• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.675-679
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• 2006

The effect of water extract from Thesium chinese Turczaninow (TCTW) on proliferation of human breast cancer cells, nitric oxide production, nitric oxide synthase expression, and ornithine decarboxylase activity was tested. TCTW inhibited the growth of both estrogen-independent MDA-MB-231 and estrogen-dependent MCF-7 human breast cancer cells. Lipopolysaccharide-induced nitric oxide (NO) production was significantly reduced by TCTW at the concentrations of 1.0 (p<0.05) and 5.0 mg/ml (p<0.005). Expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) was also suppressed with the treatment of TCTW in Western blot analysis. TCTW inhibited induction of ornithine decarboxylase by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA), a key enzyme of polyamine biosynthesis, which is enhanced in tumor promotion. Therefore, TCTW is worth further investigation with respect to breast cancer chernoprevention or therapy.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.106-116
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• 2002

The 70% ethanol extract of Alpinia officinarum and its major flavonoid, galangin showed strong antioxidative effect on the lipid peroxidation of ethyl linolate with Fenton's reagent and free radical scavenging effect to DPPH radical generation. However, they did not reveal any pro-oxidant effect on bleomycin-Fe(III) dependent DNA degradation. They also showed the protective effect against $H_2O$$_2$, KO$_2$ or UV-induced cytotoxicity in mammalian cells. They also showed the suppressive effect of DNA damage induced by $H_2O$$_2$ or KO$_2$ with dose-dependent manner in single cell gel electrophoresis(SCGE) assay. On the other hand, they have an anticlastogenic effect against adriamycin-induced micronucleated reticulocyte in peripheral blood of mice. These results suggest that the mechanism of inhibition by 70% ethanol extract of Alpinia officinarum and galangin against reactive oxygen species (ROS)-induced genotoxicity or cytotoxicity is due, at least partly, to their antioxidative and free radical scavenging properties without pro-oxidant effect. All these results indicate that 70% ethanol extract of Alpinia officinarum and galangin may be useful for protection against ROS-induced cytotoxicity and DNA damage.