Lindera glauca Blume has been used in Korean traditional medicine to treat the symptoms of paralysis, abdominal pain, speech disorders, extravasations, contusions, and pain caused by rheumatoid arthritis. We investigated the effect of L. glauca Blume extracts on the proliferation of colorectal cancer cells in vitro using HCT116 human colorectal cancer cell lines. We also investigated its mechanism of action. For this purpose, we used the MTT assay, western blotting, DNA fragmentation analysis, and flow cytometry. HCT116 cells were cultured in several concentrations of ethanol extracts of L. glauca Blume root (0, 50, 100 μg/mL). In this study, colon cancer cell growth was inhibited by L. glauca Blume root extract in a dose-dependent manner. It was associated with induction of apoptosis as assessed by nuclear fragmentation and cell cycle analysis. Apoptosis was assessed using western blotting for TNF-α, IL-6, NF-κB, Caspase-3, PARP, Bax, Bcl-2, and SIRT1. The extract also dose-dependently upregulated the expression Bax, the pro-apoptotic gene and downregulated the expression of the anti-apoptotic gene Bcl-2. Furthermore, the extract enhanced Caspase-3 activity in a dose-dependent manner. Our findings provide evidence that L. glauca Blume extract may mediate its anti-proliferative effect via the modulation of apoptosis.

Catalpol, an iridoid glucoside, isolated from the root of Rehmannia glutinosa Libosch. It possesses a broad range of biological and pharmacological activity including anti-tumor, anti-inflammation and anti-oxidant by acting as a free radical scavenger. Therefore, in this study, the effects of catalpol on blastocyst development, expression levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and apoptotic index were investigated in porcine embryos. After in vitro maturation and fertilization, porcine embryos were cultured for 6 days in porcine zygote medium 3 (PZM-3) supplemented with catalpol (0, 100, 200 and 400 μM, respectively). Blastocyst development not significantly improved in the catalpol treated group when compared with control group. Otherwise, the intracelluar levels of ROS were decreased and the numbers of apoptotic nuclei were reduced in the catalpol (100 μM) treated porcine blastocysts (P<0.05). On the other hand, blastocyst development was significantly improved in the catalpol (100 μM) treated group when compared with the untreated catalpol group under H2O2 (200 μM) induced oxidative stress (P<0.05). Otherwise, the intracellular levels of ROS in catalpol (100 μM) treated group were significantly decreased in the untreated catalpol group under H2O2 (200 μM) induced oxidative stress (P<0.05). Furthermore, the total cell numbers of blastocysts were significantly increased (P<0.05) in the catalpol (100 μM) treated group under H2O2 (200 μM) induced oxidative stress, whereas numbers of apoptoic nuclei were significantly reduced (P<0.05). In conclusion, our results indicate that treatment of catalpol may have important implications for improving developmental competence and preimplantation quality of porcine embryos through its anti-oxidant and anti-apoptotic effect

Cruciferous vegetables including diindolylmethane (DIM) have been shown to have anticancer activity. Especially, DIM-pPhBr and DIM-pPhF used in this study was reported to have more effective and less toxic effects than DIM. However, there is no report presenting their anti-tumorigenic activity in oral cancer. In the present study, we examined the effects of DIM-pPhBr and DIM-pPhF on the cell proliferation and apoptosis in KB human oral cancer cells. DIM-pPhBr and DIM-pPhF decreased cell proliferation and induced apoptosis evidenced by western blot analysis, DAPI staining and sub-G1 population. This provides the first evidence that DIM-pPhBr and DIM-pPhF originating from cruciferous vegetables induce apoptotic cell death in human oral cancer cells to inhibit cancer cell proliferation.

The nitric oxide(NO) is a major factor contri buting to t he loss of neurons in ischemic st roke. demyelina t ing diseases, and other neurodegenerative di sorders . But it is known that NO is not function ing as a direct neurotoxin. NO combined with superoxide(02-) by the diffusion-contl'O ll ed reaction, formed a peroxin it ri te anion (ONOO-)‘ which this s pecies has been shown to contribute to oxidative s igna ling and damage. ONOO stimuJates apoptosis in many cell types. whether ONOO acts direct ly as an ox idant 0 1' the induction of apoptosis is because of the radicals derived from ONOO- decompositi on . But. the mecha ni sm by which ONOO- induces apoptosis is un clear although subsequent forrnation 0 1' reactive oxygen s pecies(ROS) has been suggested in a few reports The aim of this study is to investigate the a nti -apoptotic pathway by inhibi tion 0 1' ONOO synthesis t hrough scavenging of ROS us ing s pecific wavelength 0 1' light irradiation . The present study investi gated the a nti -apop totic effect of the specific wavelength 0 1' irradi ation in Sodium Nitroprusside(SNP) t reated SJ-I-SY5Y ceJls, by MTT, DNA fragmentation, and flow cytometric assay and th rough western blot and caspase-3, -9 activity assay for confirmation of caspase pathway. Also. NO reJease and ROS leveJ was measured in order to observe the changes of NO involved in radical by Griess reaction analysis and DCF'-DH. Results showed that the cell viability were r educed by about 50% of control group by SNP treatment, but re covered to about 80% by 590nm irradiation . The apoptotic cells were observed by flow cytomet ry and DNA fra g mentation assay in SNP-treated group‘ but 590nm irradiation led apoptotic feature to be reduced . Released NO a nd ROS level were increased after SNP treatment but ROS level was dec reased in 590nm irradi at ion - treated group, in spite of high NO concentration fo llowing SNP treatment Also. SNP t reatment led cytochrom C release but 590nm irraidiation inhibit it, hence the expression 0 1' caspase-3 and -9 was dec reased sign ificantly‘ These results showed that 590nm irradiation protect neuronal death thl'Ough bl ocking of NO-induced mi tochondri al apoptotic pathway. Also, it suggests that specific wavelength of irradi ation was used for prevent ion from neurodegenerative disordcr progression

Paeonia japonica is a perennial flowering plant used in traditional medicine therapy. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of water extract and solvent fractions obtained from P. japonica on anti-oxidative, anti-thrombin, anti-invasive and pro-apoptotic activities in YD-10B cells, human oral squamous carcinoma cell line. Water fraction revealed the highest extraction yield at 11.44% (w/w). Anti-oxidative activity was the highest in ethyl acetate fraction (85.13%). In the thrombin inhibitory activity test, ethyl fraction was the highest, with a value of 87.54%. Release and activation of MMP-2/pro-MMP-2 ratio in thrombin-treated YD-10B cells were significantly inhibited in the ethyl acetate fraction. At a concentration of 120 ㎍/㎖, water extract and solvent fractions of P. japonica inhibited cell proliferation in YD-10B cells except water fraction. Pro-apoptotic effect on human oral squamous carcinoma cell using the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio analysis was higher in water extract than other fractions. These findings suggest that the ethyl acetate fraction of P. japonica potentiates a promising antioxidant, anti-thrombin and anti-invasive agents.

Hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury (HIRI) is linked with high mortality rate. Several agents have been developed so far to reduce the risk of HIRI. In this study, we investigated the effects of Acanthopanax senticosus extract (AS) on hepatic ischemia-reperfusion. To explore the protective effects of A. senticosus extract injection (ASI) on hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury rats animal model were used. After the development of HIRI by using clamping method rats were then randomly divided into five groups. Different doses of AS were administered in HIRI rat model. The level of ALT, AST, and MDA content in serum were detected in sham and HIRI groups. The activity of SOD, MPO and Ca2+-ATPase, content of MDA, and cAMP in hepatic tissue were also measured. Expression of Bcl-2 and Bax protein were detected by immunohistochemical staining method. Compared with sham group, ASI has the protective effect on the HIRI model in rats. Blood levels of ALT, AST, SOD, MPO, and MDA were significantly lower in ASI group compared with HIRI. Indeed SOD and Ca2+-ATPase activities, MDA content, and cAMP level were improved in ASI group. Furthermore, Bcl-2 and Bax protein were improved in ASI group compared with only HIRI group. These results suggest that AS may provide potential ameliorative therapy by inhibiting the damage signaling mechanism in hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury model.