The effects of Arctium lappa L. (root) on anti-inflammatory and free radical scavenger activity were investigated. Subcutaneous administration of A. lappa crude extract significantly decreased carrageenan-induced rat paw edema. When simultaneously treated with CCl4, it produced pronounced activities against CCl4-induced acute liver damage. The free radical scavenging activity of its crude extract was also examined by means of an electron spin resonance (ESR) spectrometer. The IC50 of A. lappa extract on superoxide and hydroxyl radical scavenger activity was 2.06 mg/ml and 11.8 mg/ml, respectively. These findings suggest that Arctium lappa possess free radical scavenging activity. The inhibitory effects on carrageenan-induced paw edema and CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity could be due to the scavenging effect of A. lappa.

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The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of salivary macromolecules on enamel lesion remineralization in the presence or absence of fluoride. Paraffin-stimulated whole saliva was centrifuged, and the supernatant was dialyzed in 1,000 molecular-weight cutoff dialysis tubes, first against a phosphate buffer and then against a mineral solution containing Ca and phosphate. Artificial subsurface lesions of human enamel, created in pH 4.5 acetate buffer, were remineralized for 28 days in 4 remineralizing solutions: group C – mineral solution as a control; group S – mineral solution + dialyzed saliva; group F – mineral solution + 1 ppm F; group SF – mineral solution + dialyzed saliva + 1 ppm F. Changes in relative mineral concentration in the lesions were assessed by transverse microradiography. The results showed statistically significant mineral gains in the lesion body in groups C (ΔZ = 3,254 ± 1,562% ×µm) and SF (ΔZ = 2,973 ± 1,349% ×µm), but not in groups S (ΔZ = 5,192 ± 1,863% ×µm) and F (ΔZ = 4,310 ± 1,138% ×µm) compared with the baseline group (ΔZ = 5,414 ± 461% ×µm). It was also found that the mineral density at the surface layer in group F (75.0 ± 15.7%) was greater than that in the baseline group (30.1 ± 12.3%) with statistical significance, but not in group SF (39.9 ± 16.5%). It was concluded that the macromolecules inhibited lesion remineralization fundamentally but that these molecules, in the presence of fluoride, seemed to play an important role in the continuation of remineralization by reducing mineral gains at the surface layer.

Although intensive efforts have been undertaken to elucidate the genetic background of immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN), genetic factors associated with the pathogenesis of this disease are still not well understood. We designed a case-control association study that was based on linkage disequilibrium among single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the selectin gene cluster on chromosome 1q24-25, and we found two SNPs in the E-selectin gene (SELE8 and SELE13) and six SNPs in the L-selectin gene (SELL1, SELL4, SELL5, SELL6, SELL10, and SELL11) that were significantly associated with IgAN in Japanese patients. All eight SNPs were in almost complete linkage disequilibrium. SELE8 and SELL10 caused amino acid substitutions from His to Tyr and from Pro to Ser (chi2=9.02, P=.0026, odds ratio = 2.73 [95% confidence interval [CI] 1.38--5.38] for His-to-Tyr substitutions; chi2=17.4, P=.000031, odds ratio = 3.61 [95% CI 1.91--6.83] for Pro-to-Ser substitutions), and SELL1 could affect promoter activity of the L-selectin gene (chi2=19.5, P=.000010, odds ratio = 3.77 [95% CI 2.02--7.05]). The TGT haplotype at these three loci was associated significantly with IgAN (chi2=18.67, P=.000016, odds ratio = 1.88 [95% CI 1.41--2.51]). Our results suggest that these eight SNPs in selectin genes may be useful for screening populations susceptible to the IgAN phenotype that involves interstitial infiltration.

The free radical scavenging and antihepatotoxic activity from Terminalia catappa was studied. Treatment with T. catappa water extracts showed antihepatotoxic activity against CCl4-induced toxicity in the rat liver that was tested. The crude drug also exhibited anti-oxidant effects in FeCl2-Ascorbic acid induced lipid peroxidation in the rat liver homogenate. Moreover, the superoxide radical scavenger effect of T. catappa was demonstrated using electron spin resonance (ESR) and spintrapping technique. The results indicate that T. catappa possesses good antihepatotoxic activity and superoxide radical scavenger activity.