• Journal of Life Science
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• v.25 no.12
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• pp.1377-1383
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• 2015

Scopoletin is a component of several plant such as Erycibe obtusifolia, Aster tataricus, Foeniculum vulgare and Brunfelsia grandiflora. It was reported to have anti-angiogenesis and anti-allergy effects. In this study, the anti-inflammatory effect of scopoletin was investigated in Raw264.7 cells, mouse macrophages. The effects of scopoletin on phagocytosis and nitric oxide (NO) production were investigated in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory responses. It was observed that scopoletin exerted inhibitory effects on both phagocytosis and NO production. In addition, scopoletin decreased the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) which were related to NO and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production. In particular, the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). The expression levels of IL-1β, IL-6 were remarkably decreased by treatment with scopoletin. Furthermore, the content of TNFα produced by macrophage was decreased in the presence of scopoletin at 8 hr. These results indicate that the anti-inflammatory effect of scopoletin could exert by inhibiting the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in Raw264.7 cells stimulated with LPS. The above results suggest scopoletin could be a new remedial agent for anti-inflammation through inhibition of iNOS, COX-2, IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α expressions as well as supression of phagocytosis and NO production.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.34-41
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• 2019

Platelet aggregation is essential for the formation of a hemostatic plug in the case of blood vessel damage. On the other hand, excessive platelet aggregation may cause cardiovascular disorders, such as thrombosis, atherosclerosis, and myocardial infarction. Scopoletin, which found in the root of plants in the genus Scopolia or Artemisia, has anti-coagulation and anti-malaria effects. This study examined the effects of scopoletin on human platelet aggregation induced by collagen. Scopoletin had anti-platelet effects via the down-regulation of thromboxane $A_2$ ($TXA_2$) production and intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ mobilization ($[Ca^{2+}]_i$), which are aggregation-inducing molecules produced in activated platelets. On the other hand, scopoletin increased both the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) levels, which are known as intracellular $Ca^{2+}$-antagonists and aggregation-inhibiting molecules. In particular, scopoletin increased the potently cAMP level more than cGMP, which led to suppressed fibrinogen binding to ${\alpha}IIb/{\beta}_3$ in collagen-induced human platelet aggregation. In addition, scopoletin inhibited collagen-elevated adenosine triphosphate (ATP) release in a dose-dependent manner. The results suggest that aggregation amplification through granule secretion is inhibited by scopoletin. Therefore, scopoletin has potent anti-platelet effects and may have potential for the prevention of platelet-derived vascular diseases.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.173-181
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• 2015

This study investigated the effects of scopoletin (6-methoxy-7-hydroxycoumarin) supplementation on insulin resistance and the antioxidant defense system in chronic alcohol-fed rats. Rats were fed a Lieber-Decarli liquid diet containing 5% ethanol with or without two doses of scopoletin (0.01 and 0.05 g/L) for 8 weeks. Pair-fed rats received an isocaloric carbohydrate liquid diet. Chronic alcohol did not affect fasting serum glucose levels, although it induced glucose intolerance and hyperinsulinemia compared with the pair-fed group and led to insulin resistance. Both doses of scopoletin similarly improved glucose intolerance, serum insulin level, and insulin resistance. Scopoletin supplementation significantly activated phosphatidyl inositol 3-kinase, which was inhibited by chronic alcohol. Two doses of scopoletin up-regulated hepatic mRNA expression and activity of glucokinase as well as down-regulated mRNA expression and activity of glucose-6-phosphatase compared with the alcohol control group. Both doses of scopoletin significantly reduced cytochrome P450 2E1 activity and elevated aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 activity, resulting in a lower serum acetaldehyde level compared with the alcohol control group. Chronic alcohol suppressed hepatic mRNA expression and activities of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase; however, they were reversed by scopoletin supplementation, which reduced hydrogen peroxide and lipid peroxide levels in the liver. These results indicate that dietary scopoletin attenuated chronic alcohol-induced insulin resistance and activated the antioxidant defense system through regulation of hepatic gene expression in glucose and antioxidant metabolism.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.307-311
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• 2014

In this study, we isolated scopoletin from Cirsium setidens Nakai (Compositae) and tested its effects on melanogenesis. Scopoletin was not toxic to cells at concentrations less than $50{\mu}M$ and increased melanin synthesis in a dose-dependent manner. As melanin synthesis increased, scopoletin stimulated the total tyrosinase activity, the rate-limiting enzyme of melanogenesis. In a cell-free system, however, scopoletin did not increase tyrosinase activity, indicating that scopoletin is not a direct activator of tyrosinase. Furthermore, Western blot analysis showed that scopoletin stimulated the production of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) and tyrosinase expression via cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) phosphorylation in a dose-dependent manner. Based on these results, preclinical and clinical studies are needed to assess the use of scopoletin for the treatment of vitiligo.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.123-130
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• 2019

Platelet aggregation is essential for hemostatic process in case of blood vessels damages. However, excessive platelet aggregation can cause cardiovascular disorders including atherosclerosis, thrombosis and myocardial infarction. Scopoletin is usually found in the roots of genus Scopolia or Artemisia, and is known to have anticoagulant and anti-malarial effects. This study investigated the effect of scopoletin on human platelet aggregation induced by U46619, an analogue of thromboxane $A_2(TXA_2)$. Scopoletin had anti-platelet effects by down-regulating $TXA_2$ and intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ mobilization ($[Ca^{2+}]_i$), the aggregation-inducing molecules generated in activated platelets. On the other hand, scopoletin increased the levels of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), which are known to be intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ antagonists. This resulted in inhibition of fibrinogen binding to ${\alpha}IIb/{\beta}_3$ in U46619-induced human platelet aggregation. In addition, scopoletin inhibited the release of adenosine trisphosphate (ATP) in dose-dependent manner. This result means that the aggregation amplification activity through the granule secretion in platelets was suppressed by scopoletin. Therefore, we demonstrated that scopoletin has a potent antiplatelet effect and is highly likely to prevent platelet-derived vascular disease.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.57-65
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• 2020

Excessive drinking of alcohol is known to be one of the main causes of various neurological diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease. Scopoletin is known to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties, and to protect nerve cells. This study examined whether scopoletin inhibits the alcohol-induced apoptosis of primary hippocampal neurons, and how scopoletin regulates several factors associated with the caspase-mediated pathway. To achieve this, the cell viability and apoptosis rate of primary hippocampal neurons were measured by Cell Counting Kit-8 and flow cytometry, respectively. Apoptosis-related protein expressions (Bax, Bid, caspase-3, caspase-9, and Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP)) were analyzed by Western blotting, and the ANOVA method was used to confirm the significance of the measured results. As a result, scopoletin inhibited the expressions of alcohol-induced apoptosis and apoptosis-related proteins in primary hippocampal neurons. These results suggest that down-regulation of Bid, Bax, and cleaved caspase-9 expression induced by scopoletin down-regulates the expression of cleaved caspase-3, inhibits the expression of cleaved PARP, and finally, inhibits mitochondrial apoptotic pathways. The study suggests that scopoletin is worth developing as a candidate for neuroprotective agent.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.389-396
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• 2002

In the present work, we examined the mechanism of vasorelaxant effect of scopoletin, an active constituent of Artemisia capillaris on rat thoracic descending aortic rings. Scopoletin induced a concentration-dependent relaxation in rat thoracic descending aortic rings pre-contracted with phenylephrine (EC/sub 50/ = 238.94±37.4 μM), while it was less effective in rat thoracic descending aortic rings precontracted with high potassium solution (KCI 30 mM). Vasorelaxation by scopoletin was significantly inhibited after endothelial removal, but recovered at high concentration. Pretreatment of rat thoracic descending aortic rings with N/sup G/-nitro-L-arginine (100 μM), a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, and atropine (1 μM), a muscarinic receptor antagonist, significantly inhibited scopoletin-induced relaxation of rat thoracic descending aortic rings. Neither indomethacin (3 μM), an inhibitor of cydooxygenase, nor propranolol (1 μM), a β -adrenoceptor antagonist, modified the effect of scopoletin. The combination of N/sup G/ -nitro-L-arginine (100 μ M) and miconazole (10 μ M), an inhibitor of cytochrome P 450, did not modify the effect of scopoletin, when compared with pretreatment with N/sup G/-nitro-L-arginine(100 μM) alone. Vasorelaxant effect of scopoletin was inverted by pretreatment with diltiazem (10 μM), a Ca/sup 2+/-channel blocker, at low concentration, while restored at high concentration. Apamin (K/sub ca/-channel blocker, 1 μM), 4-aminopyridine (4-AP, K/sub v/-channel blocker, 1 mM), and tetrodotoxin (TTX, Na/sup +/-channel blocker 1 μM) potentiated the vasorelaxant effect of scopoledn, but glibendamide (K/sub ATP/-channel blocker, 10 μM), tetraetylammonium(TEA, non-selective K-channel blocker, 10 mM) did not affect the relaxation of scopoletin. Free radical scavengers (TEMPO, catalase, mannitol) did not modify vascular tone. These results suggest that nitric oxide, Ca/sup 2+/ -channels play a role in endothelium-dependent relaxations to scopoletin in rat aortas, that apamin, 4-AP, TTX but not glibenclamide, TEA potentiated relaxation to scopoletin mediated by these channels, and that free radicals do not concern to the vasorelaxant effect of scopoletin.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.343-351
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• 2020

Sorbus commixta Hedl. has traditionally been used as a remedy for cough, asthma, and other bronchial disorders. In this study, three major triterpenoids-lupeol, β-sitosterol, and ursolic acid and a coumarin, scopoletin, were isolated from a CHCl₃-soluble fragment of the bark of S. commixta. Their structures were identified by spectroscopic analyses, including mass spectrometry (MS), 1D-, and 2D- nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), as well as by comparing the data with data reported in the literature. Scopoletin was isolated from this plant for the first time. It is a nutraceutical compound contained in many plants that has been reported to exert diverse biological activities, including anti-inflammatory effects. This study examined the inhibitory effect of scopoletin on TNF-α-induced vascular endothelial inflammation. Unlike the marginal impact of other compounds against low-density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation and vascular endothelial inflammation, scopoletin showed remarkable activity on LDL oxidation (IC₅₀ = 10.2 μM) and exerted vascular anti-inflammatory effects in EA.hy926 human endothelial cells activated by TNF-α. It suppressed the expression of adhesion molecules, such as ICAM-1, VCAM-1, and E-selectin, and blocked the adhesion between THP-1 monocytes and EA. hy926 endothelial cells. It also inhibited TNF-α-induced NF-κB translocation from the cytosol to the nucleus. Moreover, IκBα phosphorylation, which was increased by TNF-α treatment, was reduced after treatment with scopoletin. Thus, scopoletin inhibited TNF-α-induced vascular inflammation in endothelial cells by suppressing the NF-κB signaling pathway. These results demonstrate that owing to its anti-inflammatory activity in the vascular endothelium, scopoletin has the potential to inhibit atherosclerosis development.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.1594-1598
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• 2005

Scopoletin (6-methoxy-7-hydrorycournarin) is a phenolic coumarin and a member of the phytoalexins. In this study we investigated whether scopoletin causes apoptosis in human hepatoma HepG2 cells and, if so, by what mechanisms. We report that scopoletin induced apoptosis as confirmed by a chromatin condensation. The signal cascade acivated by scopoletin included the activation of caspase-3 as evidenced by increased pretense activity. Activation of caspase-3 resulted in the cleavage of 116 kDa poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) to 85 kDa cleavage product in a dose-dependent fashion. Also, scopoletin-induced apoptotic mechanism of HepG2 cells involved the generation of hydrogen peroxide. Taken together, these results suggest that scopgletin induces hydrogen peroxide generation, which, in turn, causes activation of caspase-3, degradation of PARP, and eventually leads to apoptotic cell death in HepG2 cells.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.78-85
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• 2020

In this study, we shortly introduced the HPLC method validation guideline for the analysis of functional food which was released from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety of Korea in Dec 2018. The HPLC method validation was performed through the aforementioned HPLC method validation guideline in order to quantitate scopoletin content from the hot-water extract powder of Artemisia annua Linné. The HPLC method was validated by evaluating specificity, accuracy, precision, limit of quantitation and linearity. All parameters were in the suitable ranges which are designated in the guideline, which indicated the current HPLC method is reliable to quantitate the scopoletin content from the hot-water extract of A. annua.