• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.286-293
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• 2016

This study is an experiment for gastric protective effects of ursolic acid. In order to identify the effects of ursolic acid on gastrointestinal disorder, acute and chronic gastritis were also observed using HCl ethanol and indomethacin-induced gastric lesion models, respectively. As for gastric acid, it was also identified through proton pump ($H^+/K^+-ATPase$) inhibiting activity. In regards to protective factor for gastric damage, prostaglandin $E_2$ ($PGE_2$) was quantitatively analyzed. Antibacterial activity experiment was done on Helicobacter pylori (H.pylori), which is known to be the causing factor of chronic gastritis, gastric ulcer and gastric cancer. By making use of AGS cell, it was confirmed that ursolic acid was involved in apoptosis of gastric cancer cell through 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindol (DAPI) staining and flow cytometry analysis. As a result, ursolic acid reduced gastric lesions caused by HCl ethanol and indomethacin. Ursolic acid inhibited acid secretion by inhibiting proton pump ($H^+/K^+-ATPase$), which is the gastric acid secreting enzyme involved at the final phase of gastric acid secretion. And ursolic acid was identified with gastric mucosa protection effects by increasing the concentration of $PGE_2$, a protective factor of gastric mucosa preservation. The antibacterial activity on H. pylori, which is aggressive factor in gastrointestinal disorder, ursolic acid showed inhibitory effects on H. pylori colonization. In the DAPI nuclear staining, unlike the control group, shape of the nucleus has deformed, and has been observed either shrinked cell or chromatin condensation phenomenon. In the Flow cytometry assay, confirmed the growth rate of apoptosis in a concentration-dependent manner.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.59-70
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• 2014

Purpose: This study was conducted to evaluate the inhibitory effect of ursolic acid from Prunella vulgaris on osteoclast differentiation. Methods: MTT-assay was performed to estimate cytotoxicity of ursolic acid from Prunella vulgaris in BMMs stimulated with M-CSF. TRAP staining, TRAP activity and Real-time PCR were performed to know the inhibitory effect on osteoclast differentiation. Actin ring formation were analysed to observe the effect of ursolic acid from Prunella vulgaris. Results: Ursolic acid from Prunella vulgaris has no cytotoxicity at the concentration of $1{\mu}g/ml$ or lower. Ursolic acid decreased the number of TRAP positive cells and the expression of NFATc1 gene, c-Fos gene, TRAP and OSCAR in BMMs stimulated with RANKL. Ursolic acid restrained the formation of actin ring. Ursolic acid inhibited NF-${\kappa}B$ activity by inducing degradation of p-$IkB{\alpha}$. Conclusions: Ursolic acid from Prunella vulgaris has the inhibitory effect of osteoclast differentiation and bone resorption. Futher studies are needed to treat osteoporosis by usolic acid from Prunella vulgaris.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.416-420
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• 2000

Ursolic acid was isolated from Prunellae Herba (Prunella vulgaris var. lilacina) and identified by direct comparison with an authentic sample. A method of analysis for the evaluation of ursolic acid was developed based on extraction of ground plant material, followed by quantitative determination using capillary gas chromatography of the TMS derivative. Quantitative analysis by GC after derivatisation under mild silylating conditions showed 0.31% ursolic acid in 20 samples collected throughout regions of Korea while no ursolic acid was detected in the samples of the whole plant of Thesium chinense, a substitute for Prunellae Herba in southern regions of Korean peninsula.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.98-108
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• 1994

Gingival hyperplasia is frequently associated with the long-term use of phenytoin for control of convulsive disorder. The purpose of this study was to investigate on the effects of lipopolysaccharides (LPS), ursolic acid and oleanolic acid to phenytoin-induced cell activity in human gingival fibroblast. Human gingival fibroblasts were cultured form the healthy gingiva of orthodontic patients. Gingival fibroblasts were trypsinized and transferred to the weels of microtest plates. Fibroblast were cultured in growth medium added $5{\mu}g/ml$ of phenytoin, $5{\mu}g/ml$ of LPS, $10^{-7}M$ of ursolic acid and oleanolic acid. The passage number of cultured fibroblasts were fifth and eight. Cell morphology was examined by inverted microscope and the cell activity was measured by proliferation assay. Ursolic acid significantly modulated cell morphology into globular shape at the concentrantion of $10^{-7}M$ in the presence of phenytoin and LPS, and the cell activity was significantl decreased by ursolic acid or oleanolic acid regardless of the presence of phenytoin and LPS. These results suggested that the increased phenytoin-induced cell activity might be modulated by ursolic acid regardless of the presence of phenytoin and LPS. These results suggested that the increased phenytoin-induced cell activity might be modulated by ursolic acid or oleanolic acid. Further study is needed to clarify their toxicological effects on cellular modulation and mRNA expression change.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.1524-1529
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• 2006

The fruits of Cornus officinalis have been used in traditional Oriental medicine for treatment of inner ear diseases, such as tinnitus and hearing loss. In the present study, we showed that the ursolic acid obtained from Corni fructus protected HEI-OC1 auditory cells from hydrogen peroxide cytotoxicity in a dose-dependent fashion. In addition, to investigate the protection mechanism of ursolic acid on hydrogen peroxide cytotoxicity toward HEI-OC1, we measured the effects of ursolic acid on lipid peroxidation and activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) in hydrogen peroxide treated cells. Ursolic acid (0.05 - 2 ${\mu}g/ml$) had protective effect against the hydrogen peroxide-induced HEI-OC1 cell damage and reduced lipid peroxidation in a dose-dependent manner. Pre-treatment with ursolic acid significantly attenuated the decrease in activities of CAT and GPX, but SOD activity was not affected by the ursolic acid or hydrogen peroxide. These results indicate that ursolic acid protects hydrogen peroxide-induced HEI-OC1 cell damage through inhibition of lipid peroxidation and induce the antioxidant enzymes CAT and GPX.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.529-537
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• 1992

To investigate the effect of ursolic acid on the expression of oncogenes in tumor cells of mice, sarcoma 180 ascites tumor cells were implanted into the left groin of ICR mice and the tumor bearing mice were treated with ursolic acid. The expression of oncogenes were measured by in situ hybridization method. Ursolic acid significantly reduced the expression of oncogenes in the tumor cells. Therefore, it can be said that the prestated anticarcinogenic effect of ursolic acid could be partly ascribed to the mechanism included in the oncogene´s transcription level.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.7-11
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• 2011

Ursolic acid is a triterpenoid compound present in many plants. This study examined the antimicrobial activity of ursolic acid against mutans streptococci (MS) isolated from the Korean population. The antimicrobial activity was evaluated by the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and time kill curves of MS. The cytotoxicity of ursolic acid against KB cells was tested using an MTT assay. The $MIC_{90}$ values of ursolic acid for Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus isolated from the Korean population were $2 {\mu}g$/ml and $4 {\mu}g$/ml, respectively. Ursolic acid had a bactericidal effect on S. mutans ATCC $25175^T$ and S. sobrinus ATCC $33478^T$ at > $2 \;{\times}\; MIC (4 {\mu}g$/ml) and $4 \;{\times}\; MIC (8 {\mu}g$/ml), respectively. Ursolic acid had no cytotoxic effect on KB cells at concentrations at which it exerted antimicrobial effects. The results suggest that ursolic acid can be used in the development of oral hygiene products for the prevention of dental caries.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.198-204
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• 2019

Background: Oxidative stress is a known to be associated with in the pathogenesis of many inflammatory diseases, including periodontitis. Ursolic acid is a pentacyclic triterpenoid with has antimicrobial, antioxidative, and anticancer properties. However, the role of ursolic acid in the regulating of osteogenesis remains undetermined. This study was aimed to elucidate the crucial osteogenic effects of ursolic acid and its ability to inhibit oxidative stress by targeting the immediate early response 3 (IER3)/nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) pathway. Methods: Cell proliferation was determined using water-soluble tetrazolium salt assay, cell differentiation was evaluated by alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, and formation of calcium nodules was detected using alizarin red S stain. Generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was determined using by DCFH-DA fluorescence dye in hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$)-treated MG-63 cells. Expression levels of IER3, Nrf2, and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) were analyzed using western blot analysis. Results: Our results showed that ursolic acid up-regulated the proliferation of osteoblasts without any cytotoxic effects, and promoted ALP activity and mineralization. $H_2O_2$-induced ROS generation was found to be significantly inhibited on treatment with ursolic acid. Furthermore, in $H_2O_2$-treated cells, the expression of the early response genes: IER3, Nrf2, and Nrf2-related phase II enzyme (HO-1) was enhanced in the presence of ursolic acid. Conclusion: The key findings of the present study elucidate the protective effects of ursolic acid against oxidative stress conditions in osteoblasts via the IER3/Nrf2 pathway. Thus, ursolic acid may be developed as a preventative and therapeutic agent for mineral homeostasis and inflammatory diseases caused due to oxidative injury.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.87-92
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• 2008

Wood vinegar is well known as a softening agent affecting on the stratum corneum that is easy to penetrate into the skin. In this study, we prepared mixed ursolic acid hydrogel with wood vinegar(1, 2, 5%) as a penetration enhancer. The accumulation of ursolic acid in the skin from hydrogels was evaluated in vitro hairless mouse skin and skin moisturizing effect of them was evaluated using the corneometer and the tewermeter. And the role of stratum corneum as a protective barrier was evaluated as well. The hydrogels were retained about 40% of water retention capacity 2hrs and had better effect on the stripped skin than full-thickness skin. The accumulation of ursolic acid through stripped skin from hydrogels with wood vinegar was not change compared to normal skin, which indicated the action site of wood vinegar and the accumulation site of ursolic acid would be stratum corneum. From these result, we could find wood vinegar seems to be a good enhancer for active materials with anti-wrinkle and anti aging effect such as ursolic acid, and can be a developed topical delivery system maintaining excellent water retention capacity.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.314-318
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• 1992

The sarcoma 180 cells were treated with ursolic acid which was previously extracted from leaves of Eriobotrya japonica Lindy (Rosaceae) and identified as a potent anticarinogenic agent. Suppressing effects of the compounds with testing changes in selected oncogenes expression were examined by using the northern hybridization method. Ursolic acid significantly suppressed c-myc oncogene expression. However, c-ha-ras oncogene expression was lowered slightly with the ursolic acid treatment. Therefore, it was concluded that preproven anticarcinogenic effects of ursolic acid should be partly ascribed to the modified oncogenic expression.