Promotion effect of the propolis from Jeju Island, Korea, on NGF secretion in human glioblastoma cells.

Propolis is a resinous mixture of substances collected and processed from various botanical sources by honeybees (Apis mellifera). We previously found that propolis collected on Jeju Island, located off the southern coast of Korea, originates from a single plant, Angelica keiskei KOIDZUMI (Ashitaba). A. keiskei has been well-studied as a health food and has been reported to promote nerve growth factor (NGF) production. Propolis formed from the resin of A. keiskei is expected to have a similar promotional effect on NGF production. NGF is a potential pharmacological agent for Alzheimer's disease. In this study, the effects of an ethanolic extract of propolis from Jeju Island (EEPJ) on NGF secretion and cell viability in T98G human glioblastoma cells were evaluated. Ethanolic extracts of propolis from Brazil (Baccharis type) and from Uruguay (Populus type) were also studied for comparison. We found that EEPJ significantly increased NGF secretion in the cells in a concentration-dependent manner. Furthermore, the effects of 27 compounds previously isolated from EEPJ were also evaluated. Several compounds were found to have a promotion effect on NGF secretion, and the structure-activity relationships of the compounds were considered relative to their promotional effect on NGF biosynthesis. The promotional effect of EEPJ is a characteristic biological activity that is not present with other propolis types, so the propolis from Jeju Island may have potential applications as a therapeutic candidate for Alzheimer's disease.

Component analysis of propolis collected on Jeju Island, Korea.

A study of propolis from Jeju Island, located off the southern tip of Korea, led to the isolation and identification of eight chalcones: (±)-(E)-4'-methoxy-4,2'-dihydroxy-3'-(2″,3″-dihydroxy-3″-methylbutyl)-chalcone, (E,E,E)-4,2',4'-trihydroxy-3'-(7″-hydroxy-3″,7″-dimethyloct-2″,5″-dienyl)-chalcone, (±)-(E,E)-4,2',4'-trihydroxy-3'-(5″-hydroxy-3″,7″-dimethyloct-2″,6″-dienyl)-chalcone, (±)-(E)-4'-methoxy-4,3″,4″-trihydroxy-2″,2″-dimethyldihydropyrano-(2',3')-chalcone, (±)-(E)-4'-methoxy-4,3″-dihydroxy-2″-(1″'-hydroxyisopropyl)-dihydrofurano-(2',3')-chalcone, (-)-(E)-4,4'-dihydroxy-2″-(1″'-hydroxy-1″',5″'-dimethylhex-4″'-enyl)-dihydrofurano-(2',3')-chalcone, (+)-(E)-4,2'-dihydroxy-2″-methyl-2″-(3″',4″'-dihydroxy-4″'-methylpentanyl)-2H-pyrano-(3',4')-chalcone and (-)-(E)-4,2'-dihydroxy-2″-methyl-2″-(3″',4″'-dihydroxy-4″'-methylpentanyl)-2H-pyrano-(3',4')-chalcone. Nineteen other known compounds were also isolated. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic analyses and comparison with literature data. The propolis from Jeju Island contained compounds not present in propolis from other regions.

Identification of the plant origin of propolis from Jeju Island, Korea, by observation of honeybee behavior and phytochemical analysis.

Propolis collected on Jeju Island, Korea, contains characteristic components not present in propolis from other regions. Hence, the plant origin of the propolis from Jeju Island can be expected to be a novel plant. To identify the plant origin of this propolis, first we observed honeybee behavior, and found them collecting the resin from Angelica keiskei. Then comparative analyses of chemical and biological properties of the resin from the plant and propolis from hives of nearby apiaries were performed. Alcoholic extracts showed entirely identical HPLC profiles and closely similar antioxidant activities. These results indicate that A. keiskei is the plant origin of the propolis from Jeju Island, Korea.

A study of passive weight-bearing lower limb exercise effects on local muscles and whole body oxidative metabolism: a comparison with simulated horse riding, bicycle, and walking exercise.

BACKGROUND: We have developed an exercise machine prototype for increasing exercise intensity by means of passively exercising lower limb muscles. The purpose of the present study was to compare the passive exercise intensity of our newly-developed machine with the intensities of different types of exercises. We also attempted to measure muscle activity to study how these forms of exercise affected individual parts of the body. METHODS: Subjects were 14 healthy men with the following demographics: age 30 years, height 171.5 cm, weight 68.3 kg. They performed 4 types of exercise: Passive weight-bearing lower limb exercise (PWLLE), Simulated horse riding exercise (SHRE), Bicycle exercise, and Walking exercise, as described below at an interval of one week or longer. Oxygen uptake, blood pressure, heart rate, and electromyogram (EMG) were measured or recorded during exercise. At rest prior to exercise and immediately after the end of each exercise intensity, the oxygenated hemoglobin levels of the lower limb muscles were measured by near-infrared spectroscopy to calculate the rate of decline. This rate of decline was obtained immediately after exercise as well as at rest to calculate oxygen consumption of the lower limb muscles as expressed as a ratio of a post-exercise rate of decline to a resting one. RESULTS: The heart rate and oxygen uptake observed in PWLLE during maximal intensity were comparable to that of a 20-watt bicycle exercise or 2 km/hr walking exercise. Maximal intensity PWLLE was found to provoke muscle activity comparable to an 80-watt bicycle or 6 km/hr walking exercise. As was the case with the EMG results, during maximal intensity PWLLE, the rectus femoris muscle consumed oxygen in amounts identical to that of an 80-watt bicycle or a 6 km/hr walking exercise. CONCLUSION: Passive weight-bearing lower limb exercise using our trial machine could provide approximately 3 MET of exercise and the thigh exhibited muscle activity equivalent to that of 80-watt bicycle or 6 km/hr walking exercise. Namely, given the same oxygen uptake, PWLLE exceeded bicycle or walking exercise in muscle activity, thus PWLLE is believed to strengthen muscle power while reducing the load imposed on the cardiopulmonary system.

Hemodynamic relationships among upper-abdominal aorta and femoral arteries: basis for measurement of arterial blood flow to abdominal-pelvic organs.

BACKGROUND: Arterial blood flow (BF) to all abdominal-pelvic organs (AP) is a potentially useful indicator of splanchnic circulatory dysfunction or various stress-induced AP flow distributions. BFAP can be measured by subtracting BF in the "peripheral" bilateral limb left/right-femoral arteries (FA) from the "central" upper abdominal aorta (Ao) above the celiac trunk according to the formula: BFAP = BFAo-both BFFAs. It is necessary to understand the hemodynamics of the three-conduit arteries to determine physiological BFAP. The aim was to examine 1) basal hemodynamic parameters such as vessel diameter (VD), blood velocity (BV), and BF and their relationship to Ao and FAs and 2) how both BFAo and BFFAs influence the magnitude of BFAP. MATERIAL/METHODS: Fifty healthy males with a wide range of body weights were evaluated while seated following a 12-hour fast. Hemodynamics in three-conduit arteries was measured by pulsed Doppler with spectral analysis. RESULTS: Positive linear relationships in VD, BV, and BF were observed between Ao and both FAs (r value range: 0.399-0.529) and between BFAo and limb BFFAs (sum of both BFFAs; r=0.544, p<0.0001). BFAP was more strongly proportional to BFAo (r=0.966, p<0.0001) than BFFAs (r=0.303, p=0.0327 in LFA, r=0.281, p=0.0482 in RFA). BFAP was thus expressed as: BFAP (l/min) = 0.85 x BFAo-0.19. CONCLUSIONS: Under basal conditions, biological proportion and close hemodynamic relationship were observed between Ao and FAs. Consequently, BFAP was more strongly influenced by BFAo than by BFFAs. BFAP may be potentially evaluated by BFAo to determine single arterial hemodynamics using the above formula.