Extensive screening for herbal extracts with potent antioxidant properties

This paper summarizes our research for herbal extracts with potent antioxidant activity obtained from a large scale screening based on superoxide radical (O2•−) scavenging activity followed by characterization of antioxidant properties. Firstly, scavenging activity against O2•− was extensively screened from ethanol extracts of approximately 1000 kinds of herbs by applying an electron spin resonance (ESR)-spin trapping method, and we chose four edible herbal extracts with prominently potent ability to scavenge O2•−. They are the extracts from Punica granatum (Peel), Syzygium aromaticum (Bud), Mangifera indica (Kernel), and Phyllanthus emblica (Fruit). These extracts were further examined to determine if they also scavenge hydroxyl radical (•OH), by applying the ESR spin-trapping method, and if they have heat resistance as a desirable characteristic feature. Experiments with the Fenton reaction and photolysis of H2O2 induced by UV irradiation demonstrated that all four extracts have potent ability to directly scavenge •OH. Furthermore, the scavenging activities against O2•− and •OH of the extracts of P. granatum (peel), M. indica (kernel) and P. emblica (fruit) proved to be heat-resistant

A Kampo Medicine, Boi-ogi-to, Inhibits Obesity in Ovariectomized Rats

In women facing menopause, end of menstrual activity is accompanied by lower levels of estrogen and gradual weight gain. Postmenopausal weight gain sounds an alarm for women's health and may lead to hyperlipidemia, a lipid increase and glucose intolerance. These phenomena are connected to lifestyle-related diseases such as hypertension, type II diabetes mellitus, arteriosclerosis and metabolic syndrome, making it essential to prevent weight gain in women. A Kampo medicine, Boi-ogi-to, is traditionally used to treat obese conditions, but the mechanism has not yet been investigated. In this experiment, we tested the antiobesity properties of Boi-ogi-to in ovariectomized rats by measuring changes of serum cytokine levels and adipocytokines in fat cells. After treatment with this extract for 6 weeks (20-week-old rats), we found that there was a significant weight decrease in rats treated with Boi-ogi-to as compared with that in the control group. Serum tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α levels increased significantly in a dose-dependent manner. Gene expression of adipose tissue in uterus also dose dependently showed a significant increase of TNF-α levels, suggesting that secretion of TNF-α by fat cells might play a role in the ability of Boi-ogi-to to inhibit weight gain. While peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor-γ and adiponectin levels did not show a significant difference as compared with those in the control, levels of mRNA expression showed a tendency to increase dose dependently. Resistin did not show any significant change. These results suggest that Boi-ogi-to might be useful for the prevention of obesity that occurs in women with reduction of estrogen

Oral administration of Ren-shen-yang-rong-tang \u27ninjin\u27yoeito\u27 protects against hematotoxicity and induces immature erythroid progenitor cells in 5-Fluorouracil-induced anemia

金沢大学医薬保健研究域薬学系The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of four different Japanese and Chinese herbal prescriptions, Ren-Shen-Yang-Rong-Tang (Ninjin\u27yoeito, NYT), Chai-Hu-Gui-Zhi-Gan-Jiang-Tang (Saikokeishikankyoto, SKKT), Si-Jun-Zi-Tang (Shikunshito, SKT) and Si-Wu-Tang (Shimotsuto, SMT), which are traditionally used for anemia and fatigue, against hematotoxicity in mice treated with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). NYT 1100 mg kg-1 day-1 injected orally for 7 consecutive days before and after 5-FU injection significantly suppressed reductions in red blood cell, white blood cell and platelet counts in peripheral blood, and accelerated their recovery. Administration of SKKT also produced a slight but significant improvement in 5-FU-induced erythrocytopenia, whereas SMT and SKT could not prevent anemia. Oral injection of NYT also inhibited 5-FU-induced decreases in peripheral reticulocyte and bone marrow cell counts on day 10, and markedly hastened their recovery on day 20, in a dose-dependent manner. Erythroid progenitor colonies, such as colony forming units-erythroid and burst forming units-erythroid, formed by marrow cells from mice treated with 5-FU were significantly increased by oral administration of NYT. These findings suggest that NYT has the potential to protect against hematotoxicity, and also has hematopoietic activity, through stimulation of immature erythroid progenitor cell differentiation.出版者許諾要件により全文公開は2010年7月より

ラット肝ミトコンドリアMonoamine Oxidaseによる過酸化水素産生系に対する柴胡加龍骨牡蠣湯の影響

Saiko-ka-ryukotsu-borei-to (SRBT) is adapted for psychoneurosis,such as autonomic dystonia and sleep disorder. Is has been postulated that reactive oxygen species (ROSs) plays an important role in psychoneurosis arising from oxidative neurogeneration.In this study,effect of SRBT on the formation of hydrogen peroxide generated by rat liver mitochondria oxdase (MAO) was investigated by enzymatic colorimetric assay using 2,2\u27-Azino-bis(3-ethyl benzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) oxidation catalyzed by peroxidase in vitro.SRBT (1mg/ml) had exhibited notable inhibition on the coupling reaction of ABTS radical cation with a hydrogen peroxide formed by peroxidase,suggesting inhibitory effect on monoamine oxdase activity.Comparative determination of the consequence on MAO with the lacking of each crude drug blended in SRBT indicated that Scutellaria root should by the active constituent participated with this activity.In Addition,when the MAO-inhibitory activity was compared with the partition of Sctellaria root decoction,the ethyl acetate-soluble layer had found to be the most effective in comparison with the other layers.Wogonin and baicalein had been revealed the principal components in ethyl acetate-soluble layer of Scutellaria root by TLC.These results have suggested that flavonoids derived from Scutellaria root might be involved in the inhibitory activity of SRBT on rat liver MAO

マキバブラシノキ Callistemon rigidusのマトリックスメタロプロテアーゼ-2阻害作用

The influence of Callistemon rigidus (Myrtaceae) on rat lung activated matrix matalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) was examined. Methanol extracts from stem and fruit showed inhibitory effects on MMP-2.Activation was induced by p-aminophenylmercuric acetate,and inhibition was measired by using sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamid gel electrophoresis gelatin zymography.The IC50 values were 2.96 and 32.0mg/mL,respectively. Piceatannol was isolated as the active constituent from the stem of this plant,and its IC50 value was 757.1μM. The usefulness of Callistemon rigidus as a supply source of piceatannol is noted,and utility of piceatannol for the investigation of the inhibition of activated MMP-2 was also expected for the prevention and treatment of various diseases concerned with excess activation of MMP

In situ酵素組織化学法によるラット脳及び肝Monoamine Oxidase活性の検討

In situ quantitative histochemical analysis on monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity in rat brain and liver was performed for its region specificity. Nitro blue tetrazolium was used for the formazan producing reductive reaction caused by enzymatic degradation product of tryptamine as MAO substrate. A linear relationship was obserbed between the integrated MAO activity and the absorbance analyzed by PC-associated image analysis. The MAO-A inhibitor, clorgylin, inhibited the MAO activity dose-dependently in brain region and liver tissue in vitro and in situ analyses with well correlation. These results suggested that this method could be useful for the quantitative analysis of MAO activity in tissue sections, especially in the rat locus coeruleus that plays an important role in noradrenergic neurons

ロズマリン酸の抗酸化作用とラット肺組織マトリックスメタロプロチアーゼ阻害作用について

Rosmarinic acid is an ester of caffeic acid and 3, 4-dihydroxyphenyllactic acid, being found to have a multitude of biological activities such as anti-inflammation, antimutagen and antioxidant. In order to establish the relationship between antioxidants and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) -inhibitory activity, rosmarinic acid and caffeic acid were evaluated for their potential in 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity and blocking of MMP activity. Gelatinase activity was measured using the gelatin degradation and/or gelatin-zymography assay. From comparison of the different levels of DPPH radical scavenging activity, it was deduced that a crucial role in inhibition for MMP activity might play by an antioxidant activity. This comparative study is proposed as a basis for designing the enhanced antiproteolytic activities, and no or reduced side effects for use in hindering inflammation, cancer invasion or metastasis and angiogenesis in lung

キャピラリー電気泳動のアコニチン型アルカロイド分析への応用

Capillary electrophoresis was applied to the analysis of aconitine alkaloids. An AccuSepcapillary column (75 μm i.d. × 60cm), 0.4M di-sodium hydrogenphosphate - 0.2M citric acid buffer (pH7.0) as the electrophoretic buffer, and 3.5kV as the electrophoretic voltage were employed. Aconitine, hypaconitine and mesaconitine in aconitic tuberous root were separated within about 70min and their contents were obtained

A case of double-innervation of the anterior belly of the digastric muscle by the mylohyoid and facial nerves

The anterior belly of the left digastric muscle of a 75 year old woman was found to be innervated both by the mylohyoid nerve, which entered the deep surface, and by a branch of the stylohyoid branch of the facial nerve, which was distributed in the lateral two-thirds of the more superficial half of the muscle belly. The stylohyoid muscle attached to the hyoid bone by two insertions, neither of which, however, passed superficial to the intermediate tendon of the digastric. It may not be quite impossible to regard this anomaly as showing a transitional stage of the innervation change (Futamura 1906), but origin and course of the anomalous nerve does not agree with that of the embryonal stage. It is suggested, that the part of the normal stylohyoid muscle, which lies superficial to the intermediate tendon, would have been fused to the anterior belly