Anti-fatigue effect of tormentic acid through alleviating oxidative stress and energy metabolism-modulating property in C2C12 cells and animal models

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES@#Oxidative stress is caused by reactive oxygen species and free radicals that accelerate inflammatory responses and exacerbate fatigue. Tormentic acid (TA) has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Thus, the aim of present study is to determine the fatigue-regulatory effects of TA in H2O2 -stimulated myoblast cell line, C2C12 cells and treadmill stress test (TST) and forced swimming test (FST) animal models.MATERIALS/METHODS: In the in vitro study, C2C12 cells were pretreated with TA before stimulation with H2O2 . Then, malondialdehyde (MDA), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine kinase (CK) activity, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-6, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glycogen, and cell viability were analyzed. In the in vivo study, the ICR male mice were administered TA or distilled water orally daily for 28 days. FST and TST were then performed on the last day. In addition, biochemical analysis of the serum, muscle, and liver was performed. @*RESULTS@#TA dose-dependently alleviated the levels of MDA, LDH, CK activity, TNF-α, and IL-6 in H2O2 -stimulated C2C12 cells without affecting the cytotoxicity. TA increased the SOD and CAT activities and the glycogen levels in H2O2 -stimulated C2C12 cells. In TST and FST animal models, TA decreased the FST immobility time significantly while increasing the TST exhaustion time without weight fluctuations. The in vivo studies showed that the levels of SOD, CAT, citrate synthase, glycogen, and free fatty acid were increased by TA administration, whereas TA significantly reduced the levels of glucose, MDA, LDH, lactate, CK, inflammatory cytokines, alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, blood urea nitrogen, and cortisol compared to the control group. @*CONCLUSIONS@#TA improves fatigue by modulating oxidative stress and energy metabolism in C2C12 cells and animal models. Therefore, we suggest that TA can be a powerful substance in healthy functional foods and therapeutics to improve fatigue.

Effect of dexamethasone injection into Zusanli (ST 36) acupoint on ovalbumin-induced allergic rhinitis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of acupuncture with dexamethasone (A. Dex) on allergic rhinitis (AR) by injecting dexamethasone into the Zusanli (ST 36) acupoint. METHODS: Thirty 6-week-old female BALB/c mice were sensitized on days 1, 5, and 14 by intraperitoneal injection of 100 µg of ovalbumin (OVA). The mice were then randomly divided into six groups (n = 5 in each group). Five groups were sensitized intranasally with 2 µL of 1.5 mg of OVA for 10 consecutive days, while one group was sensitized intranasally with PBS in a similar manner as a negative control group. One hour before each administration of intranasal OVA, two groups were orally administered either a control vehicle (distilled water; AR control group) or 200 µg/kg Dex (O. Dex group), while three groups received A. Dex at Zusanli (ST 36) with Dex concentrations of 2, 20, and 200 µg/kg for each group, respectively. AR symptoms were evaluated by measuring the rubbing score, which comprised the number of nose, ear, and eye rubs that occurred in the initial 10 min after OVA intranasal provocation on the 10th day. We isolated spleen, serum, and nasal mucosal tissue after measuring the rubbing score. Spleen weight was measured using an electronic microbalance. The levels of IgE, thymic stromal lymphopoietin, tumor necro- sis factor-α, intercellular adhesion molecule-1, and macrophage-inflammatory protein-2 in serum or nasal mucosal tissue were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The serum histamine levels of OVA-sensitized AR mice were measured using O-phthaldialdehyde spectrofluorometry. Western blot analysis was performed on nasal mucosal tissue extracts. RESULTS: A. Dex significantly reduced the rubbing score, spleen weight, serum IgE, and serum histamine in OVA-sensitized mice. A. Dex significantly decreased the serum levels of inflammatory cytokines (thymic stromal lymphopoietin and tumor ne- crosis factor-α) in OVA-sensitized mice. A. Dex sig-nificantly reduced the nasal mucosal levels of inflammatory markers (intercellular adhesion molecule-1andmacrophage-inflammatory protein-2) inAR mice. A. Dex effectively attenuated the expression of caspase-1 and receptorinteractingprotein-2 in nasal mucosal tissue.

Bamboo salt suppresses skin inflammation in mice with 2, 4-dinitrofluorobenzene-induced atopic dermatitis / 中国天然药物

Bamboo salt (BS) is a traditional Korean food, and has been reported to have anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and anti-metastatic effects. However, the anti-atopic dermatitis (AD) activity of BS has not been described yet. In the present study, we examined the preventive effect of BS on AD. The effect of oral administration of BS was tested in a 2, 4-dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB)-induced AD animal model, by histological analysis, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, caspase-1 assay, and Western blotting analysis. BS administration reduced the total clinical severity and scratching frequencies, compared with the AD group. In the serum of DNFB-induced AD mice, the levels of IgE, histamine, thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), interleukin (IL)-5, and IL-13 were significantly reduced by BS treatment. BS significantly reduced the protein and mRNA expression of TSLP, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α in the AD skin lesions. BS markedly reduced the infiltration of inflammatory cells. Furthermore, the activation of caspase-1 was reduced by BS in the AD skin lesions. Our results suggested that BS should be considered as a candidate treatment for allergic inflammatory diseases including AD.

Bamboo salt suppresses skin inflammation in mice with 2, 4-dinitrofluorobenzene-induced atopic dermatitis / 中国天然药物

Bamboo salt (BS) is a traditional Korean food, and has been reported to have anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and anti-metastatic effects. However, the anti-atopic dermatitis (AD) activity of BS has not been described yet. In the present study, we examined the preventive effect of BS on AD. The effect of oral administration of BS was tested in a 2, 4-dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB)-induced AD animal model, by histological analysis, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, caspase-1 assay, and Western blotting analysis. BS administration reduced the total clinical severity and scratching frequencies, compared with the AD group. In the serum of DNFB-induced AD mice, the levels of IgE, histamine, thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), interleukin (IL)-5, and IL-13 were significantly reduced by BS treatment. BS significantly reduced the protein and mRNA expression of TSLP, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α in the AD skin lesions. BS markedly reduced the infiltration of inflammatory cells. Furthermore, the activation of caspase-1 was reduced by BS in the AD skin lesions. Our results suggested that BS should be considered as a candidate treatment for allergic inflammatory diseases including AD.