• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.103-110
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• 2005

Opuntia ficus-indica, commonly known as prickly pear cactus, is commercially grown as a food and medicinal plant in Jeju Island, Korea. The crushed pads and fruits of Opuntia ficus-indica were dried in a freeze-dryer and ground into flour to be used for food materials. The major components of proximate compositions were part of a nitrogen free extract. The major minerals were Ca (4391.2-2086.9㎎%), K (1932.1-2608.7㎎%), and Mg (800.6-1984.8㎎%). The major amino acid was glutamic acid, comprising 16.3% of total amino acids in fruit and 25.2% in pad. Dihydroflavonols were identified as (+)-trans-dihydrokaempferol and (+)-trans-dihydroquercetin. Citric acid methyl esters extracted from fruits showed inhibitory activities against monoamine oxidase-B. The presence of trimethyl citrate has been reported in other plants, but 1,3-dimethyl citrate and 1-monomethyl citrate have not been previously reported. The results of pharmacological efficacy tests, including serum biochemical and hematological parameters, autonomic nervous system, anti-inflammatory, analgestic activity, anti-diabetic activity, antithrombotic, anticoagulant, dopamine beta-hydroxylase, monoamine oxidase activity, hyperlipidemia, the respiratory system, antigastic, and anti-ulcerative actions indicate that the fruit and pad of the Opuntia ficus-indica are rich sources of food and medicinal materials.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.241-245
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• 2017

Aged garlic has been reported to possess beneficial pharmacological activities, including anti-stress and anti-fatigue properties, and to exert protective effects on the cardiovascular system and liver. Pine needles are widely used in folk medicine and as food additives owing to their pharmacological properties such as anti-aging and anti-inflammatory effects. It has long been known that combining certain phytochemicals with other phenols or organic acids can produce synergistic effects. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to develop an optimal formula of aged garlic with added pine needle powder for improved antioxidant activity using the statistical technique of response surface methodology. The antioxidant activities of aged garlic mixed with pine needle powder were confirmed by measuring oxygen radical absorbance capacity and total polyphenol content. An optimized antioxidant formula was identified that contained 5.08 g aged garlic and 1.97 g pine needle powder. The antioxidant activities of the mixture prepared using this optimal formula were significantly higher than the predicted values according to an additive model. Hence, this study confirms that the addition of pine needle powder to aged garlic can improve its antioxidant activity. This study demonstrated an optimal mixing ratio to produce an aged garlic product with improved functionality through the addition of pine needle powder that could be successfully employed by the food industry to prepare functional foods.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.1012-1018
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• 2009

The purpose of this research was to investigate the pharmacological effects of preparations containing beta-carotene, $Beautycarotene^{TM}$. $Beautycarotene^{TM}$ increased the collagen synthesis in CCD-986sk cells, DPPH radical scavenging activity and tyrosinase inhibitory activity in vitro system. In addition, it enhanced the viability of murine thymocytes and the population of splenic $CD4^+$ cells. Also, it increased the phagocytic activity of murine peritoneal macrophages. These results indicate that $Beautycarotene^{TM}$ can have a protective effect of skin via the diverse action, such as the stimulatory action of collagen synthesis, antioxidative action, tyrosinase inhibitory action and immune regulatory action.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.76-82
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• 2001

The pharmacological activities of the acetonitrile (MeCN), hexane extracts and isolated pure terpenoidal compound Lupeol from the leaves of Teclea nobilis, Delile (TN), on inflammation induced by carrageenan an implantation of cotton pellets in rats; the nociceptive response using writhing and tail flick tests and the antipyretic activity in yeast-induced fever were examined in mice. Oral administration of TN extracts at doses of 150 and 300 mg/ks and lupeol 5 and 10 mg/kg showed a significant anti-inflammatory activity in rats. The extracts of TN and lupeol significantly decreased the number of contractions and stretchings induced by acetic acid and heat-induced pain in mice. The antipyretic effect of extracts and lupeol was also found to be significant. The behavioral observation of animals showed that the hexane extract and lupeol caused CNS depressant activity and did not produce any toxic or lethal effects in animals at various dose levels. The results suggest that the Teclea nobilis extracts and lupeol possesses anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic activities.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.69-73
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• 2007

Since chemical structures of ginsenoside as active ingredient of Panax ginseng are known, accumulating evidence have shown that ginsenoside is one of bio-active ligands through the diverse physiological and pharmacological evaluations. Chemical structures of ginsenoside could be divided into three parts depending on diol or triol ginsenoside: Steroid- or cholesterol-like backbone structure, carbohydrate portions, which are attached at the carbon-3, -6 or -20, and aliphatic side chain coupled to the backbone structure at the carbon-20. Ginsenosides also exist as stereoisomer at the carbon-20. Bioactive ligands usually exhibit the their structure-function relationships. In ginsenosides, there is little known about the relationship of chemical structure and biological activity. Recent reports have shown that ginsenoside $Rg_3$, one of active ginsenosides, exhibits its differential physiological or pharmacological actions depending on its chemical structure. This review will show how ginsenoside $Rg_3$, as a model compound, is functionally coupled to voltage-gated ion channel or ligand-gated ion channel regulations in related with its chemical structure.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.26-32
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• 1982

In order to investigate the effect of 'Whangryonhaedok-Tang' on the anti-inflammatory, ileum of mice, blood pressure, blood glucose, total cholesterol and antibacterial activity, those pharmacological actions were conducted. The results of this studies were summarized as follows; Rat hind paw edema induced by acetic acid was inhibited. In mice, tone of intestinal smooth muscle was suppressed with the treatment of sample and intestinal contractions induced by $BaCl_2$ was inhibited. Hypertensive effect was not observed in rabbits but was observed by the water extract of 'Whangryonhaedok-Tang' excluded Phellodendri Cortex in rabbits. The increased blood glucose levels in alloxandiabetic rabbits were significantly decreased by the oral administration of the sample I after 6 days. The total cholesterol levels in alloxan-induced rabbits were significantly decreased by the oral administration of the sample I after 9 days. Antibacterial activity was observed. In addition, we thought the pharmacological actions were significantly noted by the sample III (Methanol soluble fraction) because of the purification of effective components.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.29 no.10
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• pp.1561-1569
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• 2019

Curcumin, the major bioactive constituent of turmeric, has been reported to have a wide range of pharmacological benefits; however, the low solubility in water has restricted its systemic bioavailability and therapeutic potential. Therefore, in the current study, we aimed to investigate the effect of turmeric fermentation on its curcumin content and anti-inflammatory activity by using several lactic acid bacteria. Fermentation with Lactobacillus fermentum significantly increased the curcumin content by 9.76% while showing no cytotoxicity in RAW 246.7 cells, as compared to the unfermented turmeric, regardless of the concentration of L. fermentum-fermented turmeric. The L. fermentum-fermented turmeric also promoted cell survival; a significantly higher number of viable cells in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW 264.7 cells were observed as compared to those treated with unfermented turmeric. It also displayed promising DPPH scavenging ($7.88{\pm}3.36%$) and anti-inflammatory activities by significantly reducing the nitrite level and suppressing the expression of the pro-apoptotic tumor necrosis factor-alpha and Toll-like receptor-4 in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells. Western blot analysis further revealed that the anti-inflammatory activity of the fermented turmeric was exerted through suppression of the c-Jun N-terminal kinase signal pathway, but not in unfermented turmeric. Taken together, the results suggested that fermentation with lactic acid bacteria increases the curcumin content of turmeric without increasing its cytotoxicity, while strengthening the specific pharmacological activity, thus, highlighting its potential application as a functional food ingredient.

• Journal of Mushroom
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.93-101
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• 2022

Cordyceps militaris mycelium extracts containing high amounts of cordycepin were evaluated in vitro for their anti-inflammatory and tumor cell growth-inhibitory activities. All extracts dose dependently inhibited the increased production of inflammatory mediators including reactive oxygen species (ROS), nitric oxide (NO), and 𝛽-hexosaminidase in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated inflammatory cells. All extracts were evaluated for anti-proliferative activity against normal RBL-2H3 cells and diverse types of cancer cell lines, including HCT, MC5-7, U-87MG, AGS, and A549 cells. The extract showed the strongest growth inhibition (IC₅₀ = 28.13 ㎍/mL) relative to vehicle-treated control cells against fibrosarcoma (MC5-7). We have demonstrated anti-inflammatory activity of C. militaris via inhibition of NO, ROS production, and 𝛽-hexosaminidase release in activated cells. C. militaris mycelium extract was also evaluated mechanistically and found to exert six types of anti-cancer activity, confirming its pharmacological potential. Our study suggests C. militaris use as a potential source of anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer agents. C. militaris may also be considered a functional food.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.16-27
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• 2019

Generative and vegetative parts of the cactuses have had a long-lasting position in folk medicine and their effects could partly be confirmed in scientific experiments. Nowadays, the cactus, fruits, and cladodes are the focus of many studies because of their desirable properties. Therefore, the summarized reports of valuable properties of medicinal plants may be a good way to familiarize researches with a new source of drugs with lower side effects and higher efficacy. Opuntia dillenii, a well-known member of the Cactaceae family, is used as a medicinal plant in various countries and grows in the desert, semi-desert, tropical and sub-tropical areas. It shows diverse pharmacological activities such as: antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, neuroprotective, hepatoprotective, hypotensive etc. OD fruit also possesses valuable constitutes for instance: betalains, ascorbic acid, total phenol, protein as well as essential elements which suggest the significant potential of this plant as a complementary therapy against several pathological conditions. This review describes experimental evidence about pharmacological and therapeutic potential of OD in order to give the basis of its application in the prevention and treatment of some chronic diseases. More studies on OD can help better understanding of its pharmacological mechanism of action to explain its traditional uses and to identify its potential new therapeutic applications.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.340-355
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• 2022

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the effects of non-pharmacological sleep intervention programs in improving sleep quality among older adults in long-term care facilities. Methods: A literature search and selection was performed on nine different databases using the guidelines of PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses). Overall, 14 studies met the inclusion criteria and were systematically reviewed. For the meta-analysis, the effect size was estimated using the random-effects model in Review Manager (RevMan) desktop version 5.4 of the Cochrane Library. Results: The meta-analysis of overall non-pharmacological interventions obtained a total effect size of 1.0 (standardized mean difference [SMD]=1.0, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.64~1.35), which was statistically significant (Z=5.55, p<.001). The most frequently studied non-pharmacological intervention was aroma therapy, with an effect size of 0.61 (SMD=0.61, 95% CI: 0.14~1.08), which was statistically significant (Z=2.55, p=.010). In the subgroup analysis, group-based interventions, interventions for >4 weeks, and untreated control studies were more effective. Conclusion: This study confirms that non-pharmacological interventions are effective in improving sleep quality among older adults in long-term care facilities. However, the sample size was small and the risk of bias in assessing the interventions of individual studies was unclear or high, thereby limiting the generalizability of the results. Further reviews that evaluate randomized control trials, evidence-based interventions that consider older adult participants' physical activity levels, different intervention methods and durations, and different control group intervention types are needed to obtain more conclusive evidence.