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ABSTRACT: The generation of oxygen free radicals and oxidative damage is believed to be involved in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders. Eriobotrya japonica has been used to treat several diseases in East Asia. In this study, we investigated the protective effect of an E. japonica extract against Aβ peptide-induced oxidative stress. The 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay demonstrated that the E. japonica extract scavenged approximately 40% of DPPH radicals. Also, treatment of the E. japonica extract inhibited Aβ(1-42)-mediated neuronal cell death. Furthermore, treatment of E. japonica extract efficiently suppressed the increase in intracellular ROS triggered by the Aβ(1-42) peptide. Importantly, mice pre-treated with the E. japonica extract showed restoration of alternation behavior and reversal of Aβ(1-42)-induced memory impairment. Consequently, the E. japonica extract substantially inhibited the increase in lipid peroxidation and restored superoxide dismutase activity. These results suggest that E. japonica protects from oxidative stress and cognitive deficits induced by the Aβ peptide.
Food and chemical toxicology: an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association 12/2010; 49(4):780-4. · 2.99 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: We examined the inhibitory effects of loquat methanol extract on the adhesion, migration, invasion and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activities of MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cell line. Cells were cultured with DMSO or with 10, 25, or 50 microg/ml of loquat methanol extract. Both leaf and seed extracts significantly inhibited growth of MDA-MB-231 cells in a dose-dependent manner, although leaf extract was more effective. Adhesion and migration were significantly inhibited by loquat extracts in a dose-dependent manner. Loquat extract also inhibited the invasion of breast cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner and leaf extract was more effective than seed extract. MMP-2 and MMP-9 activities were also inhibited by loquat extract. Our results indicate that methanol extracts of loquat inhibit the adhesion, migration and invasion of human breast cancer cells partially through the inhibition of MMP activity and leaf extract has more anti-metastatic effects in cell based assay than seed extract. Clinical application of loquat extract as a potent chemopreventive agent may be helpful in limiting breast cancer invasion and metastasis.
Nutrition research and practice 01/2009; 3(4):259-64. · 1.08 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: A complex formula composed of Paeonia lactiflora PALL. and Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch., which is called as Jakyak-Gamcho Decoction (JGD), has been used for a pain-relieving function and muscle spasms due to blood deficiency in the traditional medicine. In this study, the anti-inflammatory activity of JGD was evaluated based on the quantitative determinations and the relative proportions of six major constituents in the decoction mixture extracted by orthogonal array methods. Our results suggest that the three parameters are all crucial factors. The optimized conditions for extraction were therefore established [solvent (water); pH value (4); extraction number (4)]. We also optimized the extraction conditions related to anti-inflammatory activity [solvent (70% EtOH); pH value (6); extraction number (4)]. So, we found that the bioactivity was responsible for mixed components but not individual one. It was proportionally associated with the amounts of some components in the extracts of herbal medicines. When the proportion of the active components was similar to each other, they had the similar functions. Furthermore, the results could establish a model system for the quality assurance of herbal preparations, and provided a new paradigm of active components-pharmacodynamics, which is used for illustrating the connections between the bioactivities and the proportion of active constituents in the extracts of herbal medicines.
Journal of Ethnopharmacology 10/2007; 113(2):306-11. · 3.01 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The present study investigated whether Jakyak-Gamcho-Tang (JGT, Shaoyao-Gancao-tang) and its constituents have the protective effect against tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP)-induced cytotoxicity on hippocampal HT22 cell line. JGT consists of two medicinal herbs, Paeoniae Radix (PR) and Glycyrrhizae Radix (GR). In contrast to treating with t-BHP alone, pre-treatment of HT22 cells with JGT, PR and GR (50-400 microg/ml) for 3 hours significantly increased the cell viability in a concentration-dependent manner. In addition, JGT, PR and GR exhibited the scavenging activity in both 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical and superoxide anion assays. Among the tested extracts, PR showed the most potent protective and antioxidative activities. These results suggest that PR acts as an antioxidant and this property may contribute to the neuroprotective activity of JGT extract.
The American Journal of Chinese Medicine 02/2005; 33(2):181-9. · 1.98 Impact Factor
