Skin wounds are continuously exposed to bacteria and can easily become infected. Infected wounds require antibiotic treatment, and infections caused by drug-resistant bacteria are an important public health problem. Antimicrobial peptides have broad-spectrum antibacterial activity, induce little or no drug resistance and may be suitable for treating skin infections caused by drug-resistant bacteria. We previously reported the design and function of myxinidin and myxinidin analogues. Here we showed that myxinidin2 and myxinidin3 exhibit antimicrobial and anti-biofilm activities against antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in high salt environments and in gelatin. Moreover, these peptides facilitated infected wound healing by decreasing inflammation through suppression of IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α and regulation of downstream mediators such as STAT3, p38, JNK, and EGFR. In a mouse skin wound model infected with antibiotic-resistant bacteria, myxinidin2 and myxinidin3 eliminated the infection and enhanced wound healing. We therefore propose the use of these peptides for treating infected wounds and burns.

This study determined the effect of Lespedeza Caneata extract on the livers and kidneys of lead-administered mice. The experimental groups were divided into a normal group, Pb 4W group, Pb-LC 4W group, Pb 8W group, and Pb-LC 8W group. The normal group was supplied single distilled water, and the pb group was provided distilled water in which lead acetate was dissolved at 1,000 ppm. The Pb-LC group was provided with lead as drinking water, and the Lespedeza Caneata was orally medicated at a concentration of 500 mg/kg daily. AST, ALT, and BUN enzyme activities and histological experiments on the livers and kidneys resulted in the following conclusions. AST, ALT, and BUN activities increased in the experimental group compared to the normal group and decreased more in the Pb-LC group than the pb group during the same period. The histological results reveal that portions of the livers and kidneys were deformed in the Pb 4W group, and most of the Pb 8W group experienced necrosis and deformation. pb-LC4W and Pb-LC 8W groups experienced less deformation than the Pb 4W and Pb 8W groups. During the same period, the Pb-LC group experienced less histological changes than the Pb group. These results suggest that Lespedeza Caneata extract may have some protective effect on hepatic tissue and renal tissue damage with lead-administered in mice.

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This study was conducted to investigate the effects of Lespedeza caneata extract on the livers of alcohol-administered mice. The study subjects were divided into a control (Con), alcohol administration (AL), alcohol and Lespedeza Caneata extract 200 ㎎/kg administration (AL-LC 200), and alcohol and Lespedeza caneata extract400 ㎎/kg administration (AL-LC 400) group. Distilled water was administrated orally to control and alcohol groups for ten days, while Lespedeza caneata extract was administered orally to alcohol and Lespedeza caneata extract groups for ten days. All experimental groups were fasted for twelve hours seven days after the oral administration, after which distilled water was administered orally to Con five times at twelve-hour intervals. At the same time, 50% ethanol (MERCK, USA) at 10 g/kg concentration was administered orally to AL and AL-LC groups five times at 12-hour intervals. The AST, ALT enzyme activation in blood and histology of the liver were then evaluated. AST and ALT in AL-LC groups were lower than in the AL group. Particularly, the AL-LC 200 and AL-LC 400 groups had significantly lower AST activation than the AL group. Histological results showed that most of the subjects in the AL group had necrosis and deformation in their livers, while fat droplets were accumulated in hepatic cells around the central vein. AL-LC 200 group revealed that a portion of the central vein was swollen, liver cells were expanded, and small fat droplets were accumulated. In the AL-CL 400 group, the central vein was normal and small fat droplets were accumulated in some liver cells. However, most of the liver cells appeared normal in the AL-CL 400 group. These results suggest that the extracts of Lespedeza caneata prevented alcohol induced liver damage in mice and have great potential for use as natural health products.