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Angelica Sinensis (angelica + sinensi)
Selected AbstractsThe natural compound n -butylidenephthalide derived from Angelica sinensis inhibits malignant brain tumor growth in vitro and in vivo3JOURNAL OF NEUROCHEMISTRY, Issue 4 2006Nu-Man Tsai Abstract The naturally-occurring compound, n -butylidenephthalide (BP), which is isolated from the chloroform extract of Angelica sinensis (AS-C), has been investigated with respect to the treatment of angina. In this study, we have examined the anti-tumor effects of n -butylidenephthalide on glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) brain tumors both in vitro and in vivo. In vitro, GBM cells were treated with BP, and the effects of proliferation, cell cycle and apoptosis were determined. In vivo, DBTRG-05MG, the human GBM tumor, and RG2, the rat GBM tumor, were injected subcutaneously or intracerebrally with BP. The effects on tumor growth were determined by tumor volumes, magnetic resonance imaging and survival rate. Here, we report on the potency of BP in suppressing growth of malignant brain tumor cells without simultaneous fibroblast cytotocixity. BP up-regulated the expression of Cyclin Kinase Inhibitor (CKI), including p21 and p27, to decrease phosphorylation of Rb proteins, and down-regulated the cell-cycle regulators, resulting in cell arrest at the G0/G1 phase for DBTRG-05MG and RG2 cells, respectively. The apoptosis-associated proteins were dramatically increased and activated by BP in DBTRG-05MG cells and RG2 cells, but RG2 cells did not express p53 protein. In vitro results showed that BP triggered both p53-dependent and independent pathways for apoptosis. In vivo, BP not only suppressed growth of subcutaneous rat and human brain tumors but also, reduced the volume of GBM tumors in situ, significantly prolonging survival rate. These in vitro and in vivo anti-cancer effects indicate that BP could serve as a new anti-brain tumor drug. [source] Ferulic acid: pharmaceutical functions, preparation and applications in foodsJOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE, Issue 11 2004Shiyi Ou Abstract Ferulic acid (4-hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamic acid), an effective component of Chinese medicine herbs such as Angelica sinensis, Cimicifuga heracleifolia and Lignsticum chuangxiong, is a ubiquitous phenolic acid in the plant kingdom. It is mainly conjugated with mono- and oligosaccharides, polyamines, lipids and polysaccharides and seldom occurs in a free state in plants. Ferulic acid is a phenolic acid of low toxicity; it can be absorbed and easily metabolized in the human body. Ferulic acid has been reported to have many physiological functions, including antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anti-thrombosis, and anti-cancer activities. It also protects against coronary disease, lowers cholesterol and increases sperm viability. Because of these properties and its low toxicity, ferulic acid is now widely used in the food and cosmetic industries. It is used as the raw material for the production of vanillin and preservatives, as a cross-linking agent for the preparation of food gels and edible films, and as an ingredient in sports foods and skin protection agents. Ferulic acid can be prepared by chemical synthesis and through biological transformation. As polysaccharide ferulate is a natural and abundant source of ferulic acid, preparation of ferulic acid from plant cell wall materials will be a prospective pathway. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry [source] GABAergic phthalide dimers from Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) DielsPHYTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS, Issue 6 2006Shixin Deng Abstract The methanol extract of Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels roots (Dang Gui) has been shown to exhibit competitive binding to the GABAa receptor, suggesting the presence of GABAergic ligands. Chromatographic fractionation of the methanol extract led to the isolation of two GABAergic dimeric phthalides 1 and 2. Gelispirolide (1) was elucidated as a new phthalide dimer composed of a Z -ligustilide and a Z -butylidenephthalide unit on the basis of spectroscopic approaches including one- and two-dimensional NMR, HRESIMS and HRESIMS-MS. Compound 2 was identified as the known dimeric phthalide, riligustilide, by comparison of its spectroscopic data with literature values. Its dimeric linkage and stereochemistry were ascertained by a single crystal X-ray diffraction experiment. Both dimers 1 and 2 were found to be active in an in vitro GABAa receptor-binding assay with IC50 values of 29 and 24 µm, respectively. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Neuroprotective effect of HT008-1, a prescription of traditional Korean medicine, on transient focal cerebral ischemia model in ratsPHYTOTHERAPY RESEARCH, Issue 8 2010Youngmin Bu Abstract HT008-1 is one of the prescriptions used in Traditional Korean Medicine for the treatment of mental and physical weakness. It is composed of Panax ginseng, Acanthopanax senticosus, Angelica sinensis and Scutellaria baicalensis, which have been reported to have various pharmacological effects on the central nervous system. The study investigated whether HT008-1 has neuroprotective effects in a focal cerebral ischemia rat model. Stroke was induced in rats by 2,h of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo) followed by 22,h of reperfusion. HT008-1 (30, 100 and 300,mg/kg) and the component herbs (300,mg/kg) were administered orally twice at 0 and 2,h after ischemia. Oral administration of 300,mg/kg HT008-1 reduced brain infarction by 45.7%, prolonged the latency time by 24.8% in the rotarod test, and enhanced the score by 17.0% in the balance beam test. Only P. ginseng and S. baicalensis showed protective effects, and HT008-1 showed a greater effect than its component herbs. HT008-1 down-regulated the COX-2 and OX-42 expression in the penumbra region. In conclusion, the results show that HT008-1 may be effective in a rat stroke model by an antiinflammatory mechanism and may improve sensory-motor function by reducing damage in the cortex and caudoputamen. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Effect of a novel botanical agent Drynol Cibotin on human osteoblast cells and implications for osteoporosis: promotion of cell growth, calcium uptake and collagen productionPHYTOTHERAPY RESEARCH, Issue S2 2010Barbara Wegiel Abstract Osteoporosis is a widespread problem afflicting millions of people. Drynol Cibotinis is a newly developed proprietary botanical combination of eight botanicals including Angelica sinensis, Glycine max, Wild yam, Ligustrum lucidum, Astragalus membranaceus, Cuscuta chinensis, Psoraleae corylifoliae, and Drynaria fortune. Each of the botanicals has been used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat osteoporosis. The effect of Drynol Cibotinis, with the specific combination of these anti-osteoporosis botanicals for promoting bone growth, was examined in this study. The effects of Drynol Cibotin on cell growth, apoptosis, cell spreading, calcium uptake and production of bone matrix proteins Collagen I and Laminin B2 on human osteoblast cells were assessed by BrdU incorporation, TUNEL assay, cell staining, intracellular Ca2+ measurement and Western blot analysis. The results showed that Drynol Cibotin significantly increased cell proliferation and inhibited apoptosis in osteoblasts (P < 0.01). In addition, Drynol Cibotin was found to promote cell spreading and greatly increase calcium uptake both instantaneously and in the long term (P < 0.01). Furthermore, Drynol Cibotin significantly increased production of two key extracellular matrix proteins in bone cells: Collagen I and Laminin B2. These results indicate that Drynol Cibotin alone or in combination with amino acids and vitamins may have prophylactic potentials in osteoporosis. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Supercritical fluid extraction for the separation of organochlorine pesticides residue in Angelica sinensisBIOMEDICAL CHROMATOGRAPHY, Issue 7 2002Chunjie Zhao A method involving the simultaneous extraction and separation of 12 organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) from Angelicae sinensis was developed using supercritical fluid extraction (SFE). The pesticides in the study were ,-, ,-, ,- and ,-benzene hexachloride, PCNB (pentachloro- nitrobenzene), PCA (pentachloroaniline), HEPT (heptachlor), MPCPS (methyl-pentachlorophenyl sulfide), pp,-DDE [1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis (p -chlorophenyl) ethylene], op,-DDT [1,1,1,-trichloro-2-(o -chlorophenyl)-2-(p -chlorophenyl) ethane], pp,-DDD [1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(p -chlorophenyl) ethane], and pp,-DDT [1,1,1,-trichloro-2,2-bis (p -chlorophenyl)ethane]. The extraction conditions were optimized as follows: pure CO2, extraction pressure 15 MPa, extraction temperature 60°C, extraction time 20,min, and flow-rate 1.5,mL/min. A GC method with electron capture detection was employed to determine the OCPs in Angelicae sinensis. An HPLC method was developed for the quantitative determination of active constituents. The SFE provided high decontamination rate of OCPs and low loss of active constituents in Angelicae sinensis. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] | ||||||||||