Decursin Safety from Root of Angelica gigas in Rats

The subacute intraperitoneal toxicity of decursin was investigated in Spargue-Dawly（SD） rats. The rats were treated with decursin at a dose of 125 and 250 mg·kg-1·day-1for 4 weeks. All animals were observed daily for clinical signs. Their body weights were recorded weekly, no mortality was observed in two doses of 125 and 250 mg·kg-1of decursin. There were no significant differences in the clinical observations, body weight, food and water consumption, hematology, blood chemistry, gross pathological examination or organ weight between control and treated animals of both sexes. In conclusion, no evidence of a subacute toxic potential was observed in this study and no indication for adverse effects was noted at a dose level of 250 mg·kg-1·day-1.

Preventive effect of Angelica gigas Nakai extract oral administration on dry eye syndrome

Objective:To identify the preventive effect of Angelica gigas Nakai(A.gigas Nakai)extract in a benzalkonium chloride-induced dry eye model.Methods:A total of 28 mice were divided into 4 groups:1)Normal group:mice received only saline;2)positive control group:mice received an oral solution without A.gigas Nakai extract at 10:00 a.m.and 0.2%benzalkonium chloride eye drops at 2:00 p.m.;3)A.gigas Nakai extract(5 mg);4)A.gigas Nakai extract(10 mg).Both group 3)and group 4)received an oral solution with A.gigas Nakai extract(either 5 mg/kg or 10 mg/kg)at 10:00 a.m.and 0.2%benzalkonium chloride eye drops at2:00 p.m.After 14 d of follow-up,tear volume measurement and fluorescein staining were evaluated for the recovery effects on ocular surface.Histologic analysis was conducted by hematoxylin and eosin staining.Apoptosis on ocular epithelium layer was examined using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling staining.Expression of TNF-a was also measured using western blot analysis.Results:An increase in both the tear volume and the sustained fluorescein staining scores was observed,demonstrating the preventive effects of A.gigas Nakai extract.Structure changes such as irregularity of the epithelial layer and corneal epithelial cell death were inhibited in the A.gigas Nakai extract groups.Expression of TNF-αmoderately declined;however,its expression level was still higher,compared to the normal group.Conclusions:Results from the current study show the significant preventive effect of A.gigas Nakai extract in a mouse model of benzalkonium chloride-induced dry eye syndrome.Thus,A.gigas Nakai extract could be considered as an oral preventive agent for dry eye syndrome in the future.

Effect of Hoechunyangkyeok-San Extract on Melanogenesis

Forsythia fructus has been shown to have antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, anti-aging and whitening effects. Hoechunyangkyeok-san (Forsythia viridissima-prescription) is a traditional herbal medicine, which has been clinically used for treating febrile and inflammatory disorders. This work was carried out to investigate the skin whitening effects of Forsythia viridissima-prescription extract (a hydrolyzed extract of Hoechunyangkyeok-san: SID White HYC) on skin. The effects of SID White HYC were assessed the melanin contents in B161 melanoma cells and the pigmented equivalent with HMB45 and Fontana Masson staining in 3D skin model. Then, we examined the expression of major pigment enzymes regulating melanin synthesis and melanosome transport related proteins in B16F1 cells. SID White HYC significantly inhibited the melanin synthesis (56.7% and 30.6% inhibition at 100 μg/mL, intracellular and secreted, respectively) in B16F1 cells and 3D skin model. In addition, western blotting analysis showed that SID White HYC reduced the expression of melanin synthesis and melanosome transport related proteins in B16F1 cells. In clinical trials, the cream containing 0.05% SID White HYC showed skin depigmentation effect without any irritation. These results suggest that SID White HYC may be useful inhibition of melanogenesis and melanosome transport. Therefore, SID White HYC may have potential as a skin-whitening ingredient in cosmetics.