Anti-mycobacterial Effects of the Extract of Humulus japonicus

Ryu

International Journal of Molecular Medicine

et al. 2016

Humulus japonicus Siebold & Zucc. (HJ) has traditionally been administered to patients with pulmonary disease, skin disease and hypertension in Korea, and it is considered to exert anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial and anti-mycobacterial effects. However, its effects against Alzheimer's disease (AD) have yet to be explored. Thus, this study was carried out to investigate whether HJ has a beneficial effect on the progression of AD in an animal model. A methanolic extract of HJ (500 mg/kg/day) was intragastrically administered to 5-month-old APP/PS1 transgenic (Tg-APP/PS1) mice for 2.5 months. Novel object recognition and Y-maze alteration tests were used to assess cognitive function, and an immunohistochemical assay was performed to assess amyloid β (Aβ) deposition, tau phosphorylation and gliosis. An in vitro assay using a microglial cell line was also performed to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of HJ. Our results revealed that HJ significantly decreased the mRNA and protein expression levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6 and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) induced by lipopolysaccharide in the microglial cell line. The administration of HJ for 2 months improved the cognitive function of Tg-APP/PS1 mice. HJ notably reduced the area occupied by Aβ and neurofibrillary tangles, and the number of activated astrocytes and microglia in the cortex of Tg-APP/PS1 mice. The findings of our study suggest that HJ has the therapeutic potential to inhibit the progression of AD and to improve cognitive deterioration in Tg-APP/PS1 mice.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Humulus japonicus inhibits the progression of Alzheimer's disease in a APP/PS1 transgenic mouse model

Ryu

International Journal of Molecular Medicine

et al. 2016

“…H. japonicus has long been used in traditional medicine to cure skin diseases, pulmonary tuberculosis, and hypertension [ 50 ]. Other biological effects of H. japonicus include antimutagenic, antibacterial, antiatheroma, antioxidant, antitumor, antimycobacterial, and anti-inflammatory effects [ 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 , 54 ].…”

Section: Plant Extracts That Stimulate Adipocyte Browningmentioning

confidence: 99%

Natural Extracts That Stimulate Adipocyte Browning and Their Underlying Mechanisms

Lee

Kim

2021

Antioxidants

Despite progress in understanding the developmental lineage and transcriptional factors regulating brown and beige adipocytes, the role of environmental modifiers, such as food components and natural extracts, remains to be elucidated. Furthermore, the undesirable pleiotropic effects produced by synthetic drugs targeting adipose tissue browning and thermogenesis necessitate research into alternative natural sources to combat obesity and related metabolic disorders. The current review, therefore, focused on the effects of various extracts from foods, plants, and marine products on adipose tissue browning and obesity. In particular, the recent findings of food components and marine products on adipose tissue browning will be discussed here.

International Journal of Molecular Medicine

“…It has been demonstrated that the pollen of this plant is allergenic, and is considered as one of the major causes of pollen allergy ( 16 ). To date, HJ has been reported to exert anti-mutagenic ( 17 ), antimicrobial ( 18 ), antioxidant ( 18 , 19 ), anticancer ( 19 ), anti-mycobacterial ( 20 ), and anti-inflammatory ( 21 ) effects. From the results of previous studies, we speculated that the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of HJ may also contribute to the anti-atherosclerotic effect of HJ.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Anti-atherogenic effect of Humulus japonicus in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice

Lim

Noh

Kim

et al. 2016

Humulus japonicus (HJ) is used as a traditional medicine in Korea owing to its multiple properties including anti-mycobacterial, antioxidant and antihypertensive effects. The present study aimed to examine the anti-inflammatory and anti-atherogenic effects of a methanol extract of HJ. In lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells, HJ significantly suppressed the mRNA expression and secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines [tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6)], and the release of inflammatory mediators such as nitrite and prostaglandin E2, together with a concomitant decrease in the mRNA levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2. To examine whether HJ is capable of inhibiting experimental atherogenesis in an animal model, we randomly divided apolipoprotein E-deficient (apoE−/−) mice into three groups: mice fed an atherogenic diet plus vehicle (0.5% carboxymethyl cellulose) as the control vehicle group, and mice fed an atherogenic diet plus either 100 (HJ100) or 500 mg/kg (HJ500) of HJ as the experimental groups. After 12 weeks of HJ administration, lipid accumulation and the formation of atherosclerotic lesions in the aorta (en face) and the aortic sinus markedly decreased in the HJ500 group compared with the corresponding values in the vehicle control group. Moreover, monocyte and macrophage infiltration in the aortic sinus was markedly reduced in the HJ500 group. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis of the whole aorta showed that the mRNA levels of intercellular adhesion molecule-1, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, CD68 and IL-18 were significantly decreased in the HJ500 group. Collectively, these findings suggest that HJ may suppress atherosclerosis by inhibiting lipid accumulation and the expression of pro-atherogenic factors, and it may be effective at preventing the development of atherosclerosis.