• Korean Journal of Korean Medical Institute of Dermatology and Aesthetics
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.41-52
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• 2005

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Fructus Forsythiae on the melanogenesis. To determine whether Fructus Forsythiae methanol extract suppress melanin synthesis in cellular level, HM3KO human melanoma cells were cultured in the presence of various concentrations of Fructus Forsythiae methanol extract and the effects on cell proliferation, tyrosinase activity and melanin contents were examined. Treatment with Fructus Forsythiae methanol extract inhibited tyrosinase activity, regulate melanin biosynthesis as the key enzyme in melanogenesis, in a dose-dependent manner. And also suppressed melanin contents as a dose dependent manner without cytotoxicity morphological change. It was observed that the color of cell pellets was totally different from the control. These results suggest that the inhibitory effect of Fructus Forsythiae methanol extract on melanogenesis is due to the suppression of tyrosinase in HM3KO cells and Fructus Forsythiae is a candidate for an efficient whitening agent.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.765-770
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• 2007

Forsythiae fructus has traditionally been used for the treatment of erysipelas, skin rash and acute or chronic inflammatory disorders. The effect of Forsythiae fructus against lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation was investigated using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), on mouse RAW 264.7 macrophages. Forsythiae fructus extract suppressed the expression of iNOS, COX-2 and NF-$_K$B mRNAs on the lipopolysaccharide-stimulated enhancement in RAW 264.7 macrophages. We examined the expression of iNOS and COX-2 in both mRNA and protein levels to investigate the mechanism by which Forsythiae fructus extract inhibits NO production. Forsythiae fructus extract significantly reduced iNOS, NF-$_K$B and PGE$_2$, but didn't inhibit COX-2 expression which was induced by LPS treatment in Raw 264.7 cells. These results suggest that Forsythiae fructus exerts anti-inflammatory effects probably by suppression of the iNOS and NF-$_K$B expressions.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.105-121
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• 2004

This report describes the studies as follows through the research into the data of Fructus Forsythiae main blended prescriptions from Dongeuybogam. Through investigation on prescriptions from Dongeuybogam with Fructus Forsythiae as an ingredient, the following conclusions were reached. 1. All kinds of infection in a boil and the malignant tumor recorded the largest number of clinical frequency of the prescriptions in therapeutic use when Fructus Forsythiae was taken as a principle medicine. 2. The prescriptions are compounded with Fructus Forsythiae as a principle medicine can apply to eye disease, nose and ear disease, throat disease, trauma, the malignant tumor, skin disease, dental disease and heat pathogenic disease. 3. Various pathogenic factors such as wind-heat, heat, fire, wind, qi, poison, cold are put to practical use. 4. The dosage of Fructus Forsythiae is 2bun(about 0.75 gram) to 3jeon(about 11.25 gram), however 1joen(about 3.75 gram) has been taken the most for clinical application. 5. With examination the formulae of presciptions containing Fructus Forsythiae, I found the basic prescriptions as well as the medicines are in conjunction with Fructus Forsythiae and the theoretic grounds of formula in combining Fructus Forsythiae as a group of medicine for prescription through this research.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.472-477
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• 2011

The Forsythiae Fructus is an oriental medicine containing various lignans. In this study, the Forsythiae Fructus were extracted by hot water (Sample 1), hot water after bio-conversion using Lactobacillus strain (Sample 2-LP2, 2-LA, 2-LC, 2-LL, 2-BL and 2-LM) and 70% ethanol (Sample 3). Total polyphenol and flavonoid contents were improved by bio-conversion process using Lactobacillus strain, compared to water extract. Especially, sample 2-LL and 2-LA which had shown the high total polyphenol and flavonoid content in antioxidant activity. Also, sample 2-LL and 2-LA showed higher melanin generation inhibitory activity as of 55%, 53% in maximum extract concentration of $100{\mu}g/m{\ell}$. In the anti-inflammation test of the Forsythiae Fructus extracts, nitric oxide (NO) synthesis was inhibited. Specially, both 70% Forsythiae Fructus ethanol extract and sample 2-BL which have shown the relatively higher 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging and superoxide dismutase (SOD) like activities. In conclusion, the Forsythiae Fructus extracts with bio-conversion process has effect of skin whitening and anti-inflammation activity than other extracts. It could be used as a valuable materials for functional cosmetics.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.371-376
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• 2008

In this study, we have investigated the hypo-pigmentary mechanism of methanol extract of Forsythiae Fructus in human melanocyte cell line, HM3KO. Treatment of HM3KO cells with Forsythiae Fructus extract markedly inhibited melanin biosynthesis in a dose-dependent manner. Decreased melanin contents occurred through the decrease of tyrosinase protein and activity. The mRNA levels of tyrosinase and tyrosinase-related protein 1 (TRP-1) were also reduced by Forsythiae Fructus extract. Moreover, the level of intracellular cyclic AMP (cAMP) was significantly decreased by treatment of Forsythiae Fructus extract. These results suggest that Forsythiae Fructus reduces melanin synthesis by down regulation of tyrosinase mRNA transcription, and this is closely related to the cAMP-dependent pathway.

• Korean journal of food and cookery science
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• v.21 no.3 s.87
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• pp.319-325
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• 2005

This study was performed to investigate the antimicrobial effect of the Forsythiae Fructus extracts against food-borne pathogens. First, Forsythiae Fructus was extracted with methanol at room temperature and the methanol extracts were fractionated by using petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate, and methanol. The antimicrobial activity of the Forsythiae Fructus extracts was determined by using a paper disc method against food-borne pathogens and food spoilage bacteria. The methanol extracts of Forsythiae Fructus showed the highest antimicrobial activity against Salmonella paratryphimurium and Salmonella typhimurium. A synergistic effect in inhibition was observed when Forsythiae Fructus extract was mixed with Ulmus davidiana Japonica extract as compared to each extract alone. Finally, the growth inhibition curves were determined by using ethyl acetate extracts of Forsythiae Fructus against Shigella flexneri and Salmonella paratyphimurium. The aqueous extract of Forsythiae Fructus had strong antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus epidermidis at the concentration of 10,000 ppm. At this concentration, the growth of Shigella fexneri was retarded for more than 24 hours and for up to 12 hours for Staphylococcus epidermidis. In conclusion, the methanol extracts of Forsythiae Fructus efficiently inhibited Staphylococcus epidermidis and Shigella flexneri.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.262-269
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• 1988

The Forsythiae fructus is described to be used as an antiinflammatory drug, diuretics, antidotes and antibacterials in oriental literatures. In order to investigate the efficacy of Forsythiae viridissima (Oleaceae), the methanol extract and its fraction have been evaluated for the acute toxicity, antiinflammatory, analgesic and spasmolytic action in animals. The methanol extract of Forsythiae fructus was found to have significant antiinflammatory activity in the acute and subacute antiinflammatory model in rats, but have no analgesic action. Furthermore, through fractionation procedure, it was found that the active compounds were easily soluble in chloroform and butanol. It is also noted that the extracts had spasmolytic activities in the rat fundus and uterus and had low acute toxicity in mice.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.308-311
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• 2007

Inhibition of acetylcholinesterase and amyloid beta(1-42) peptide is good drug targets for Alzheimer's disease therapeutics. Among the twenty enthusiasm reducing herbals, the 70% methanol extracts (1 mg/ml) of Moutan Radicis Cortex and Forsythiae Fructus showed 91.5% and 85.3% about acethylcholinesterase inhibition, respectively. The extracts (1 mg/ml) of Coptidis Rhizoma and Paeoniae Radix Rubra showed more than 85% inhibition rate against amyloid beta (1-42) peptide aggregation. The neuroprotective effect of the extracts (1 mg/ml) of Moutan Radicis Cortex, Forsythiae Fructus and Paeoniae Radix Rubra showed 90.0%, 87.4% and 85.1% to compare with amyloid beta (1-42) peptide treated cells (IMR-32), respectively. Three herbs, Moutan Radicis Cortex, Forsythiae Fructus and Paeoniae Radix Rubra are promising candidates from natural products for development of Alzheimer's disease therapeutics.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.155-167
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• 2010

Objectives : In order to investigate the antidepressant effects of Forsythiae Fructus(FF), we performed the Forced Swimming Test(FST). Also the expressions of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), c-Fos and tyrosine hydroxylase(TH) were measured by immunohistochemical method at paraventricular nucleus(PVN), ventral tegmental area(VTA) and locus coeruleus(LC). Methods : Spraque-Dawley rats were administered FF extract(100 mg/kg, 400 mg/kg) intragastrically three times prior to the FST. Results : The duration of immobility in the FST was significantly decreased in the FF 100 mg/kg, 400 mg/kg groups(p<0.05). The expression of CRF was significantly reduced in the FF 100 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg groups(p<0.001). c-Fos expression was significantly decreased at PVN in the FF 100 mg/kg group(p=0.069). TH expression at VTA was significantly increased in the FF 100 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg groups(p<0.05). TH expression at LC was not significantly changed(p=0.346). Conclusion : According to the results, it can be suggested that Forsythiae Fructus has antidepressant effect via the decreased immobility through the reduction of CRF and c-Fos expression at PVN.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.425-430
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• 2011

In this study, we found that Forsythiae fructus (FF) and one of its main compounds, arctigenin, significantly inhibited nitric oxide production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated BV-2 microglial cells. Arctigenin also suppressed the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2, and inhibited the activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase, c-Jun N-terminal kinase and p38. Moreover, it also reduced levels of proinflammatory cytokines, interleukin $1{\beta}$, tumor necrosis factor ${\alpha}$ and prostaglandin E2, and inhibited neuronal death in LPS-treated organotypic hippocampal cultures. Therefore, we suggest that arctigenin may confer a neuroprotective effect via the inhibition of neuroinflammation.