Bupleuri Radix (BR), the dried roots ofBupleurum falcatumL., has been used in folk medicine as an antiinflammatory and antioxidative agent. The aqueous extract of BR was evaluated for its possible ameliorative effect in the regulation of hyperthyroidism in l-thyroxine- (LT4-) induced rat model. After oral administration of 300, 150, and 75 mg/kg of BR extracts, once a day for 15 days from 12th LT4 treatments, changes on the body, thyroid gland, liver, and epididymal fat pad weights, serum triiodothyronine, thyroxine, thyroid-stimulating hormone, asparte aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase concentrations, hepatic lipid peroxidation, glutathione contents, superoxide dismutase, and catalase activities were investigated with thyroid gland, liver, and epididymal fat histopathological changes. The effects of BR extracts were compared with that of propylthiouracil, a standard antithyroid drug 10 mg/kg (intraperitoneally). In this experiment, BR extracts dose dependently reversed LT4-induced hyperthyroidisms, and these effects indicating their potential in the regulation of hyperthyroidism. Further, the BR extract normalized LT4-induced liver oxidative stresses, and also reduced liver and epididymal fat pad changes. BR extracts 150 mg/kg showed comparable effects on the LT4-induced rat hyperthyroidism as compared with PTU 10 mg/kg. These effects of BR may help the improvement of hyperthyroidisms and accompanied various organ damages.

The effect of DHU001, a mixed herbal formula consisted of 7 types aqueous extracts for various respiratory disorders were evaluated on the formalin-induced paw chronic inflammation in mice after oral administration. Mice were subaponeurotically injected in the left hind paw with 0.02 ml of 3.75% formalin, then subjected to 500, 250 and 125 mg/kg of DHU001 oral administration, once a day for 10 days during which then the hind-paw thickness and volume were measured daily. The paw wet-weight, histological profiles, histomorphometrical analyses and paw tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α contents were conducted at termination. After two formalin treatments, a marked increase in the paw thickness and volume was detected in the formalin-injected control as compared with that in the intact control, plus at the time of sacrifice the paw wet-weights, paw TNF-α contents were also dramatically increased with severe chronic inflammation signs at histopathological observations. However, these formalin-induced chronic inflammatory changes were dramatically decreased by treatment of dexamethasone and all three different dosages of DHU001. DHU001 has favorable effects on formalin-induced chronic inflammation mediated by TNF-α suppression, and DHU001 may represent an alternative approach for the treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases.

In this research, the genotoxic effect of Picrorrhiza Rhizoma (PR) aqueous extract was evaluated using the mouse micronucleus test. PR extract was administered once a day for 2 continuous days by oral gavage to male ICR mice at doses of 2000, 1000 and 500 mg/kg. Cyclophosphamide was used as a known genotoxic agent in a positive control. The appearance of a micronucleus (MN) in polychromatic erythrocyte (PCE) is used as an index for genotoxic potential, and PCE ratio is used as an index of cytotoxicity. Although significant (p < 0.01) increase of the number of PCE with one or more nuclei (MNPCE) was detected in cyclophosphamide treated groups, no significant increases of MNPCE numbers were observed in all three different dosages of PR extracts treated mice with over 0.39 of the individual polychromatic erythrocyte ratio in all mice used in this study. The results obtained indicated that PR extract shows no genotoxicity effects up to 2000 mg/kg dosing levels.

Abstract.[Purpose] The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of a magnetic infrared laser (MIL) on the 2, 4-dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB)-induced contact dermatitis, type I allergic mouse model. [Subjects] Male ICR mice.[Methods] Contact dermatitis was induced by sensitization with dinitrophenyl-derivatized ovalbumin (DNP-OVA) and DNFB challenge as antigen. MIL radiation doses of 1.33, 2.66 and 6.65 J/cm 2 were given, once a day for 7 continuous days, to DNP-OVA sensitized mice and compared with 15 mg/kg dexamethasone (intraperitoneal treatment). The edematous changes and scratching behavior were measured together with ear histopathological observations. [Results] Immediately after DNFB challenge to the ear or paw of DNP-OVA sensitized mice, increases of ear and paw thicknesses and weights were detected as well as anterior ear skin (dermis to epidermis) thickness and paw scratching behavior increases. However, these DNFB-induced increases of edematous changes and scratching behavior were significantly and dose-dependently decreased by MIL irradiation.[Conclusion] The results obtained in this study suggest that MIL radiation has relatively favorable effects on allergic dermatitis, and MIL therapy may represent an alternative approach for the treatment of allergic cutaneous diseases.