KJC Korea
Journal Central

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to observe the effects of Citri Reticulatae ViridePericarpium (CP) on 4-Hydroxynonenal (4-HNE)-induced inflammation in PC12 cells. Methods: 4-HNE was treated in PC12 cell to cause inflammatory response, and then treated withCP water extract at 25, 50, and 100 g/ml. The phosphorylation of Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK)and the expression of NF-B in PC12 cells were determined by Western blot, respectively. Results: The phosphorylation of JNK was significantly decreased in 4-HNE-stimulated PC12 cellby the treatment of CP extract at 25 g/ml. The 4-HNE-induced expression of nuclear factorkappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-B) p65 in nuclear of the cells wassignificantly decreased in PC12 cell by treatment with CP extract at 25, 50, and 100 g/ml. Conclusions: These results suggest that CP water extract has an anti-inflammatory activitythrough suppressing the JNK and NF-B activation.

Objectives: This study investigated the effects of Scutellariae Radix extract (SRE) on lipids metabolism, oxidation and the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in rats fed highly oxidized fat. Methods: To induce obesity, male Sprague‐Dawley rats were fed a highly oxidized fat diet for 10 weeks. SRE at 100 mg/kg were administered orally to obesity‐induced rats for 6 weeks, and their lipid metabolism, oxidation and production of pro-inflammatory cytokines were examined. Results: The concentrations of free fatty acid, triglyceride, total cholesterol, and low density lipoprotein-cholesterol in plasma decreased in SRE-treated groups, although the difference was not significant between control and SRE-treated groups, while that of high density lipoprotein- cholesterol significantly increased in SRE group. The concentrations of total cholesterol and triglyceride in the liver were tended to decrease in SRE-treated group. The concentrations of thiobarbituric acid in plasma and liver were lower in SRE group than in control group. The levels of glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase and glutamic pyruvic transaminase in plasma were decreased in SRE group. Activities of glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and catalase in liver were tended to increase in the SRE group. The plasma concentrations of interleukin (IL)-1b, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-a and IL-6 were lower in SRE group than in control group, while that of IL-10 was higher. The liver concentrations of IL-1b, TNF-a, and IL-6 were tended to decrease while that of IL-10 tended to increase in SRE group. Conclusions: Finally SRE could be used in the production of nutraceuticals for lowering lipids and exerting anti-oxidation and anti-inflammatory effects in obesity rats fed highly oxidized rat

Objectives: This study was designed to evaluate the anti-diabetic effects of Spargaium stoloniferum Buchanan-Hamilton (Sparganii Rhizoma, SR) extract on diabetic rats. Methods: Diabetes was induced with Sprague-Dawley rats by high fat/high sucrose (HF/HS) diet for 4 weeks and injection of a single low dose of streptozotocin (STZ; 35 mg/kg). SR water extract at 500 mg/kg was orally administrated once a day for 4 weeks. Body weights, food and water intakes and urine volumes were measured. The levels of glucose, insulin, total cholesterol, glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase and glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (GPT) were measured in the sera of rats. Histological changes were observed in pancreas, liver, and kidney tissues by H&E staining. Results: The administration of Sparganii Rhizoma extract at 500 mg/kg in diabetic rats did not shown a significant difference in body weight changes and GPT levels, but showed meaningful changes in an increase of urination volume, and decrease of serum glucose and insulin levels. Total cholesterol and GPT levels were also significantly decreased after SR extract administration in diabetic rats. Furthermore, the abnormal changes of pancreas, liver and kidney were also improved by Sparganii Rhizoma extract administration. Conclusions: These results indicate that SR extract can improve HF/HS-diet and STZ-induced diabetic damages in rats through inhibition of the blood glucose and insulin increase.

Objectives: The all anti-obesity drugs currently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration work by reducing energy intake. In fact, no approved drug targets energy expenditure. In Korean medicine, it is known to Qi or Yang invigorating therapy could increase energy metabolism. Aconitum carmichaeli Debx (ACD) is a Yang invigorating herb, often used for treat obesity in Korean medicine. In the present study, the authors investigated the regulatory effects of ACD in energy metabolism and mitochondrial biogenesis in C2C12 skeletal muscle cells. Methods: The water extract of ACD (0.2, 0.5 and 1.0 mg/ml) were treated in differentiated C2C12 cells. The protein or mRNA levels of target genes were analyzed and mitochondrial mass were investigated. Results: ACD activated the expressions of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha (PGC-1a), nuclear respiratory factor 1 and TFAM and increased mitochondrial mass. ACD also increased adenosin monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), and acetyl-CoA carboxylase. Conclusions: This study suggests that ACD has the potential to increase energy metabolism and mitochondrial biogenesis by activating AMPK and PGC1a.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of modified fasting therapy on the changes of body compositions. Methods: We analyzed the medical records of 33 patients, who carried out modified fasting therapy at Dunsan Korean Medicine Hospital of Daejeon University from January 1st, 2011 to December 30th, 2015. They went through reducing food intakes period (7 days), fasting period (14 days) and refeeding period (14 days). Body compositions (weight, body mass index, skeletal muscle mass, percent body fat, basal metabolic rate, waist-hip ratio, visceral fat area) were reviewed at each state. And then the data was analyzed. Results: The body composition values (weight, body mass index [BMI], skeletal muscle mass, percent body fat, basal metabolic rate, waist-hip ratio, visceral fat area) decreased during the fasting therapy period, as a whole. The weight, BMI, percent body fat and visceral fat area decreased during the reducing food intakes period, the fasting period and the refeeding period. The skeletal muscle mass and basal metabolic rate significantly decreased during the reducing food intakes period and the fasting period, and insignificantly increased during the refeeding period. Conclusions: Results from this investigation showed that modified fasting therapy using fermented herbal medicine have positive effects on changes of body compositions.

In traditional medicine, Cannabis sativa L. has been used for variety of reasons. Old literatures delineate that Cannabis had been used as anesthetic and analgesic, or to reduce symptoms such as cough, paralysis and so on. Although Cannabis has a long history of medical use, it is illegal in many countries including South Korea. Controversy over decriminalization of Cannabis to allow cannabis for therapeutic use has been around for many years. In order to understand current knowledge on the therapeutic use of medical Cannabis, comprehension of cannabinoids and other constituents of Cannabis is important. Here we reviewed the pharmacological effect of Cannabis and current mandatory regulation over Cannabis in many countries to suggest necessity of research on medical Cannabis.

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of wild ginseng complex (WGC) pharmacopuncture combined with hyperthermia on abdominal obesity in post-menopause women. Two post-menopausal women were treated 5 times in 2 weeks with WGC pharmacopuncture on abdominal acupoints and 30 minutes of hyperthermia on abdominal area. Before treatment and after 5 treatments were finished, body weight (BW), body mass index (BMI), body fat ratio, waist circumference (WC), waist hip ratio, thickness of abdominal subcutaneous fat (ASF) were measured. In case 1, BW, BMI, WC, and ASF were reduced by 0.6 kg, 0.2 kg/m2, 6 cm, and 18 mm respectively. In case 2, BW, BMI, WC, and ASF were reduced by 0.4 kg, 0.17 kg/m2, 4.6 cm, and 12 mm respectively. This suggest that combined therapy of WGC pharmacopuncture and hyperthermia might be an effective treatment for abdominal obesity in post menopause women.

The purpose of this study is to report the clinical effectiveness of Korean medicine, especially Galhwahajung-tang and Yijintang-gamibang on patient with acute alcoholic hepatitis and renal dysfunction. The patient in this case had suffered from pantalgia and dizziness with nausea. He was diagnosed as acute alcoholic hepatitis. Based on related symptoms and blood-test, we could diagnose acute alcoholic hepatitis. We treated him with Korean medicine, involving herbal decoction, acupuncture, moxibustion and cupping. We used visual analogue scale and blood-test for assessment. After 31 days of treatment, the pantalgia and dizziness with nausea were disappeared and liver function test was in the normal range. According to this study, Korean medicine, including Galhwahajung-tang and Yijintang-gamibang are an effective treatment for the cure of acute alcoholic hepatitis with renal dysfunction which occurs on crapulence.