Effect of extracts from safflower seeds on osteoblast differentiation and intracellular calcium ion concentration in MC3T3-E1 cells.

Although safflower seeds have long been used in Korea as herbal medicines, very little research has been published on the effects of safflower seed on bone formation or bone density. The study reported here therefore examined bone nodule formation, calcium uptake, alkaline phosphatase activity, and intracellular concentration of calcium ion [Ca(2+)](i) in murine osteoblastic cells of the MC3T3-E1 line that were cultured on modified Eagle's minimal essential medium alone (controls) or with addition of 0.1% crude extract of safflower seed (experimental group I) or 0.1% aqueous fraction of safflower seed (experimental group II). Fluorescence spectrometry measurement of ([Ca(2+)](i)) showed significantly accelerated rates of osteoblast differentiation in experimental group I (3 microL of crude extract in 8 x 10(4) cells) and experimental group II (2 microL of aqueous fraction in 8 x 10(4) cells) compared to the control group.

The effect of dimyristoylphosphatidylethanol on the lateral and rotational mobilities of liposome lipid bilayers.

The aim of this study was to provide the basis to further examine the mode of action of ethanol. Fluorescent probes reported to have different membrane mobilities were used to evaluate the effect of dimyristoylphosphatidylethanol (DMPEt) on the lateral and rotational mobilities of liposome lipid bilayers. An experimental procedure, based on the selective quenching of 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (DPH) and 1,3-di(1-pyrenyl)propane (Py-3-Py) by trinitrophenyl groups, was used. DMPEt increased the bulk lateral and rotational mobilities, and had a greater fluidizing effect on the outer than the inner monolayer. These effects of DMPEt on liposomes may be responsible for some, but not all, of the general anesthetic actions of ethanol.