No abstract

Context: Kyeongok-go (KOG) is a traditional mixed herb preparation consisting of Panax ginseng CA Meyer (Araliaceae), Poria cocos Wolf (Polyporaceae), Rehmannia glutinosa (Gaertner) Liboschitz ex Steudel (Orobanchaceae), and honey. Various pharmacological effects of KOG are reported, but the efficacy on respiratory diseases has not been evaluated. Objective: The anti-inflammatory, expectorant, and antitussive properties of KOG were examined using animal models of respiratory diseases. Materials and methods: KOG (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg) was orally administered to ICR mice (n ¼ 8) once a day for 11 days. Anti-inflammatory effects of vehicle, xylene, KOG and DEXA (1 mg/kg) were determined by monitoring edoema and redness of treated ears, and measuring the relative and absolute weight of each ear. Expectorant properties of vehicle, KOG and AM (250 mg/kg) were evaluated by observing body surface redness, and the amount of mucous secreted by the trachea. The antitussive potential of vehicle, NH 4 OH, KOG and TB (50 mg/kg) was evaluated by monitoring changes in the number of coughs (for 6 min). Results: KOG (400 mg/kg) treated mice showed 31.29% and 30.72% (p < 0.01) decreases in the relative and absolute weights of each ear relative to xylene control mice, 39.06% increases (p < 0.01) in TLF OD values relative to intact vehicle control mice, and 59.53% decrease (p < 0.01) in coughing compared to NH 4 OH control mice. Dose-dependent changes were observed in all experimental models. Conclusions: KOG may be a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of various respiratory diseases, particularly those caused by environmental toxins.

In this paper, we hypothesized that ShashamKyeongok-go (SKOG) is a mixed preparation of Adenophorae Radix powder (AR) and Kyeongok-go (KOG). SKOG may be served as a novel preventive and/or therapeutic agent for various respiratory diseases. SKOG were orally administered to ICR mice at 400, 200, and 100 mg/kg once a day for 11 days to examine antitussive, expectorant, and anti-inflammatory effects. The NH4OH exposure-induced allergic acute inflammation with coughing responses was dose-dependently and significantly (p < 0.01) inhibited by pretreatment with SKOG at doses of 400, 200, and 100 mg/kg. With these concentrations of SKOG, the thickness of intrapulmonary secondary bronchus mucosa and the number of periodic acid Schiff stain-positive mucous-producing cells were significantly (p < 0.05 or p < 0.01) increased, as a result of the increased amount of phenol red secretion. Subsequently, SKOG showed significant (p < 0.01) anti-inflammatory activities as characterized by reducing the effects of xylene-induced increases of ear weight, thickness of total ear and ear dermis, and number of infiltrated inflammatory cells in the ear dermis, in a dose-dependent manner. These results supported that SKOG might have potential therapeutic effects to be used as an antitussive, expectorant, and anti-inflammatory agents in the prevention or treatment of chronic bronchitis and asthma.

The aim of this study was to solve skin moisturizing action mechanism issues of pomegranate concentrated solution (PCS) and dried pomegranate concentrate powder (PCP), at least partially. Materials and methods: In this study, ceramide and TGF-β1 contents with TGF-β1 mRNA expressions were analysis on the skin tissue homogenate samples after 56 days of continuous oral administration of PCS 1, 2, and 4 ml/kg, and PCP 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg. Results: Noticeable and dose-dependent increases of skin TGF-β1 contents and mRNA expressions were demonstrated in all PCP and PCS treated mice as compared with intact vehicle control, but no significant changes on the skin ceramide contents were demonstrated in all PCP and PCS treated mice as compared with intact vehicle control, in the current study. In addition, PCP 200 mg/kg showed similar increases of the skin TGF-β1 contents and mRNA expressions as compared to those of PCS 4 ml/kg. Conclusions: The presented results suggested that in vivo skin moisturizing effects of PCP and PCS after oral administration through up regulation of hyaluronan synthesis demonstrated in our previous results, may be possibly mediated by modulation of TGF-β1 expressions at least partially, without critical influences on the skin ceramide contents.

Objectives: Here, we investigated the effects of concentrated and lyophilized powders Blue honeysuckle (BH) on the PK of tamoxifen, to establish the pharmacokinetics (PK) profiles as one of essential process in new drug development. Methods: After single oral treatment of 0.4 mg/ml of tamoxifen or tamoxifen 0.4 with BH 40, 20 and 10 mg/ml, the plasma were collected at 0.5 hr before administration, 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8 and 24 hr after end of single or mixed formula treatment. Plasma concentrations of tamoxifen were analyzed using LC-MS/MS methods. Tmax, Cmax, AUC, t1/2 and MRTinf were analyzed using noncompartmental PK data analyzer programs. Results: Tamoxifen and BH 40 mg/ml did not induce any significant change on the plasma tamoxifen concentrations, while significant decreases were observed in tamoxifen and BH 10 mg/ml from 2 to 8 hr as compared with tamoxifen only, respectively. Furthermore, significant increases of Tmax in tamoxifen and BH 40 mg/ml, significant decreases of Cmax in tamoxifen and BH 20 mg/ml, significant decreases of AUC0-t, AUC0-inf and MRTinf in tamoxifen and BH 10 mg/ml were demonstrated as compared with tamoxifen only. Conclusion: Taken together, tamoxifen and BH 10 mg/ml induced significant decrease of the oral bioavailability of tamoxifen, while tamoxifen and BH 40 or 20 mg/ml did not critically influenced, suggesting formulated BH concentration-independencies. It, therefore, seems to be needed that pharmacokinetic study after repeated administration should be tested to conclude the effects of BH on the pharmacokinetics of tamoxifen.