Radix Astragali, the root of Astragalus (A.) membranaceus, has been applied in a variety of diseases for a long time in Asian countries such as Korea and China. In addition, the aerial parts such as leaves and stems of A. membranaceus have received a great deal of attention. Recently, the polysaccharide fraction showing a potent immunomoduating activity was isolated from the aerial parts of A. membranaceus. Thus, the aerial parts of A. membranaceus would be worthy enough for a food material and a dietary supplement. However, they should be safe even though valuable. In our previous study, it was estimated that NOAEL for female rats are 5000 mg/kg/day of the crude polysaccharide fraction from A. membranaceus-aboveground parts. As a series of safety evaluation, genotoxicity test for the crude polysaccharide fraction was carried out in this study. In conclusion, the three genotoxicity assays provided strong overall support that the crude polysaccharide fraction lacks mutagenic and/or clastogenic potential under the GLP-based test conditions. This indicates the aerial parts of A. membranaceus would be safe enough for a food material and a dietary supplement.
Objectives : There is a pressing need to determine the clinical and scientific validity of herbal therapies for animal model with atopic dermatitis since some differences in systemic cytokine polarization between in animal model and in patients with atopic dermatitis has been reported. New studies for tang, medicinal herb itself or effective ingradients of medicinal herb showing anti-atopic dermatitis effectiveness are reviewed in terms of cytokine regulation. Methods : Those herbal therapies used to treat atopic dermatitis in animal model were introduced and the expression pattern of cytokine and the activity of mast cell were compared in both animal model and patients with atopic dermatitis. Results : In case of atopic dermatitis in human, there is a biphasic pattern of cytokine expression in atopic dermatitis, with acute skin inflammation associated with a predominance of IL-4 and IL-13 expression from Th2 cells, and chronic inflammation associated with increased IL-5 from Th2-cells and IFN-γ from Th1-cells. However, a pattern of cytokine expression in animal model with atopic dermatitis is not matched well to the biphasic pattern of cytokine expression in patients with atopic dermatitis. In addition, a kind of cytokine is different by animal model with atopic dermatitis. These differences would make herbal medicines, showing their effectiveness on atopic dermatitis, difficult to apply to patients with atopic dermatitis. Conclusion : The pattern of local cytokine expression plays an important role in modulating tissue inflammation, and in atopic dermatitis this pattern depends on the acuity or duration of the skin lesion. Thus, in order to develop medicinal herb itself or effective ingradients of medicinal herb showing anti-atopic dermatitis effectiveness, biphasic pattern of cytokine expression should be considered in animal model with atopic dermatitis.
Termitomyces albuminosus (Berk.) Heim is a well-known wild edible mushroom in the southern region of China. Novel cerebrosides, termed termitomycesphins, isolated from EtOH extract of T. albuminosus have shown significant neuritogenic activity. Neurotrophic factors have been targeted as potential therapeutic drugs for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders. However, before expanding their applications to include food or therapeutic agents in Korea, a safety evaluation of T. albuminosus is needed. Herein, in a repeated-dose 90-day oral toxicity study, rats were exposed to a basal diet of powder ground from dried T. albuminosus at dose levels of 5%, 2.5%, 1.25%, and 0%. The following endpoints were evaluated: clinical observation, body weight, gross and microscopic pathology, clinical chemistry, and hematology. Significant dose-dependent increases in the weight of the left kidney were observed, possibly due to the test substance. Based on toxicity-decision criteria for minor compound-related changes (no observed adverse effect level [NOAEL] and no observed effect level [NOEL]), NOAEL was observed in male rats at a dose of 5% of dried T. albuminosus powder, and NOEl was observed in female rats at the same dose. The results point to the safety and potential use of T. albuminosus as a nontoxic neurotrophic factor.
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