Ethanol extract of Oenanthe javanica increases cell proliferation and neuroblast differentiation in the adolescent rat dentate gyrus

Oenanthe javanica is an aquatic perennial herb that belongs to theOenanthe genus in Apiaceae family, and it displays well-known medicinal properties such as protective effects against glu-tamate-induced neurotoxicity. However, few studies regarding effects ofOenanthe javanica on neurogenesis in the brain have been reported. In this study, we examined the effects of a normal diet and a diet containing ethanol extract ofOenanthe javanica on cell proliferation and neu-roblast differentiation in the subgranular zone of the hippocampal dentate gyrus of adolescent rats using Ki-67 （an endogenous marker for cell proliferation） and doublecortin （a marker for neuroblast）. Our results showed thatOenanthe javanica extract signiifcantly increased the number of Ki-67-immunoreactive cells and doublecortin-immunoreactive neuroblasts in the subgranular zone of the dentate gyrus in the adolescent rats. In addition, the immunoreactivity of brain-derived neurotrophic factor was signiifcantly increased in the dentate gyrus of the Oenanthe javanica extract-treated group compared with the control group. However, we did not ifnd that vascular endothelial growth factor expression was increased in theOenanthe javanica extract-treated group compared with the control group. These results indicate thatOenanthe javanica extract improves cell proliferation and neuroblast differentiation by increasing brain-de-rived neurotrophic factor immunoreactivity in the rat dentate gyrus.

Nutrient concentration variations during Oenanthe javanica growth and decay in the ecological floating bed system

The ecological floating bed system is a natural alternative to technical methods of wastewater treatment and involves complex processes induced by plants or microorganisms in the wastewater. This study aimed to identify nutrient concentration variations during Oenanthe javanica （Blume） DC growth and decay in the ecological floating bed system. Results showed that the third-order polynomial equation was suitable to describe pollutant concentration changes, showing that the effect of O. javanica ecological floating bed system on polluted water could be divided into the purification phase and decay phase. During the purification phase, nutrient concentrations rapidly decreased because O. javanica influenced water microbial communities and water physical parameters （i.e., dissolved oxygen, pH, and temperature）, and had a direct uptake of nutrients. However, during the decay phase, nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations in the plant tissues decreased, and these lost nutrients ultimately transferred to water and led to water quality deterioration. Results also showed that the uptake and storage of O. javanica in nutrients were temporary and the plant served only as media of the nutrients removed from the water. Under these circumstances, harvesting was an appropriate intervention to improve the treatment efficiency of O. javanica ecological floating bed system.

Effect of Oenanthe Javanica Extract on Antioxidant Enzyme in the Rat Liver

Background：Oenanthe javanica （O.javanica） has been known to have high antioxidant properties via scavenging reactive oxygen species.We examined the effect of O.javanica extract （OJE） on antioxidant enzymes in the rat liver.Methods：We examined the effect of the OJE on copper,zinc-superoxide dismutase （SOD1）,manganese superoxide dismutase （SOD2）,catalase （CAT）,and glutathione peroxidase （GPx） in the rat liver using immunohistochemistry and western blot analysis.Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to three groups;（1） normal diet fed group （normal-group）,（2） diet containing ascorbic acid （AA）-fed group （AA-group） as a positive control,（3） diet containing OJE-fed group （OJE-group）.Results：In this study,no histopathological finding in the rat liver was found in all the experimental groups.Numbers of SOD1,SOD2,CAT,and GPx immunoreactive cells and their protein levels were significantly increased in the AA-fed group compared with those in the normal-group.On the other hand,in the OJE-group,numbers of SOD1,SOD2,CAT,and GPx immunoreactive cells in the liver were significantly increased by about 190%,478%,685%,and 346%,respectively,compared with those in the AA-group.In addition,protein levels of SOD 1,SOD2,CAT,and GPx in the OJE-group were also significantly much higher than those in the AA-group.Conclusion：OJE significantly increased expressions of SOD 1 and SOD2,CAT,and GPx in the liver cells of the rat,and these suggests that significant enhancements of endogenous enzymatic antioxidants by OJE might be a legitimate strategy for decreasing oxidative stresses in the liver.

Oenanthe javanica extract increases immunoreactivities of antioxidant enzymes in the rat kidney

Background Oenanthe javanica is an aquatic perennial herb originated from East Asia.Nowadays,the effects of Oenanthe javanica have been proven in various disease models.Studies regarding the antioxidant effect of Oenanthe javanica in the kidney are still unclear.Methods This study was therefore performed to investigate the effect of the Oenanthe javanica extract （OJE） in the rat kidney using immunohistochemistry for antioxidant enzymes,copper,zinc-superoxide dismutase （SOD1）,manganese superoxide dismutase （SOD2）,catalase （CAT） and glutathione peroxidase （GPx）.Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to three groups：（1） normal diet fed-group （normal-group）,（2） diet containing ascorbic acid （AA）-fed group （AA-group） as a positive control,（3） diet containing OJE-fed group （OJE-group）.AA and OJE were supplied during 28 days.Results The side-effects were not observed in all the groups.Immunoreactivities of SOD1,SOD2,CAT and GPx were easily detected in the distal tubules of the kidney,and their immunoreactivities in the AA-and OJE-groups were increased to about 1.4-1.5 times and 2 times,respectively,compared with those in the normal-group.Conclusion OJE significantly increased expressions of SOD1 ＆ 2,CAT and GPx immunoreactivities in the distal tubules of the rat kidney,and this finding suggests that significant enhancements of endogenous enzymatic antioxidants by OJE treatment may be a legitimate strategy for decreasing oxidative stresses in the kidney.

Oenanthe Javanica Extract Protects Against Experimentally Induced Ischemic Neuronal Damage via its Antioxidant Effects

Background： Water dropwort （Oenanthejavanica） as a popular traditional medicine in Asia shows various biological properties including antioxidant activity. In this study, we firstly examined the neuroprotective effect of Oenanthejavanica extract （OJE） in the hippocampal comus ammonis 1 region （CA 1 region） of the gerbil subjected to transient cerebral ischemia. Methods： Gerbils were established by the occlusion of common carotid arteries for 5 min. The neuroprotective effect of OJE was estimated by cresyl violet staining. In addition, 4 antioxidants （copper, zinc superoxide dismutase [SOD], manganese SOD, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase） immunoreactivities were investigated by immunohistochemistry. Results： Pyramidal neurons in the CA1 region showed neuronal death at 5 days postischemia; at this point in time, all antioxidants immunoreactivities disappeared in CA1 pyramidal neurons and showed 100 mg/kg, OJE protected CA 1 pyramidal neurons from ischemic damage in many nonpyramidal cells. Treatment with 200 mg/kg, not In addition, 200 mg/kg OJE treatment increased or maintained antioxidants immunoreactivities. Especially, among the antioxidants, glutathione peroxidase immunoreactivity was effectively increased in the CA 1 pyramidal neurons of the OJE-treated sham-operated and ischemia-operated groups. Conclusion： Our present results indicate that treatment with OJE can protect neurons from transient ischemic damage and that the neuroprotective effect may be closely associated with increased or maintained intracellular antioxidant enzymes by OJE.