclusion The results suggest that the clove oil and eugenol could be employed as a natural antibacterial agent against cariogenic and periodontopathogenic bacteria.

Background. An accurate system for predicting the survival of patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) will be useful for deciding appropriate therapies. The prediction accuracy of prediction models can be improved by using molecular biomarkers. We constructed a nomogram for predicting the survival of patients with OSCC using clinical variables and molecular markers. Methods. Protein 53 (p53), insulin-like growth factor II mRNA-binding protein 3 (IMP3), cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2), and HuR were localized immunohistochemistry in 96 patients with primary OSCC who underwent surgical resection between January 1994 and June 2003 at the Yonsei Dental Hospital in Seoul, Korea. Results. On univariate and multivariate analysis, the expression of IMP3 was significantly associated with the risk of death. P53 was also significantly associated with survival of OSCC in the case of negative IMP3 and the prediction accuracy was improved by including these 2 factors in the prediction model. Conclusion. Survival in OSCC can be predicted more accurately by using biomarkers. The constructed nomogram predicted survival after treatment for an individual patient with OSCC, and it can be practically used as a tool to help decide which adjuvant treatment is most appropriate. V C 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 34: 929-936, 2012

Background Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), the most common malignancy of the oral cavity, has been shown to occur via a multistep process driven by the accumulation of carcinogen-induced genetic changes. Study design Array-based comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) and multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) were conducted to screen human genomewide alterations on fresh tissues of the cancer area, the dysplastic transitional area, and the resection margin (normal) free of tumor; these samples were obtained from 7 OSCC patients. Results The highest amplification frequencies (100%, 7/7) were detected in FAM5B, TIPARP, PIK3CA, NLGN1, FGF10, HDAC9, GRM3, DDEF1, EDNRB, CHRDL1, and HTR2C, and the highest deletion frequencies in THRAP3, CTTNBP2NL, GATAD2B, REL, CKAP2L, RHOA, EIF4E3, PDLIM5, FBXO3, NEUROD4, and ABCA5 in the OSCC. In the dysplasia, amplification (100%, 7/7) was detected in RNF36 and deletion in CKAP2L and TCF8. We could detect large differences with MLPA in the number of alterations between the cancer or dysplasia versus the normal area with P values of Conclusion These findings indicate that these DNA copy number changes on each chromosome in the 3 categories may be associated with OSCC tumorigenesis and/or progression.

Increased cytoplasmic HuR expression has been noted in several cancer types, where it may contribute to the increased cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression observed during tumorigenesis and metastasis.To assess the correlation between COX-2 and HuR in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), the expression patterns of HuR and COX-2 were assessed via immunohistochemistry analyses of 103 OSCC samples.Cytoplasmic HuR expression was significantly associated with COX-2 expression (p.025) and lymph node metastasis (p.050) and distant metastasis (p.025). In multivariate analysis, cytoplasmic HuR expression was identified as an independent prognostic parameter for reduced overall survival. The inhibition of HuR expression by siRNA or leptomycin B (LMB) caused a reduction in the inducibility of COX-2 in oral cancer cells.Our results indicate that the cytoplasmic expression of HuR is associated with COX-2 expression in OSCCs and HuR can regulate COX-2 expression in oral cancer cell lines.

Artemisia lavandulaefolia has been utilized in traditional medicines for the treatment of several diseases. In this study, we attempted to determine whether the essential oil and 1,8-cineole of A. lavandulaefolia induce apoptosis in KB cells. The oil and 1,8-cineole induced the cell death of KB cells as evidenced by the increased cell population in the sub-G1 phase, the appearance of condensed and/or fragmented nuclei, and the generation of a cleaved PARP product. The treatment of the cells with the oil also induced changes in the mitochondrial level of Bcl-2 and Bax, thereby inducing the release of cytochrome c into the cytosol. Furthermore, the oil increased the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), c-jun N-terminal kinase, and p38 MAPK, but 1,8-cineole activated pp38 and pJNK at the same concentrations. These findings show that the mitochondrial and MAPKs pathways might be involved in the oil-induced apoptosis, and may enhance our current understanding of the anticancer functions of the oil to a greater degree than 1,8-cineole.

Artemisia capillaris has been used in traditional Korean medicine for its variety of pharmacological activities. Previous studies have suggested that the essential oil of A. capillaris has chemopreventive potential, even though the mechanism of its action is unclear. This study examined whether or not the essential oil isolated from A. capillaris induces apoptosis in the human oral epidermoid carcinoma cells along with the possible mechanism(s) of the essential oil-mediated cytotoxicity. The essential oil induced cell death of KB cells through apoptosis, as evidenced by the increased cell population in the sub-G1 phase, the appearance of condensed and/or fragmented nuclei, and the generation of a cleaved PARP product. Treating the cells with the oil also caused changes in the mitochondrial level of the Bcl-2 family proteins such as Bcl-2 and Bax, thereby inducing the release of cytochrome c into the cytosol. Additional experiments using caspase or mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibitors suggested the involvement of the p38/NF-kappaB and JNK/Bcl-2-mediated pathways as well as caspase activation in the oil-mediated apoptosis. Collectively, we believe that the essential oil of A. capillaris induces apoptosis in human oral cancer cells and that it might be a good resource for searching new drugs, especially anticancer drugs.

In this study, sophoraflavanone G obtained from Sophora flavescens was evaluated against 10 clinical isolates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), either alone or in combination with ampicillin or oxacillin, via checkerboard assay. At the end point of an optically clear well, the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) ranged from 0.5 to 8 µg/ml for sophoraflavanone G, from 64 to 1024 µg/ml for ampicillin, and from 256 to 1024 µg/ml for oxacillin. The combination of sophoraflavanone G and ampicillin or oxacillin yielded a fractional inhibitory concentration index ranging from 0.188 to 0.375, thereby indicating a principally synergistic effect. The synergistic interaction was verified by time-kill studies using sophoraflavanone G and/or antibiotics. Thirty minutes of treatment with sophoraflavanone G with ampicillin or oxacillin resulted in an increase in the rate of killing in units of CFU/ml to a greater degree than was observed with Sophoraflavanone G alone. These findings indicated that the application of the tested sophoraflavanone G alone or in combination with antibiotics might prove useful in the control and treatment of MRSA infections. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Aim of the study Artemisia iwayomogi is a perennial small herbal plant that has long been used as a chemopreventive agent in traditional Korean medicine. Previously, the purified essential oil was isolated from Artemisia iwayomogi, herein named AIEO, and found to contain the active components responsible for the chemopreventive potential of the herb. Materials and methods This study examined whether or not AIEO has potential chemopreventative effects against cancer using the human oral epidermoid carcinoma cell line, KB cells. The possible mechanism of AIEO-induced apoptosis was also examined. Results The results showed that AIEO induces the apoptotic death of KB cells, which is mediated by mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs). In addition, AIEO not only induced an imbalance between the mitochondrial Bcl-2 and Bax levels with the concomitant release of Cytochrome c into the cytosol but also induced the activation of caspases and the cleavage of PARP. This induction was significantly suppressed by MAPK inhibitors. Moreover, pretreating the cells with each of the caspase or MAPK-specific inhibitors apparently inhibited AIEO-induced cytotoxicity of KB cells. Conclusions These results strongly suggest that AIEO might have cancer chemopreventive and therapeutic potential, which is closely related to its ability to activate the MAPK-mediated signaling pathways with the subsequent induction of a mitochondria- and caspase-dependent mechanism.

Artemisia capillaris (A. capillaris) is used in traditional Korean herbal medicine for its believedanti-inflammatory activities. Previous studies have suggested that the essential oil of A. capillaris contains the active components responsible for its pharmacological effect, even though the mechanism for its action is unclear. This study examined the inhibitory effects of the essential oil of A. capillaris on the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced production of nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)). The essential oil significantly inhibited the production of NO in the LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages, which was mediated by the down-regulation of inducible NO synthase (iNOS) expression but not by its direct cytotoxic activity. The essential oil also blocked the secretion of PGE(2) and the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in the LPS-stimulated cells. Western blot analysis showed that the essential oil inhibited the phosphorylation of IkappaB-alpha, nuclear translocation of p65, and subsequent activation of NF-kappaB. In addition, the essential oil suppressed the LPS-stimulated activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) as well as the AP-1 DNA-binding activity. Moreover, MAPK inhibitors significantly reduced the LPS-induced production of NO and PGE(2). Collectively, we suggest that the oil inhibits the expression and production of inflammatory mediators by blocking the MAPK-mediated pathways and inhibiting the activation of NF-kappaB and AP-1.

The increasing occurrence of antibiotic-resistant pathogens is of growing concern, and must be counteracted by alternative antimicrobial treatments. Bacteriophages represent the natural enemies of bacteria. However, the strong immune response following application of phages and rapid clearance from the blood stream are hurdles which need to be overcome. Towards our goal to render phages less immunogenic and prolong blood circulation time, we have chemically modified intact bacteriophages by conjugation of the non-immunogenic polymer monomethoxy-polyethylene glycol (mPEG) to virus proteins. As a proof of concept, we have used two different polyvalent and strictly virulent phages of the Myoviridae, representing typical candidates for therapeutical approaches: Felix-O1 (infects Salmonella) and A511 (infects Listeria). Loss of phage infectivity after PEGylation was found to be proportional to the degree of modification, and could be conveniently controlled by adjusting the PEG concentration. When injected into naive mice, PEGylated phages showed a strong increase in circulation half-life, whereas challenge of immunized mice did not reveal a significant difference. Our results suggest that the prolonged half-life is due to decreased susceptibility to innate immunity as well as avoidance of cellular defence mechanisms. PEGylated viruses elicited significantly reduced levels of T-helper type 1-associated cytokine release (IFN-γ and IL-6), in both naive and immunized mice. This is the first study demonstrating that PEGylation can increases survival of infective phage by delaying immune responses, and indicates that this approach can increase efficacy of bacteriophage therapy.

The composition and the antibacterial activity of the essential oil obtained from Cryptomeria japonica D. Don on oral bacteria were studied. The chemical composition of the essential oil was analysed by GC and GC-MS. Sixty-eight compounds accounting for 95.82% of the oil were identified. The main compounds in the oil were alpha-pinene (6.07%), sabinene (8.86%), terpinen-4-ol (9.77%), alpha-terpineol (6.13%), elemol (11.17%) and 10(15)-cadinen-4-ol (7.16%). The essential oil and some of its major compounds were tested for antimicrobial activity against 15 different genera of oral bacteria. The essential oil of C. japonica exhibited considerable inhibitory effects against all bacteria tested (MICs, 0.025-0.05 mg/mL; MBCs, 0.025-0.1 mg/mL), while its major compounds demonstrated various degrees of growth inhibition.

Background Sophora flavescens AITON (Leguminosae) is a typical traditional Korean medical herb considered to exhibit antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antipyretic effects, and is also used for the treatment of skin and mucosal ulcers, sores, diarrhea, gastrointestinal hemorrhage, arrhythmia, and eczema. Objective and design This study examined the inhibitory effects of sophoraflavanone G (SF) of S. flavescens on the bacterial fibrillar protein, Antigen I/II (AgI/II)-N recombinant protein isolated from Streptococcus mutans(rAg I/II)-induced production of nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE 2 ). The investigation was focused on whether SF could inhibit the production of proinflammatory mediators such as nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin (PG) E2 as well as the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase (COX)-2, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-a, interleukin (IL)-6, nuclear factor (NF)-κB and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) in rAgI/II-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells using Griess reagent, Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and Western blotting analysis. Results SG significantly inhibited the production of NO and PGE 2 and pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor α in Ag I/II-N-stimulated RAW264.7 cells, which were mediated by the down-regulation of inducible NO synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression. The SF inhibited the phosphorylation of IκB-α, nuclear translocation of p65, and subsequent activation of NF- κB in the rAgI/II-stimulated cells. In addition, the SF suppressed the rAgI/II-stimulated activation of ERK MAPK as well as the MAPK inhibitor significantly reduced the rAgI/II-induced production of NO and PGE 2 . Conclusion Collectively, we suggest that the SF inhibits the expression and production of inflammatory mediators by blocking the ERK MAPK mediated pathway and inhibiting the activation of NF-κB.

Red ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer) is the most widely recognized medicinal herb due to its remedial effects in various disorders, such as cancers, diabetes, and heart problems. In this study, we investigated the anticancer effect of fermented red ginseng extract (f-RGE; provided by Jeonju Biomaterials Institute, Jeonju, South Korea) in a parallel comparison with the effect of nonfermented red ginseng extract (nf-RGE; control) on several cancer cell lines--MCF-7 breast cancer cells, HepG2 hepatocellular carcinoma cells, and reprogrammed MCF-7 cells (mimicking cancer stem cells). Cells were cultured at various concentrations of RGE (from 0.5 up to 5 mg/mL) and their viabilities and proliferative properties were examined. Our data demonstrate the following: (1) nf-RGE inhibited cell viability at ≥1 mg/mL for MCF-7 cells and ≥2 mg/mL for HepG2 cells, (2) in the presence of a carcinogenic agent, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA), nf-RGE treatment in combination with paclitaxel synergistically decreased MCF-7 as well as HepG2 cell viability, (3) f-RGE (which contained a greater level of Rg3 content) more effectively decreased the viability of MCF-7 and HepG2 cells compared to nf-RGE, and (4) f-RGE appeared more potent for inhibiting cancerous differentiation of reprogrammed MCF-7 cells in a synergistic fashion with paclitaxel, especially in the presence of TPA, compared to nf-RGE. These findings suggest that f-RGE treatment may be more effective for decreasing cancer cell survival by inducing apoptotic cell death and also presumably for preventing cancer stem cell differentiation compared to nf-RGE.

The chemical composition of the essential oils obtained from Artemisia scoparia Waldst. et Kitamura and Artemisia capillaris Thunb. was analyzed by GC/MS. The essential oil of A. scoparia was rich in camphor (11.0 %), 1,8-cineole (21.5 %), and beta-caryophyllene (6.8 %) as the major compounds, whereas A. capillaris oil was rich in beta-pinene (9.4 %), beta-caryophyllene (11.1 %), and capillene (32.7 %). The essential oils and some of their major compounds were tested for their antimicrobial activity against 15 different genera of oral bacteria. The essential oils of A. scoparia and A. capillaris exhibited considerable inhibitory effects against all oral bacteria tested, while their major components demonstrated various degrees of growth inhibition.

Background Acacetin (5,7-dihydroxy-40-methoxyflavone), present in safflower seeds, plants, flowers, Cirisium rhinoceros Nakai, has been reported to be able to exert anti-peroxidative, anti-inflammatory, anti-plasmodial, and anti-proliferative activities by inducing apoptosis and blocking the progression of cell cycles. Objective and design The objective of this study is to investigate the mechanism of acacetin-induced apoptosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma cell line (HSC-3). Results Acacetin caused 50% growth inhibition (IC50) of HSC-3 cells at 25 μg/mL over 24 h in the MTT assay. Apoptosis was characterized by DNA fragmentation and increase of sub-G1 cells and involved activation of caspase-3 and PARP (poly-ADP-ribose polymerase). Maximum caspase-3 activity was observed with 100 μg/mL of acacetin for 24 h. Caspase-8 and -9 activation cascades mediated the activation of caspase-3. Acacetin caused reduction of Bcl-2 expression leading to an increase of the Bax:Bcl-2 ratio. It also caused a loss of mitochondrial membrane potential that induced release of cytochrome c into the cytoplasm. Pretreatment with casapse-3 (Z-DEVD-FMK), -8 (Z-IETD-FMK), and 9 inhibitor (z-LEHD-fmk) inhibited the acacetin-induced loss of mitochondrial membrane potential and release of cytochrome c. The mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) were activated by acacetin. Moreover, pretreating the cells with each of the caspase inhibitor or MAPKs specific inhibitors apparently inhibited acacetin-induced cytotoxicity of HSC-3 cells. Conclusion In conclusion, acacetin induce the apoptosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma cell line, which is closely related to its ability to activate the MAPK-mediated signaling pathways with the subsequent induction of a mitochondria- and caspase-dependent mechanism. These results strongly suggest that acacetin might have cancer inhibition and therapeutic potential.

Baicalein is one of the major flavonoids in Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, which has long been used in Asia as herbal medicine. Several biological effects of baicalein, such as antiviral, anti-inflammatiom, anti-hepatotoxicity, and anti-tumour properties, have been reported.In this study, the antibacterial activities of baicalein were investigated in combination with ampicillin and/or gentamicin against oral bacteria.Baicalein was determined with MIC and MBC values ranging from 80 to 320 and 160 to 640 μg/mL against oral bacteria. The range of MIC₅₀ and MIC₉₀ were 20-160 μg/mL and 80-320 μg/mL, respectively. The combination effects of baicalein with antibiotics were synergistic (FIC index0.375-0.5 and FBCI0.5) against oral bacteria. Furthermore, a time-kill study showed that the growth of the tested bacteria was completely attenuated after 1-6 h of treatment with the MIC₅₀ of baicalein, regardless of whether it was administered alone or with ampicillin or gentamicin.These results suggest that baicalein combined with other antibiotics may be microbiologically beneficial and not antagonistic.

Overconsumption of fructose results in dyslipidemia, hypertension, and impaired glucose tolerance, which have documented correlation with metabolic syndrome.Gastrodia elata, a widely used traditional herbal medicine, was reported with anti-inflammatory and antidiabetes activities. Thus, this study examined whether ethanol extract ofGastrodia elataBlume (EGB) attenuate lipid metabolism and endothelial dysfunction in a high-fructose (HF) diet animal model. Rats were fed the 65% HF diet with/without EGB 100 mg/kg/day for 8 weeks. Treatment with EGB significantly suppressed the increments of epididymal fat weight, blood pressure, plasma triglyceride, total cholesterol levels, and oral glucose tolerance, respectively. In addition, EGB markedly prevented increase of adipocyte size and hepatic accumulation of triglycerides. EGB ameliorated endothelial dysfunction by downregulation of endothelin-1 (ET-1) and adhesion molecules in the aorta. Moreover, EGB significantly recovered the impairment of vasorelaxation to acetylcholine and levels of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) expression and induced markedly upregulation of phosphorylation AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)αin the liver, muscle, and fat. These results indicate that EGB ameliorates dyslipidemia, hypertension, and insulin resistance as well as impaired vascular endothelial function in HF diet rats. Taken together, EGB may be a beneficial therapeutic approach for metabolic syndrome.